FROM LONELY GRAVES TO WAR CEMETERY

Chronicle (Levin), 20 August 1946, Page 2

FROM LONELY GRAVES TO WAR CEMETERY

WELLINGTON, August 19. Koelaijuod from tropic jungles aifd skores of louoly islands, all tko recovera!de reinains of New Zealand ,sor\iceuien who fell in tko Pacilic war, .liave now been concentrated iu two mifitary cemeteries at Bourail (Now Caledonia) and Suva. Tkoso cemoterios would be liandod ovor to tke Jtnporial War Graves Comiuission which would eroct suilaide iieadoloues ovcr tke graves aud

caio for the cemeteries iu future. Number 2 Now Zealand War Graves Coiiceut ration Unit lias uow roturned to New Zealand altcr widospread opura tions iu tlio Pacilic and its conunander, • Major A. G. Lowry, M.B.E., said todav, • wlien tke unit arrived, tkat at Tarawa extensive digging oporatious wero carried out and natives questionod iu tko endoavour to liiul a cluc as to whei'e tko reniaius oi' tko murdered eoast watckors and radio operalors w ero buii'od. Oos- ■ pilu au intonsivo searck no trace of . tkoni could bo fouud. Tko general opiniuii was tkat tko bodios wero buried in coral under tlio present nirltold Avliicli is still I ii use, togolltor witk ihe ro uiains of tkousands of Japaucsc. Jluring \isits to various islands, tko Now Zoalanders co oporated witk tke Ausiralian Graves Unit aud 27 reinains were found and brougkt baek to Noa inea. All tko reiuains, excepj in sevou iustaucos, kavo been identiiied but Major Lowry kopod plano markings and ntimbors and otker iuforniation w hicli kad been secured iu couiiect ion with tkose sevcn cases, would eventuallv prove tko idcntity of tko men.