EKETAHUNA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 February 1942, Page 5

EKETAHUNA

WOMEN’S DIVISION MONTHLY MEETING OE MEMBERS (“Times-Age” Special.) At the monthly meeting of the Eketahuna Women’s Division of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union there was a fair attendance of members, presided over by Mrs Hancock. Motions of sympathy were passed to Mrs George, who has lost her son, Sergeant Pilot H. C. George, and Mrs Stone-Wigg, who has lost her brother, Bombadier R. P. Graham, in the war. Members were advised of a bring and buy stall to be held to raise funds for the Rest Home as no garden party is to be held this year. There was a very good display of knitting brought by members for the Mercantile Marine. The hostesses were Mrs H. P. Hansen and Mrs Christie, who served afternoon tea. At the March meeting Miss Dawsett will speak about her experiences in China.

FIGHTING IN THE DESERT AN INTERESTING LETTER. “Fighting in the desert is definitely not good for the nerves, as the war seems to be all around you at once,” wrote Bombadier R. P. Graham, of Rongomai, who was killed on service in the Middle East on January 22, in a letter to relations in the Eketahuna district. The late Bombadier Graham stated that he went through Capuzzo on December 22 and was in support of the Maoris and others who took Solium Barracks and surrounded the town itself. “Our most hectic time,” he wrote, “was one afternoon when we went to have a crack at one of the outer’ defence posts of Bardia. We were pelted with shells from two batteries of 75 mm’s for about an hour and although many of the shells landed very close we were lucky enough to get out without any casualties. One shell covered us and our gun with dirt, much to our annoyance. One evening we had a fight with a battalion of German ma-chine-gunners. This was also a bit hair-raising, as there were machinegun bullets of all sizes including both tracer and explosive and two-pounder shells flying everywhere. The Jerries were so close at one stage that .we could hear them talking quite plainly and some of them were shouting in English and in unison ‘I surrender.’ They were evidently trying to make us believe that our men were all surrendering. However, they were driven off later in the night. We then went to Bardia and smacked up another Jerry column there and when relieved there, went on to Tobruk and on to Gazala, where we joined the Poles and put over some artillery barrages which enabled our’s and the Polish infantry to force Jerry to abandon the area. The Poles, who are excellent fighting men. carried on and we were withdrawn to reorganise and equip.” He mentions receiving a cake from the Rongomai Patriotic Committee, which provided a very welcome change from bully beef and biscuits. The late Bombadier Graham was an bld boy of the Eketahuna High School and Lincoln College and played Rugby and cricket for the Rongomai Clubs. He was a nephew of Mrs T. H. Groves, Tawataia. ANGLICAN CHURCH ' SUCCESSFUL GARDEN PARTY. A very successful and enjoyable garden party was held by the Anglican Church at the residence of Mr and Mrs A. H. Herbert. The garden looked beautiful with autumn flowers. The stall-holders did good business. An excellent display of folk dancing was given by the High School girls under the direction of Miss C. Wilson. The stallholders were as follows:— Tea rooms, Mesdames A. H. Herbert. A. Frederickson, E. D. Toohill, P. Fauvel, Bowering and Dawson; cake stall, Mrs P. Bouzaid and Miss M. Anderson; fancy stall, Mesdames W. Anderson and Murray Aynsley; produce, Mesdames Albretchsen, Gray and Higginson; games. Mrs N. Liardet and Miss M. Murray Aynsley; competitions, Mrs Tolley. The winners of the competitions were: —Baby set, donated by Mrs Rasmussen, won by Mrs I. E. Barton (girl’s name. Gwen); cake, made by Mrs G. E. Williams and iced by Mrs N. Liardet, won by Mrs Boustcad, Alfredton; tea cloth, donated by Mrs C. Evans, won by Mrs P. Page; quilt, donated by Mrs J. McAnulty, won by Mrs J. McAnulty Junr.; a parcel of groceries was won by Mr H. Higginson. Personal. Staff Sergeant A. R. Dawson, of Dannevirke, is on a visit to his parents, Mr and Mrs Dawson, Bridge Street.