HELP FOR ENGLAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 October 1940, Page 8

HELP FOR ENGLAND

NO EFFORT TOO GOOD. WAIRARAPA SOLDIER'S VIEWS. “You do not see much in the papers here about New Zealand. I don't really know how their war effort is getting on but Australia and Canada especially are making wonderful efforts,’’ writes a Wairarapa soldier (a gunner) from England, under the date of August 18. “The English people have given us a really wonderful reception everywhere. I cannot say anything good enough for them. It is easy for us to see how the Empire has been made and held together. No effort that the people of New Zealand can make to help England in any way is too good,” he adds. Reference is made to the many beautiful places in Cheshire and Chester. While at Chester an air-raid warden pointed out where a German bomber had been shot down during the previous night. He explained how the officer had thrown an incendiary bomb into the plane and. set it on fire. What impressed him was that all the plane was not burnt, and a piece was left with a swastika on it, but the fire had burnt the ends off the swastika, leaving the cross.

The work of the R.A.F. was referred to by the writer and the comment made that from Germany's account of the bombing of England the erroneous impression was gathered that there was little left. “It is hats off to the R.A.F.,” he writes. “They have certainly given Jerry something to think about. Hitler will never break, the morale of the people of England."