PRISONERS OF WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12067, 24 July 1917, Page 7

PRISONERS OF WAR.

NEW ZEALANDERS IN ENEMY

CAMPS.

[From Our Correspondent.] LONDON, May 23,

No further notification of deaths among our prisoners of war in Turkey have como to hand since last report, and, as a considerable number of acknowledgments of parcels and money have been received —the contents of the parcels appearing to have been greatly appreciated—the position is more satisfactory for the time being. With regard to Germany, evidence is forthcoming that at least one Kew Zoalandcr has become a victim of the measures of reprisal against British prisoners of war adopted recently by the Germans, the following leuer having been received by a lady "in London from her brother, a'private in the 2nd Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment, who was captured on February 21: Retaliation Camp, April 10, 1917. Dear Rose. —I have been in the same room ever since I wrote last. I really have nothing else to tell you, but I have been given the opportunity, and so have taken it. lam petting weaker, and shall soon be fit for hospital. It hardly seems credible that I should have been included in this batch to underso this treatment, as I was taken straight from the hospital and put here. With love to you all,—Percy.

Several questions were recently asked in the House of Commons on this subject, and the reply was to the effect that it was a fact that British prisoners of war had been employed in close proximity to the firing line, and also in occupied territory, but that no intimation had been received respecting the nature of the work or the place. It was stated, however, that a note had been received from the German Government, from which it would appear that an agreement had been reached for the withdrawal of British prisoners of war to a certain distance from the firing lines, and that ths matter was being closely watched. The New Zealand Prisoners of War Department has now been authorised to dispatch clothing to civilian prisoners of war as well as food and other comforts. The Central Prisoners of War Committee had previously reserved this right to itself. Messrs if. L. Sommerville and Leonard Smart, fourth and sixth engineers of tho s.s. Otaki. have now been transferred from Carlsruhe to Crefeld, and intimation has been received that Mr Smart has almost recovered from the wound which he received at sea when thf Otaki was sunk by the enemy. CHRISTCHURCH RESIDENT'S APPEAL.

The following letter has been received hv the- High Commissioner from Mr Smart: — March 23.

Dear Sir, —T am a. prisoner of war in Carlsruhe, Germany, having been captured when the s.s. Otaki was sunk by a German raider on March 10., I was sixth engineer on the Otaki. T saved nothing from the ship but what I stood in. so you can see I am in rather an awkward position, having no clothes or gear and money with which to buy any. My home is at Milton Street, Christchurch, N.Z., and it will be some months before I can receivo anything from there. I have no friends or relations in Endand, and I can assure you that any small parcels of comforts would he most acceptable.—l am, yours faithfully. Leomrd Charles Smart, Offizier-Gefaugenenlager, Carlsruhe." LATEST PRISONERS.

The following Now Zealanders have been notified as being prisoners of war since last report : Egy^>t.—Trooper Andrew James Burke, Auckland Mounted Rifles; next of km (father), R. Burke, Allandale. Road, Mount Albert, Auckland, New Zealand. Trooper Burke's whereabouts is not yet known. In German Hands. —Private E. Bunn, 2nd Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment, Kriegsgefangenenlager, Rennabahn, Minister 11., Wstfalen; next of kin (mother). Mrs Levi Bunn, High Street, Eltham, New Zealand.

Private Cecil Ernest Coles, Ist Wellington Regiment; location not yet advised ; next of kin (mother), Mrs Emily E. Coles, Onga Onga, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Private Percy F. Notley, 2nd Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment; location for parcels not yet known; nest of kin (wife), Mrs Alice Notley, The Drive, Epsom, Auckland, NewZealand.

Private T. Sloan, 2nd Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regimeut, Kriegsgefaugenenlager, Eennbahn, Minister 11. i., Westfalen ; next of kin not yet ascertained.

Private W. Walschleger, 2nd Battalion. Otago Infantry Regiment, Kriegsgcfangenenlager, Dulmen i., Westfalen ; next of kin (mother), Mrs C S. Walschleger, Half Moon' Bay, Stewart Island, New Zealand. Orders have been given for the dispatch of parcels to those whose addresses are known, and the usual cablegram has been dispatched, requesting that the wants of each prisoner shall be supplied from Copenhagen pending the arrival of parcels from the ]<lcw Zealand Prisoners of War Department. A request for assistance has recently been received from a Russian prisoner of war in Germany, named Maryard Domkowski, and a parcel of provisions was sent to him accordingly. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS FROM PRISONERS.

