SOUTHLAND MEN RETURN

Southland Times, Issue 25279, 4 February 1944, Page 4

SOUTHLAND MEN RETURN

REPATRIATED FROM GERMANY

Five Southland soldiers who were repatriated after long periods of imprisonment in Germany arrived in Invercargill last night and were given an enthusiastic welcome by friends and relatives. The men were officially welcomed by the Mayor (Mr A. Wachner) and the president of the Returned Services Association (Mr Hugh Crawford). Representatives of patriotic bodies were also present at the station. The men were fit and well and overjoyed to see their relatives and friends. Members of the Red Cross Transport Unit took the men to their homes. The members of the party were as follows:—

BROWN, SERGEANT R. S.; father, Dr S. Brown, 69 Don street. COLLIE, PTE A. F.; wife, Mrs M. C. Collie, Gummies Bush, Riverton. LAKE, PTE G. E.; father, Mr C. Lake,

446 Elies road. MOORE, PTE COLIN; mother, Mrs L.

Moore, Riverton. SIMPSON, PTE R. D. L.; mother, Mrs C. Simpson, 41 Heriot street.

Driver H. L. Dawson, of Gore, whose next of kin is his fiancee; Miss M. J. Barnett, of Benhar, left the train at Balclutha. Sergeant Brown was well known before his departure overseas. He is the son of Dr and Mrs S. E. V. Brown, Don street, Invercargill. He is well known in Invercargill musical circles. He was educated at the Southland Boys’ High School and was trained as a chemist. He joined the forces as a dispenser and was taken prisoner during the Mediterranean campaign early in 1941. In prison camp in Germany he was associated with Lieutenant the Marquis of Normanby in the instruction of blind prisoners of war in a hospital for the blind attached to the camp. In letters received in Invercargill and quoted in The Southland Times, Sergeant Brown referred enthusiastically to the musical instruction he was giving blinded prisoners of war.