DOMINION FORCES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25238, 29 May 1943, Page 5

DOMINION FORCES

LADY FREYBERG’S TRIBUTE EMPIRE DAY BROADCAST (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service) (Rec. 9.15 p.m.) CAIRO, May 27. New Zealand played not a small part in the celebration of Empire Day in the Middle East. Besides figuring in the march through Cairo with the troops of many nations, the Dominion’s name attracted further attention when a New Zealand programme reached radio listeners. After a song by a Maori choir, the commentator introduced Lady Freyberg to speak of New Zealand’s appreciation of the ties of hospitality and warm friendship which bind Britain and her Allies. The programme was well received. “ Empire Day this year finds us looking back over the past year’s achievements with almost incredulous wonder, and ahead to the future with mounting hope and confidence,” said Lady Freyberg. “ The war has' drawn the peoples of the Empire together as never before, and the New Zealand Club in Cairo is a splendid meeting ground. Australians gravitate naturally to the club, which extends hospitality to men and women of many countries. “ New Zealand associations with South Africans, including the women’s services, are increasingly cordial, while some effort has .been made to extend a hand to Canadian airmen in repayment for Canadian hospitality to New Zealand airmen , training in that country. * Though we have less opportunity of getting to know the Indian community, the deeds of their glorious divisions have thrilled us and the links forged between our troops and Indians on the battlefield must surely draw us closer when we are able, as we hope, to get into more personal touch. “I am an Englishwoman," Lady Freyberg continued, “but it has been my privilege in the past three years to be associated with the New Zealand forces. It has been a privilege indeed. Over and above the personal happiness of working with a group of exceptional men and women, it has been a stimulating experience which has opened new worlds for me. From now onwards, instead of looking out across the world from the small circle of my own home to unknown continents inhabited by strangers, I feel that in far-away places I have a community of friends and comrades. What is true for me as an individual is becoming a widely general experience. This personal drawing together of the peoples of the Empire is surely the brightest hope of the future.” Further singing by the choir preceded a short talk by Captain Halstead, the official archivist, who spoke of Empire Day. 1941, when the New Zealanders “took it" at Galatos, on Crete, when dive-bombers and-mortars blasted' them out of their positions, and then in the evening, when the dive-bombers went away, they rallied and gave the Germans terrible punishment at the bayonet point in the last great battle for Crete.