HOME FROM THE WAR

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIV, Issue 121, 20 April 1944, Page 5

HOME FROM THE WAR

SERVICEMEN'S RETURN

(Press Assn.) WELLINGTON, April 20. Included in the latest party of servicemen io return from overseas were members of all branches of the Services who had experienced a great deal of war's thrilling adventures. Some have been war prisoners and in one or two cases their return from enemy hands has not been by the repatriation method: They spoke very highly of the morale of the people of Britain and of the confident manner in which the people looked to the outcome of the big operations that are to take place shortly. Despite strict rationing everybody seemed to get a fairly good variety of food. A New Zealander who visited England during the blitz was there again recently and commented on the changed attitude of the people, due mainly to the thousands of planes now crossing the Channel to bomb the enemy. The people of Britain were working hard and long hours so that there would be a successful outcome of the war. A number of the returned airmen were wearing a service ribbon new to this country—the 1939-43 Service Star —and most of the soldiers wore the Africa Star ribboji bearing the figure eight. .With the comparatively small party_ ot returning servicemen there were 52 wives and 39 children of New Zealand servicemen who married in England. The wives were happy at being at the ernd of their journey to join their husbands in starting out life in a new country and the children were halo and hearty and were all excited over their new experience, just as were those who saw to it that tho newcomers were made to feel at home. One soldier's wife commented: "Everybody has been most kind and friendly and we appreciate it very much." Some of the womenfolk arc the wives of members of the New Zealand Forestry Unit which has been located in Britain for some time. Others are the wives of members of the Air Force and there were a number niarried to members of the. New Zealand Divsion which fought in tho Middle East campaign. There were one or two whose husbands had been killed on active service.