DOCTOR'S ESCAPE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25049, 13 November 1944, Page 7

DOCTOR'S ESCAPE

PRISONER IN ITALY WALKED PAST THE GUARD The case with which lie deluded a German sentry and escaped from a prison camp in Italy was recounted on Saturday by Captain F. E. Webster, of Hcrno Bay, when he arrived in Auckland with a draft of men Avho had returned from Italy. A well-known Auckland doctor, Captain Webster is the son of Mr and Mrs L. F. Webster, of Jervois Road, and was a member of the honorary visiting staff of the Auckland Hospital before ho joined the Army in 1940. Advice that he was taken prisoner while serving in North Africa in November, 1941, was received by his parents and later advice said that lie

was finally sent as a doctor to the hospital attached to Camp 202 at Lucca, Italy. Letters came from him regularly until Italy's capitulation, after which his whereabouts remained a mystery until September of this year, when he was reported to bo safe. His parents bad previously received indirect information that Captain Webster had escaped from Camp 202 011 September 10, 1943. "Rather Poor Disguise" "1 simply walked past a German sentry in broad daylight in a rather poor disguise," said Captain Webster 011 Saturday. "1 was hoping that he would think 1 was an Italian, and apparently i was right. My disguise was not all that it might have been and should not have deluded anyone. However, that part managed to go off well and 1 hoped to get away by train. That course of action turned out to be impracticable. as the Germans were guarding the stations. "I was alone and I started to walk south 011 the chance that I would make contact with the Allies," said Captain Webster. "After a few days I became ill, so I took to the hills. Although I had expected our men to come up there within about two to three months, I had to wait almost a year before they put in an appearance." While he lived in the hill country Captain Webster had to rely on the hospitality of friendly Italians. They knew the dangers they, were running, hut they treated him very generously, ftalv had just capitulated, but that was not the reason for the treatment lie received. Those people would always have been friendly. At times when they were unnlile to get medical assistance Captain Webster attended to them. Tribute to Red Cross Captain Webster said he had to move around 1 airly frequently, as Germans and Fascist spies often visited the localities where ho was staying. The Germans gave him a few scares, but on the whole they were very stupid people and easy to bluff. Any conversations he had" with them were in Italian, which he had picked up in Italy, and although his command of the language was only fair he was not detected. At last, from his position in the hills, Captain Webster could watch the approach of the Allied troops. It was then just a matter of waiting for an opportunity to join them. When the chance came he walked down from the bills to safety. "When the Allies were still down at Cassino the Germans in the area where I was were firm with the Italians, but they were reasonably just," said Captain Webster. "As the Germans were beaten back, however, atrocities took place on all sides. "The treatment given by the Italian authorities at the Lucca hospital lor prisoners of war was as good as could be expected under the circumstances," said Captain Webster. "A good deal of that was due to the Red Cross._ The work done by the Red Cross in ordinary prisoner-of-war camps must have saved thousands of lives. The food parcels came forward fairly regularly, and I know of no cases of theft from them bv the Italians."

TRANSPORT TO SCHOOL A report that the school committee had been unsuccessful in its representations to the Auckland Education Board to obtain suitable bus transport to the new Avondale intermediate and secondary schools, to which the Owairaka school would be a contributor, was received with concern by parents at the annual meeting of the Owairaka I'arents-Teaehers' Association. It was pointed out by parents that some children would have to walk upwards of four miles a day, and this, it was felt, was too much to ask of children of 10 and 11 years of age, particularly during the winter months. Parents felt that the health of the children should be a matter of primary concern to the education authorities, particularly as the department's policy denied to parents the choice of schools on direct transport routes. The association's executive committee was instructed to make strong representations to the authorities, stressing the urgent necessity of arranging adequate transport.

ROSE DAY IN PROVINCE The first Rose Day street appeal was made by the Waikato Returned Services Association on Friday. The president the association, Mr A. L. Fow, expressed pleasure at the public's response in Hamilton. Sales of artificial roses during the day, ho said, amounted to £3.37, which was a remarkable effort. Some returns from country districts had still not been received. The proceeds will be devoted to the Memorial Club campaign fund. Over £IOO was collected by the Wbangarei Returned Services Association in its first Rose Day appeal. The street collection was undertaken for the association by the members of the Whangarei Women's Patriotic Committee, and the funds are for the general purposes of the association.