RETURNING SERVICEMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 December 1945, Page 6

RETURNING SERVICEMEN

EARLIER ARRIVAL ARRANGED ■ ' WELLINGTON, Dec. 7. Since the recent announcements about the returning drafts, advice has been received of the allotment of additional shipping and this would speed up the return of our men, announced Mr. Jones when the House of Representatives met at noon today. According to the latest advice, said the Minister, drafts comprising navy, army and air force personnel will arrive as follows: Mooltan due about December 21, with the balance of the Eighth and earlier'reinforcements, married men of the Ninth reinforcements, and about three hundred single men of the Ninth reinforcements, also 313 naval personnel and 457 air force personnel. Athlone Castle: Due about the first week in January with 470 R.N.-Z.A.F. personnel and about 350 single men of the Ninth reinforcements. Otranto: Due in New Zealand about mid-January with most of the remaining single men of the Ninth re- i inforcements, the majority of men in the Tenth reinforcements and also a small number of R.N.Z.A.F. personnel from Britain. Dominion Monarch: Due about midJanuary with the balance of the Ninth reinforcements, the balance of married men of the Tenth reinforcements, the Maori battalion and the majority of single men of the Tenth reinforcements. Orion: Due about the third week in January, with half the married men of the Eleventh reinforcements, single men of the Eleventh reinforcements, married men of the Twelfth reinforcements and about half the single men of the Twelfth reinforcements. Durban Castle: Due toward the end of January with the balance of single men of the Tenth reinforcements and half the married men of the Eleventh reinforcements (the Durban Castle will leave the Middle East a few days before the Orion but is a slower vessel). Rangitata: Due about mid-January with ninety army, 243 navy and 390 air force personnel from Britain. There also are two other drafts of navy personnel en route to New Zealand from Britain. The Atheling is expected to arrive in New Zealand about Christmas Eve with fifty-nine officers and 572 ratings. In addition the Atheling will embark 130 naval personnel at Colombo, and 150 naval personnel in Australia. The other draft of fifty-five officers is on H.M.S. Queen, date of arrival unknown.

Mr. Jones said it was clear the shipping position from the Middle East had improved considerably, as the result of Government representations. Only about two thousand of the second N.Z.E.F. men would be left in Italy and Egypt in January, and they were expected to embark for New Zealand in February.