SERVICEMEN ENTERTAINED

Southland Times, Issue 25746, 9 August 1945, Page 2

SERVICEMEN ENTERTAINED

There was a big audience at the Wyndham Town Hall to welcome home Driver P. B. Dooley, who spent three and a-half years in prison camps in Italy and Germany. The Rev. L. D. C. Groves, Messrs J. C. Milne, F. J. Williams, G. L. O. Stewart and S. T. Marshall, who are all returned soldiers, were also honoured. The first part of the evening was devoted to a concert by the Wyndham Revue Company, following which the guests of honour were piped to the platform by Piper L. Johnstone. Mr D. N. A. Macpherson, who presided, said that to date 121 men had gone overseas from the town and district, of whom 11 were taken prisoner, and it was pleasing to record that all of them had now been safely accounted for Presentations to Driver Dooley were made by Mr Groves on behalf of the citizens and Mrs John Young on behalf of the Wyndham Comforts Committee. Mr S. Rice presented the guests with illuminated addresses. Mr A. T. Heydon, chairman of the Town Board also spoke. Driver Dooley gave a most interesting description of some of his experiences as a prisoner of war. He also paid a tribute to the work of the various women’s organizations in sending parcels to the prisoners. He said that if it had not been for the great work accomplished by the Red Cross many of the prisoners of war would not have lived to come back home. MATAURA.— A welcome home to two repatriated prisoners of war, Captain J. Quilter and Private T. P. Clearwater, and two returned servicemen, Sergeant R. McQuillan and Leading Aircraftman M. Shore, attracted the biggest attendance for some months to the Horticultural Hall, Mataura. Welcomes were given by the president of the Mataura R.S.A., Mr V. Ball, Lieutenant K. Manson (representing the churches) and Mr C. D. McConnell (Mayor of Mataura). In replying to the welcomes, Captain Quilter praised the work of the Red Cross, without whose help, he said, it would be doubtful if the repatriated men would have been back at all. Cigarettes cost 1/- each and tins of food were selling, in some cases, at £2/10/-. The Germans reduced rations in accordance with the supplies received from the Red Cross. Private Clearwater said that in Greece he had seen cigarettes sold at £1 each. Items were given by the Hill Billies, Masters Harold Bristow, C. Henry and D. Murray, Misses P. Duncan, D. Bradley, C. Hay, M. Wight, D. Perry, A. Perry, D. McLeod, M. Christiansen and I. Knowles and Mr R. Allen.