GERMAN LEADER

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25160, 24 March 1945, Page 8

GERMAN LEADER

CAREER OF KESSELRING DEFENCE HIS STRONG POINT Both a soldier and an airman, the 60-year-old Bavarian Field-Marshal Albert Kesselring, who has succeeded FieldMarshal von Rundstedt as commander of the German armies on the Western Front, has had a military career marked more by stubborn and skilful defensive operations than by any offensive successes. His name has special significance to New Zealanders, for he had been commaiuler-in-chief in Italy until his present appointment. The traditions of the German Army have been well ingrained in 11eld-Mar-shal Kesselring, for he has seen continuous service since lie was IJ. ror 16 years he specialised as an artillery officer, and served in this capacity on the Western Front between 1914 arid 1916. He completed the Great War as a'.general staff officer, and was transferred to the High Command in 192b, when he made a special study of landair co-operation. After 29 years in the Army, he transferred to the Luftwnfle and rose to become Chief of Air Stall in 1336. Series ol Setbacks At the outbreak of this war, Kesselring commanded the hirst Operational Air Fleet, and was responsible for the operations of this force during the campaigns in Poland, Belgium and Holland. He is credited with planning the mass bombing of undefended Rotterdam, and this exploit, together with instructions to machine-gun civilians, resulted in his being appointed one of Germany's 12 field-marshals in J942. His first major setbnek cunio with tlio Battle of Britain, when ho commanded one of the air fleets which bombed London. He was then transferred to command the German air force on,the Russian front and next appeared in a similar capacity in the Mediterranean, where he directed the unsuccessful assaults against the fortress of Malta. His record in the Sicilian narrows and in the assault on Sicily itself was one of failure. It was soon after the invasion of Italy that Kesselring was described a»s German field commander in Italy, and he was later officially doscribed as commander-in-chief. Masterly Withdrawal Although he was within an ace of succeeding at the Salerno beachhead, Kesselring was again out-generalled, although his subsequent withdrawal from Anzio and through Rome to Northern Italy was a masterly operation. The slowing-down of the Allied drive up through Italy must be considered a successful, if negative, operation, but he has been helped materially by the difficult terrain for attacking forces, and by the continual diminution of the Allied forces to meet the demands ol the invasions at Normandy and on the coast of Southern France, as well as operations in Greece and Yugoslavia. Kesselring has used his forces always with economy and his strong point obviously is defence. His photographs reveal a bluff and energetic personality, with few obvious signs of his 60 years. He was wounded toward the end of last year when his motor-car was hit by machine-gun fire from a low-flying Allied aircraft in Italy. MEAT FOR BRITAIN QUESTION OF GRADE MASTER BUTCHERS DIFFER (0.C.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Friday A sharp difference of opinion regarding the best type of beef for export to Great Britain. wa.s apparent at the New Zealand Master Butchers' Association conference at New Plymouth. 'I lie discussion took place during the consideration of a remit on the grading of meat. The opinion that the Government should take over all prime beef for export to Great Britain and then grade all the rest for home consumption was expressed by Mr J. W. Perry, Auckland. He considered that the position in Great Britain was of paramount importance. Mr G. Tremlett, Taranaki, said he felt that the lower-grade meat would better fill. the requirements of Great Britain. The amount of second-grade beef that could be bought for the weekly allowance of lid in Great Britain was greater than could be obtained of prime quality. He thought that consumers in Great Britain were more concerned with making their allowance go as far as possible than with the quality of the product." Mr Perry said he thought the price should not enter into the question. It seemed unfair to him that the people of Great Britain, who had suffered so much, should have to consume secondgrade meat, while those in New Zealand were living on the best. He drew attention to a recent statement of Mr Churchill that, if the promises to the liberated countries were to bp kept further sacrifices on the part of the people of Great Britain were necessary. New Zealand, he said, should bear its share of the sacrifice. It wa.s decided that, if the Farmers' Federation desired to examine the position of meat grading, the association executive would appoint a committee to confer with the federation with the object of endeavouring to obtain a greater quantity of suitable meat for export, to Great Britain. ACCIDENTAL DEATH A CROSSING FATALITY (0.C.) MATAMATA, Friday A veidict of accident;;, death was returned b. the coroner, M • A. J. Tong, at the adjourned inquest concerning the death of Mr James Hawe. a prominent Waharoa farmer, who was killed on Sunday, January 21. when the horse and cart he was driving collided with a. stock train. The evidence revealed that deceased, who was 68 years of age, was slightly deaf, hut had good eyesight. A witness, Louis N. Hopkins, stated that the horse walked toward the railway crossing. Empty milk cans in the cart rattled. The train crew stated that deceased appeared to endeavour to stop the horse, which went on and was struck by the engine. The coroner said the evidence disclosed that no blame was attachable to the train crew. ABATTOIR FOR PUKEKOHE (0.C.) PUKEKOHE, Friday A decision to take immediate steps to have the borough declared an abattoir district was reached at last- night's meeting of the Pukekohe Borough Council. It was decided to write to the Pukekohe meat retailers asking them to nominate a licensed abattoir, at or near West field, to which the council would delegate its powers for five years. Failing the retailers making the nomination within six weeks,- the council is to delegate its powers to such abattoir as it considers advisable.