MEDICAL SUPPLIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 July 1941, Page 5

MEDICAL SUPPLIES

FOR BRITISH WOUNDED IN ATHENS READY FOR DISPATCH FROM TURKEY. HOLD-UP BY GERMAN HIGH COMMAND. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, July 29. Fast motor-boats, moored at Smyrna, Turkey, and loaded with medical supplies for 2000 wounded British, New Zealand, and Australian soldiers who are in hospital in' Athens, await the word to cast off and rush these urg-ently-wanted supplies to Greece, savs the “Daily Mail.” The German High Command has so far withheld permission. A British Red Cross official in London said today that everything was ready. Turkey had granted a clearance, and ample funds had been sent to Red Cross representatives in Turkey for British wounded in Greece. “The food position in Greece is serious,” he said, “and great anxiety is felt for our men.” FOOD BEING SENT HEALTH OF NEW ZEALAND PRISONERS. REPORTED GENERALLY GOOD. (Ey "Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The Acting-Prime Minister, Mr Nash, in an interview yesterday stated that the following telegram had been received from Lieutenant-Colonel Waite, New Zealand Patriotic Fund Commissioner in the Middle East: — “From unofficial, but reliable sources I have learned that New Zealand prisoners in Greece and Crete are well treated by the Germans. After evacuation of Crete all wounded were transported to Greek hospitals by aeroplane. Officer prisoners have been transferred to Germany. All prisoners on Crete have been innoculated against typhoid and malaria. The general health of New Zealand prisoners on Crete is very good, with no evidence of cholera.” “Colonel Waite advises me,” Mr Nash said, “that bulk supplies of food and clothing are being dispatched to the prisoners.” RED CROSS EFFORTS. , For some time the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and the New Zealand Red Cross Society has been working on the supply of foodstuffs to prisoners of war, particularly men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Cablegrams have been exchanged with the headquarters of the International Red' Cross, Geneva, the British Red Cross, the Canadian and Australian Red Cross, and the Middle East on the nature of foodstuffs required and particularly the means ‘of transit and routes open to them. It was learned in Wellington yesterday that cabled advice has just been received from the International Red Cross that certain articles' of food would be welcome, and these should be consigned through their delegate, Colonel Iselin, operating from Lisbon. Pending receipt of replies, full inquiries were made on the purchasing and packing of the items in the Dominion, and their shipment, so that everything is ready for them to go forward. It has been arranged for . 10 tons each of butter, tinned meat, jam, coffee and milk and a ton of plain chocolate to be purchased and sent as ( quickly as possible. These supplies , will cover a period of seven weeks on the basis of the number of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, men at present known to be prisoners of war. The cost will be met from the Sick and Wounded Fund and the joint council has had the full co-operation of the National Patriotic Fund Board in this work.

Advice shows that stocks of food parcels have been accumulated in Geneva in anticipation of such "an emergency as has arisen and these have been released and are reaching their destination. The sea journey between Lisbon and Marseilles is under the auspices of the International Red Cross which gives 10 days’ notice to the belligerents, and this reduces enemy interference to a minimum. Between May 1 and May 15, 121,479 parcels were dispatched from the International Red Cross, Geneva, which were approximately 30,000 parcels in excess of what was required to provide a parcel a man during that period.