STILL AT LARGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 October 1941, Page 5

STILL AT LARGE

'MANY NEW ZEALANDERS IN CRETE ACCORDING TO MEN WHO HAVE RECENTLY ESCAPED. .MARKABLE VOYAGE MADE IN ROTTEN BOAT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. News of the' fact that there were still many New Zealanders hiding in Crete after the evacuation was first brought to the mainland by a party of six soldiers—four New Zealanders and two Australians—who made what they describe as a “miracle journey” from Crete in a Cretan fishing boat. The belief is held by men back from the Middle East that a lot of New Zealanders who are missing and not posted as prisoners of war are still at large in Crete. The boat journey was made in an open boat just big enough to accommodate the six passengers, who had to use their coats as sails. It was extremely fortunate for them that they had a following wind for the whole of the two and a half days’ journey, and it was equally fortunate for them that they treated the boat gently. It was so rotten that when two or three British soldiers waded out to pull them ashore when they reached Egypt they pulled the front of the boat clean off! According to reports they brought back, the enemy is not worrying very much about the New Zealand and othei’ Empire soldiers who are still roaming free in the hills of Crete, as they apparently regard the island as a sufficient prison without taking official notice of the “prisoners.” “They are being treated well, stated one man, “and I think you will see more of them getting away as opportunity presents itself. The island is garrisoned chiefly with Austrians and young troops.” More recently a batch of 140 men came off Crete in small fishing boats and were picked up by the Navy.