 Triumph at entry into Tripoli, the Eighth Army, still in hot pursuit of Rommel's retreating forces, crossed the border into Tunisia. That heap of rubble in the background is all that is left of the frontier arch blown up by the enemy. In spite of thousands of landmines laid by the hastily retreating enemy and under appalling weather conditions the Eighth Army forges ahead. Next to the wonderful work of the Ariese who laid miles of special road in record time the vanguard of the British forces entered Ben Gardani, the first town over the Tunisian border on the 15th of February. Troops quickly made friends with the local population. Two French gendarmes who had kept order in the town welcomed our troops. Meanwhile in an endless stream the vehicles of the Eighth Army push forward. On forces, paratroops and airborne infantry are the newest arm of the service but one which has already won its spurs on the battlefields in North Africa. A demonstration of cooperative effort by glider-born and parachute troops seen for the first time in combined operations. The paratroops job is to act as shock troops, capture an airfield, seize a position or disrupt communications in the rear of the enemy. Most of their weapons are collected from containers released from the plane by easily identifiable parachutes. Now they set about their swift attack. Slipping their tow ropes they glide into land. They are flown by army pilots of the glider pilot regiment who once they have landed at the point of attack will take over ground duties. They have to be first-class soldiers as well as airmen. Many of you will remember the Gallant Abyssinian army who fought so desperately against the Italian in the days before their country regained its freedom. They had no proper arms or ammunition. Have them as they are today a year after the signing of the pact between Great Britain and Ethiopia. Well trained, disciplined and armed with guns captured from the Italians they are now a highly trained army. Under the guidance of the British military mission to Ethiopia and trained by British officers and NCOs the Abyssinians are determined to see that their country will never be oppressed again. Ready 10,000 strong and with recruits pouring in daily they hope soon to have a fully trained army of 30,000 men. Clock-like precision they handle their guns. It is with pride that they march past their Emperor Haile Selassie on this memorable day. Since the entry of Japan into the war South Africa itself becomes more and more a vital factor as a bastion of defense against the U-boat menace and her men of the Navy undergo intensive training at the naval base before taking up their duties keeping the seas and shores clear of the enemy. There are jobs to be done and he learns to fight a successful rear guard action with a pants division. If a hostile ship were to be sighted off the South African shores a well-knit defense organization would immediately swing into action ready to meet the enemy with fire. Women artillery specialists get busy coordinating reports received from different observation posts along the coast and from information received they work out the range of the target and pass details to the batteries. Built for speed these crash boats fulfill the role of lifesavers in case any of the pilots who keep a ceaseless vigil over the sea lanes has to bail out. So the South African Air Force go out to meet the incoming convoys and they take the ships under their protective wings until they come safely into port. South Africa is truly playing her part in this war for freedom.