CRETAN ROMANCE HAS NEW ZEALAND SEQUEL

Chronicle (Levin), 23 September 1946, Page 4

CRETAN ROMANCE HAS NEW ZEALAND SEQUEL

In a little Cretan village set in the barren desolation of the island mountains, a friendship between an escaped prisoner of war and a voung Cretan girl who nursed and befriended liim gradually ripened into romam-e. (Miss Marika Lagonikachis arrived in Christchurch last week ; within two weeks slie will be the wife of Mr. I. \Y. J. Begg, fornierlv a nieniber of ihe New Zealand . Division. J " l was very ill, lying in a Cretan cottage, when I first saw Marika/" said Mr. Begg. "Hhe had come with lier mother to bring some food to trv to tenipt me to eat. I had just escaped from a Nazi prison camp." Taken to G-ermany All the efforts of (Marika and her family to save (Mr. Begg and liis friends from recapture were unavailing. Tliey , were taken and sent to Gerniany. "In Gerniany," said Mr. Begg, "1 ( met a man wlio had been captured later than I and who told me that Marika 's ' village had been razed and evervone. shot for helping Englishmen. I thought Marika and her mother killed, but when I reaclied New Zealand I wrote to find out fpr eertain. " '''It was gbo'd *to liear from Yarnis (John), " said Marika softlv. Ilegular correspondence followed, and . finallv Marika followed lier letters. "I very mucli like New Zealand," slie said shyly, "and I feel I shall be very happv Kere. "