HOME AGAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24540, 24 March 1943, Page 3

HOME AGAIN

AUSTRALIAN FORCE BACK FROM EAST VETIEANB_OF TOBIttJK DIVISION'S NEW TASK (Rccd. 0.50 p.m.) CANBERRA, March 23 The Ninth Division of the Australian Imperial Force, wjtich includes the famous " Rats of Tobruk," commanded by LieutenantGeneral Sir Leslie Morshead, has arrived back in Australia after more than two years' service in the Middle East. These are tho troops who played a prominent part in smashing the gap in Rommel's defences near El Alamein t*> let the Eighth Army through The safo arrival of the division in Australia marked tho completion of the biggest single movement of Australian troops on record. Their long journey from the Middle East was accomplished without incident and without the loss of a man. Mr. Churchill's Message Many nurses, some of whom were in Greece, camo back with the division, as well as a number of voluntary aids who had nearly 18 months' service in Australian hospitals in the Middle East. With the return of the Ninth Division only scattered Australian units remain in the Middle Kasjt. " The presence in Australia of this splendid fighting division at a time when our homeland is threatened by Japan will ho a valuable stimulus to all our forces and to all our people in the operations that are ahead," said the Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin, in announcing tho return of General Morshead and his men. He said the Government had received the following message from Mr. Churchill: —

"I was very glad to learij that your fine division had arrived home safely. In a letter which I gave to General Morshead before his departure from Cairo, I said the division left behind it a record of energy, courage, enterprise and daring which will be an imperishable memory among all nations of the British Empire, who, in the Western Desert, fought in true comradeship. In their new sphere of operations may all success accompany their arms." Ready to Meet Japanese General Sir Thomas Blarney, Com-mander-in-Chief of the Australian military Forces, said the return of this battle-hardened division added greatly to the security of Australia. The entire A.I.F. was now a concentrated fighting force ready to meet the Japanese. The news of the convoy's arrival was not announced because of wartime secrecy, but great crowds quickly assembled to wave to the crowded ships. The voyage from the Middle East to Australia was made in 18 days. Men interviewed had particular praise for the New Zealanders, who are regarded as the most experienced troops in the Middle East, and particularly for the Maoris, whose valour is praised by all the fighting men. The famous Tobruk garrison, which consisted chiefly of Australians, with some English and Indian troops, not only held out against the enemy foxseven and a-liali' months, but during that time made frequent attacks against its besiegers. For his services in command of the garrison General Morshead was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

ARMS FOR PACIFIC INCREASE NOT LIKELY (Special Australian Correspondent) (Reed. 9.35 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 23 Although Allied air strength in the South-west Pacific theatre continues to be dispersed, over a wide field of operations, Australian correspondents in Washington report that LieutenaiitGeneral G. C. Kenney, Allied Air Commander in the South-west Pacific, and Major-General H. Sutherland, Chief-of-Staff to General MaeArthur, are unlikely to secure any marked percentage increase in the How of American planes or other war equipment. The correspondents say that in spite of the wealth of support for more aid to the Pacific, proportions of supplies going to the various fronts will remain as agreed upon at Casablanca. " According to the Washington authorities, there is not the slightest likelihood of either political pressure or representations of area commanders effecting alterations," writes the correspondent of the Sydney Sun to-day. "However, increased aid may follow the expansion of overall production, causing the fixed percentages allocated to the Southern Pacific to represent an automatic expansion in the quantities sent. 'Holding' the Pacific while Hitler is smashed means holding it with the least possible expenditure of materials and men, so that the smash Hitler first policy can be accomplished with the least dolay." GUERILLAS IN TIMOR DRAMATIC NEWS REELS LONDON, March 23 Film audiences in Britain this week are seeing some dramatic news reels taken by an official photographer secretly smuggled into Portuguese Timor. They show something of the struggle going on in the island with Australian Commando troops and Dutch guerillas still holding on. Although outnumbered by 100 to one, those fighters are killing many more than 3.00 Japanese for every one of their own men lost. BOMBING IN SOLOMONS LONDON. March 22 A United States Navy Department communique states: In the South Pacific on Sunday afternoon Dauntless dive-bombers, escorted by Wildcat fighters, attacked Munda (New Georgia Island) and Vila (Central Solomons). A supply area and an enemy gun position were hit. During the evening Flying Fortresses and Liberators attacked Japanese positions at Kahili, in the Shortland Island area.