SOUTHLANDERS RETURN

Southland Times, Issue 24536, 10 September 1941, Page 6

SOUTHLANDERS RETURN

Special Hospital Carriage

Seven men who had been invalided home after overseas service arrived in Invercargill by train. As on previous occasions when wounded men have returned a portion of the station was barricaded off, but this seemed an unnecessary precaution as the crowd at the station was small. This was not due to any indifference on the part of the public of Invercargill, but solely to the fact that, in accordance with instructions from Wellington, news of the arrival of the men had not been made public. The journey from Christchurch was made in a special hospital carriage and it was reported that the men had had a comfortable journey. There were no stretcher cases and all the men were able to proceed to their homes on arrival in Invercargill.

Although there was no great public welcome to the men on their return to the city, the relations and friends who were waiting to greet them made up for this by the heartiness of their welcomes. There were many happy reunions on the platform. The Mayor (Mr J. R. Martin) was present and made a short welcome home speech. He said that he wished to extend a welcome on behalf of the citizens of Invercargill and also to thank the men for their services to their country. He hoped that they would soon all be restored to health and would settle down once more in civilian life. At the call of the Mayor three cheers were given for the men. Among those present at the station to welcome the men were Mr W. Grieve, chairman of the executive of the Southland Provincial Patriotic Council, Mr P. L. Hodge (vicepresident) and Mr W. F. H. Stone (secretary) of the Invercargill Returned Soldiers’ Association.

Cars were provided by members of the Invercargill branch of the Red Cross Society to take the men to their homes.

TRIBUTES TO RED CROSS

RETURNED SOLDIER’S

APPRECIATION

“The treatment we have received since we have been back in New Zealand has been beyond praise,” said Sergeant Douglas Scott, of Collingwood. “The Government arrangements in the new reception hospital at Wellington could not have been better and the food, the attention and the system of putting us through was a credit to the authorities.” Praise for the attention aboard the hospital ship was expressed by Sergeant Scott, who said that the names of the Netherlands Indies people should be a household word throughout New Zealand. The ship, which was of about 20,000 tons was newly built and had originally been intended for use in the Netherlands East Indies-Holland service. On the outbreak of war, however, the ship had been provided by the Netherlands East Indies as a hospital ship for the conveyance of wounded Australians and New Zealanders from Egypt. The maintenance and personnel were provided entirely by the people of the Netherlands East Indies and the attention on board had been excellent. The work on board of the Australian Red Cross was also invaluable. GLAD TO BE BACK Although he was sorry to be parted from the other soldiers in Egypt, he was very glad to return to the Dominion, said Sergeant Scott. Tire troops who were in the best of spirits were now all housed in buildings and everything possible was done to ensure their comfort. One of the many and valuable curios brought back to New Zealand by Sergeant Scott included a watch which is thought to be between 500 and 1000 years old. The watch, which is probably one of the few of its kind in existence, was examined in the Middle East by a merchant, who expressed the opinion that it would be worth a very substantial sum. Sergeant Scott bought it by chance for 30/-.

SANDSTORMS AND BED BUGS WORST FEATURES OF MIDDLE EAST “New Zealand will do me,” was the comment of Gunner W. E. Adams, of Invercargill, another of the returned soldiers, when asked what he thought of Egypt. “The worst features of our stay in the Middle East were the heat, the sandstorms and the bed bugs,” he said. Gunner Adams, like other members of the invalided party, praised the kindness and attention shown to them by members of the Red Cross and the authorities at the reception hospital at Wellington. The opinion was expressed by Gunner Adams that something should be done to keep more rigid supervision over the safe despatch of private parcels from friends and relations in New Zealand to the troops. He knew of many cases where parcels kept going astray and he himself had not received about ten of the parcels that had been posted to him. However, the troops were being well cared for generally and he knew that the men desired either to go into action or to return home.