HOME FROM WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25049, 13 November 1944, Page 4

HOME FROM WAR

SICK AND WOUNDED PARTY FROM MIDDLE EAST A draft of Auckland and North Auckland sick, wounded and other personnel who recently returned to New Zealand from the Mediterranean war theatre arrived in Auckland on Saturday morning. There were about 70 men on* the train when it came into the Auckland railway station, and the platform was crowded with friends and relatives, who gave the soldiers a warm welcome. Most of the men were veteran soldiers who had chased the Germans across North Africa and into Italy. Some of them were making their second journey home, having returned to the Middle East after they had been on furlough in New Zealand. There were several members of the Maori Battalion in the draft.

There was no official reception to the men, whose reunions with their families and friends were facilitated by the Army authorities. The draft was a comparatively small one and the arrangements went so smoothly that the walking cases were ready to go home within a few minutes of the train arriving. The Papakura Military Band played selections.

Transport for the Auckland soldiers was provided by Army personnel of the Northern Military District and by the Red Cross Transport Service. There were 17 North Auckland men in the draft and they were given lunch at the Government iHouse Club before being taken to their homes by Army transport. A number of Auckland men were admitted to hospital. The Mayor, Mr J. A. C. Allum. Colonel H. M. Foster, officer commanding Area 1, and Mr A. P. Postlewaite. president of the Auckland Returned Services Association, were at the station to welcome the men. PRISONERS OF WAR CONDITIONS IN LARGE CAMP (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Saturday Although there were more than 11,000 prisoners at Stalag 377 when the camp was visited by an International Red Cross delegate recently, only 600 were British. They were being added to by the arrival of 200 non-commis-sioned officers from another camp, bo; cause they were not willing to work', and the report stated they would probably bo sent on to Stalag 383. These non-commissioned officers brought a considerable number of food parcels with thern.. British prisoners who were permanently in the camp were housed in wooden barracks. Regular rations were issued and the prisoners prepared the food themselves. Clothing was satisfactory, but more soap was required. Food parcels arrived very well at this stalag, tho canteen 'was well equipped and a large variety of articles were for sale. Beer could usually be bought. About .1500 books, in English, were in the library, and the British chaplain was allowed to visit tho men in tho work detachments. Games were played, but, the camp being in a very mountainous region, there wore Pot many suitable sports grounds. Most of the British prisoners were working on tunnelling and railway works, discipline being good, not only in the stalag, but also in the work detachments. Dulag 226 is a transit camp in northern Italy for men who -would eventually be transferred to Germany. The general state of health was satisfactory here, with a German staff doctor looking after the prisoners. There was a good supply of Red Cross parcels. TRAPPED IN LIFT (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Saturday' Attempting to escape arrest, a man ran into the New Zealand Insurance Company's building, and after dodging about the stairs and landings entered a goods lift, where eventually he found refuge by stopping it between floors by opening the gate. It was an hour before a technician arrived to release him. The lift, was brought to the first floor, and the arrest was jthen easy.*