ANZAC TROOPS IN NEW YORK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 2 October 1943, Page 5

ANZAC TROOPS IN NEW YORK

WIDE ATTENTION ATTRACTED MEN GLAD TO BE ON WAY HOME New York, Sept. 30. Six hundred New Zealand and Australian forestry troops attracted wide attention to-day when they were driven in open trucks through the streets to a large drill hall, where they were entertained at lunch. New Yorkers were very interested in the New Zealand pointed hats and Australian slouch hats which were first seen in New York during the present war. The troops range from men in the early twenties to others who served in the Great War and have sons fighting in New Guinea and elsewhere. All said they were very glad to be returning and hoped they would get into action against the Japanese soon. The men faced a barrage of newspaper photographers and later a small representative group, including Major Austin and Sergeant Burt, both of Rotorua, and Sapper Seymour, of Christchurch, told the press some of their experiences in England and Scotland, where they have all been since the middle of 1940 engaged in forestry work such as felling i and preparing timber for British de- j fence works. The troops established all- j time records for forestry production. The men said 85 New Zealanders and ] 120 Australians married English and Scottish girls! They would not see I their wives until after the war because | “wives are very low on the priority: list." The New Zealanders and Australians - were later entertained at the Yankee . Baseball Stadium, where they met 1 players in a game between Yankees : and Chicago Whitesox. Many enter- j tainmei*ts are planned for the troops before they march through the streets to-morrow. t |