BIG EXPLOSION

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 184, 6 August 1945, Page 6

BIG EXPLOSION

AMMUNITION TRAIN

WAR PRISONERS KILLED

How nearly 100 Allied prisoners of war were killed when R.A.p Mitchells bombed an enemy ammuni' tion train at an. Italian station was referred to to-day by Sergeant A. V D. Flett, who returned to Auckland yesterday. Among the killed were 14 New Zealanders, who were beine transferred from Aquila prisoner of war camp.

At the time of the bombing attack two trains were stationary 0 n adjoining tracks at Aquila, he related. One train was made up of a number of wagons loaded with ammunition, while the other was scheduled to carry the prisoners. As the carriages were filled with prisoners the doors were locked and Sergeant Flett was in one of these cars when the first bombs were dropped. He was lucky, he said, for the blast blew in the side of the carriage, with the result that the inmates were able to dash away from the station. Their liberty was short-lived, as a cordon was thrown round the valley to prevent the escapees getting further afield.

In the meantime the big bombers continued with their pattern bombing of the station and the trains and according to Sergeant Flett they "made a good job of it."

Leaving with the 24th Auckland Battalion, Sergeant Flett became separated from his unit in the withdrawal from Greece. For 16 months when he was officially missing he and 11 other New Zealanders were in hiding in the hills. Though they had many thrilling experiences, Sergeant Flett modestly described these as being "nothing much." The end to his escape career came when he was captured by Italians and sent to Aquila. After the train bombing incident the prisoners were transferred to a German camp.

A former Auckland Rugby representative, Sergeant Flett was wing, three-quarter for Grammar Old Boys prior to the war. 'He was also prominent in athletics.