FORMER PRISONERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25310, 18 September 1945, Page 4

FORMER PRISONERS

MAJORITY ALREADY HOME SMALL NUMBER NOT TRACED (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Monday Statistical details of former Navy, Army and Air Force prisoners of war were given today by the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, who added that he wae hopeful that further information regarding prisoners of war in the Eastern zone would come to hand in the near future, when next-of-kin would be advised of any particulars received. A total of 5203 former army prisoners of war have been returned to New Zealand and there are a further 521 en route. There remain 744 former prisoners in the United Kingdom and 13 are unaccounted for.

Former Air Force prisoners returned to New Zealand total 198, all being from the European theatre of war, while there are a further 295 from this theatre still to be returned. From the Japanese theatre there are eight men from the Royal New Zealand Air Force and two New Zealanders in the lioyal Air Force yet to be returned, while 32 are not accounted for, comprising 19 from the Royal New Zealand Air Force and 13 New Zealanders in the Royal Air Force.

The Navy figures show that nine former prisoners from the European theatre and one from the Japanese theatre have been retnrned to New Zealand. One from the European theatre is on his way to New Zealand and 43 from the Japanese theatre are still to be returned. v

There are 37 former Navy prisoners from the Japanese theatre who are still unaccounted for. In addition 48 personnel of the Koyal New Zealand Nary have been posted as missing in operations against Japan, but it is hoped that many of these will be found in prisoner-of-war camps or in hiding, although li'o information has been received concerning them since they were posted missing.

DRAFTS FROM SINGAPORE SERVICEMEN AND INTERNEES It is expected that the first of the New Zealanders who were recently "released at Singapore will arrive at Whemiapai tomorrow or on Thursday. They are being brought in Douglas Dakota transport aircraft. Following is a list of New Zealanders who were stated in a broadcast from Singapore to have left for New Zealand. It is not known how many of them are in the party arriving this week:—

Leading Aircraftman E. E. Sargeant (Gisborne), Leading Aircraftman E. W. Eense (Greymouth), Sergeant A. Edwards (Wellington), Leading Aircraftman E. Docherty (Mataura), Regimental Sergeant-Major Cooper (Christchurch"), Sergeant G. Ravenwood (Dunedin), Leading Aircraftman S. 0. Meredith (Palmerston North), StaffSergeant R. Newton-King (Bay of Plenty), Lieutenant C. R. McArthur (Auckland), Sergeant R. E. Williams (Wellington), Private Brennan (Palmerston North), Sapper Anderson (Dunedin), Corporal W. R. Metherell (Auckland), Sergeant S. W. Peers (Auckland), Sergeant R. B. Andrews (Dunedin), Warrant Officer J. G. Vibert (Auckland). A broadcast from Singapore last night gave the names of New Zealand internees who left for New Zealand by air yesterdaysmorning. Failure on the part of the Singapore radio transmitter blotted out some of the names so that the list is incomplete. The announcer said the condition of the internees namld was satisfactory and that they should be in New Zealand in four or five davs.

' The names wene:—Eugene Walker, whose father is Mr Walker, Scott Avenue, Auckland; Herbert William Hamilton, whose mother is Mrs W. Hamilton, Christchurch;_ Peter James Goodman, whose mother is Mrs I. Goodman, Reniuera; James Gray, whose mother' is Mrs W. Gray, Wellington; Norman Cumming, whose mother is Mrs K. H. Cumming, Kerikeri, Bay of Islands; Roller t Scott, whose sister-in-law is Mrs F. Calvert. Mission Bay, Auckland; Francis McKay, whose mother is Mrs H. McKay, Karori, Wellington; John Harry Sefton-Jenkins, whose mother is Mrs J. Sefton-Jenkins. Kent, England; John Henry Merritt, whose mother is Mrs K. Morritt, Napier; Norman Clark, whose wife is Mrs A. L. Clark, Dunedin.

FORMER AUCKLANDER RELEASE FROM MANCHURIA Advice lias been received by Mrs R. Woottoii, of Otahuhu, that lier son, Lieutenant A. L. M. Greig, who has been a prisoner of war in Manchuria for three years, is safe and is awaiting evacuation to New Zealand. Lieutenant Greig fought throughout the Malayan campaign nnd was captured at Singapore. Before the war lie was employed as a surveyor on the permanent staff of the Malayan Government. HEAVY RAIN IN CITY A strong north-east wind, rising to gale force and a velocity of 52 miles an hour, swept Auckland with driving rain yesterday. After several fine days, showers started at 6.30 yesterday, morn-ing-and by midnight last night .55in. had fallen", according to the Herald fauge. The rain caused visibility at 'iritiri to drop to nil between noon and one o'clock.