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Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 134, 3 December 1940, Page 8

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NX TROOPS BACK

TWO MONTHS IN INDIA

DRAFT OF 65 MEN

The topees worn by troops for protection against the Egyptian sun were seen again in Wellington this morning when 65 members of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. who have been invalided back from the Middle East returned to their own country after eleven months' absence. They left Egypt with the 28 soldiers who reached New Zealand a few weeks ago, but the party was split up in Bombay, and the 65 men who returned today spent two months in; India, partly in hospital at Poona and partly in a rest camp. The men have been invalided back, for various medical reasons—bad hearts, foot trouble, and so on—and most of them are still obviously a long j way from fit. They were medically boarded this morning and will be recommended for discharge, a spell in hospital, or whatever treatment the medical authorities consider each case demands. Those who do not require immediate hospital treatment have been granted four weeks' leave and transport to their- homes. Interviewed upon arrival, most of the men expressed their delight at being back in New Zealand. "We have seen several parts of the world, but good old New Zealand will do me," said one man. "This is a white man's country, and the Wellington Heads this morning were the best sight I have seen since I left here." This is the view of most of the men. Every man spoken to said he had no regrets about entering the Army. Several looked upon their breakdown in health as bad luck, and said they hoped to be given a chance to return to the war station with their mates. A large number of the men have had long terms in hospital, but most of them saw something of the forward positions at Mersa Matruh. "There were plenty of sand, heat, and flies, to make conditions uncomfortable for us," said one, "but our chief complaint is that the Italians did not have a go at us and give us something real to do." BOMBING RAIDS. These men's experience of enemy action was confined to bombing raids on Alexandria and a raid was made by Italian aircraft on shipping at Aden when the New Zealanders were on board the hospital ship which took them to India. "We were lying alongside a troopship," said one man, "but the nearest bomb fell about a quarter of a mile away. The Italians are not game enough to fly sufficiently low to hit their targets, and though there were between 50 and 60 vessels in the port at the time not one was hit. It was the same in the forward positions. The enemy planes were so high that it was impossible to sight "them with machine-guns."

The returned »men are full of praise for the wonderful reception they were given in Melbourne. They said the Melbourne people nearly killed them with kindness. Glowing tributes were paid to the Australian Red Cross workers in the Victorian capital. The New Zealanders spent five days there before proceeding to Sydney to embark for home. They travelled from Bombay to Melbourne aboard a British passenger liner now used as a troopship.

From Australia to New Zealand the draft was in the charge of Major W. R. Walsh, Southern Command Headquarters, Melbourne, and they were also accompanied by an 'Australian Army doctor, Captain Colin Clark, A.A.M.C. An Australian sergeant and four orderlies were with the draft—two from India and two from Australia. They are: Sergeant S. Rofe, A.A.M.C. (Permanent Staff), Privates D. McKay and E. Wilde, both A.A.M.C., Private A. Barber, India-Northern Medical Corps, and Private L. France, R.A.M.C. MEMBERS OF THE DRAFT. The names of those in the draft are as follows, the addresses of the next-of-kin being shown in each case: — Driver W. G. Aughton, N.Z.A.S.C. (London); Pte. B. W. H. Borton, 20th Rifle Battalion (Christchurch); Sapper J. G. W. Barwick, N.Z. Engineers (England); Pte. B. C. Bradley, 18th Rifle Battalion (Auckland), Pte. D. S. Brocherie, 27th M.G. Battalion (Canterbury); Pte. R. J. Carter, 27th M.G. Battalion (Wellington); 'Pte. M. C. Clarkson, 19th (Wellington). Battalion (Eketahuna); Pte. F. S. Dallinger, 19th (Wellington) Battalion (Auckland); Driver F. Davison, N.Z.A.S.C. (Auckland); Pte. W. Davis, 18th Rifle Battalion (England); Driver De Cossey, N.Z. Engineers (Auckland); Staff Sergeant C. Dillon, H.Q., 4th Infantry Brigade (Wellington); Pte. D. M. Dixon, 27th M.G. Battalion (Auckland); Trooper G. C. Dixon, Div. Cavalry (Dargaville); Pte. N. C. Farr, N.Z.A.S.C. (New Plymouth); Cpl. F. C. Greenhill, . Div. Cavalry (Hawera); Pte. V. E. Griffiths, 18th Rifle Battalion (Auckland); Pte. C. Griffith, 19th (Wellington) Battalion (England); Pte. I. M. Herbert, 19th (Wellington) Battalion (Dannevirke); Pte. J. Hines, 20th Rifle Battalion (Dunedin); Pte. W. T. Hoare, 19th (Wellington) Battalion (Christchurch); Pte. N. Hunt, 19th (Wellington) Battalion (Wanganui River); Pte. W. A. Johnstone, N.Z.A.S.C. (Bluff); Lance-Cpl. W. W. Kewish, N.Z.A.S.C. (Devonport); Pte. E. J. Knight, 19th (Wellington) Battalion (Christchurch); Pte. F. T. La Hood, 19th (Wellington) Battalion (Kaikoura); Capt. T. O. Lambie, Base Pay Office (Wellington); Signalman R. S. Lawrence, Div. Sigs. (Tokanui); Trooper' H. G. Lilley, Div. Cavalry (—-); Pte. P. Mackie, 18th Rifle Battalion (Mosgiel); Sapper G. McKinley, Engineers (Auckland); Gunner R. D 3 Mercer, Artillery (Auckland); Cpl. E. C. Miller, A.S.C. (Eastbourne); Gunner A. Mitchell, Artillery" (Auckland); Sgt'. G. W. Morton, Artillery ( ); Pte. P. C. Murphy, A.S.C. (Auckland); Pte. A. R. Nalder, A.S.C. (Murchison); Pte. W, F. O'Keefe, A.S.C. (Hastings); Lieut. H. Palmer, Artillery ( ); Sapper J. Pollard, Engineers (Auckland); Pte. M. T. Prior, H.Q., N.Z.E.F. Base (Invercargill); Pte. J. A. Pullin, A.S.C. (Dunedin); Gunner R. H. Putman, Artillery (Palmerston North); Pte. D. H. V. Parker, Div. Sigs. (Dunedin); Pte. K. D. S. Porter, Artillery (Whangarei); Pte. A. R. Quarterman, 20th Rifle Battalion (Christchurch); Pte. W. Reardon, 18th Rifle Battalion (Te Awamutu); Pte. R. O. Rapson, 18th Rifle Battalion (Silverdale); Sapper W, R. Reid, Engineer (Whangarei); Gunner C. G. Rollinson, Artillery (Morningside); Pte. S. A. Ruback, A.S.C. (Wellington); Sapper R. E. Shingleton, Engineers (Wellington); Pte. A. C. Sims 27th M.G. Battalion (New Plymouth); Pte. G. J. W. Simon, 18th Rifle Battalion (Onehunga); Sapper R. F. Smith, Engineers (Wellington); Pte. J. Sullivan, A.S.C. (Christchurch); Sgt. R. F. Thompson, Div H.Q. (Hawera); Pte. L- J. Thorp, 4th Field Ambulance (Auckland); Driver R. Todd, A.S.C. (Addington); Pte. R. H. J. Wheeler, 27th M.G. Battalion (Opawa); Driver R. A. Wilkinson, A.S.C. (Dunedin); Pte ; T. S. Willis, H.Q., N.Z.E.F. Base (Napier); Pte. F. C. A. Wilson, 27th M.G. Battalion (Manukau); Pte. A. N. Wilson, 4th Infantry Brigade H.Q. (Winton); Pte. L. G. Wilson, reinforcements ( )•