SICK AND WOUNDED

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLX, Issue 14839, 10 September 1941, Page 5

SICK AND WOUNDED

ARRIVE BY MOTOR LINER MEN FROM ACTIVE AREAS GREECE, CRETE AND TOBRUK. Electric Tefegrapn—l'li- K Association WELLINGTON, September 3. Sick and -nouncled soldiers of the Second N.Z.E.F., most of whom had served their country 1 n the fighting in Greece, Crete and at Tobruk. turned to New Zealand by the hospital ship Oranje. This luxurious ship is the fastest motorliner in the world and the wartime gift to Australia and New Zealand of the Queen of jthe Netherlands and her Government.

The returning soldiers had little to say of their experiences that had not already been told by those who came back previously. Instead, they preferred to speak of the wonderful kindness of the Oranje’s medical officers 9 nurses, ship’s officers and personnel and the Javanese of the crew. After the indescribably trying times in Greece and Crete, they felt that aboard the Oranje they had come into another world where everyone -concerned with their care and welfare Strived to the utmost to make them well and happy. On the other hand, the spirit of all on the Oranje was ■expressed by the captain Commadore if. A. Potjers, when he said on arrival that his people felt the New Zealand soldiers to be those of the .Netherlands as well as of the .British Empire.

Appropriate to this sentiment, there is inscribed on a plaque in the main lounge of the ship, these words of Mr Churchill: “If it is a case of the whole nation fighting and suffor‘lng together, that ought to suit .is because we are the most united of all the nations.”

The Oranje was an unforgettable sight as she entered the harbour. The sea was dead calm and the sunshine brilliant, making the setting perfect lor this graceful white liner. A representative party of Ministers of the Crown went aboard the Oranje after she berthed, when a welcome was extended to the returning soldiers and all in the Oranje on of the Government and the ople of New Zealand. Later in the day the Governor■Creneral, Sir Cyril New all, paid an informal visit to the clearing hospital at Aotea Quay, where he chatted

with the men. The Koval Dutch Mail Line motorship Oranje, is the most modern ship to visit Now Zealand. A luxury liner lor passengers, she is no less luxurious as a hospital ship. The air-con-ditioned cabins have been retained for seriously wounded men and there are special quarters provided for mental and contagious cases.