WESTERN DESERT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 14, 13 October 1942, Page 6

WESTERN DESERT

SERVICING OF NZ. TROOPS Praise for the activities of the Y.M.C. and Church Army workers in the Western Desert as the representatives of the National Patriotic Fund Board is given by LieutenantColonel F. Waite in one of his lat~< est reports to the board. A full report on the service, stated Colonel Waite, had; not at time of writing been compiled, but its was generally agreed that conspicuous service had been rendered 1 under very difficult conditions. More than one vehicle bore the marks, of battle, said Colonel Waite, the Maori canteen having several h"bles in it,. In connection with the service given by the Y.M.C. for the Patriotic Fund Board, Colonel Waite received the following letter from the Rev. J. W. MeKenzie. M.M.. senior chaplain to the Second N.Z.E.F. "I have just returned from live weeks in the desert. I feel 1 ought to tell you that wherever 1 went I saw canteens loaded with your supplies, and, being freely distributed to the si civ and wounded, and sold to those who could buy. .It was an excellent service and I would like to thank you for the abundance and suitability of the good.- you sent into the iield." At a meeting of the N.Z.E.F. Welfare Committee hol<3 early in August. Colonel Waite, in praising the work that La i been •done/ said that although tiie New Zealand National Patriotic Fund Board, supplied the money, the excellence of the service was due to Mr H. W. Shove, of the New Zealand Y.M.C.A., and those associated willi him. Mr Shove 1 in turn acknowledged the valuable assistance received from the Church Army.