SEARCH FOR MISSING AIR CREWS IN TURKEY

Chronicle (Levin), 20 December 1947, Page 6

SEARCH FOR MISSING AIR CREWS IN TURKEY

Press Association)

(Per

WELLINGTON, Dec. 19. Air Ileadquarters annouhced today that arrangeinents have been ^ made with the Turkish Government for the entry oi' an R.A.F. missing research team into Turkey. r Negotiatious have been completed tli rough the British Eiubassy in Ankara, and Group Captaiu E. I1. Hawkins, D.S.O., hcad of the 11.A.F. Search Service in Eurolie, recently returned from there after niaking the iinal arrangeinents. . During uperations in the Dodecanese Islands and over the Aegean, many ' R.A.F. aircrews, including New Zeakinders, wero reported missing, aird their bodies lie buried in wideJv-scat-tered areas along the west coast oi Turkey and in the Dodecanese. The searcli will be undertaken by the team from Greece, whicli has * uearly completed its tusk, and headquarters will be at Izmir. After identiiication the bodies will be re-buried in a British war cemeterv \u Turkey, the location of which has uot yet been deuided. The Turkish Government lias offered either to give up a corner of one of its own cemeteries i'or the purpose, or to hand over a small piece of terrilory over which ihe British flag will liy. Since early in 19-1.5 the K.A.F. missing research teanis have searched from tlie mpst norlhern tip of Norway to Italy k'M Nortli Africa and many of the teanis are still operating in various parts of Europe. Not untii identitv has been positiveiy established and the remains buried in consecruted ground is official notiiicat ion sent to families that I their son or other relative reported "missing, believed killed on operations" has been iinall.v laid to rest.