LAST WEEKS IN U.K.

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20507, 18 March 1941, Page 8

LAST WEEKS IN U.K.

SECOND ECHELON MEN KxNDLY HOSPITALITY GISBORNITE'S LETTERS Recent mails received from mert of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and written in the United Kingdom, contained some reference to an impending development of keen interest to their correspondents in the Dominion. The announcement by the New Zealand Government of the arrival of a contingent in the Middle East to .ioin the New Zealand forces there merely confirmed the general conviction as to what that development would be.

A significant feature of the letters from Britain was the description of special leave journeys undertaken by a majority of the men, on which they had opportunities of visiting friends and relatives in England, Scotland and Walds. Almost every letter, it seems, records the hospitality of households in the United Kingdom towards members of the New Zealand forces, and obviously many people now resident in Britain, but formerly in New Zealand, took full advantage of the occasion to shower kindness upon their former compatriots.

A forecast of things to come tvas given by Sergeant Ralph Do Costa, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. H. De Costa, Gisborne, in a letter written on December 12, in which he referred to invitations he had had to visit different households in various parts of Britain for Christmas. One of the places mentioned was in Birmingham, which he mentioned incidentally as having received a good deal of attention from Nazi bombers.

Belter Targets Than N.Z. Soldiers “When you see these places after the bombings it is really amazing how small the damage is when once the mess lias been elbared away,” writes Sergeant De Costa. “Fortunately, our luck still seems to be holding, and although we hear the planes going over every night, I expect they art after better targets than a few New Zealanders.

“Things are going on just the same old way here, and nothing particularly exciting seems to happen. They have started uS doing a few route marches again, and yesterday we marched 21 miles. As the weather is pretty cold, it is one way of keeping warm. I expect when we get out East we shall be Wishing we were back here —cold or no cold.” Former Gisborne Resident

In a later letter, Sergeant De Costa mentions having been to Edinburgh, having got on the train with a friend with the idea of travelling as far as they wished to go, and then getting off. They travelled all night, as ihe ohtside atmosphere was so cold and the train so warm, and their train took them to the Scottish capital. While there he spent an hour with Mrs. Stuart, who formerly resided in Gisborne, and who returned to Scotland with her daughter after the death of her husband, Mr. Charles Stuart. Mrs. Stuart at one time conducted a stenographic course in Gisborne, and Sergeant De Costa was one of her pupils, this fact giving their brief meeting a peculiarly interesting flavour. Later he paid a visit to Carlisle, where he met Mr. and Mrs. Burne, also former Gisborne residents. Mr. Burne, he found, was conducting a general store ih Carlisle, and With other members of his family was hungry for news of Gisborne people. They sent messages to ritaiiy of their friends here.

Blackpool was included in the leave itinerary of the two New Zealanders, and they spent an agreeable time there, despite the fact that they visited the town out of season. Blackpool is one of the big training centres for the Royal Air Force, and its attractions were such that although they knew no one there, the ttvo soldiers stayed over an eXtra day to enjoy them.