BACK HOME ON FURLOUGH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 35, 11 February 1944, Page 3

BACK HOME ON FURLOUGH

SECOND MIDDLE EAST DRAFT

MUD AND BLOOD OF ITALY, SUN OF DESERT LEFT BEHIND After a fast and uneventful trip from the Middle East, the balance of the furlough draft of the first three echelons of the 2nd. N.Z.E.E. arrived back recently. Wanganui City and district men were welcomed yesterday on arrival at their stations of destination by special train.

The contingent was not as large as the previous one, and included chiefly single men and men who had had up to four years’ service in the Middle East, and among them were officers withdrawn from the Italian battlefront shortly before they sailed. By the time a former luxury liner had berthed, the crowd of relatives and friends had crown to very large dimensions, and as the soldiers found their little family groups there were scenes of enthusiastic and emotional welcome, states the New Zealand Press Association, describing the arrival. Soldiers belonging to Wellington were the first to come off, others disembarking afterwards in geographical groups. The official reception was short and to the point. The men were Welcomed by the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser. “The Government is very pleased that it had been able to make arrangements for another draft who han seen lengthy service to come back on furlough,” said Mr. Fraser. “I hope the members of the draft who have so well earned a respite from active campaigning will enjoy their stay in New Zealand, and that when their leave period comes to an end they will . be thoroughly refreshed and ready to play whatever part may be allotted them in-the future course of the war consistent with the announced conditions of their furlough leave. “Members of the draft are being granted full pay and allowances, together with a free pass on the railways, during their furlough. In the case of married men, including those who marry during their furlough, a railway pass will include their wives. “I can assure the returning nurses and servicemen, including naval and air personnel, that they will receive a warm welcome throughout the Dominion.” With Mr. Fraser were the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones, the Minister of Rehabilitation. Major Skinner, and the Native Minister, Mr. Tirikatene, the Mayor, chairman of the Harbour Board, and vice-president of the N.Z.R.S. The officer in charge of the men was Colonel R. W. Harding, who comes from North Auckland. He said how glad the men were to be back after a long period of service. RAIN AND MUD Colonel Harding was among the senior officers who returned from the Italian front shortly before embarkation for New Zealand. In response to an enquiry by the New Zealand United Press Association, he spoke of the hard fighting that took place, and still is taking place. The New Zealand Division had been doing some hard fighting in the rain, mud and cold, but when he left they were just as cheerful as ever. They had some of the best German divisions up against them, including paratroops and panzer grenadiers, and the fighting had not been easy. The Germans were very well equipped, and contested every inch of the way. Other senior officers confirmed the fact that Italy was heavy going. One, a lieutenant-colonel, said the conditions now reported to .be prevailing in the battle for Saccino, which was being fiercely fought, could well be applied to Orsogna, where the New Zealanders fought. This officer, incidentally, wore an Arabic figure-of-eight on the top of his African Star, signifying that he was' a member of the famous Bth Army. “This particular decoration,” he said, “is awarded to those who part in the push from el Alamein.” The men state that Qrsogna was comparable to the closing stages of the battle fn France in 1918. In their counter-attack the enemy threw in all they could, including tanks and flamethrowers, but the New Zealanders were ready and determined. The German assault got all it asked for, as guns pumped shell after shell into the panzers and massed infantry. The men talk much of the mud. “I’ve seldom seen mud like it,” remarked an officer who fought in it, slept in it, and practicallv lived in it for a couple of months. “It is greyish mud that engulfed everything in the way of heavy material that went into it. Our three-tonners simply lay down in it and refused to move, and even light staff cars were bogged down without any trouble.” GOOD OLD ARMY MI LES It was a major problem that had to he overcome, and they did it with mules. The mule came into ihs own. The. teams were tended by volunteer Italian soldiers. “Our chaps soon got over the indignity of being nursemaids to mules, and in time turned out first-class muleteers, with a well developed bullock driver’s accent,” said one informant. “This slow and difficult, method of campaigning, in cold and drizzle, after years in the hot desert sun. showed what hardy New Zealanders are,” said an officer. “They are doing a grand job.” ENTHUSIASM AT MARTON BUSINESS PREMISES CLOSE (O.CJ Marton, Feb. 10. Long before the special train with men from the Middle East was due at Marton this afternoon, a long line of cars was parked at the railwav station and a large crowd had gathered on the platform. The arrival of the train was marked by scenes of great enthusiasm and the returned men were given a warm welcome. While the train was standing al Marton. Mr. Allen Seymour marched up and down the platform playing stirring music on his bagpines. Mr. Seymour has acted in a similar capacity at Marton Junction on many occasions and has given good service in farewelling and welcoming troops. To mark the occasion all fisiness premises in Marton were close ! for a period this afternoon, thus enabling as manv people as possible to be on the railway station when the troop train arrived. Eleven Marton men disembarked. The men were given lunch by the Army Department and cigarettes were handed out by women of the Marton Rod Crocs. Many returned men of past and present wars were at the station.

