VISIT TO PACIFIC

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 5 February 1944, Page 4

VISIT TO PACIFIC

TROOPS LOOKING FIT BISHOP GERARD RETURNS TO N.Z. Napier, This Day. "As a New Zealander whose experiences have been mqsliy in the Middle East, I returned from the Pacific with an enhanced appreciation of what our country owes to the presence and activities of our American allies in meeting and holding the forces of Japan,” commented Lieutenant-Colonel G. V. Gerard, Senior Chaplaih of the New Zealand Forces and Bishop of Waiapu, on his arrival home from a visit to the Pacific fighting area. The close association of the New Zealand forces with the Americans in various phases of the Pacific warfare would, he believed, bo of value in cementing the friendship of the two peoples. Lieutenant-Colonel Gerard’s visit was made at the invitation of the Commander of the New Zealand Forces in the Pacific, Brigadier-General Barrovvclough, and Chief Chaplain Liggett. His activities involved visiting the troops, lecturing, and recounting his experiences in the Middle East and as a prisoner of war in Italy. “I found the troops in the Pacific of the same quality as the men in the Middle East, but they have had to adapt themselves to a different type oi warfare,” he said. “In every campaign there are long waiting periods between the combat phases. Many New Zealand units are still in vicinities which they captured from, the enemy.” Despite the rigours of tropical warfare they still looked very fit for any further activity they might be called upon to do. They seemed to be careful in the observation of malaria precautions, and there was a very low incidence of this island complaint among the troops. With the comparatively limited materials available the troops had made great efforts to mak e their camps and surroundings as comfortable as possible under tropic conditions, such as heat, rain, and the mud of the jungle. He saw some splendidly laid out medical hospital camps, where the sick were getting every attention. Visits to an R.N.Z.A.F. station showed that our airmen were taking their full share in the extensive operations organised by our allies. The transformation of wild jungle areas into busy airfields in a few weeks by American construction units was an amazingly rapid operation.—P.A.