NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 99, 21 January 1943, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS

Could any young New Zealander of a few years ago, living uneventful days in the Dominion, ever have imagined that lie would be captured by German forces in Greece, escape from a military prison, join a patriot army somewhere in Yugoslavia, and share the burdens and the excitement of, technically at. least, an outlaw’s life? That is Hie bald record of the experiences of Corporal Jack Denver, of the 20th Battalion. Fourth Infantry Brigade. Second N.Z.E.F. And what may have seemed most remarkable to Denver himself was Hutt lie was able to send a message by wireless from some secret station hidden among the mountains of the Balkan country. It lias been staled tiiat there are a number of New Zealanders with General Mikhuilovitch’s forces which, are so powerful and so daring that, the Germans have had to keep several divisions of their troops in Hie country at a time when there were very urgent needs elsewhere. The stories of these men. amt of those said to be still carrying on guerrilla warfare in Crete and northern Greece, wilt surely make the sagas of the Dominion in tlie years to come.

li was reported some lime ago that American aircraft destined for service in Africa were being llown to Egypt- 'by way of South America and West. African bases. Luke Chad, the Eighting French centre in the heart of the continent, was mentioned as an important, stopping place on the long journey. But. with the Ereticli West African possessions now available, these aircraft are being taken to the fighting zones by much shorter routes. It means that the imtcbincs will reach their advanced bases in less lime I han formerly and probably with less need of overhaul. Brazil is affording the I idled Stales every assistance, and Hights from Natal, in Brazil, to jtakar. b’reelown in Sierra Leone or Monrovia in Liberia represent the shortest transatlantic crossings. All three are available to the Allies. The practice of Hying the aircraft, to the war zones relieves the demands on shipping, and at the same time makes it. practically impossible .for the enemy to interfere. They have not proved their ability Io disrupt the service between North American points of departure and (treat. Britain, and they have m> base anywhere near the southern Atlantic route, along which, .■lecording to the latest reports, America is rushing increasing numbers of bombers.