VISITING ITALY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 May 1944, Page 4

VISITING ITALY

TO SEE NEW ZEALAND TROOPS PRIME MINISTER’S PLANS. LONG SERVICE OF DIVISION RECALLED. (British Official Wireless.) (Rereived This Day, 10.24 a.m.) RUGBY, May 22. The New Zealand Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) plans before his return to the Dominion to go to Italy to visit bficu-tenant-Gcneral Sir B. Freyberg and the New Zealand Division. Mr Fraser announced today that elements of the Division —armoured units manning Sherman tanks —are taking an important part in the present drive towards Romo. They led the British infantiy into Ca'ssino last week, and in the Liri Valley carried out another of the left hook movements that helped to make the New Zealanders famous in North Afrira. Exactly three years ago, the New Zealanders were in the thick of the fighting in Crete. It is the same division, except for replacements due to casualties, that is now in action on the Italian front. Mr Fraser will see the New Zealanders in completely different circumstances. They now form one of the most heavily-armoured, most hardy and most seasoned divisions in the Allied forces. Thousands of New Zealand airmen are also fighting in the European war, and Mr Fraser plans to visit as many of their stations’as possible. .