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Documents Relating to New Zealand's Participation in the Second World War 1939–45: Volume III

DOMINION OF NEW ZEALAND

DOMINION OF NEW ZEALAND

Prime Minister's Office,
wellington
5 November 1942

To: The General Officer Commanding,

2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Pacific.

1. You have been appointed to command the 2nd NZEF in Pacific now about to proceed overseas from New Zealand.

2. You are to proceed with your Force to New Caledonia in accordance with separate orders which will be issued to you by Army Headquarters in New Zealand.

3. On arrival at New Caledonia you will come under the operational command (but subject to the reservations hereinafter mentioned) of the United States General Commanding the Forces in that Island. Thereafter, and again subject to the reservations hereinafter mentioned, you will act in accordance with the operational instructions of the Commander (whether American or British and whether Naval or Military) under whose operational command you may from time to time be placed.

4. Your immediate role is the defence of the whole or such portion of the Island of New Caledonia as may be allotted to you by the General Commanding the Forces there and you will not, except in grave emergency or in special circumstances of which you must be the sole judge, and then only if you are unable to refer the matter to the New Zealand Government, employ your force or permit its employment in any other role or in any other theatre without first referring the matter to His Majesty's Government in New Zealand.

5. You are expressly authorised to make representations to His Majesty's Government in New Zealand regarding the proposed employment of your troops if in your opinion the operations you are required to undertake might unjustifiably imperil your command.

6. You will be at liberty from time to time to detach and place under the command of United States officers such portions of your force as you may think expedient, and any part of your force so detached will during the period of such detachment be subject to the orders and directions of the United States officer under whose command they may be placed, in all respects as if that officer were a New Zealand officer serving under your command. Similarly you and any officer under your command are hereby authorised to exercise command over any United States troops which may from time to time be placed under your or their command by competent United States authority.

page 554

Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, you will at all times endeavour to keep to a minimum detachments from your force.

7. Administratively and for all purposes other than operational you are directly and solely responsible to His Majesty's Government in New Zealand.

8. Generally it is the desire of His Majesty's Government in New Zealand that your force should be employed in the closest possible collaboration with the Forces of the Allied Nations and to that end you are to use your utmost endeavours to comply with the requirements and carry out the instructions of the Commander under whose operational command you may for the time being be serving.

(Sgd) P. Fraser

,

Prime Minister