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Documents Relating to New Zealand's Participation in the Second World War 1939–45: Volume II
194 — General Freyberg to the Minister of Defence
194
General Freyberg to the Minister of Defence
For the information of the New Zealand Government, your Division has again a mobile role in the forthcoming advance of Eighth Army. We are now moving westwards by stages.
The situation has developed much as appreciated in my telegram of 30 December. We have superiority in tanks and in the air but nothing is being taken for granted. Your Division is adequately trained and equipped for its role. We have a British regiment of page 161 heavy tanks, a heavy anti-aircraft regiment, and a medium battery under command.
I have been round all the battalions during the last two days and everyone is in good heart. I have had good reports of the reinforcement draft now at Maadi. Parkinson1 is here and Weir2 is due today, the former for a visit and the latter to follow the campaign.
1 Brigadier G. B. Parkinson (see page 38, note 1) had recently returned to the Middle East after commanding the 1st NZ Army Tank Brigade in New Zealand.
2 Major-General Sir Norman (then Brigadier N. W. McD.) Weir, KBE, CB; Commandant, Northern Military District, 1939–40; Central Military District, 1940–42; GOC 4th Division (in NZ), 1942; Officer in charge of Administration, 2nd NZEF, and Commander 6th NZ Division and NZ Maadi Camp, Aug–Nov 1943; commanded NZ Troops in Egypt, 6th NZ Division, and NZ Maadi Camp, Nov 1943–Aug 1944; Quartermaster-General, Army HQ, 1944–45; Chief of the General Staff, New Zealand Military Forces, 1 Jan 1946–31 Mar 1949.