FIRST CASUALTIES

Evening Star, Issue 23694, 30 September 1940, Page 3

FIRST CASUALTIES

NEW ZEALANDERS IN ENGLAND TWO MEN WOUNDED BOMB BURSTS NEAR BUS (From the Official War Correspondent with the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces in Britain.) ENGLAND, September 27. The Second Echelon’s first casualties in enemy action were suliored to-day when an aerial bomb burst 15ft ahead of a full bus containing members of the Auckland Battalion. The bus was overturned and two men were slightly wounded in the face and thigh respectively. The bus was returning from a swimming parade. The. bomb was one of so/oral dropped in a south-eastern town when a formation of 16 enemy planes, neading towards London, was broken up by antiaircraft guns and British fighters. Two of the raiders suffered severely at the hands of British fighters. One German pilot who landed his machine intact, but was badly wounded, was captured and rushed to hospital by members of the Wellington Battalion. During the same fight a member of the Composite Battalion formed from reinforcements with the Second Echelon was severely, but not dangerously wounded in the face by _ a fragment of anti-aircraft shell, which did not burst until its struck the ground. Three New Zealanders —a major, a sergeant, and a private—who were close at hand when another bomb burst and entombed a number of civilians, earned high praise from the civilians for their instant and energetic rescue work. COMFORTABLE ACCOMMODATION. The majority of the troops of the Second Echelon are comfortably accommodated in billets near their forward base, which is in southern England. Some of them are living m vacant nouses, others in the parish lull, barns, lofts, oasthouses, apple sheds, unused stables, other farm buildings, and huts. When the force first took up its position in the field it bivouacked as had been customary on the training exercises, but when orders were received for an indefinite stay in the front line area it was made the first consideration to get all ranks under shelter, because, although the weather was unbroken, autumn was hurrying on. The nights are already much colder and occasionally showery. Everyone has been placed \ndcr cover within a few days, those not immediately billeted being provided with tents. Since then there has been a progressive improvement both by the transfer of the tented units to billets and by moving those already in poor billets to better ones._ As when camping in the open, the men have shown commendable initiative in making the most of the quarters available. Owners and tenants of the premises have been uniformly generous and helpful. Units and subunits are rather widely distributed, but there is safety in diffusion when death is unleashed from the sky. The signals branch maintains a complete system of communications by landline and wireless. WINTER SPORT. Organised winter sport in the N.Z.E.F. in the United Kingdom began this week. The force has been divided for the purposes of intergroup competitions in Rugby and Association football, hockey, athletics, harriers, basketball, boxing, wrestling, . swimming, and divin'g, for which tepid baths are available, but first there will bo preliminary competitions within the groups. Tho infantry battklions, for instance, each of which forms one group, have begun intercompany games. From players in the battalion teams, and then from players in the intergroup fixtures, which start the week after next, New Zealand Army teams will be selected, at least in Rugby and hockey. The Rugby selectors will be Bishop Gerard, Lieutenant Rex King, and Company-seargeaut-major Frank Solomon. KEEPING FIT. General Freyberg attaches great importance to sport as a means of keeping the troops fit, especially when their military training has been as tar advanced as that of the Second Echelon now is. The daily work programme presently provides for a minimum of four hours and a-half drill, including two hours’ marching, with organised games filling the balance of the day. It has been Laid down, and is repeatedly emphasised, that the purpose of sport is to cater for all, and that all must have a regular opportunity for competitive play. Even though the standard may not be high, in Rugby especially, much interest and enthusiasm will attend the selection and performances of the New Zealand team. Nevertheless, it is regarded officially as of only secondary importance in tiie winter’s activities. Since the men themselves are equally anxious to keep fit, many will play move than one sport, and the competition programme has been spread over a week to permit this. 'lt is intended that the New Zealand teams should be selected by the end of October, and in the last week of that month an athletic sports meeting, a boxing and wrestling tournament, and a swimming and diving carnival will be held. K.Z. AIR CASUALTIES [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON,- September 29. Tho following casualties have been officially announced:— Sergeant Alfred Frederick BLatcb, U.N.Z.A.F., missing in air operations. His brother is Air J. H. A. Blatch, Lynwood street, Lumsden. Sergeant John Stephen Lane, R.N.Z.A.P., seriously injured in a flying accident and admitted to hospital. His wife is Mrs K. S. Lane, 45 Hohinea road. Hataitai, Wellington. Pilot-officer Eric Orgias, killed in air operations. His father is Air A. E. Orgias, Pohangina, Palmerston North. INTERNED IN SWEDEN WELLINGTON, September 28. It is officially announced that Load-ing-airman Bruco Rennie Laing has been interned in Sweden. His mother is Airs Martha Laing, of 30 Pah road, Auckland. i