PRISONERS OF WAR IN RANGOON

Southland Times, Issue 25668, 10 May 1945, Page 3

PRISONERS OF WAR IN RANGOON

Food And Supplies Dropped From Air (R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service) BURMA FRONT, May 8. Royal Air Force crews had the thrill, when Rangoon was in the process of being re-occupied, of seeing rooftop signs painted by Allied prisoners of war in Rangoon proclaiming “the British are here,” and “the Japs have gone.” One New Zealand pilot’s Liberator was among those which dropped medical supplies and food to the prisoners in the Rangoon central gaol. The prisoners waved shirts wildly as the heavy bombers circled low. Some clambered on the rooftops, and even the Union Jack was produced. When the aircraft took off early this morning the exact military situation in Rangoon was unknown. “We did not know whether the Japs had gone,” said Pilot Officer Ronald Lee, of Dobson. “Our instructions were to try to get medical supplies and food to the prisoners in the central gaol. It was believed that the Japs had made some of the prisoners march out, but it was thought that others, British, Indian and American, who were sick, were still there. These prisoners required aid. Until the ground forces arrived we approached the city warily, and on the roof of the gaol saw huge notices. To make sure that there was no ack-ack we circled at 1000 feet and then went low to drop our stuff in the gaol. The prisoners started waving like mad. It seemed that about 200 were there.” The crews of other aircraft saw the prisoners collect the parcels dropped.