Prisoner of War

Hutt News, Volume 20, Issue 11, 6 March 1946, Page 5

Prisoner of War

HUTT PADRES EXPERIENCES TALK TO ROTARY CLUB At the last luncheon of the Lower Hutt Rotary Club, which was presided over by Mr. J. Jacques, an interesting address on his experiences as a prisoner of war was given by Rev Walter Hurst who recently took charge of the,new St. Paul's Parish in Lower Hutt after returning from service overseas as a padre with the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Mr. N. T. Gillespie, in introducing the guest speaker, said that Mr. Hurst had done work of inestimable value to the church in this district, and had done an equally fine job among the soldiers while on service and in the prison camps. Mr. Hurst said that, like most men who had had a similar experience, lie wanted to forget it and to concentrate on rehabilitation, and, like his brother in the Navy, he found it difficult to recall happenings which had been very vital at the time. With other New Zealanders he was cut off in Crete, and while attempting to minister to the needs of wounded men ho was captured by the Germans, and forced by a German officer with a pistol to go to a church which housed many New Zealanders. In Crete all the churches had wooden murals around the walls and these had been stripped-off and made into beds. Threat of Shooting The men were ordered to go to work on an aerodrome the next day, and told that if they attempted to escape the padre would be shot. Mr. Hurst informed the Germans that the men, who had very little food, were quite unfit to work. Next day a German naval officer arrived. He spoke perfect English, with an Oxford accent, and attempted to persuade the padre to go to Sir Bernard irreyberg's Headquarters and tell him that "it was all up" and that it would be foolish to continue fighting; The padre refused to carry out the request. Tho next move was to a large camp of about 7000 men, among whom were many New Zealanders. For a time Mr. Hurst carried on as a doctor, and then was fortunate enough to find a chemist. A religious service was held every Sunday in what they called the Blue Chapel .of St. Titus. Although the Germans never knew it, the padre had a small radio hidden under the sand near his bed. One thing the men enjoyed were bathes in the Mediterranean, for which in peacetime people would pay a big sum. No Food lor Five Days Then they were shipped to Salonika, continued Mr. Hurst. Conditions there were very bad, with very little food. Then they set off for Germany, and for five days had nothing to eat —it was the longest fast he had ever had. On arrival at a camp of 20,000 men food was given them, and they ate ravenously. It was intensely cold, and they were very grateful for warm clothing sent by the British Red Cross. There were five church representatives in the camp, and they held services. An epidemic of typhus in the camp was stamped out by Colonel Bull, of Wellington, I there being only five deaths. After four months Mr. Hurst was ■transferred to Berlin, and it was very interesting, he said, to get the reactions of Berliners to the war. In the camp there were organised talks, concerts, etc. After 14 months he was sent to a new officers' camp, where conditions were very miserable.

Being sent back to another camp the speaker found opportunities to join study groups, take courses in beekeeping, agriculture, etc., play in a dance band, and write two novels: After two years there they heard a bombardment—the best music they had ever heard —and, being marched out of the camp, were picked up by an American force. It was the best day in their lives. Inspiring Church Service On Easter Sunday morning last year, a church service was held by three chaplains. The spiritual Reactions were wonderful, and inspiring that the chaplains, one of whom had been a prisoner of war for five years-and the other two for four years, considered that their experiences had been well worth while. He personally would not have missed them for anything.

Ml'. C. Griffin thanked Mr. Hurst for his very interesting address. The work done by keen, active clergymen was of very great value to the community, he said.