SAFE & WELL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 March 1943, Page 4

SAFE & WELL

Y.W.C.A. OFFICIAL IN MALAYA. FORMER WELLINGTONIAN. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 3. A cablegram received today by the General Secretary of the YIW.C.A. s.of New Zealand from the Melbourne Red Cross ■ Society states that they received word from the Geneva Red Gross that it has been “indirectly informed that Leila Bridgman, formerly of Singapore, is safe and well. Miss Leila Bridgman was for -ten years (1931-41) General -Secretary of the Y.W.C.A., Wellington. She left in June, 1941, to.take up,a post-in Singapore, with-responsibilities -for -developing war time services by the Y.W.C.A. in Malaya. She remained in Singapore throughout the Whole period of the 'Japanese attack on Malaya. Her work involved the housing and care of women and children evacuated from Northern Malaya and congregated in Singapore. She was evacuated from Singapore two days before the fall of the city, but since February .13, 1942, no news had been received of (her . except the fact that the ship .upon .which she was evacuated was bombed .heavily and failed to report .at .any port. The only hope her friends had for her safety was that possibly she .might have been rescued by a native .craft. The cable message from .Geneva .will be received by her many friends .with great thankfulness.