"In this deadly war in which we are gripped, with dangers which arq mensureless as they are un precedent ed closing upon us in so many quart-as, with so much to defend and such Uimited resources and so many chanees which may turn ill against us—it is a great pity if statements pre made which add nothing to the Informative criticism which iso valuable, but which can be taken from their context and placarded all over the world as a sign that we are not united or that our ease is much. worse than it Is.
"One thing T regret very much is that the brunt of this fighting in the Middle East should have fallen so House of Commons Destroyed it had' been hie bya Na: bomb, beforehand for such an ey without tnconventence, to listen to up of the progress made in prosecuting the war. heavily on the splendid Australian and New Zealand troops, "It fs for this reason among others that the German propaganda ly always reproaching us for fighting with other people's blood and they mock us with the insulting taunt that England will fight to the last Australian or New Zealander.
Menzies Speech Welcome was very glad to see Mr. R. G. Menzieg (Australian Prime Minisier) in his noble speech on Sunday dear with this vile propaganda as it deserved. There has been in fact since 1041 almost as many British as there are Australian and New Zealand troops engaged in all operations in the Western Desert, in Greece and Im Crete, Losses during this year compared with the numbers engaged fare slightly heavier for the British than for Dominion troops. In Crete also numbers were almost exactly equal and the British loss again was slightly heavier.
"These figures include killed and wounded and missing and they exclude Indian or non-British troops.
"In order to turn the edge of this German propaganda. I have asked the Secretary of Siate for War to endeavour to have mentioned more and more frequently the names of British regiments when this can be done without detriment to operations.
Regiments at Crete "The following British regiments and units for instance, fought in Crete: Connaught Rangers, Black Watch, Argyll and Sutherland High. landers, Leicestershire Regiment, the val Artillery, the Royal Engineers and numbers of Royal Marines, who formed the rear-guard and suffered most heavily of all. In fact of 2,000 Royal Marines landed in Crete, 1,400 became casualties oF prisoners.
The naval loss of life in these berations exceeded 500 officers and men and, while this was going on, we also lost 1,300 men in the Hood."
Mr, Churchill continued: "Of 95,-
00 lives lost hitherto in this war at home and abroad at least 85,000 come from the Mother country. Therefore I repel and repudiate the German taunts on behalf of both the Mother country and of the Domin-fons, Australia and New Zealand themselves.
"It might well be asked why hav. ing begun the barile of Crete, you not persist In the defence of the island. You could bring 17,000 men safely to return to Egypt. Why could not you have reinforced with 17,000 men to carry on the batile.1 "The moment it was proved we could not crush the air borne land-Ings before the Fleet losses became too heavy to hold off the seaborne landings. Crete was lost and it was necessary to save what was possible of the army.
Wonderful Thing "It is one thing to take off 17,000 men with side-arms and another to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.