EIGHTH ARMY ON THE MOVE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24539, 23 March 1943, Page 2

EIGHTH ARMY ON THE MOVE

It was characteristic of Mr. Churchill, after his masterly survey of the world and the domestic scenes, present and future, to conclude his speech with news of action. Although he proved himself a prince in the realm of ideas and planning, his burning desire is to get on with the job of winning the war. He insists that must come first. So he would rejoice to be able to cap his speech with the first word that the Eighth Army is on the move and making satisfactory progress. Amplification must wait on General Eisenhower's communique, but New Zealand knows that whatever part has been allotted to her 2nd Division will be performed faithfully and well. Tempered by the heat and cold of the desert and many times tried in action against the Afrika Korps, the Division is true steel, strong yet flexible. It is fitting that it should be in at the death of two dictators' dreams in Africa, fitting that it should finish strongly in a contest to the determination of which it has contributed its energies and blood since December, 1910. New Zealand repeats fervently with Mr. Churchill: "Let us wish them Godspeed in their struggle and then bend all

our efforts to the war." It is remarkable that it is the Eighth Army that is going to the support of the Anglo-American-French Army in the, battle for Tunis. Earlier on it had been seen the other way about —the Allies driving south-east from Algeria to assist in the conquest of Tripoli. When they landed at Bougie and Bona on November 11 and 12, the Eighth Army was starting to cross the Libyan frontier. While the Allies have been stalled inside the Tunisian frontier, the Eighth Army has advanced 1200 miles, past the fortified positions at Bardia, Tobruk, Gazala, El Agheila, Misurata, past Tripoli itself, and through the outer Mareth Line forts. Now it is on the move again, taking part in the final phase.