ROYAL TRIBUTE

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22612, 18 May 1945, Page 3

ROYAL TRIBUTE

PEOPLE AND SERVICES TRIALS WELL ENDURED DRAMATIC SCENE AT END (Omclal Wireless? (Received May 18, 12.15 p.m.) RUGBY, May 17 “First let us pay for tribute to men and women of our armed forces,” i sai<£ the King in his reply to Parlia- j ment. “Without skill of the com- | manders and the courage and endur- : ance of those whom they led, this | victory would never have been won. ; “Despite all that ruthlessness could j do in attacks by sea and air, the [ oyal Navy, aided by the Royal Air < Force and the maritime forces of the j Dominions, India and the Allies, has j kept the seas open. They convoyed j our armies to every theatre of war j and carried them to the assault ; against shores the enemy had j thought impregnable. “The men of the Merchant Navy ! by their courage and seamanship | have moved men and weapons to all j parts of the world, and with our fish- , ing fleet depleted by the war have brought us safely food which never failed. Miraculous Rescue “The gallantry of the Army which fought in Europe against overwhelming odds in 1940 and was miraculously rescued from Dunkirk will ever be remembered. In the years that followed the Army, with the Home Guard stood ready to defend our homes against invasion. “All this time a powerful instrument was being forged which, with the forces of the Empire and Com- j monwealth, at first alone and later with our Allies, drove the enemy j from Africa and then, landing on the shores of Sicily and later on the Normandy beaches, swept victoriously across Europe. We are grateful to the Royal Air Force and to the Dominions and Allied Air Forces. The Royal Air Force fought and won the battle of Britain. “They share with the Navy and our armies the glory of their victories. For more than five years, hand in hand with the ever-grow-ing magnificent air power of the United States, they have carried the war to Germany and by their massive onslaughts on our enemies’ sources of supply have paved the way for victory in Europe. Far East Successes “My armed forces still have heavy tasks before them in the Far East, where numbers of my people are still in the power of the enemy. Already they have achieved great successes in the defence of India and the liberation of Burma. I am confident that they will carry in the war against Japan with indomitable courage and constancy and help bring it to a victorious conclusion in true comradeship with the forces of the United States and our other Allies “At home my people have unflinchingly borne the burdens and dangers of the war. The thanks and admiration of all are due to the 10,000,000 men and women who toiled, all at their allotted tasks, to relieve the suffering and repair the devastation caused by enemy attack. “Danger could not deter my people from carrying out their daily tasks that the life of our nation might go on. In field and factory, mine, office and workshops, and on lines of transport, my people toiled night and day in the productive effort to equip and maintain the armed forces. Moreover, from the earliest days of the war they shouldered a burden of heavy taxation and willingly contributed their savings to the country’s needs. Tribute to Women

“Our gratitude goes out to all and it would be unfitting to single out one type of service when ail have played their part. But I must specially mention the women of this country who by their ready response to the calls of industry and the fighting services added so greatly to the weight of our impact cn the enemy. Let us remember, too, the housewives of this country o many of whom took into their homes mothers and children from the bombed cities and workers uprooted by the war. “I have done my best to discharge my duty as constitutional Sovereign of a free people, and in this task I have been unceasingly helped by the Queen, whose deep and active sympathy to and for all my subjects in pain or peril and whose firm resolve for victory have comforted me in the darkest hours of the war.