British Pathe

Limpsfield Common, Surrey

LS. Sir William Slim's house. LS. Representative interviewing Slim. MS. Rep and Slim talking:- (nat snd.) I'm naturally highly honoured that her Majesty has accepted the recommendation of the Australian Government and has appointed me to this position. And I shall...

Limpsfield Common, Surrey

LS. Sir William Slim's house. LS. Representative interviewing Slim. MS. Rep and Slim talking:- (nat snd.) I'm naturally highly honoured that her Majesty has accepted the recommendation of the Australian Government and has appointed me to this position. And I shall do my very best to be of some service to the Australian people and to the Empire. CU. Slim. Rep:- "Have you ever served with Australian troops or had them under your command. Slim: (nat. snd.) 'I've never had them under my command. I had hoped to have them in Burma, but unfortunately for me they went on to New Guinea. where they inflicted the first defeat which the Japanese Army had ever suffered. And I also of course, served with them in the first World War very closely in Gallipolli, and I came away from there, with two very strong impressions, one was that the Australian contingent in Gallipolli were the finest troops I'd ever seen and secondly thank God that they were on my side. MS. Slim (nat. snd.) "And take it by and large, and overall I think that the British Soldier is the best soldier in the World and that is evident by the behaviour of the British Army at the present time. Our regulars our national servicemen and our territorials are, I think, first class. Don't ask me about it because I might be prejudice, but go and ask their commanding officers, or better still ask the fellows they fought alongside, the Americans in Korea. or it wouldn't be a bad idea to ask people they fought against, and I think that you would get a very good opinion of them. There's nothing the matter with the youth of this country, what's wrong is with the fellows of my age, Oh yes it is. If you take the young man of today and you give him a decent job, and explain to him why he's doing it, and give him a little bit of reasonable leadership I think you'd get the finest response we've ever had in our history.' LS. Sir William and Lady Slim walking in the garden, and picking flowers. (Comb. Lav.)