FEW LOSSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 July 1943, Page 3

FEW LOSSES

OF PARCELS DISPATCHED TO WAR PRISONERS ACCORDING TO CABLED INFORMATION. PARTICULARS OF EMPLOYMENT IN GERMANY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. ■ Verification of the fact that a remarkably small number’ of parcels of all kinds are lost in- transit between Geneva and the various prisoners of war camps is contained in a cablegram received by the Prisoners of War Inquiry Office Headquarters. Losses for the calendar year 1942 averaged only one in every 660 parcels. The smallest loss was in connection with food parcels. which averaged only one in approximately 740. One out of approximately 315 clothing parcels was lost, and one out of approximately 135 tobacco parcels. The office has made arrangements with the Ministry of Supply to make khaki drill available to be manufactured into shirts, shorts and trousers. Next of kin will be able to purchase these garments for inclusion in quarterly parcels. Particulars must be forwarded to the office and the garments will be included at the packing depot.

Information has been received as to the types of work British prisoners of war are doing in Germany. At Stalag VIII B they are engaged in coal and copper mines, .cement works, concrete and potato factories, cleaning garages, on aerodromes, in steel and sugar factories, building railway bridges and loading barges. At Stalag XVIII prisoners arc working in paper and saw mills, at tree felling, loading and unloading, in a paper factory, at house] building, making embankments, building a sports ground, stone breaking' and making road foundations, building I electric pilons over mountains and in magnesit works. At Stalag XIII C. the work is mostly farming and at Stalag XXXI A it is mostly farming, but some men are employed in a factory. At Stalag XXI B the work is in roadmaking and repairs, forestry, in a sugar factory, wood yard, draining, tailoring and clearing snow in winter.