WELCOME HOME ARRIVAL 1)F DRAFT IN WANGANUI BIG CROWD GATHERS AT RAILWAY STATION Home again after many campaigns in the Middle East, officers and other ranks of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force received a rousing welcome, when the second furlough party arrived at Wanganui by special train late yesterday afternoon. Though no official information was made public till shortly before the men arrived, the news of their coming had spread far and wide. As a result hundreds of people gathered at Aramoho Junction and the city station to cheer these veterans of World War 2, many of them bronzed and wiry after the rigours of desert actions. Some, fought in Greece, Crete, Libya and Tunisia, and most of them wore the Africa Star. Scenes reminiscent of the cold winter day in July, last year, when the first, furlough di;aft returned from the Middle East, were again enacted. Many families were reunited after lapses of three to four years and in some instances fathers saw their children for the hrsl time. As they left the station many of them were surrounded by eager and excited relatives to whom they had brought great joy. In all, 196 men returned to the Wanganui military district (Area 6), and of these 59 were for Wanganui, including Aramoho, 11 were for Marton, three lor intermediate stations south of Aramoho, 17 for Feilding, four for Greatford, and 24 for the Main Trunk district. Rangitikei, Wanganui and Taranaki men left Wellington by special train yesterday morning and reached Aramoho at 5.35 p.m., nearly half an hour behind schedule. The warm reception they received there was a prelude to i the welcome at the city station, where railway buildings were gay with flags and bunting. From civic and business premises in the city flags were also flying. The special was scheduled to reach Aramoho Junction at 5.6 p.m., but long before that hour a large crowd had gathered- The late afternoon was dull and overcast with a light south-easterly wind, but there was no rain after a few showers in the morning. Grey skies, however, detracted nothing from the atmosphere of pleasure and suspense that prevailed. The special train had two locomotives, nine cars and a van. three cars for Wanganui being detached at Aramoho. As the leading engine whistled for the Somme Parade crossing a tremor ran through the crowd and all eyes were turned eagerly toward the curve at the southern end of the station. When the special drew alongside the platform a rousing cheer was heard and a dense mass of people began surging toward the Wanganui cars at the head end of the train. For some of the men Aramoho was the end of their journey. The arrival at Wanganui was an--other triumph and a tribute to the men who had come home. The station platform was roped off to all but relatives, officials and the Queen Alexandra Mounted Rifles (Armoured) Band, under Lieutenant R. W. C. Thomas, which played selections before and during the arrival of the train. Outside the station building a crowd of about 600 people had gathered in Taupo Quay. On the station to meet the men were Cr. T. S. Russell, chairman of the City Council’s Soldiers’ Entertainment Committee, Crs. E. W. Merewether and G. I. Jones, and the town clerk, Mr. C. R. White, representing the City Council; LieutenantColonel J. W. Barry, N.Z.S.C., Area Commander, and Major D. W. Curham, M.C., Area Officer, representing the Army; Messrs. R. G. Taiboys, president, and F, G. Seddon, secretary,representing the Wanganui Returned Services’ Association; and Messrs. N. R. Bain, chairman, and Mr. J. Aylmer, representing the City Patriotic Committee. No formalities were observed in the reception yesterday, but a committee will meet early next week to arrange a civic welcome at a later dafe. = “If any men are in need of assist-, ance we shall gladly give what help we can if they call and see us,” said Mr. Bain, speaking yesterday on behalf of the City Patriotic Committee. “We are very pleased to see them back, even if only for a short time.” Representatives of the Army met the special train on its arrival at principal stations. Meals were arranged at Marton Junction, where an officer and his staff was in attendance. and adeciuate transport was available at all stations to take the men to their homes. At Wanganui and Aramoho the train was met by fleets of Amy cars driven by women volunteers from the Red Cross transport section. Many glad reunions and many touching scenes were witnessed at stations in the Wanganui district after the arrival of the special train yesterday. Asked what it was like to be back, one of the men remarked that it seemed too good to be true. “I can't realise it,” he added. Most of them found the weather warm and pleasant after Ihe Middle East. They expressed pleasure at seeing familiar landmarks again and were unanimous that home was the best place of all. WELCOME AT TAIHAPE (0.C.) Taihape. Feb. 10. Men from Taihape and district, returning with the furlough party were | cheered by a large crowd which packed the station platform when a special troop train arrived at 8.14 o’clock last night. The Taihape Borough Council was represented by the Mayor. Mr. E. Loader.' Cr. F. Gledhil] and the town clerk. Mr. H. Barber. The Red Cross provided transport for returned men who required it.