THE WILLOCHRA'S MEN.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 617, 1 February 1916, Page 8

THE WILLOCHRA'S MEN.

——- —,. » . , ■ - NORTH ISLAND SECTION. THE HOMEWARD JOURNEY. The North Island portion of the Willochra's contingent of returned! .soldiers, totalling 107 officers and men, and five nurses, passed through Christ church by the second express last evening, en route to Wellington. The men were in charge of Major McNaught, of the Headquarters Staff, and other officers were Major Holmes, N.Z.M.C., Captain Balton,] who returned to New Zealand in | charge of the men on the Willochra, and Lieut. Tonilin. Fifty-nine of all ranks were returning to the Welling-1 ton military district, and 17 to Auckland. The remainder were returning! to Nelson, with the exception of Scrgl. H. J. Francis, of Christchurch. The first express brought an ambulance car with five temporary col cases. They were: Sergt. V. C. Savage, and Privates Trevissack, Radford, Mctcalf, and Wells. The majority of the returned men had escaped wounds, but had suffered from enteric. Captain Ballon stated he understood thai fully l~><> of the men who came out in the Wil-■ lochra would return in the vessel to Egypt when she was refilled, it being anticipated that the trip to New Zealand, the rest in the Dominion, and the time spent on the trip back, would restore the men to their proper health. A good passage was made to New Zealand, the health of all was excellent, and Hie men all spoke in grateful terms of the splendid treatment accorded them by the * people of Colombo and Albany. The nurses who came north yesterday were Sisters Sinclair (Auckland), Hooker (Wellington), Whilla (Wairnrapa), I'hilpoll, Hobbs, and Keith (Holorua), and Sister Jessop. Sisters Sinclair and Hooker were in the Marquette disaster. At every station where the express stopped on the way up crowds of people assembled, and tendered the men gifts of fruil, cake, and sandwiches. On arrival al Chrislchurch a further feast awaited them in (Inform of cakes and sandwiches, and bananas and bottles of lemonade. The Lady Liverpool Depol received a telegram from Duncdin at ."> p.m. to provide a repast for the troops, and, though the lime was short, the ladies, under the direction of the Mayoress (Mrs H. Holland), set to work, with the result that 120 bags of sandwiches, cakes, and bananas were prepared, with a bottle of lemonade for each man. The men expressed the deepest appreciation of the kind treatment they had received. As the arrival of the men was not expected, no official welcome was arranged at Christxhurch.