RECORD DRIVE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 118, 22 May 1942, Page 6

RECORD DRIVE

e N.Z. TRANSPORT PARTY C •’ TAKING SERUM TO RUSSIA e . (Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) c Cairo, May 15. Three Canterbury drivers who made trasport history in the New Zealand Division with a seven days’ journey between Cairo and Teheran have rejoined their unit in Syria, alter travelling 3000 miles in six countries. They are Corporal B. W. Roberts (Christchurch), and Drivers A. W. Kelman ). (Geraldine) and G. W. Newton (Amil beley). Roberts and Kelman have a served with the Motor Transport Come pany through its four campaigns. - Newton joined the unit from an ind f'antry battalion only a few days before he was selected to make one of a the hardest of many difficult transport tI journeys assigned to the New Zealand _ Army Service Corps. Their job was to take 2 . tons of American Red Cross s serum over the first stages of its transit portation from Egypt to Russia. Ber cause of the deterioration of the serum *_ without refrigeration, they had to make the fastest possible time, over a •£ route unknown to them, some of it I across the open Syrian Desert and through steep mountain passes in Iran. Within a week they were in New Zealand, English, Australian, Indian and Polish camps, and were within a few miles of the Russian border. They were armed with tommy-guns and Bren guns, with which to beat off possible attacks. They left Cairo for Bagdad, driving two-hour shifts lor 13 e hours a day, and reached Bagdad in J - three and a-half days. Four days later l_ they had made one of the few trips a e single truck has attempted across Iran, and were the first New Zealand troops ’ to enter Teheran. At Kasvin, in northe ern Iran, they lived with thousands of Polish soldiers evacuated from Russia. r So enthusiastic were the Poles to entertain the New Zealanders who had ' brought medical supplies to assist L ’ their countrymen that it “became emt barrassing.” Everywhere they were e saluted and offered vodka. “The Poles j looked very fit for men who had spent •' months in concentration camps. “They e were training vigorously, and were s keen to come to grips with the Gerf mans,” said Driver Newton. After three days’ leave at Teheran e the New Zealanders began the return 1 journey through Irak to Palestine and " the Syrian hills, where they are now 1 working seven days a week in unit convoys.