Many Of J Force Draft Did Not Want To Leave

Chronicle (Levin), 17 August 1948, Page 6

Many Of J Force Draft Did Not Want To Leave

A.UCKLAND,1 August 16. The scene at tlie wharf was rmninis'eent of early post-war troop- J ship days this afternqon, when the Jiner Westralia, lier rails crovvded With j cheering soldiers, drew alongside with the.see.ond draft of the J Force troops to reach New Zgaland since the | Govemment decided to withdraw the force from Japan. Among the 534 members of the draft were all • the Maori troops from Japan, 250 officers and men. Altliough the troops looked forward Lo the prospect of returning home, many of tliem said they weije disappointed at leav.ing Japan so soon. Most of thein liad been tliere for a year or 18 months and a large number would liave preferred to remain longer. They said thai in the last year partieularly, when they liad niore diverse duties to perfurm, ser-. vice life lield plenty of interest for thein. Guard datv at the Fmperor's Palace an'1 olher places in Tokio, was | frequerB and they liad a larger area | under tlieir supervision thau in the j .u-lier occupation days. They said that j nie big disadvantage in returning home | at prosent was that .they liad to adjust j themselves suddently to winter eondi- | tions. J Souvenirs Galore | An alteration in the currency ex- j aliange rate about a moiith before they : left, gave the troops an unexpected op- | portunity to spend money on souvenirs. J The late. was previously 200 yen to the j [)ound sterling but it was raised to 1000 ! yen. Japanese shopkeepers did not ; raisc tlieir prices when the cliange took J piave and as the result nearlv eveiy , soldier ,pu the sliij) seemed to liave | eitlier a Japanese camera or pair of binocnlars slung over liis shouldor. Other souv,enirs packed in impressive crates and in kitbags were luige Japanese dnlls, silks, eoolie bats, pearls and parasols. Not all of the souvenirs liad m) be bought. Many returiied with attnurive proscnts they liad received f ro ni grateful Japanese. Oue of the proudest possessions on the sliip was an ornate plate from the fmperia) Palace. It belonged to a J Waac who was presented with it by Ihe Japanese family who liad entertained 1 her. She said the Japanese liked to I give presents if one liad done •lothiag inore tlian aceept tlieir hospitalit v. Kight niembers of the draft were j Waaes. There were also I'our armv ■ nuisin."' sisters from the Kiwa (lospital 1 and I'our V.A.D. 's. All the wo'nen j were single. Those who had marrred niembers of the force in Japan all re- j turned with the (irst draft last week. | Two of the N .A.I). 's intend to go cn to Australia in °the Westralia and speiul tlieir leave there. Maoris in Demand The iUaoris in the force not onlv "ujoyed tlieir exjierience in Jayian 1 -u I •..lso made a name for themselves while they were there. Lieut. B. T. Henare, fonnerly of Whangarei, said the Mahns were in great demand for coueerts for the Anieriean troops. About a yeai ago he was asked by an Ainericau cominander if he could take a concert partv to Tokio. ITe picked a gronp of men at randoni from the ranks and spent about a fortnight in training tliem. They gave a number of coueerts and the Aiiiericaus were greatlv impressed. They were amazed when the party

I - " V? ; followed the performaifce (of. a liaisa q,r | an action song with an Italian song or 'an English air. They wanted to know ■if the Maoris weie a professional concert party. They did not know Lieut. Ilenare had Tearned ftalian songs during his ser\-ice in Italv and had passo.l thein on to his party.