BRITISH TROOPS ON LEAVE

Southland Times, Issue 25564, 6 January 1945, Page 7

BRITISH TROOPS ON LEAVE

RELIEF FOR CIVILIAN WAR-WEARINESS (Special Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) ; LONDON, January 5. 5 Tire arrival of men of the British Liberation Army on seven days’ “Blighty” leave has been one of the most interesting events recently for . people in Britain. It is true that the , number of men who have drawn a t lucky ticket in the ballot is not large, • but in hundreds of homes there has ; been joy and celebration at the return , of those who went ashore in Normandy , on D Day. , There were touching scenes at a London railway station when the train arrived. Crowds cheered the grinning, ’ bashful soldiers, and their wives, some of whom waited for 10 hours in order not to miss a minute of the time with their husbands, greeted the men. This leave has come at a time when warweariness among the population has probably reached its highest peak since the outbreak, and many happy family reunions are helping to blunt the sharp edges of strain. Popular newspapers have given considerable space to reunions and photographs of soldiers with their families. HONOURS FOR CIVILIANS The supplementary New Year’s honours list has also given wide satisfaction in hundreds of homes at the recognition of what has been described as i “the toil of millions in Britain’s war effort.” Thirteen per cent of the awards were won by the Merchant Navy, which is a fitting tribute to this service, on which the country relies so greatly, and which does not always receive the plaudits given to the services. This system of bestowing awards on civilians has been maintained throughout the war, and it must have been a source of gratification to many who perform humdrum, monotonous j tasks in the war effort. For instance, the M.B.E. was won by a woman who is described as “the principal trainer of women’s crews for canal boats.” Other women won recognition for work as foster-mothers of evacuated children, and a woman of 84, who won the 8.E.M., has 71 years of service _ in the Lancashire cotton industry, and in spite of her age, still does a full working day. Men who won awards include stationmasters, ship surveyors, railway goods executives, miners, and colliery managers, munition workers, and a crane driver. REDUNDANT WORKERS The work of finding 250,000 men “to sustain and nourish our armies in the line” has begun. It is reported that many of them may come from a number of redunant workers who are being released from munition industries, particularly aircraft factories. It is also expected that about 50,000 men will be transferred from other services to the Army in order to train those coming from civil life. It is stated that as far as possible, recruits will come from the ranks of t single men in the younger age groups. Miners, farm and transport workers, are unlikely to be affected. More women have also been invited to volunteer for the women’s services, and there has : been something of a rush to join the . Wrens, in particular. Many girls remarked that they are “tired of civvy • life,” and are hoping to get overseas. ,