MISSING SOLDIERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 March 1941, Page 4

MISSING SOLDIERS

NIGHT SPENT ON RUAPEHU. S ONE A MASTERTON PRIVATE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WANGANUI. March 10. Two soldiers from Waiouru camp, who were reported missing on Mt Ruapehu on Sunday night, were found late today safe and well by a search party in the rough country of the upperreaches of the Whakapapa-iti Gorge, on the western slopes of the mountain. Caught in a mist on Ruapehu on Sunday evening, after separating from a much larger party. Privates Eric Louis Russell (Wellington) and Eric Mervyn Carlsen (Masterton) lost their way in the bush and strayed down the Whakapapa-iti Gorge. A companion, Private Barry Charles Ritzena (Silverstream) had left the other two on the Waikato Glacier on the Ruapehu and had found his way down safely on to the Desert Road where he was picked up about 11 p.m. on Sunday by a passing lorry and taken to Rangipo Prison Camp. On Sunday about 70 men from Waiouru military camp visited the Chateau and the majority began to climb Ruapehu. Russell, Carlsen and Ritzema were not missed till preparations were being made at 10 p.m. for the return trip by bus to Waiouru. Guides Johnston and Forbes were sent up the mountain in an endeavour to locate the missing men but thick mist hampered the search and they returned to the Chateau at 2 o’clock this morning. Further search parties went out today. One group found the missing'men about five o’clock this afternoon and returned to the Chateau. It was expected that the remainder of the searchers would spend tonight on the mountain and would return to the. Chateau tomorrow morning. They\ were well prepared for any emergency.