"NOW ONLY ME"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 307, 29 December 1942, Page 2

"NOW ONLY ME"

A NORSE TRAGEDY

SEAMAN SEEKS REVENGE

My wife—she killed, no, murdered by Nazis; my two boys, twins of nine summers, both murdered. Three years ago, all of us a big happy family—now only me. So my dearest friends (you are all the same blood as my New Zealand cobbers, so you my friends), you see I have something for which to fight —revenge, along with the common cause. . .

The tragic story, simply but pathetically told, was part of a letter from a Norwegian merchant seaman of the New Zealand Navy received by Mrs. H. E. Blyde, president of the Lepperton branch of the Women's Division of the Farmers' Union, in acknowledgment of a parcel sent by the branch. "I am writing you this note to try to convey my very grateful appreciation for knitted goods I have received from your kind people at Lepperton," the sailor states. "The New Zealand Patriotic Council sent them on to me and my gratefulness is very great.. I am a Norwegian by birth, but I joined the Merchant Navy in New Zealand some time ago. Since that time I have been round the world many times. I have been through lots of rough seas and five times was my ship sunk. "For reasons I cannot comprehend," he continues, "God was with me on all these voyages and my unworthy life was spared. On eacn of these five fine vessels were some of your own glorious countrymen— my cobbers, real fine cobbers, and heroes every one of them. These men, New Zealanders, and my countrymen have between them set up a friendship, steadfast and true, which no man has power to break. We are in this war—you, me and all those others—for the cause—fine and glorious freedom. "My stay is very short, or I would come and visit my cobbers' friends and people."