Returned Soldier’s Story To Appeal Board

Northern Advocate, 22 May 1944, Page 2

Returned Soldier’s Story To Appeal Board

A surprising story concerning a returned soldier from this war was told the Armed Forces Appeal Board in Whangarei on Friday.

Appealing to the board, Trooper W Jeffs, of Mata, who went overseas with the First Echelon, said that he had been again mobilised for active service overseas after having already served four years and two months in the Second N.Z.E.F., three and a-half years having been, spent in the Middle East. Returning home with the first furlough draft he had had three months leave and then been medically boarded Grade II with a reboard in three months’ time. His army pay had ceased and he had been issued with levy and ration books, mufti allowance and deferred pay. When the time for his reboarding had arrived he had not heard from the army authorities and had obtained employment in essential industry. Further, he had purchased land and had successfully applied for a housing and furniture loan and had been married. Three weeks ago he had been called before a medical board and last Saturday, when he had arrived home from his honeymoon, he had found waiting for him an urgent telegram instructing him to report at a military camp.

The board’s recommendation' will be forwarded to the Director of Mobilisation for decision.

In another. furlough appeal, Robert P. Reid, of Kaitaia, gave evidence and the board’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Director of Mobilisation,