BURMA MEMORIES.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 78, 4 June 1943, Page 2

BURMA MEMORIES.

WHEN PEOPLE GRUMBLE ''When I hear people in New Zeaiancl grumbling about minor inconveniences caused by the Avar, I cannot help remembering the little pinched laces, shadowed eyes, and gaunt limbs oi' the thousands of evacuee children who trekked i'rom Burma into India alter the Japanese invasion," said Mrs McCowen, formerly Miss Betty Abbott, of Auckland," who recently re turned to New Zealand alter living for live years in Burma. Although most of the women and children were evacuated from Rangoon, in (January, .Mrs. McCowen remained there until Kebruary 22 to do cipher work at army hea [quarters'. After she finally left by troopship for India, '.caving her home and everything in it to the enemy, she did voluntary work at the Kur.opean and Ang'.o-l ndian Ivvacuee. Hostel in Calcutta for . some time, helping lo deal with the Hood of letters and inquiries about missing relatives. "During the time I was there 9000 evacuees passed through our

hands, and after six months more avc re > till arriving," said Mrs McCoAven. Many had walked, from 4.30 to (JIK) miles into India, after being marooned by Hooded riA-ers, Avading Avaist-deep through mud and lighting their way through malaria" hills and jungle, all through the terrible monsoon season. The earliest eA'acuees Avere llown out, but when the. last plane left Myitkyina aerodrome several thousand people avc re left at the airfield faced Avith the allernatiA'e of falling into Japanese hands or walking into India. The Assam tea planters did magnificent Avork for the refugees avlio passed through their province, organising camps and supplying food and medical attention for them." Mrs M-cdowen's husband, avlio Avas Avith the British and Burma Petroleum Company, remained in Burma until tiie middle of April to help with the demolition of the great Yenaiigyaung oilfield- - -. He and several others then made a trek, carefully organised bciorehar.d, through the Manlpur Hills into India.