K FORCE TROOPS RETURN

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27408, 22 July 1954, Page 12

K FORCE TROOPS RETURN

♦ tio: ill “MORALE OVERSEAS « NEVER BETTER” < ; omi REFERENCES TO NEED He FOR RECRUITS w ere Twenty-four of the 42 passengen who arrived at Harewood by Tasmw Airways DC-6 plane from Sydney yes terday afternoon were returning mem. bers of K Force. Unlike some of their predecessors, they were not laden will souvenirs; rather they seemed aa • earnest lot of young men, impressed e 1 with the job to be done overseas, and keen on soldiering. « Their commanding officer, Major P. Tp G. Monk, of Wellington, who wai deputy assistant adjutant and quarter, j# ' master-general at the headquarters of New Zealand’s K Force, said that morale had never been better among »’ 0 the troops. They were working hard, pW enjoying sports, and getting good e amenities. “Their only regret is that more of their mates do not enlist for a term 9 11 of service in Korea,” Major Monk said. This view was supported by Bomb- Kr , ardier S. C. Edens, of Christchurch, M With this trip he was completing hiir™! second period in Korea —and he ilfL, thinking about a third. “They geiT short of cooks in Korea, and that hail? been my job recently,” Bombardier!* Edens said. ‘‘l’d like to go back, aflFZj other things being equal. The are getting good food—we cook il-L and there are t now plenty of vegetables.” Before the end of the year he return to add to the three years had already served in Korea, he saidL,;, Sergeant I. D. Ward, of Keiapw,j^ 0 was in the regular forces before enlisted for this first spell in Kortiij g c He, too, found the experience interefc j ing, but will probably remain in. New| ißT Zealand with the regular forces. Re-ftagj] marking on the apparent absence o®\ souvenirs, he said they were in Korea, but in Japan- many of tofe-k troops had bought cheaply fine cameras, binoculars, cigarette cases and Me-w similar articles. fere. Possibly the most cheerful membei of the party was Corporal E. P. Tikao. ' of Lyttelton. He simply refused seri- H ous discussion, *and insisted that th! J best idea in Korea was “k.o.s.—keeping out of sight.” Official Welcome After moving smartly through th! )V terminal formalities, members of*w K Force party were taken to the Kinf Edward Barracks, where they wen welcomed by Brigadier H. E. Gilbert, commander of the Southern Military District (representing the Minister d v Defence), Cr. G. Manning, DeputyMayor of Christchurch, and Mr G. DHattaway, president of the Christ; church Returned Services’ Association; Only eight of the 24 were.from the- ntre South Island, and the others weot • north by the steamer express last even- . ingThe K Force party comprised:— J Sergeant P. B. Bennett (Wanganu&lJ* Corpora) E. J. K. Casey (Wellington), Bombardier S. C. Edens (Christ* church), Sapper C. R. Evans (Gb u borne). Driver L. N. Feck (FoxtonL Lance-Corporal L. R. Giddens (OtakiJ f Sergeant I. B. Golding Driver R. H. Hand (Milton), Driver I Kelly (New Plymouth), Driver D- & be' r Kingi (Havelock), Gunner R. W. MeAlpine (Dunedin), Lance-Bombardis P. Mackie (Gisborne), Corporal B. C Marsden (Ashburton), Major P. G. « e Monk (Lower Hutt), Gunner J. J ent Morrell (Wairoa), Bombardier X k “Ir O’Neil (Wellington), Sergeant T. »■ tib Parata (Otago), Gunner R. J. Pearc* tta (Wellington), Signalman R. B. Pul*® dui (Ngaio), Lance-Bombardier B. Rarert rve (Wairoa), Signalman J. R. (New Plymouth), Driver A Mcu ry Streater (Dannevirke). Corporal £• {, * r Tikao (Lyttelton), Sergeant I. D. W 0 ‘th (Kaiapoi).