KIWIS ON LEAVE

Evening Star, Issue 25618, 19 October 1945, Page 6

KIWIS ON LEAVE

FIRST PARTY REACHES ENGLAND APPRECIATIVE OF ARRANGEMENTS MADE (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.) (Rec. 10 a.i11.) LONDON, October 18. • “We are still a bit bewildered,” said a New Zealand private at the Milestone Club, London, this morning. He is one of the 105 Kiwis forming the first leave patrol to reach England. Five thousand men are to spend a fortnight’s leave here in the next two months.

The men in this first party, who left Sienna, Italy, eight days ago, travelled in three-ton trucks across France to Calais, then by boat to Folkestone, and train to Charing Cross station, Lon r don. There they were met by two colonels from the War Office and whisked off in more trucks to the Milestone Club, Kniglitsbridge. Neither the blanketing grey sky nor the first rain that London has had in nearly three weeks dampened their spirits, and as they sampled their first English beer they had nothing but praise for the arrangements made, ana appreciation of the opportunity of seeing Britain. BALLOTED FOR. “ It was the apex of our ambitions to get here,” said a private, “ and we are all very pleased about it.” The majority of this first leave party, comprising 12 officers and 93 other ranks, did not know they were coining to England until three or four days before they left Italy. They are all from the Divisional Artillery at Sienna, and their names were selected by ballot. Under the command o” Majors F. I. Henton, of Auckland, and R. G. Bannister, of Wellington, they boarded seven three-ton trucks on October 10 —ls men to each—and with packs and bedrolls, trundled 100 odd miles to Fort d’lmarmi. They carried hard rations foi lunch, which they ate by the roadside, and spent the night in a transit camp, which is a seaside hotel. The next stage was the 200-odd miles to San Remo, via the Italian Riviera, and then on they moved, averaging about 150 miles daily To Aix-en-Provence Monte Carlo, Nice, and Cannes—- “ a delightful drive,” said a private—up the Rhone Valley, by-passing Lyons to Dijon, then by-passing Paris and traversing the last war’s battlefields to Soissons, and so to Calais. Each night they stayed at transit camps formerly used by the Americans and now manned bv New Zealanders. At Calais they went to a _“ Tommy ” transit camp, and there joined in the general stream of thousands of Tommies coming from or going on leave. EXCELLENT ORGANISATION. They have high praise for the excellent organisation which absorbed 100odd Kiwis with infinite ease. The Channel crossing was uneventful, and at Folkestone the arrangements at the former New Zealand prisoner-of-war repatriation centre were smooth and efficient. This morning they completed the final stage of their journey by train to London, and this afternoon they are checking up on their bearings and deciding what they are going to do. Approximately one-third of them have relations in Britain, whom they will visit. Others, uncertain of their intentions, have taken out travel warrants to Inverness, being the farthest point north, and allowing plenty of scope for travelling. Their leave began as from to-day, and they have until 10 p.in. on November 1, when they report at Victoria Station for the return trip. Inured though they are to travelling, they without exception are enthusiastic about their leave, and are most appreciative of the arrangements made for them.

Commenting on the outlook of the division in Italy these days, they summed it up succinctly as “ Home, James.” NEWSPAPER TRIBUTE.

Commenting on the fact that the New Zealanders are coming to Britain on leave, ‘ The Times-’ said this morning: “ Their visit will provide some opportunity, if all too small, for us to see them. Since all the long and strenuous service of the force in this war has been in the Mediterranean theatre, the New Zealand force has not been familiar to us, as in the last war. There has been no change in another respect, that of quality. The old New Zealand Division was considered by friend and foe alike to be superb and one of the best in the world. Its successor has gained a like reputation. It came up again and again in battle after battle, having suffered . heavy losses, to play a prominent and often decisive part. All these men have seen long service in Italy, many of them in North Africa also. They will he warmly welcomed here, and those who cannot see them will extend to them good wishes and good will.”