RUSSIAN ALLIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24890, 14 April 1942, Page 5

RUSSIAN ALLIES

AIRMEN’S INTEREST IN NEW ZEALANDERS (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service.) CAIRO, Apl. 11. “ You New Zealanders laugh and are friendly,” said a Russian airman. “ You are big, strong, and healthy. You all want to fight the enemy. How you are like our soldiers.” I looked at the five Russian airmen I was sitting with. They were big men with smiling faces and strong hands. They had seen New Zealanders training. on leave, and lying wounded in hospital. lam proud lam a New Zealander. The bomber captain next to me spoke to an interpreter, Oleg Orestov, the first Soviet war correspondent to visit Africa. “He wants to know about the Maoris. He knows they are good soldiers. What is their position in New Zealand? ”he asked. I told him. “That is real democracy,” he said. He was excited. “We have 140 different nationalities.” he added. “It is good to know that other people have the secret of how to live happily together. That’s why we fight for the Soviet Union like we do.” It was not by chance that these Russians acquired knowledge about Now Zealand. They bluntly refused an invitation to visit a sporting club because they wished to meet New Zealand soldiers. They were determined to take back to Russia all possible information about the country they described as the most democratic in the world. It was not the Russian view they wanted to talk about. ft was of New Zealand and New Zealanders. What did we do during peac"? Henmany parties were there? How did the New Zealand soldier feel having Russians as allies? Did our officers come from the ranks? I learnt that it was still possible in Russia for men to become officers without setwing in the ranks. Yes, perhaps the New Zealand Army was more democratic that way. Would there be a second front in Europe? Imagine Britain. America, and the Soviet Union fighting together in Europe. Germany and Italy would be unable to resist. “ I wish perhaps I was not married,” said a radio operator who had been looking at New Zealand magazines. “ I would go to New Zealand and marry a New Zealand girl.”