FINLAND VOLUNTEER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 111, 15 May 1942, Page 6

FINLAND VOLUNTEER

N.Z. MAN’S EXPERIENCES (Special Correspondent—N.Z.P.A.) London, April 23. After the lapse of two years, Mr. J. Bonar Dunlcp, of Dunedin, a former pupil of the John Mc-Glashan School, has returned to London. He was the only New Zealander who joined up with the Finland Volunteers in March, 19-10, to light against the Russians. The volunteers were trained for three months with the Finnish army, first of all at Lapua, in the severest winter conditions, and were then transferred to Savonlinna, where he worked with captured Russian horses. They saw no action. In June, 1940, Mr. Dunlop joined a band of volunteers who tried to reach Narvik. They reached Rovaniemi, where they heard of the British evacuation from Norway, so, with an Englishman, Mr. Dunlop set out for Tromsp, 300 miles away. They slept during the day and marched during the midnight sun, sometimes living with Lapps, only to be turned back when they reached the frontier. They then set out for the Arctic highway, and travelled by lorry 400 miles to Petsamo, where they found the Germans in control. The New Zealander and the Englishman were now "broke,” so they gave themselves up to the Finns, who returned them to their unit at Rovaniemi, where they were later disbanded. Mr. Dunlop was English tutor to a Finnish family at Helsingfors for three months, and then studied at the Academy of Art at Stockholm for 18 months. He is a student of sculpture, having studied at Vienna and Paris before the war. He flew to England last week. "Conditions in Sweden are fairly good,” he said. "Rationing is not as full as in Britain. The Swedes were pro-German, but now favour the Allies. They thoroughly dislike the Russians. They are well prepared against German invasion, and now have a strong army. ‘‘.Judging by reports by Swedes returning from Germany, the morale of the Germans is good. I think there is too much optimism in Britain about a sudlden collapse of morale in Germany.”