PLANS DISLOCATED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 305, 23 November 1945, Page 4

PLANS DISLOCATED

MEN FROM MIDDLE EAST SHIPPING ALTERATIONS (Press Assn.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 22 The Government had received advice that alterations in' the shipping programme had ' been found necessary, and as a result the return from the Middle East of some single men of the 9th Reinforcement and all the men of. the 10th and 11th Reinforcements had been considerably delayed, said the Minister ..of Defence (Mr Jones) answering an urgent 1 question by Mr T. L. Macdonald (Nat., Mataura) in the House of Representatives this afternoon.

Mr Jones recalled that early in October he' announced that the personnel of the 9th and 10th Reinforcements were expected to return to the Dominion by Christmas, and the men of the 11th Reinforcements were expected to be oil th'e water by Christmas. That announcement was based on information received from the Expeditionary Force Headquarters in Italy, and the homeward movement of these drafts was, of course, dependent on the shipping arrangements then envisaged being adhered to. “The position now is that the balance of the Bth and earlier reinforcements and some single men of the 9tli Reinforcements are about to embark in Italy and Egypt on the Mooltan and should reach New Zealand by the end of this year. Three other ships have been, made available to us—-the Otranto, the Dominion Monarch and the Durban Castle—and they are scheduled to leave Britain on December 6, 15, and 29 respectively and lift drafts from Italy. Tbe Otranto is to bring the balance of the single men of the 9th Reinforcements and some married men of the 10th Reinforcements, and is due to arrive in New Zealand about the second week in January. The Dominion Monarch, which should arrive in New Zealand about the middle of January, will bring the balance of the married men of the 10th Reinforcements, the Maori Battalion, and part of the single men of the 10th Reinforcements. The Durban Castle, due in New Zealand about the end of January, will bring the balance of the-single men of the 10th Reinforcements.” SERVICE IN PACIFIC COUNTED. Mr Jones said that men who had served in the Pacific before proceeding to the Middle East had been classified according to their total service overseas and would be included in tbe appropriate returning drafts. He also explained that, where only portion of a reinforcement draft could be embarketl, a ballot was held to determine which men should come home first. As soon as each draft sailed from the Middle East, the names of the men embarked would be cabled to New Zealand and next-of-kin would be immediately advised. Tbe Minister said it was generally impossible to release officers to return with their reinforcement drafts. This was mainly due to the fact that very few officers were sent from New Zealand with the reinforcement drafts and it was necessary to retain the officers for duty beyond the time they were normally due to come home. A further reason was that most officers for the occupational force for Japan had been selected from the latest reinforcements. Representations were now being made for shipping to bring home the balance of the men remaining in Italy. The new shipping timetable was being communicated to the troflps in Italy by Major-General Stevens. Mr F W. Doidge. (Nat., Tauranga) : Is there any indication about the 11th Reinforcements' arriving? Mr Jones said there was no indication at present, but when advice was received, it would be communicated to the country. .' »

PERSONNEL RETURNING

Mr Jones gave the following particulars of R.N.Z.N. personnel who are on passage td New Zealand and are expected to arrive between now and the end of January Five officers and 300 ratings on the Mooltan, three officers and four ratings on the Aquitania, 59 officers and 558 ratings on the Atheling, making a grand total of 929 officers and ratings. Mr Jones said that 132 officers had actually embarked in the Orion, but had to be disembarked when that vessel returned to port with engine trouble. It was now expected that they would sail on the Athlone Castle, sailing from Britain about the end of this month.

' Although no official advice had been received a Press message indicated that some 60 officers and 375 ratings were also leaving Britain ill H.M-S. Queen toward the end of this month. Mr Jones said the latest information regarding R.N.Z.A.F. personnel who had served with the R.A.F. in Britain was that 456 air crew were en route to New Zealand on the Mooltan, and that approximately 1000 would be embarked by early December if the present shipping allocations materialised.