WITHOUT FOOD

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21372, 17 March 1941, Page 5

WITHOUT FOOD

RESCUE IN DESERT NEW ZEALAND MEN TERRIBLE ORDEAL (Untied Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, March 15 J After staggering 240 miles in 10 | days without boots and without food, j over the hot sands of the Libyan Desert, two New Zealanders and a Scottish soldier are now patients in I the Khartoum Hospital, j They were members of a unit of light armoured cars which was sur- ! prised near Bebel Bishara Oasis by a | superior force of Italian armoured ! cars. They were resting after a 2000j mile desert patrol, and were await- | ing their dinner. They had left their j boots in their vehicle, and were rest- ! ing their feet when the Italians attacked and set fire to their vehicle. The j remainder of the unit fought a reari guard action across the desert. The New Zealanders and the Scot and another soldier, carrying one two-gallon tin of water, but no food, tried to follow the desert tracks in a search for their comrades. For days they staggered along, supporting each other, and rationing themselves to a gulp of water at sunrise and another at sunset. Their feet felt like balls of fire. On the eighth day, before noon, two British aeroplanes spotted them and dropped a bottle of water and some food. By then the men were so weak that they were unable to crawl to the food and water. On the ninth day one soldier died, raving mad. The rest crawled along. On the tenth day a Free French patrol, returning from the victorious raid on Kufra Oasis, discovered the trio and carried them to Tekla, a French border post. From there they were flown to Khartoum. FOOD FOR FRANCE ANGLO-AMERICAN AGREEMENT SUPPLIES TO BE SENT (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copy rig-lit) LONDON, March 16 The Sunday Times says it is understood the British Government, after consultations with the United States, has decided not to oppose the passage of food ships between unoccupied France and North Africa, provided:— (1) All food sent is consumed by the French population. (2) Distribution is supervised by the American Red Cross, v/hichf will also, be entitled to watch goods traffic from unoccupied France to occupied France. (3) The Italians and Germans must no longer requisition cargoes arriving in unoccupied France from the French colonial empire. (4) The Vichy Government must undertake immediately to halt German infiltration into North Africa. The quantity of food allowed to enter unoccupied France under this plan would be determined similarly to the cases of Spain and Portugal in relation to the normal food importing requirements of unoccupied France, after taking into account local food production and also the population. Indirectly this system would benefit Germany because occupied France, which is the granary of unoccupied France, would no longer be asked to supply the Vichy Government’s needs. The most important condition is that no more Germans must be allowed to enter North Africa to plan U-boat and air bases from which to attack British shipping. A message from Vichy says the Cabinet has decided to construct a railway connecting North Africa and French West Africa. Discussions In America I A message from Washington says the British Ambassador, Viscount Halifax, conferred with the Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, and it is believed they discussed general matters and also the question of sending food to unoccupied France. Later the French Ambassador, M. Henry Haye, conferred with Mr Hull, after which he said he was hopeful that some agreement could be reached to permit food to reach France under the control of American agents. JAPANESE MINISTER VISIT TO LONDON (United Press Assn - -Eler. t«*L Copyright) LONDON, March 15 The Ankara radio says it is reported that the Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr Matsuoka, intends to visit London after his visits to Berlin and Rome.