VISITED BY PADRE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 306, 22 September 1944, Page 4

VISITED BY PADRE

Next-of-Kin Of Men Buried In Pacific (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, September 21. 'l'be unusual task of visiting, throughoul. New Zealand, the next-of-kin of oihcers ami men whom he had buried during the Pacific campaign, has been completed b.v Captain T-' L- Francis, who was Church of England chaplain with a held ambulance unit. In an interview, lie said be had buried 26 New Zealanders during the campaign amt many more Araerie:uis. The .New Zealanders came from all parts of the Dominion, but most of them from the south. ■ The padre added that he could not have carried his mission through but for the railway leave pass which he hml used throughout. lie had felt repeatedly that the undertaking had been well worth while, if only for the consolation he had been able to give the parents, wives and families, from the knowledge that the men bad received a Christian burial. He had found that unfortunately many exaggerated stories bad been sent to next-of-kin regarding the circumstances of death, and he was able to dispel much grief that had been based on inaeeurate details. Relatives were very appreciative of the information ho had been able to give I hem as to the situation of the dead men’s graves.