Former War Prisoner Sees Comrades’ Graves

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29801, 18 April 1962, Page 23

Former War Prisoner Sees Comrades’ Graves

Mr E. W. Allison, who served with the 29th Battalion in the Second World War and was a prisoner of war, has retraced his steps in Poland and visited the graves of some of his comrades who died while prisoners. Writing from Posen, Poland, to a friend in Christchurch, Mr Allison, who is returning home soon, describes a visit to the grave of Kenneth L. Pratt, who was in the 20th Battalion. It lies in a row with the graves oi Private G. W. Neville, of the 18th Battalion. Private R. C. Williams, a British soldier, C. J. Lovett, of the New Zealand Infantry, and Bert Ferrall, an Australian. Mr Allison placed flowers and a small New Zealand flag on his friend’s grave. All the graves, which are close to a great Soviet Union monument marking the Russian cemetery, were well cared for, Mr Allison said. For Mr Allison, his visit to Posen brought back memories of the d.ay 17 v»-”’ - ■

i just before the war ended • when he stood on the Posen • station, “when life was a bit . grim for the local population i and for you and the others ; slogging towards the west,” > he wrote to his friend, who was also a prisoner. Mr Allison had a difficuflt • time getting to Poland. He s walked and took lifts all the • way from Armentieres in i France to Berlin, then went > into East Berlin and asked if ; he could travel as he pleased : through East Germany. “But they hedged and ■ could not allow that,” he . said. “The situation is a bit • different from 1955, when the ■ Russians issued my visa. The East Germans are not quite ! so accommodating.” ! However, he was granted a transit visa to be used by the ■ quickest and shortest route, i so he travelled by train to • Posen. • I Cn the train there was a party of British students on i their way to Russia, and it ■ transpired that one was R. Todhnnter. from Canterbury.