LIKE A BIRTHDAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23838, 13 December 1940, Page 6

LIKE A BIRTHDAY

PARCELS FOR TROOPS APPRECIATION FROM EGYPT SOMES CASES LOST OR RIFLED [by telegraph—press association] "WELLINGTON", Thursday High praise for gift parcels forwarded to New Zealand troops through the National Patriotic Fund Board and for attention to their welfare generally is given by the commander of the Expeditionary Force, Major-General B. C. Freyberg, V.C., in a letter to the hoard. In a postscript in his own handwriting lie says:—"No troops are better cared for than ours." "There is no doubt," the commander says in his letter, "that the gifts are greatly appreciated, and the day of opening parcels was like a birthday for everybody. If those responsible tor getting together this generous collection of gift parcels could have seen them being distributed and opened here in Egypt. I know they would have felt their trouble had been well repaid; May I thank you on behalf of all ranks for giving ub such a pleasant surprise." It appears that some equipment sent to troops in Egypt must have gone astray, and there has been interference in transit with a number of cases of goods. Mr. Haydcn, secretary of the board, said to-day that he regretted to announce that he had been advised by the board's representative in Egypt, that, while fresh consignments had come to hand, indications were that equipment had gone astray either on the water or between the wharf and the camp. Also it had been found that cases had been broken open and systematically rifled. The goods referred to. Mr. Hayden said, might have been part of a consignment which had to be got ready at six hours' notice in an endeavour to replace parcels which went to England, when one draft was diverted there. It had not been possible to wire all these cases, which was the normal procedure. GRATEFUL RECIPIENTS SOLDIERS' ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The deep gratitude with which parcels are received b}- members of the New Zealand forces in the Middle East is revealed in letters recently received by the Auckland Metropolitan Patriotic Committee. Some of the letters mention that the writers are acknowledging their second gift parcel. Many of the letters are on behalf of several soldiers and refer to the very sensible and acceptable nature of the contents of the parcels. A letter has been received from a member of the Imperial Forces attached to one of the New Zealand units. "I don't know you people back in New Zealand, but I do know that you are people with very big hearts," the letter reads. "I was greatly surprised to be one of the recipients when the parcels were handed out and that made me more grateful to you who think so much about your fighting men. I thought I knew lots about your country, but after listening to your troops I realise that I knew very little." added the writer in acknowledging that New Zealand "is giving every moral and material help to the Old Country." One of the New Zealanders' letters concluded: "We are all fit and well, ready for anything, plenty of thrills, j and confident we will be on top."