N.Z. FORCES

Grey River Argus, 18 September 1945, Page 3

N.Z. FORCES

FIGURES OF MEN RETURNED P.A. WELLINGTON, Sept. IT Figures showing the number of Army personnel returning to New Zealand from overseas since v.J. Day (August 15) were supplied today by the Minister of Defence. The total figure is 6018. Details are as follows: Middle East: Men 3763, women 24, total 3787. United' Kingdom, 2174—1—2175. Australia, 12—0 —l2. Fiji, 38—0—38. Other Pacific stations, 6—o—6. Grand total, 6018. Within the near future another 5708 personnel are due to arrive, as follows: To-morrow, per hospital ship, Empire Clyde, from Middle East: Men 257, women 10,; in early October per Strathmore from Middle East.: 3939—38 —3977; early in October per Dominion Monarch from Middle East (859) and United Kingdom (60) —0—1464; grand total 5708.

Following are particulars of personnel in New Zealand demobilised’ since VJ Day: Sixteenth Reinforcements: Demobilised, 3583; retained to replace married men with families, men with long service, and men in high industrial priority groups, 904; still under action. 117. On the home service 1242 men and 151 W-.A.A.C.’s have been demobilised, making the grand total of 16th Reinforcements and home service demobilised 4976. N.Z. WAR PRISONERS

The latest available information regarding New Zealand prisoners of war was released by the Minister of Defence, to-day. Army: Returned to New Zealand—s2o3. En route —521. Still in the United Kingdom 744. Still unaccounted for—l 3.

Aire Force: Returned to New Zealand from European theatre —198. Still to be returned—29s. Still to be returned from Japanese theatre: Eight in the R.N.Z.A.F., two in the R.A.F. Unaccounted for: 19 in the R.N.Z.A.F., and 13 in the R.A.F. Navy: Returned from Europe 9, en route 1; Returned from Japanese theatre. 1; still to return 43; prisoners unaccounted for, 37; missing, 48, many of whom it is hoped will yet be found. SOLDIERS’ WIVES ARRIVE The Shaw Savill Albion liner, Akaroa arrived here from Liverpool this morning with 194 passengers. They included seventy wives of New Zealand servicemen, with forty children. The vessel touched at Pitcairn on the voyage and’ there, the pre-war custom of natives meeting the snip in canoes and going aboard to sell wares was revived. A number of passengers comprised businessmen and others who had made arrangements to visit the Dominion before the war or during it, and' had been prevented in so doing till now. Major J. P. Hudson, is to take up, an appointment with the Horticultural Division of the Department of Agriculture. A veteran of Dunkirk, he was for the last four years attached to a bomb disposal group in London. He was formerly a horticultural instructor in East Sussex.

One passenger was Major General R. E. Barker, who is accompanied by his wife, one son, and one daughter, he has a second son. a captain in the Royal Artillery and a third Lieutenant of the Royal Signal Corps. He is on the retired list and intends to remain in the Dominion pei'manently. He left Geraldine in 1911, and joined the British Army. He became Marshal Wavell’s signals officer in chief. The scope of the Middle 1 East Command was then much wider than it was later, and’ Barker's duties took him to Greece, Crete, Abysinnia, Syria and Iraq campaigns. When he returned to the United Kingdom, he was appointed to the staff of General Sir Andrew Thorne, G.0.C., Scottish Command ,and later served as G.O.C. of Home Forces.