DAYS AFTER CRETE

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21486, 30 July 1941, Page 6

DAYS AFTER CRETE

STATE OF ANXIETY GENERAL FREYBERG’S MESSAGE CONFIDENCE IN DIVISION (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Tuesday “Confident in our cause and in ourselves, and strengthened now by the support of those at home, the New Zealand Division is preparing to meet the enemy again,” states a cable message from Major-General B. C. Freyberg, V.C., General Officer Commanding the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, received today by the acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. W. Nash. General Freyberg’s message in reply to the motion adopted by both Houses of Parliament last month was read to the House of Representatives tonight by Mr Nash. It is as follows: “The most generous and inspiring motion adopted by both Houses of Parliament has been published to the New Zealand Division. Would you please convey to both Houses our grateful thanks for the motion, the terms of which are deeply appreciated by all ranks. “Would you please convey my respectful duty to the General Assembly and say how proud I am as commander of the New Zealand Division in the knowledge that your tribute to the valour of Maori and pakeha on the battlefields of Greece and of Creie was deserved by all ranks. We hope to achieve a record as honourable as that of the first New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Tribute to the Fallen “May I also pay tribute to our gallant comrades who have fallen, and would you convey to the people of New Zealand who are sorrowing our deepest sympathy. May I thank Parliament also for personal messages of confidence. I will endeavour to deserve it. “We have been through ordeals and grim days, and there might be ether grim ones ahead, but we have no doubt of the ultimate success of our cause. Again our most grateful thanks. Kia ora, katoa.” Replying to a message sent on June 2 expressing the Dominion’s sincere thanks for his magnificent work in Crete, Major-General Freyberg said:— “i am very distressed to find I never acknowledged your message of June 2, which was overlooked in that time of anxiety and reorganisation. Mr Fraser read the message to us on parade here and I need hardly say how deeply touched we were by its warm sincerity. State of Exhaustion “All were then in an advanced state of exhaustion. We had been from May 25 to May 30 without sleep and in a state' of grave anxiety. “Our office organisation in the division was non-existent, and in moving back to Gelwan the written message was lost. In searching through the Middle East cipher messages for the purposes of writing the despatch on Crete the message was found. As you know, I have always" tried to answer correspondence with despatch. “Will you, if possible, at this late hour, if you think advisable, explain our difficulties and say how grateiul we all were to the Government and people of New Zealand for their unfailing support and kindness, and say also that I personally will try to deserve some of the confidence placed in me.”