SOLDIERS’ WELFARE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25553, 5 June 1944, Page 4

SOLDIERS’ WELFARE

PATRIOTIC BOARD’S WORK IN ITALY BRIGADIER FALCONER’S REPORT (P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 3. “ For some weeks past it has been our privilege at the New Zealand Forces Club in Italy to care for leave parties from the division, and the troops are most appreciative of the rest and the change of atmosphere. The weather has improved a great deal, and none of us is sorry to see the last of winter,” states an airgraph letter dated May 9 received by the National Patriotic Fund Board from the acting commissioner in this theatre, Brigadier A. S. Falconer. When he wrote Brigadier Falconer had ‘ recently * returned from a visit to Egypt, and stated that he was pleased to report that the board’s activities there were being efficiently carried out by Captain Collins. He added that arrangements were complete to begin the manufacture of ice cream for the New Zealand forces in Italy as soon as the raw materials arrived.

In an earlier report received within the last, day or two Brigadier Falconer paid a tribute to the work of the New Zealand Y.M.C.A. organisation in carrying out patriotic welfare activities, and to the services of the New Zealand Church Army personnel, who represented the board. In reference to the Y.M.C.A. he mentions the regard in which this organisation is held by the 2nd N.Z.E.F., particularly those in the forward area. Practically the whole of the welfare work in the forward area is done by N.Z.E.F. personnel with the Y.M.C.A. and Church Army, “ and, though outnumbered by the former,” he added, “ the work of the members of the Church Army stands on the same high plane as that of the Y.M.C.A.”

Brigadier Falconer also refers to the heavy demands made on the mobile kinema units. In two months five plants gave 280 shows to 136,682 men, and 46 feature films were screened. For four weeks of the two months one of the machines was out of use. The matter of obtaining films had presented much difficulty, but as the result of the liaison work of Mr Basil Potter, a Y.M.C.A. secretary, and cooperation from various quarters, hardly a night had gone by without a screening in some area. “Up in the front areas,” he states, “shows have been given under very trying conditions, but in all cases the opertors have done more than was expected of them. Pictures have been shown as near the front line as possible, so the men who come out for a short rest get opportunity for some sort of diversion.”

The report also refers to the allocation of comforts for distribution to New Zealand personnel in hospital, grants from the Patriotic Fund for sports purposes, the allocation of sports equipment arid radio sets, the arrival of a large shipment of canteen goods for the Forces’ Club in Italy, and the distribution of parcels, including some to New Zealanders serving in ithe Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force or in the British Army.