AFTER SIX YEARS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25862, 5 June 1945, Page 6

AFTER SIX YEARS

SOLDIER BROTHERS MEET FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent) (Rec. 10.15 p.m.) LONDON, June 4. The fortunes of war play odd tricks. Two brothers from Waihi have met in England for the first time since Christmas, 1939. One, Squadron Leader James Cullen, D.F.C. and bar, had been a prisoner of war for four hours. The other is Private John Cullen, who has been a prisoner for four years. On May 6 they were both making their way to freedom, the airman in Northwest Germany and the soldier in Austria. Squadron Leader Cullen, who distinguished himself with the 486th (R.N.Z.A.F.) Squadron and shot down 17 flying bombs before commanding a squadron of Typhoons, was probably one of the last New Zealand airmen to be taken prisoner. On May 4he led his squadron in bombing attacks on shipping off Fehmarn Island, east of Kiel. Then he took them down to attack E-boats with machine-guns. He attacked one at mast height and just as he was flying directly over it the ammunition on the E-boat’s forward gun post blew up and damaged his aircraft so badly that he had to make a forced landing on the island. He was taken prisoner at mid-day, but four hours later the Germans handed him back his revolver and told him the war was over. He was no longer a prisoner. He set off with a German as a guide to return to base, but outside an airfield several miles on he was arrested and taken before the commanding officer. Unshaven and rather scruffy, the squadron leader again had his revolver taken from him, but on learning that he had the equivalent of the German rank of major—which ranks as high as group captain in the Luftwaffe —the commandant and his staff smartlv clicked their heels together and saluted. And for the second time he had his revolver returned to him. This time a car was put at his disposal, and finally he returned to his squadron. At almost exactly the same time his brother, John, who was a member of the first echelon and was captured at Kalamata. in Gresce, on April 29, 1941, was making a getaway from a camp at Trieben, in .Austria. The German guards had left, so he and his English friend collected some arms and a German amphibious jeep and set off for Salzburg. En route they drove past the German Sixth Army, which was on its way to Munich to surrender. Plastering “English courier” across the jeep, the New Zealander and the Englishman continued on their journey and produced their revolvers if anv Germans came near them. Eventually they reported to the Americans in Salzburg at 4.30 a.m. on May 8, and were eventually flown to England. Now “Jimmy” and “Johnny” are celebrating their leave together.