THOROUGH SEARCH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21978, 23 March 1946, Page 6

THOROUGH SEARCH

MISSING PERSONNEL PRESUMPTION OF DEATH (P.A.) WELLINGTON, March 23. Sixty-two names of New Zealand soldiers who became missing in the North African campaigns in the Western Desert and Tunisia, and whose deaths are now presumed, are given in a Second N.Z.E.F. casualty list. Presumptions of death generally have not yet been made in the case of missing personnel from the earlier campaigns in Greece and Crete. The Minister of Defence, Mr. F. Jones, said last evening that presumptions of death had been arrived at only after the most extensive investigations had been carried out by the Graves Registration and Inquiry Units in the Western Desert and Tunisia. All next-of-kin had been informed. The Minister added that presumptions of death generally had not yet been made in respect of missing personnel from earlier campaigns in Greece and Crete, as investigations by the grave units and searcher parties were still proceeding. When this investigation work was finally completed and, as in the case of North Africa, it could be said that there was no likelihood of further evidence becoming available, then for official purposes and in order that soldiers’ estates could be properly wound up, presumptions of death would, it was expected, be made. Next-of-kin would, of course, be informed of all the conclusions reached.