Of Local Interest

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 14, 17 January 1941, Page 2

Of Local Interest

[Before Alan Jones, joined the B.N.Z.A.F. he was & member of the Pahiatua Post Office staff, also a keen member of the local Volunteer Fire Brigade.] On Wednesday Mrs. G. H. Jones, of Pahiatua, mother of Aircraftsman Alan Jones, a prisoner of war on a raider, received a letter from her son. The letter was written on one sheet of soiled paper in peneil and posted in Brisbane f>y lan McLean, a member of the Fleet Air Arm, who was released. Mrs. Jones hopes to hear further uews from Alan’s comrade when he communicate* with her. Extracts from the letter are as follow:

“I suppose by now there has been a great deal of wailing and guashiug of teeth on my account,' 1 he writes. •‘Well, 1 have been very lucky. 1 haven't even got a scratch to be proud of, out oh, wnat a wonderful experience and story I've got. I've seeu people die for the first time in my life and I’ve come tnrough with no nightmare. I've had the pleasure of meeting some of the finest and bravest chaps one could wish for. “The actual shelling of the Rangitane was just like a lire to me. 'ihe •aine suduen awaaening, the same scrambling rush into eiotnoi and the I same jostling crowd. 1 was helping oa the tire appliances on the ship witn the different nres which were started from bursting shells. It was so realistic, bince men wc have gone tiirougn our little hardships and learned more than ever what a grand place home is. We havesheard the guns blasting some other unfortunates oat of the water. Everyone except the Air Force have been allowed to sign papers, thua .treeing them from war, out owing to our training we are going to be interned."

In conclusion ne said: “1 have lost everything 1 owned but am not worrying as i am alive and wclL Don’t worry about me; 1 am really enjoying