REPORTED SAFE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 October 1941, Page 4

REPORTED SAFE

SERGEANT J. B. MACPHERSON. FORMER MASTERTON RESIDENT. Friends will be interested to know that Mr D. N. A. Macpherson. Wyndham, received news last week that his brother, Sergeant John Barr Macpherson (late of the Commercial Bank, Masterton) is now known to be safe in Gi’eece. Ovei’ five months ago, following the fight for Molos, in Greece, Sergeant J. B. Macpherson, was reported missing. Recently, his brother received a description of the action, from Major C. Williams, officer commanding the C Company to which Sergeant Macpherson was attached. The letter follows: “I am writing briefly to tell you what I can of your brother, Sergeant J. B. Macpherson. He, with many' others of the company, officers. N.C.O.’s and men, is missing as a result of a rearguard action we fought near Molos, in Greece, on April 24. There is just a chance some of them may be prisoners of war, and I have been waiting for lists to be published to see if I could give you more definite information. The lists for that engagement have not yet come through, but I expect you will be notified by cable as ’soon as they do. The company was in a forward position, in front of our Brigade, which was covering the withdrawal of the’ other Australian and New Zealand troops. We were astride the main road between Thermopylae and the sea. We were heavily engaged by Hun motor-cycle troops and tanks from the front, and by Alpine troops from the hills, after several hours of air and artillery bombardment. We held till almost surrounded, and were ordered to withdraw just before dark, by which time, some of the tanks were in behind us. Owing to the thick scrub, and the intense fire, and the darkness, it was impossible to keep touch with all sections, and we cannot be sure what happened to those who were missing.. Our own Brigade had to .make a long move back later that night, and we waited as long as we could, hoping that more men would turn up. “I believe your brother had a slight wound when last seen but was still going strong, and had refused help. He was Acting-Sergeant-Major of the company at the time, and his loss is keenly felt. He was most popular, veiy efficient, and always cheerful, and a fine influence to the company.