VESSEL AT LYTTELTON

Evening Star, Issue 25699, 24 January 1946, Page 4

VESSEL AT LYTTELTON

SPEEDY DISEMBARKATION (P.A.) CHRISTGHDRCH, Jan. 24. The South Island Army personnel were brought down from Wellington last nignt by the Dominion Monarch, and the vessel anchored in Lyttelton Harbour just inside ihe heads at 6.15 this morning. The disembarkation of the 848 passengers began at 7.40, and just four hours after her arrival disembarkation was completed, and the Dominion Monarch left on her return» to Wellington. The men were mostly the remainder of the married members of the Tenth Reinforcement, and they arrived back in Wellington just two and a-half years after their departure. Also on board were the remnants of 'the Ninth Reinforcements, a few Air Force personnel, and 134 civilians, all wives and families of Army personnel. ' The first' to leave were 315 members of the West Coast, Christchurch, and North Canterbury drafts. The West Coast" personnel left Christchurch by special railcar at 9.50, which was due at Greymouth at 2.3o'this afternoon. Hokitika at 6.04, and Ross at 7.30. The southern draft of 533 persons for Invercargill, South Otago, Dunedin. North Otago, and South Canterbury arrived at Christchurch at 11.10. This train left Christchurch approximately half an hour late, and was due at Ashburton at 12.35 p.m., Timaru at 2.22, Oamaru at 4.9, and Dunedin at 7.40.