9th. DIVISION'S RETURN

Grey River Argus, 25 March 1943, Page 2

9th. DIVISION'S RETURN

AUSTRALIA’S JOB I '- ■ " To Fight Japan (Special to N.zTdPress Assn.) SYDNEY, March 24. The ‘'‘Sydfaeyl Daily Telegraph" says editorially:, “Mr Churchill’s blunt announcement that no substantial help would be sent to the Southwest Pacific until after Hitler had been defeated explains why the Ninth Division has come home.” The ‘ Sydney Morning Herald” in its editorial said: “That is a vastly different sort of war from that in which the first A.I.F. fought, and this is a' vastly different home-coming. It is not so much a home-coming as a transfer to an active and vital theatre of operations in Australian waters and on Australian soil.” It adds: “The men of the Ninth Div.sion, having reorientated themselves here, will soon come to understand, if they do not understand already, wh'yi it is possible for tne New Zealand Division to remain with the Eighth Army when the Australians have to return. New Zealand is, by: circumstances, not committed to extensive land operations in this region as is the case with Australia.”

The “Herald” says: “The Ninth Division will not be lightly missed from the magnificent Eighth Army. The Australians left the Middle East with feelings predominantly of regret. While no explanation, nowever sound, could console them for having been ‘pulled out’ of the battle just when they had helped to win a signal victory there nevertheless were compelling reasons for their transfer to the Pacific theatre of the war.”

AUSTRALIAN'S TRIBUTE TO N.Z. AND OTHER TROOPS (Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) SYDNEY, March 24. A member of the Ninth Australian Division, which was the last Australian force to fight in the Middle East, said: “We did not like leaving the job overseas before it was finished. We would rather come back after the war. One aspect we all feel particularly keenly is that the New Zealanders are still in action over there. The Kiwis have done a magnificent job right through.” This statement typifies the general attitude of the returned men. Some insisted that the Ninth Division's part in the- break-through at El Alamein had been “a bit over-publicised,” and that other Divisions, such as tne New Zealanders, the South Africans, and the Highlanders had not received their just share of the credit. With the New Zealanders, as the most experienced troops in the Middle East 'theatre, they ranked the Indian Division, wjpich has fought in almost everv campaign there