GIVEN LEAVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 November 1941, Page 3

GIVEN LEAVE

TO ATTEND URGENT PRIVATE AFFAIRS. SOLDIERS RETURN TO DOMINION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, November 27. A party of Expeditionary Force soldiers who are stated to have been given leave to attend to urgent private affairs has arrived at Auckland from the Middle East. They include Sergeant W. Hanley, Auckland, whose three young children were left without a guardian to care for them when his wife died in September. As a result of steps taken by Captain Quane, sick and wounded officer for the Northern Military District, the children were found satisfactory temporary quarters and a request was made to the Government for Sergeant Hanley to be granted leave to arrange for his children’s welfare. After a first refusal the Government took steps to ask Middle East headquarters to grant the requisite leave. The children are at present staying in two private homes, two boys being looked after in one home and a girl in another.

Other’ soldiers who returned were: Major P. N. Cryer, Wellington; Captain O. J. Hutchison, Hokitika; Captain O. Jones, Rotorua; Lieutenant T. A. Mead, Blenheim; Second Lieutenant A. A. E. Broad, Westport; Second Lieutenant A. G. M. Holmes, Hawke’s Bay; Cadet Officer M. B. Dawson, Wellington; Sergeant-Major T. Whalley, Petone; Corporal E. B. Topp, Wellington; Lance-Corporal R. S. Dixon, Geraldine; Lance-Corporal P. L. Hansen, Waimate; Lance-Corporal W. J. White, Invercargill; Gunner C. .T. Climie, Christchurch; Privates W. P. Blewitt, Christchurch; G. Cummings, Christchurch; J. E. Herlihy, Porirua; R. Howarth, Auckland; E. Pitman, Whangarei; A. J. Ryan, Hastings; A. J. Haslemore, Riverton.

On arrival the soldiers were met by officers of the sick and wounded branch and were medically boarded and X-rayed. Those for the south were attended to as quickly as possible to enable them to catch travel connections and they were able to leave tonight. All are proceeding to their homes as soon as possible.