N.Z. TROOPS FOR KOREA

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26488, 1 August 1951, Page 5

N.Z. TROOPS FOR KOREA

570 MEN T.O LEAVE ' TOMORROW

WAHINE’S VOYAGE FROM WELLINGTON (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 31. The 570 men in the new units New Zealand is sending to Korea returned 'to the district training camps at Papakura, Linton, and Burnham from their embarkation leave over the week-end and will sail for Korea in the Wahine on Thursday afternoon. Before she sails the Acting-Minister of Defence (Mr T. C. Webb) will visit the ship and address the troops. The Wahine will make a brief call at Cairns, Queensland, and is expected to reach Kure, Japan, towards the end of August. An advanced party drawn from men in camp at Trentham will board the Wahine to-morrow morning, and the main body will embark on Thursday morning. Those in camp at Burnham will come to Wellington in the steamer express Rangatira to-morrow night, and immediately on arrival will go aboard the Wahine, which will be berthed at the opposite side of the ferry wharf. Men from Papakura and Linton are scheduled to arrive at the Wellington railway station at 11.12 a.m. on Thursday. They also will go immediately to the wharf to embark. The men went into camp on June 12. They will complete their training when they arrive in Korea, and will then link up with the New Zealanders already there to complete the New Zealand component of the Ist British Commonwealth Division. More than half of them will be required to expand the transport platoon at present serving with K Force into a full A.S.C, company. This company will be commanded by Major W. R. K. Ainge, a regular officer, of Wellington, Others will form a transport platoon to serve the headquarters of the British Commonwealth Division and a light aid detachment, and some will go to the Divisional Signals Regiment. A small number have been formed into reinforcements for the new units. The officer commanding the troops on the voyage to Japan will be Lieuten tmt-Colonel G. P. O’Leary, a retired regular officer, who is returning to duty for this assignment. Also on the Wahine will be the Director-General of Medical Services (Brigadier W. H.’ B. Bull), who will visit Army hospitals in Japan and generally examine medical conditions affecting the New Zealand force before he returns to New Zealand. The Wahine will have a fully-equip-oed hospital, and this will be staffed oy two nursing sisters of the New Zealand Army “Nursing Service and ,wo medical orderlies. The ship’s padre will be Chaplain H. 3. Taylor, Royal New Zealand Navy, vho is going to Korea to join the Rotoiti. one of the two New! Zealand f rigates serving in the Korean area. Chaplain Taylor, who has recently been serving ( in H.M.N.Z.S. Bellona, was at one time senior chaplain with the 2nd .N.Z.E.F. in Italy and later with J Force in Japan. Another member of the ship’s staff will be a welfare officer, Captain L. C. Barton, who will show films, conduct a library, arrange lectures, publish a ship’s newspaper, and organise games.