ARRIVAL IN EGYPT

Waikato Independent, Volume XL, Issue 3668, 15 February 1940, Page 3

ARRIVAL IN EGYPT

THE FIRST ECHELON MEN SAFE AND WELL Guarded by the British battleship “Ramillies” and the Australian cruiser “Canberra” and the New Zealand cruiser “Leander,” the men of the first echelon of New Zealand’s Second Expeditionary Force left Wellington last month and they have now arrived safely at Egypt. At the time of departure, the closest secrecy was maintained concerning the route to be followed by the convoy and its escort, and also the destination of the troops. Special trains had taken the North Island troops to Wellington where they immediately embarked on waiting liners. One of the transports sailed a day before the others for Lyttelton to . pick up some of the South Island men. A broadcast from London on Monday night stated the first echelon of the Nety Zealand Expeditionary Force and men of the Australian Imperial Force arrived that morning at their war stations in the Middle East. When the men arrived they were in excellent health. The New Zealanders were the first to enter port, where they received a message from the King. They went down the gangway to the strains of “Auld Lang Syne,” played by pipers. The London announcer stated that the port at which they arrived was Suez. When the New Zealanders went ashore welcomed by the Secretary for the Dominions, Mr Anthony Eden, who had flown from England. There are 47 men from Cambridge included in the first echelon.