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Documents Relating to New Zealand's Participation in the Second World War 1939–45: Volume I
200 — The Minister of Defence to General Freyberg
200
The Minister of Defence to General Freyberg
11 October 1940
Your telegram of 10 October (No. 198). The continued delay in the concentration of the New Zealand Division has greatly disturbed us and we have today sent the following telegram to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs:
[Text of telegram No. 199]
The War Cabinet have considered your letters of 15 and 16 August,1 and your appreciation of the position in Egypt prepared for Mr. Churchill, which have now arrived, and wish me to tell you how greatly they have appreciated your careful analysis of the position. They would be grateful if you would, from time to time, communicate to us your appreciation of the situation as it develops, particularly such information as you can supply regarding the equipment of the New Zealand forces in Egypt, the role they are
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expected to adopt, and their fitness and equipment for such purposes. Your messages of appreciation with reference to gift parcels, apples, &c.,1 are being conveyed to the appropriate authorities.
1 There is no trace of any letter from General Freyberg dated 16 Aug 1940. A possible explanation is that the appreciation on the position in Egypt (see Appendix 4) was despatched on that date with a covering letter.
1 These messages were included in General Freyberg's letter of 15 Aug 1940 to the Minister of Defence (No. 194), but have been omitted from the extract published in this volume.