"BLIGHTY" LEAVE DRAFT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 31, 5 January 1945, Page 5

"BLIGHTY" LEAVE DRAFT

EXCITEMENT IN LONDON. (Special Correspondent.) LONDON, Jan. 4. The arrival of men of the British Liberation Army on seven days' "Blighty" leave has heen one of the most interesting. events recently for the people in Britain. It is true that the number of men who drew the lucky ticket in the ballot was not large, hut in hundreds of homes there have been joy and celebration at the return of those who went ashore in Normandy on D-D ay. There were touching scenes at the London station when the train arrived. Crowds cheered the grinning and bashful soldiers, and the wives of some who had waited for 10 hours in order not to miss a minute of the time with their husbands greeted the men. This leave has come at a time when war weakness among the population probably Has reached the highest peak since the outbreak, and many happy family reunions are helping to blunt the sharp edges of strain. The popular newspapers have given considerable space to the reunions and photographs of the soldiers with their families.

The supplementary '"New Year honours list has also given wide satisfaction in hundreds of homes at the recognition of what has been described as "the toil of millions in Britain's war effort." Thirteen per cent, of the awards were won by the Merchant Navy which is a fitting tribute to this service on which the country relies so greatly and which does not always receive the plaudits given to the other Services.

Unlike New Zealand, this system of bestowing awards on civilians has been maintained throughout the war and it must have been a source of gratification to many who perform the humdrum and monotonous tasks in the war effort. For instance, an M.B.E. was won by a woman who is described as "the principal trainer of women's crews for canal boats." Other women won recognition for work as foster mothers of evacuated children and a woman of 84 who won the B.E.M. has 71 years of service in the Lancashire cotton industry and despite her age still does a full working day. _ Men who won awards include_ stationmasters, ship surveyors, railway goods executives, miners and colliery managers, munition workers and a crane driver.