ESCAPE OF N.Z. OFFICERS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23914, 5 April 1943, Page 3

ESCAPE OF N.Z. OFFICERS

HINTS IN LETTERS BY BRIGADIER LONDON. April 2. Although there is no official confirmation of the report that Brigadier R. Miles and Brigadier J, Hargest, M.P., of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, have escaped from an Italian prison camp and are now in Switzerland, Mrs Miles has had hints in letters from her husband foreshadowing that something might occur. ‘T had a feeling that Something was going to happen,” she said. “As long ago as last May, on the second anniversary of our wedding, my husband wrote stating: T will spend the next one with you.’ Just after Christmas I received letters in which he described a party at the camp. He told me that they sang ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and added: ‘I shall be spending it with you next year’.” Brigadier Miles and Brigadier Hargest were in the same camp and m another letter Brigadier Miles told his wife that Brigadier Hargest won a raffle for four medals presented by the Papal Nuncio when he paid a visit. “After dinner.” wrote Brigadier Miles, "I did my parlour trick of supporting five men on my chest.” She added that Brigadier Miles had suffered badly from the food shortage shortly after he was captured. The Red Cross parcels had been invaluable and the Pope’s representative also frequently visited the camp with comforts. In view of the fact that there is no confirmation of the report of the brigadiers’ escape, there may be a possibility that Brigadier George Clifton, of Auckland, may be one of the escapees, for he was a prisoner in Italy. It is understood that there is no international ruling that brigadiers will not be allowed to proceed to England from Switzerland in which case they may suddenly arrive in London one day. '