ARMY TRANSFER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 24009, 5 July 1941, Page 12

ARMY TRANSFER

MIDDLE EAST LEADER

AUSTRALIAN INFLUENCE

NEWS AGENCY'S REPORT

(Rerd. 1'2.55 a.m.)

LONDON, July 4

Under the heading "Wavell Shift Menzies' Idea," the New York Post published yesterday the following message from the representative of the Associated Press of Great Britain in London : "Australian criticism of General Wavell's conduct in the Libyan campaign precipitated the shake-up. From Australian sources it is learned that the resentment,of the Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. .Menzies. was an important factor in General Wavell's shift. "Australian staff officers, these s'-urces said, had advised General Wavell against his defensive dispositions after his army had run the Italians out of Cyrenaica. General Wavell was reported to have replied that •'?()() miles of de«ert between his army and tho Axis troops at Tripoli would hold any enemy advance to small units. "As a result the western defences of Cyrenaica- were reduced to release troops for Greece. The Germans hit the British screen. They swept the British troops from the territory which was taken at the cost of hundreds of Australian lives."

There is no suggestion in authoritative quarters in Britain that Mr. Menzies was responsible for General Wavell's transfer.

SEEING TIIE SIGHTS AUSTRALIANS IN LONDON SAVOY LOUNGE SURPRISE LONDON, July 1 A fashionable gathering in the Savoy Hotel lounge, including high Army officers, was surprised last night to see three bronzed Australian soldiers walk in carrying their jackets and with their shirt sleeves rolled up. The Diggers, who were the first to be seen in London for months, announced that they were "broke," but wanted to see inside some of London's "low dives."

They were invited to join a party of Australian and American journalists, to whom they said that they belonged to Australia's "Forgotten Battalion," consisting of several hundred expert bushmen left behind when the Australians went to Egypt. They had since been engaged in forestry work in the north of England. All were disappointed that they had not gone to Egypt. One member of the battalion, they said, recently disappeared and turned up after a fortnight.' He then announced that he had "hitch-hiked" to London, where he joined a bomb-dis-posal squad. He was injured when a bomb exploded, but said he was happier now because he felt ho had been in action.

Australia House reports that, it has just completed the furnishing of clubrooms for the use of these men when on leave in London. It is also trying in various ways to make them feel that they are not forgotten. BIGGER WAR OUTPUT BEAVERBROOK'S NEW POST QUICKER RESULTS SOUGHT LONDON, July 1 Lord Beaverbrook, as the new Minister of Supply, leads the greatest drive for war materials Britain has known. In order to meet urgent requirements, ho is likely to modify his predecessor's long-term production policy by an immediate "boosting up" of output. The Minister intends to order a drastic overhaul of existing methods of supply, and will introduce vital changes in the Government's control system over war production. Important changes will be made in personnel, especially among high executives. He aims at quick results, and is planning to by-pass much of the protracted procedure which, hitherto, has slowed down production. Lord Beaverbrook starts his new job with the advantage of being a member of the War Cabinet, which is a belated but significant recognition of _ the key importance of production. This is the first time that the Minister of Supply lias been concerned in the war's supreme direction. The press unanimously welcomes his appointment, which is enthusiastically endorsed also by the public and trade unions. '.'Lord Beaverbrook's job as Minister for Aircraft Production was to get aeroplanes," says the Daily Mail. "He got them. Wo may conclude that he has been appointed Minister of Supply to stimulate a flood of tanks, guns, and munitions by the methods he previously employed."