WORK PRAISED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 268, 23 August 1945, Page 5

WORK PRAISED.

NEW ZEALANDERS LINK WITH PARTISANS. (Rec. 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 22. Gunner H. J. Banton (WhangareiJ and Privates S. B. McFarlane (Wellington), who are now in London awaiting repatriation, joined Italian partisans and waged guerilla warfare against the Germans and Fascists after escaping from prison camps in Vercelli province, on September *» 1943. Both were captured at El Alamein and taken to North Italy. They escaped with Privates G. A. Schultz, of Taranaki, R. V. Howe, of Devonport, Auckland, W. J. Clements, ot Masterton, and-two. Australians, au linked up with Biella partisans and I fought and sabotaged behind the enemy lines. Later they joined a Britisn military mission for Upper Piedmon., with which they remained until tne Allied occupation of North Italy. Banton, dressed in civilian clotl and aided by a knowledge oi-the Ita ian language picked up m £ camps, lived for a long period m Biel la. He was then taken prisoner aga bv the Germans and Fascists bu • p’ed out at frequent intervals to tian. in it information to the mission s mountain headquarters. . M]nw The work of Banton and Ins fellow escapees was highly commended by •the commander of the mission.