Documents Relating to New Zealand's Participation in the Second World War 1939–45: Volume II
339 — General Freyberg to the Minister of Defence
339
General Freyberg to the Minister of Defence
I have just been advised that the New Zealand Squadron of the Long Range Desert Group and other British troops have been landed on a Greek island without opposition. The new Chief of the General Staff 1 now realises that the practice is to refer the matter to the New Zealand Government before committing any New Zealand troops to a theatre of war, and that the principle has been infringed in this case. The reason was that after discussion with War Cabinet in New Zealand I had informed [General Headquarters] Middle East that the New Zealand Government agreed in principle to the employment of the LRDG in Greece, and this was taken as authority. The mistake is regretted.
1 Lieutenant-General Sir Ronald MacKenzie Scobie, KBE, CB, MC (then Lt-Gen R. M. Scobie); GOC Tobruk Fortress, 1941; GOC Malta, 1942; Chief of the General Staff, Middle East, 1943; GOC Greece, 1944–46.