PRISONERS OF WAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 February 1942, Page 4

PRISONERS OF WAR

NEW ZEALANDERS IN CRETE & GREECE NUMBERS MUCH REDUCED. GENEROUS CANADIAN OFFER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. According to cabled information received by the Prisoners of War Inquiry Office, all but three of the known prisoners of war from New Zealand in Crete have now been transferred to Germany. The cable advises that, while further information is awaited of definite camp addresses, next-of-kin should send parcels c/o the New Zealand Packing Centre, London, and letters c/o Agence Centrale Des Prisonniers de Guerre, Geneva. The number of known prisoners of war in Greece has been considerably reduced. Once a soldier is officially reported a prisoner, a parcel should be forwarded as soon as the official Red Cross label is received. Many recent notifications have not included , a camp address. The labels issued in these cases are addressed to the packing centre in London and relatives are instructed to fill in details of the rank, number and name. Particulars regarding camp addresses will be added in London. An offer that is much appreciated has been received from Dr. Riddell, High Commissioner in New Zealand for Canada, to institute an arrangement to permit relatives in Canada of New Zealand prisoners of war, or Canadian war service groups, to adopt New Zealand prisoners of war for the purpose of sending personal parcels. It will be necessary to send complete information to the Headquarters Inquiry Office, Wellington, as if parcels are sent by the Canadian authorities, parcels cannot also be sent from New Zealand. A reminder is again given by the headquarters office that food parcels cannot be sent by private individuals/ The latest figures on the files show the numbers of prisoners as:—Army, 4,519; Navy. 6; Air Force, 118; merchant seamen, 26; miscellaneous, 21, unofficial prisoners, 137; total, 4,827.