GENERAL DEWIART

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 September 1943, Page 3

GENERAL DEWIART

VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND HIGH COMMISSIONER MEETINGS WITH DOMINION OFFICERS. POSITION OF PRISONERS IN ITALY. y (Special P.A. Correspondent.) (Received This Day, 10.35 a.m.) LONDON, September 28. General Carton Dewiart, V C., who figured in the Italian arm .st’ce taL.s after being a prisoner of war lor two years, called on Mr W. J. Jordan, New Zealand High Commissioner. General Dewiart recalled being a prisoner with Brigadiers Hargest and Miles and Bishop Gerard, and told Mr Jordan he had the highest regard for them. He referred to Brigadier Hargest affectionately as “Old Jim.” General Dewiart also recalled his associations with other New Zealanders, including Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Porritt and Mr P. S. Falla, son of Brigadier N. S. Falla. He met Mr P. S. Falla, who was a Diplomatic Service member in Warsaw prior to its capture, early in the war. Upon hearing this, Mr Jordan telephoned to Brigadier Falla, who called at New Zealand House, met General Dewiart and told him his son was now in Teheran. General Dewiart was interested to learn that Brigadier Hargest had been returned unopposed at the general election, and that Mr Jordan had cabled the election results to Brigadier Hargest in Switzerland. General Dewiart said he could only guess at the present position of New .Zealanders who were prisoners of war in Italy. He imagined that when the Italians opened the camps those who were fit probably would make every effort to link up with the Allied forces, and possibly would be aided by the Italians.