NO NEWS OF MISSING N.Z. SOLDIER

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25084, 16 January 1947, Page 8

NO NEWS OF MISSING N.Z. SOLDIER

BELIEVED A PRISONER IN JUGOSLAVIA “ The Press ” Special Service » AUCKLAND, January 15. In spite of efforts made by the New Zealand Government to trace a former member of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. who is believed to be held prisoner in Jugoslavia, no news has yet been received cf him. The former soldier is No. 642082, Private Dominko Lovic, who went overseas with the 14th Reinforcements on January 5, 1945. About the end of June of that year he was reJ>orted absent without leave from his nfantry unit in Northern Italy, and up to the present nothing further has been heard of him. Interviewed in Wellington, Mr: Lovic’s wife, who Mves at 151 Nelson i street, with her young daughter, said| that she held out little hope that herj husband would be found alive. It was! more than 18 months since she had heard from him. and she felt that he would have spared no effort to communicate with her and to return home. The last letter she received from her husband was in June, 1945, said Mrs Lovic. when he was with the 27th Battalion. He mentioned that he had applied unsuccessfully for leave to visit his mother, whom he had not seen for 20 years, and who lived only 20 miles away across the Jugoslav | border at Igrani, an Adriatic seaside: resort. He did not mention that hej would try to make the trip, but indi-j cated that he would be home by thei following Christmas. No further in-i formation was received by Mrs Lovic | for another six months, when she was ; advised that her husband had, been classed as a deserter, and her army; pav and allowances ceased. Inquiries had been made by Mrs j Lovic and by Mr Lovic’s brothers in i Australia and America, but no very! definite information could be obtained/ A reply had been received from the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Jugoslavia stating that Mr Lovic had been taken prisoner of war. but that he had later been released in his unit area. However, this was not borne out by other information, and the Army authorities in New Zealand seemed to, k be able to throw little light at all on' question. I