NOT A FORGOTTEN ARMY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 20 April 1945, Page 3

NOT A FORGOTTEN ARMY

BRAVE EXPLOITS OF MEN IN FAR EAST MORALE OF HIGHEST QUALITY - Rugby, April 18. Dealing with the question of improvement in the welfare of troops in India and south -east Asia, Mr Churchill in the House of Commons mentioned that following Lord Minster’s report last December he had appointed Lieutenant-General King as his personal representative for welfare matters. General King had now returned after a three-months’ visit and submitted a report stating that the morale of British servicemen in those theatres was of the highest quality and unsurpassed anywhere. The success of the campaign was in itself the best evidence of their spirit which had enabled them to triumph over a dangerous enemy and difficult natural obstacles. Regarding accommodation in tran sit and leave camps and static camps such as R.A.F. and naval air stations, great strides had been made in the past year or so and with the exception of some items of special equipment, the general standard of cpmfort was reasonable and in many camps bore comparison with camps in this country and American camps in India. Eight new leave camps were now under construction and new accommodation was being provided in a further six existing camps. With regard to food and drink for servicemen in Burma a greater variety was being introduced into the rations and improvements effected in cooking and the Government was doing its utmost to see that men repatriated on compassionate grounds should travel all the way home by air. Mr Churchill added: “These gallant and devoted men have achieved under conditions far less satisfactory than they wer eled to expect insofar as reinforcements were concerned, objectives greater than those prescribed on the basis of reinforcements. This is a great and glorious army. Forres serving in India, Burma and the Far East were never a forgotten army. The valour and .endurance they, have displayed and the victories they have won and are winning keep them ever present in our minds and in the minds of the general public.”