271
General Freyberg to the Chief of the General Staff (Wellington)

Will you inform the Minister [of Defence] and Cabinet from your first-hand knowledge of the position that opinion here regarding

– 205 –

possible action by Germany in the spring remains unaltered except that help for Greece may materialise if Germany intervenes.

The New Zealand Expeditionary Force are now General Headquarters Reserve and are concentrating at last for Divisional training. The 4th Brigade Group arrive at Helwan today and tomorrow.

When our full equipment is available and our combined training with our artillery and infantry, shooting live ammunition, has been carried out, I shall consider the Division fit to take the field as a two-brigade division pending the arrival from the United Kingdom of the 5th Brigade Group.

Impress upon the Minister of Defence and Cabinet how important it is from a Divisional point of view not to have our fighting troops committed piecemeal before we are properly equipped and trained as a division.