The following i s a list of acknowledglt. en is and other communications received from New Zealand prisoners of war since the date of last report:— Turkey—Lieutenant E. O. Mousley (four food parcels), Private J. P. Coulter (money), Corporal F. J. Earles (clothing, tobacco and money), R. j. Davie (money), Lance-Corp'oral John Forrester (live food parcels and money order), T. Gaffney (food, tobacco and money, and states Privates King and Lambert are well), Private B. °Greig (money), Private George Gunn (money), Sergeant G. M'Aneny (two food parcels and three of tobacco), Trooper J. C M'Lennan (two parcels clothing, one of food, and money orders), Trooper W. M. Martin (food parcel), Private G. F. Monk (money), Trooper James Moore (money), Private A. M. Moriee (five food parcels, one of tobacco, and money), Private Angus Morrison (money), Trooper A. Poarco (money), Private Lee A.Porter (money), Trooper Gordon Salway (money), Lance-Cor-poral F. L. Shepperd (money), Corporal A. J- Shoehridge (food parcel), Private W. R. Surgenor (money), Prvate Norman Steele (asks for ration biscuits), Leading-Stoker A. W r ilson, H.M. Submarine E7 (money). Germany—Corporal W. H. Banks (two food parcels), Corporal W. Best (three food and two tobacco parcels), Private Charles Bromley (two food parcels), Private R. A. Caffery (three rood parcels and one of tobacco), Private James Carran (two food parcels, money), Private Edwin Cross (four food parcels, shaving outfit and money). Rifleman L. M. Fowke (two food parcels), Private J. M. Hall (food parcel), Private A. S. Monte-ith (one food parcel, money), Private John Morrison (two food parcels), Private Joe Murphy (two food parcels), Private H. J. Poole (four food parcels, three of tobacco, clothing, books and sweets), Private Charles Richardson (five food parcels and re-change of address), Private W. Rowe (three food parcels and one of tobacco), Private R. T. Strathern (three food paroels), Private F. S. Stubbing (two food parcels), Sergeant W. J. Turton (four food parcels, two of tobacco and money), Lance-Corporal Hugh Brown, London Scottish (one food parcel), Private Ben Good. Scots Guards (Various parcels of food and' tobacco).

Private C. S. Kennedy (one food parcel). Civilian Prisoners at Ruhleben—H. G. Hunt (six food parcels and two of tobacco), W. Morris (four food parcels), T. Sullivan (two "food parcels), T. Sullivan, jun. (one food C. PL Morison (four food parcels), Edmund Tuckey (two food parcels and one tobacco parcel), W. L. Carr (one food parcel), T. Godfrey (four food parcels and three of tobacco), G. H. S. Ritleng (three food parcels and two of tobacco), W. R. Webb (three food parcels), A. H. Jones (five food parcels and books).

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S PROMPT

ASSISTANCE

PARCELS TO CHRISTCHURCH MAN. That every effort is being made by Sir Thomas 'Mackenzie, the High Commissioner, and his staff to see that New Zealand soldiers who are prisoners of war in Germany aro well provided for, Avas shown in a letter received by ?, Christchurch lady, through the C.D.C., from the High Commissioner regarding her son, who ia a, prisoner in Germany Tho letter is as follows:—"I have made arrangements to supply your son with proper food and clothing while he remains a prisoner of war. Immediately on receiving notification of the capture of ycur son by the enemy, I gave orders that a, weekly supply of bread should bs sent to him from Switzerland and a weekly parcel of food from London, as well as a small sum of weekly pocket money. I also sent, him a. complete shaving and toilet outfit, _ inducing a razor, and tobacco and cigarettes. Extra fcod has also been sent. At Christmas time a parcel w,as also sent. Winter clothing, including boots, have also been forwarded to him. - ' Sir Thomas Mackenzie stated, in conclusion, that tho friends of prisoners of war may rest, assured that every endeavour is being made to supply the wants of the soldiers.