'GUNNER CRISP' STILL HAS FORGOTTEN PAST

Chronicle (Levin), 18 September 1946, Page 5

'GUNNER CRISP' STILL HAS FORGOTTEN PAST

Keeeived Tuesdav, 7 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 17. ' '' Gunner Clirisp" has been giveu British nationality, says the Daily llerald. The War Offiee found him a joli, Iioiue and new name. The paper udds that the War Offiee and New Zealand niedical officers yesterday aslced that no photographs should be published, saying: "Ile is now perfectly normal except that his memory is blank before May, 1943. Workmates know nothing of his history. That is as it should be. All inquiries will be examined and answered by us. ' ' A wateh with the initials A. C. Tattred, and a picture of a girlfiiamed Bctty, being sent from New Zealand may identil'y tlie former soldier who was recently discli'irged from an English liospital after three years' treatnienl for losg of memory as WarrantOflicer A. C. Kidson, of Melbourne, if he recognises them. Tlie Daily Herald says that in the War Offiee records he is just Gunner Chris]). Ile was l'ound by Field-Mar-shal Montgomery's men near Enlideville, in Tunisia, in May, 15)43, wandering in tlie tliick of the battle. He wore New Zealand flashes and a warrant-offieer 's badge. A doctor pieeeil together the soldier 's incoherent slory and lcurned that he was ,blown up and captured by the Germans, who took his jiaybook aml wallet — the only identilication. The records of the Allied authorities were eombed in vain for three years.