THEY ALSO SERVE.

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXVIII, Issue 123, 17 July 1940, Page 3

THEY ALSO SERVE.

THE. TASK OF WAITING. (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service). June 22. Words of encouragement in the waiting game which they and other Allied forces in the Middle East are being called upon to play were heard by hundreds of New Zealanders who listened this week to the inauguration of a series of special radio programmes for the Services. The heartening message came from General Sir Archibald Wavell, Com-mander-in-Chief of the British land forces in the Middle East, in whose -command the First Contingent of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force is serving. General Wavell assured his forces that they would have their part to play in the ultimate victory, and were indeed playing it now by their presence here.

“Our task for the moment is the hard one of waiting,” the General said. “We soldiers would all rather have been with our comrades in the West, meeting the shock and grappling with the foe. Our mission at present is to keep a large and most important part of the world, which includes the junction between West and East, safe for freedom and for sanity.

“But while we are waiting and preparing ourselves, we need not clench our teeth or knit our brows or shake our fists. Still less need we grow apprehensive or draw long and solemn faces; nor are we in the least likely to do so.” After referring to the new programmes, General Wavell remarked that it might sound strange to some that he should be speaking of light entertainment when the Allies were facing one of the great crises of their history. He continued:—

“It is in keeping w 7 ith our traditions that we should face even so great a menace lightly. “The British soldier has always gone into battle with a jest, and when not actually fighting has relaxed into his moral easy honor and good nature. Ills only recorded battle-cry is, ‘St. George for Merry England,’ and his war ' songs are simple, usually humorous and often ribald, hardly ever bombastic or patriotic . . . “Our easy optimism and careless outlook have often brought us to the edge of disaster, but our staying power and ability to endure a long war have always brought us victory in the end. That staying power is largely due to the saving sense of humor and to the ability to relax when not in action.”