MOTHER'S LONELY VIGIL FOR SOLDIER SON

Chronicle (Levin), 2 August 1946, Page 5

MOTHER'S LONELY VIGIL FOR SOLDIER SON

-Press Association

Bv Telegraph-

WANGANUI, July 31. Most of last week's J Force draft who caine olf the Chitral to join their families and friends in Wanganui had. long-cherished reuni.ons immediately they stppped off tlie train, byt while the arrival in Wanganui of Corporal Howard Davey meant that he was a little nearer home, he liad a bus trip, a river journev and a busli trek between the railway station and his destination. Corporal Davey travelled 48 miles to Pipiriki by .bus and then transferred to a steamer, which took him another 20 miles into the up-river hi.nterl.and on a lonely ianding at Tangahoe, the Jermipal for mad and supply steainers operatiiig above Pipiriki. He was met by his mother, a fornier Wanganui resident, who has lived for seven nionths in her son's house preparing it for his return. Mrs. Davey 's nearest neighbour was three hours' walk away through the bush and her only contaet with the outside world wa? th^ visilj of the river steamer twice a week. She decorated th? holmestead with' red, white aud blye flags, hung ribbons round the horses' necks and decorated the Ianding for her son's arrival. For seven months .Mrs. Davey has lived alone at Tangahoe. The only assistanee she had 011 her son's farm was that of a helper who rna.de a 30mile river trip to lielp her to muster and to attend to the sheep. Other back-country settlers have spent long periods in tliese less accessibl.e partff of the district, but rarely haye they been known to live alo.a?.- ' When Corporal Davey reaclied the Ianding he had an liour and a half climb uphill to his home. three mil.es away. On Sun day morning he hacl (0 clamber down the ridges t » the steamer Ianding again, because he was required in Wanganui this weelc for medieal reboarding. Tlie Army authorities were unabl'e to arrau'ge for' his reboard when he passed through the city on his way home.