More Than 3000 New Zealand Prisoners Of War

Northern Advocate, 10 January 1942, Page 2

More Than 3000 New Zealand Prisoners Of War

The London correspondent of the Christchurch “Press,” writing on November 17. said New' Zealanders who are known to be prisoners of war in Germany, Greece, and Italy' now total 3200. During the last two or three weeks there has been a surprising increase in the number of names reported to New Zealand House of men who have arrived at prison camps. Many had been reported previously as being prisoners, but their whereabouts were unknown. In other cases they had simply been reported as missing, and there was some doubt if they were alive. Their names and addresses were immediately cabled to the Dominion. In Germany The majority of the prisoners are in Germany, and, judging by letters and postcards received in London, conditions seem to be fairly good. Men in the ranks are employed for the most part on road making. Under the Geneva Convention regarding prisoners of war, officers cannot be called upon to do work, and they spend much of their time in reading and studying, though they have opportunities for a certain amount of sport. Some of them also do vegetable gardening, and are thus able to add to the rations. Typical of the letters reaching London is one from Trooper T. O. Phillips, of Gisborne, who wrote on August 15: —“Our job is road work, mainly new formation, and at present I am with 24 mates in a small camp in the bush looking out on snow-capped mountainous surroundings. I am in good health. For our work we are paid 18 marks a month or 70 pfennig a day. We can buy a half-litre of beer on Sundays, 33 pfennigs’ worth of cigarettes and toilet gear, but little else.

“Our day consists of rising at 5.40 а. a ladle of coffee at 6, off to work at 6.40 till 12. Lunch, a ladle or a ladle and a half of soup or stew and perhaps some potatoes or a piece of meat. Leave camp at 1.15, work till б. p.m., and home to tea at 7. “Tea is similar to lunch, except that we also draw half a loaf of brown bread, about lib for 24 hours. Check parade and counted at 9. Bed at 9.30 p.m. Washing and shaving soap in first parcel please.” It will be appreciated how welcome are the Red Cross food parcels to supplement these meagre rations. Prisoners in Italy

One of the few New Zealanders in Italy, W. F. Hubbard, of Cambridge, sent a postcard to the High Commissioner iMr. W. J. Jordan). He“said: “I was at Kalamata, in Greece, with many others awaiting embarkation on April 27. when the town was entered and we were cut off from the beach. Another New Zealander, Signalman J. H. Doyle, and myself took to the hills, where we lived, roamed, and put up with many hardships, such as wornout clothing, until we were eventually captured by the Italians on August 18.

“We are receiving very good treatment at this camp (in Sulmona, Aquila), and both are in the best of health. I have written several letters to my mother, but from all accounts I believe that the mail takes several months to reach home.” Reports state that conditions in Ger-

man camps are as good as can be expected. Visits are paid by representatives of the American Embassy in Germany, and by representatives of the International Red Cross and International Young Men's Christian Association. They are allowed to talk privately with the prisoners, and any complaints and criticisms which appear to have a reasonable basis are conveyed to the camp authorities. For example, in one case in wh’ch a large number of men were billeted on a second floor, the staircases were inadequate, and it was pointed out that. ! in the event of fire, there might be a danger of serious loss of life. Other complaints related to lack of sufficient facilities for washing, overcrowding, etc., and in a large number of cases the German commanders have pro- j mised to make improvements. An interesting fact is that many of the Germans who staff the prison camps were prisoners in Britain during the last war. This experience helps them to understand the mentality and requirements of the men now under their charge and explains the fact that many of them are fairly proficient in speaking English. Purchases at Canteens

Men who are given work to do can spend- their meagre pay in canteens in the camps. There is a limited range of articles to be bought, such as toilet requisites, soap, brushes, boot polish. Some cigarettes are available, but the amount varies in each camp. In some there is also a limited quantity of beer, but practically never any foodstuffs—not even fruit in the summer time.

Negotiations are proceeding between the British and German authorities to allow the men to receive a proportion of their army pay in German marks. This would be in addition to the pay they receive* for their work. No finality has yet been reached. In fact, there is little on which they can spend their cash.

Officers are allowed to draw the equivalent of German officers of the same rank. This is much less than the New Zealand pay. A German lieu-tenant-colonel, for instance, receives practically the same pay as a New Zealand second-lieutenant. In Germany officers receive free messing, but in Italy they have to pay for their own messing. On the other hand, the Italian officers are much more highly paid than the German. With no set work the officers, it seems, have difficulty in staving off boredom. Many have written-asking* for educational books of various kinds according to their civilian occupations or hobbies. Lectures and courses are organised. New Zealand House has j arranged for books to be sent through the Educational Book Section of the International Red Cross.

At one time many New Zealanders were in the Kokinia Hospital in Greece. The latest report states that only 123 are still there. The remainder have recovered sufficiently to allow them to be sent to Germany. There are also a few still in hospital in Crete. Parcels From N.Z. Next-of-kin parcels have streamed into the New Zealand Packing Centre in London during recent weeks. They have been supplemented with additional articles if under the full weight allowed, and redirected with commendable quickness, and as many as 70 a day have been handed on to the British Red Cross for forwarding to Germany. Each man is allowed one next-of-kin parcel every quarter, and this first parcel has now been sent to the majority of New Zealanders. In a few

weeks it is hoped to commence the sending of a second parcel to each New Zealand prisoner. After that the majority of next-of-kin parcels will be forwarded through the New Zealand Red Cross Packing Depots in the four main cities in the Dominion direct to Geneva.

Many New Zealanders with friends in Britain have arranged, however, for these parcels to be made up and sent from Britain instead of the Dominion. These will continue to be handled by the Packing Centre in London, as well gs parcels for men whose next-of-kin reside in Great Britain, of whom there are a considerable number.

The Rev. James Ings, who is taking the pulpit at the Presbyterian Church during’the Rev. Burton’s absence on holiday, arrived in Whangarei by the express this afternoon.