RETURN TO ENGLAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 154, 12 April 1945, Page 5

RETURN TO ENGLAND.

NEW ZEALANDERS FREED. LONG MARCH ACROSS GERMANY. LONDON, April 11. Liberated prisoners of war who were in German camps situated near the Russian front are now arriving by air in England. They are of various nationalities, and include some New Zealanders. Flying Officer G. G. Ward, of Lumsden, who is based at thd' station where the aircraft are arriving, said he spoke to several New Zealanders, including a warrant-officer from Invercargill.

“They I old me tales of almost incredible hardship,” he said. “While they were in camps in Eastern Germany conditions were not too bad. Rankers and non-commissioned officers had to work in sugar-beet factories. on farms, or in mines, but once the Russian advance began the Germans ordered the prisoners to start marching westwards, and it was stated that anyone attempting to escape would be shot. Not only was this* the case, hut there were instances of men collapsing from fatigue also being shot.

“They trekked 500 miles in 4-1 days, once having only two meals in four days. The result may be imagined. They .became weak, thin and emaciated. Eventually they reached Cassel and, as the Americans began to advance. the Germans tried 1o get them marching back eastward again. Some prisoners escaped and others were left in camps when the guards cleared out. Eventually they were liberated on Good Friday, since when they have been waiting to be fioAvn to England. “I saw some pitiful sights as the planes arrived. Some of the men’were still so weak that they fell down when they got out of the aircraft. The New Zealanders and Australians seemed in much better condition than most, as their constitutions were apparently better, hut several men, Indians particularly, were in a weak condition, each having to be assisted by two W.A.A.F.’s. Many men were immediately sent off to hospitals. The New Zealanders had swopped their uniforms with Americans for souvenirs, and at first sight I took them to be Americans.” It is understood that nearly 100 members of the N.Z.E.F. were among these men, and that they have already arrived at the repatriation centre in Kent. There were five members of the R.N.Z.A.F., who have gone to Brighton, with Ihe exception of one, who was taken to hospital. Rankers and non-commissioned officers are reported to have arrived with only the clothes they stood up in, hut the officers apparently received better treatment, many arriving with kits. FREEING PRISONERS. MANY STILL HELD BY GERMANS. LONDON, April 10. When the House of Commons resumed after the Easter recess, the Secretary of State for War (Sir James Grigg) answering questions about British prisoners of war, said that the Soviet authorities had notified ihe War Office that so far they had released 3312 British. Commonwealth prisoners. Of these, 2679 had been evacuated from Odessa.

“It is clear that most of our prisoners in Eastern Germany were withdrawn by tin; Germans before tlie camps were reached by the Red Army,” said Sir James Grigg. “This is confirmed by information sent by the Protecting Rowers..

“The Germans have recently attempted to withdraw our prisoners from Western Germany, bul because of the speed of our advance 7000 have so far been recovered and 2600 have arrived in Britain.

“Most of our prisoners are now concentrated in camps in the centre of Germany. Every available means will he used to ensure their quick return.” As stated in a War Office an-

nouncement on Friday, the sites of Oflag 9AH and Oflag 9AZ have been over-run by advancing Allied forces in the west. While official confirmation is not yet available, interrogation of individuals who have already reached Britain leaves little doubt that the great majority of the prisoners of war from Oflag 9AH have been recovered by thcvArTied troops. Similar sources indicate, however, that the majority of the prisoners from Oflag 9AZ are still in enemy custody, the rate of their compulsory evacuation eastward having hitherto prevented the American forces from overtaking them, —■ British Official Wireless,