EX-PRISONERS OF WAR

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23321, 3 October 1945, Page 4

EX-PRISONERS OF WAR

Red Cross Welcome A welcome home to repatriated prisoners of war, organised by the Timaru Centre of the Red Cross, was held in the Bay Hall last evening. Mr W. G. Tweedy, in welcoming the men, apologised for the absence of the president of the Centre. Mr J. W. Fair. Mr Tweedy said that the diet in the prison camps had been insufficient to sustain robust Kiwis, and special attention had been paid by the Red Cross in New Zealand to the sending of parcels through the International Red Cross. There was no opportunity of sending parcels direct to New Zealand prisoners, as all parcels from Great Britain. Canada, Australia. South Africa and New Zealand were sent to a pool. Some of the parcels from this country reached our own men. Major Thompson, who was in charge of one draft of repatriated men passing through the Middle East, had told him that probably 59 per cent of the men would not have survived but for the Red Cross parcels. The Vatican radio had helped tremendously in giving news of the men before official news came through, thereby alleviating a great deal of anxiety on the part of their relatives. For the executive of the Timaru Centre. Mr Tweedy expressed the pleasure it was to welcome home so many men. Items included songs by Mr Aan Shrimpton, community singing, a ballet bv pupils of Miss Dorothy Thv aites and conjuring tricks by Mr Robinson.