K FORCE MEN RETURN

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26812, 18 August 1952, Page 8

K FORCE MEN RETURN

ARRIVAL AT AUCKLAND AND WELLINGTON

• (New Zealand Press Association) WT.TJ.TNGTON. August 16. With the arrival by Solent fro™ Sydney of 41 K Force soldiers at Wellington and Auckland to-day the total number of men who have returned from Korea under the relief and furlough scheme is 669. Of this number 591 have returned for discharge, and the remaining 78 for 28 days furlough. , , . The draft of ?1 which arrived at Wellington to-day was welcomed by Government, Opposition, Army, f ana New Zealand Returned Services Association representatives, and there was an official farewell to a draft ol 23 men who left to-day for Korea. With the departure of 23 more is. Force troops from Auckland on Monday the total number of replacements leaving New Zealand since tne air lift began on April 19 will rise to 713. In addition 48 officers and men who came home for 28 days’ furlough before beginning a second term service have returned to Korea with the replacement drafts, increasing the total number of men moved from New Zealand on the Army’s air lift to 761. An additional 59 men of the K Force fourth reinforcements have also flown to Korea, but not in planes in the air lift schedule. For the journey from Sydney to Japan they filled vacant seats in planes under charter to the Australian Army.