WAR PRISONERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 April 1940, Page 3

WAR PRISONERS

MEN HELD IN GERMANY

LONDON, March 17.

Airmen were among the first prisoners to be. taken by the enemy in this war, some of them being men who did not return from the early raids on naval bases. Among them was Pilot Officer L. H. Edwards (Patea). It is bad luck to be taken prisoner at aijy time, but especially in the first few weeks of a war. One reason is that the chance of getting parcels from home is slight. ' e At first it was extremely difficult to make any sort of contact with prisoners in Germany. Parcels came back after long and unsuccessful wanderings.

Now direct communication through Belgium with prisoners of war in Germany has been established by the Red Cross, and up to the present more than 86 per cent, of the parcels of food and clothing despatched by the Prisoners of War Department of the British Red Cross and Order of St. John of Jerusalem have been acknowledged as safely received. At present each Royal Air Force prisoner of war is receiving from the Red Cross two 101 b. parcels of food (costing about 10/- each) each week. The contents are varied, but a dietician checks the assortment, which cannot be altered to include “favourite” foods. But the “personal parcel,” which the next-of-kiri of each prisoner is allowed to send onco in every three mouths, can cater for more individual tastes, although the only food it may contain is bar chocolate.

Personal parcels may contain clothes, tobacco and cigarettes in packets, brushes, soap, sponges and pencils. .It seems that knitting needles and wool are greatly appreciated, as well as materials for embroidery work and small musical instruments. Goods in tins or tubes cannot be sent. Knitted goods and handkerchiefs are recommended for inclusion in personal parcels. The Red Cross sends a parcel of underclothes, shoes and pullover to every prisoner as soon as his name is received. Boredom is the prisoner’s worst enemy. Relatives and friends may write as often as they wish, although they cannot send books or games except direct from shops which have a permit to send printed, matter abroad. The Red Cross is working out a scheme under which it will be; possible to obtain educational books for prisoners of war. Many of them ask for books to study special subject—languages particularly.