Searching Of Army Records
(To the Editor) ■Sir, — Considerable publicity has recently be'en given regarding the searching of Army -records in regard to persons applying for certain types of drivers' licences, etc., and. the matter seems to be frowne'd upon by.branches of the R.S.A. and other organisations. May I have the opportunity of expressing through your columns the opinion of one returned serviceman on the subject Publicity seems. to be given only to those cases in which licences or, positions ^ have been refused ahd not when ' positions have been granted upon a person's war record. I, therefore. think it' is time that someone outlined the position to those who honestly think that Gestapo methods are being adopted. The Army, or any vother branch of the services, is just another part in the life of an individual. If he was a selfrespecting citizen in civilian life, so should ' he have been in the armed forces, perhaps more so because war is a serious business. Our trip overseas was not to be considered a holi'day and there is no excuse why a soldier, or any other serviceman, should not behave as a proud citizen of New Zealand. If a civilian had done anything to be ashamed of and was before a court, those records would- be available when a police report was furnished. Why then should a soldier who has been charged before his comman'ding officer hide behind the fact that he was in uniform to do wrong? I think it will be found that 99 per cent. of returned servicemen are proud of their war record and they would not hesitate in saying that they were returned men if applying for a position, a licence or a house, esp.ecially the State variety of the latter. Why then are some ashamed when .their Army * flies- are searched Perhaps other servicemen, like myself, will be open and say -that they have obtained their present position in society only because they were returned men from World. War H and can boast a clean sheet. Yours, etc., "UNASHAMED." Shannon, Sept. 21.
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Chronicle (Levin), 21 September 1949, Page 3
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346Searching Of Army Records Chronicle (Levin), 21 September 1949, Page 3
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