LIFE OF ADVENTURE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 237, 5 September 1945, Page 5

LIFE OF ADVENTURE

LEADER OF N.Z. DIVISION. OUTSTANDING AVAR SERVICE. Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg, V.C., Commander of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. throughout the war.'has not only had a life of adventure, hut —what is rarer-vhas had a life which combined great adventure with great responsibility. A General in the Mexican Civil War under Paneho Villa at the age of 23, he,has fought in three different armies—in Villa's, in the British Army in the last war. and in the New Zealand Army in this war. He is one of the few commanders who have haxl a senior front-line command both in the last war and m this. He has been wounded 10 times. General Freyberg stands well over six feet in height and has a big hut athletic figure and the heavy shoulders of a swimmer. His face, under its lines of responsibility, retains something that is'almost boyish in expression when he relaxes or laughs. Only a long scar on the back of his neck from wounds received in both this war and in the last gives any outward sign of the battles through which he lias passed. His movements are quick and unhesitating, with all the decision of a man who possesses in abundance botli vigour and courage. He was born in England, in Richmond, Surrey, in 1890 and was bought to New Zealand by his parents at the age of two. In Wellington Harbour he learned to swim and became New Zealand junior swimming champion in 1905 and senior champion in 1910.

START AS DENTIST.

From school the boy Freyberg became a dentist. But the at the age of 22 he suddenly left New Zealand and his dentistry and turned up as a volunteer in Mexico in Paneho Villa's army. He was still there, and had reached the rank of General, when he heard of the outbreak of the Great War. Ho at once tramped for three -weeks to the coast, boarded a ship, got to England and enlisted in the Royal Naval Division. This was the first British Commando unit. In the Gallipoli campaign he volunteered for an action which demonstrated his most outstanding characteristic, his apparently effortless courage. Sir James Barrie, who was a friend and admirer, later took him as part of his text for an address on courage. Sir James's words described the action at Gallipoli in these terms: "He was dropped overboard to light decovs on the shore to deceive the Turks as to where the landing was to be. He pushed a' raft containing these in front of him. It was a frosty night and lie was naked and painted black. Firing from the ships was going on all around. It was a two-hour swim in pitch darkness. He did it, crawled through the scrub to listen to the talk of the enemy, was so close that he could have shaken hands with them, lit His decoys, and swam back." • WAR DECORATIONS. For this feat he received the first of his many decorations —the D.S.O. His record for the three remaining years of the war reads: "Wounded twice and mentioned in dispatches 1916; captain Royal West Surrey Regiment, seconded to the Royal Naval Division as lieutenantcolonel ; twice wounded; promoted brigadier-general at the age of 27 ; two bars to his D.S-O. ; wounded, in all, nine times and mentioned in dispatches six times; at the conclusion of the war posted as lieutenant-colonel to the Grenadier Guards. Freyberg's Victoria Cross was awarded to him for gallantry in action at Beaufort in November, T 916. Although wounded four times, be pressed on with his troops until the village was captured and more than 500 Germans were taken prisoner. He refused to go back to the dressing station until the position was assured."

In 1937, after a period of service in the War Office, lie retired. One story, which certainly fits in with his character, says that he was indignant at the grounds ,011 which he was asked to retire. They were—that he was no longer fit enough for a field command. Then in 1939 came the Second World War. General Freyberg was appointed to a base job as First Commander of Salisbury Plains Training Area. He was there apparently on the shelf for the duration when suddenly circumstances opened up for him the career which in many ways has outshone his career in the previous war. General Freyberg swept • into his command exuding an offensive spirit which was completely at variance with the accepted military thcon- of those Man-inot Lino'davs. His career in the war years is now almost legendary. No risk ' ever daunted him and lie imparted that spirit to those about him.

The honour of Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath was conferred on General Freyberg in November, 1942, in recognition of the supreme gallantry and excellent achievements of the New Zealand troops and their commander at the opening stages of the operations in Tunisia. General Freyberg .was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General in June, 1942.

In July, 1943, General Freyberg visited Palmerston North during a tour of New Zealand.