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

318 — The Governor-General of New Zealand to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs

page 231

318
The Governor-General of New Zealand to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs

11 November 1940

Arrangements are being made for the preparation and despatch of personnel for a Mechanical Equipment Company, consisting of headquarters and four sections totalling 263 all ranks, in accordance with the request conveyed to His Majesty's Government in New Zealand by the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom in New Zealand. These troops will go into camp during the present week and will be despatched early next month with the reinforcements due to leave for the Middle East.1

1 When the shipping position prevented the despatch of the full complement of the 4th Reinforcements, General Freyberg asked that the despatch of the 21st Mechanical Equipment Company be delayed and their places taken by infantry. As a result, the company left New Zealand with the third section of the 4th Reinforcements in the Nieuw Amsterdam on 1 Feb 1941. With the other reinforcements they had a period in India at Deolali Camp before leaving Bombay in the Empress of Australia on 11 Mar 1941; they arrived at Port Tewfik on 23 Mar.