“Lonely Soldiers ” Overseas

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 2, 3 January 1941, Page 6

“Lonely Soldiers ” Overseas

MEN WHO GET NEITHER LETTERS NOR PARCELS Per Press Association WELLINGTON, Jan. 2. In response to an inquiry the National Patriotic Fund Board has received from its Overseas Commissioner (Lieut.-Col. F. Waite, D. 5.0., M.L.C.) a preliminary list of names and other particulars of eleven men of the N.Z.E.F. in the United Kingdom whom the padres consider get neither letters nor parcels sent to them individually aud who may rightly be classed as lonely soldiers. The board made the inquiry so as to be able to pass on the names of genuine lonely soldiers to people in this country who -ire willing to write to them and so on. A similar inquiry was addressed to the board’s representative with the New Zealand Forces in the Middle East, but although advice has been received that the matter is receiving attention no list has been received to date from this quarter. Air. G. A. Hayden, secretary of the board, said to-day that he knew from inquiries made earlier that there were ■people only too willing to write and send individually addressed parcels to lonely soldiers to supplement the parcels sent forward by the board. The names of such men as they were received from the board’s representatives would be made available on application to persons who were prepared to render this valuable little service which would, he felt sure, be appreciated by the men concerned.