大象传媒

On the 3rd of July 1945 I was a Naval Petty Officer ERA lon passage to Australia to join the British Pacific Fleet on board the troopship "Mauretania". Also on board were a few hundred Australian and New Zealand ex-prisoners released from the German prison camps.

We travelled through the Panama Canal and arrived at Pearl Harbour for replenishment, passing close to the wreck of the "USS Oklahoma". The shattered upperworks were in the same condition as when she was sunk, and it was hard to realise that there were over a thousand sailors down below still.

We sailed for Wellington next day and left 186 troops behind, however the US airforce flew them on to Wellington and they were on the dock waiting when we arrived. Upon arrival there was to be a civil reception on the dockside by the mayor, etc. plus a military band scheduled for 0900 when the first NZ troops would march down the gangway and into the ecstatic arms of their loved ones, from whom they had been separated for many years. There were also many tears shed for those who were not on the ship and lay in the various cemetries abroad. Incidentaly, Gracie Fields was at the opera house perfoming whilst we were there, when she heard for the first time the song "Now is the Hour".

We had a marvellous time there and were sorry to say farewell to the many friends we made during out short stay.

We approached Sydney on August 8th, and lining up for the harbour entrance the famous Sydney Bridge came in to view, and the tough Aussie troops were spellbound and not a few tears were observed from them. We anchored outside the harbour whilst they opened the boom, and General Blamey the Aussie CinC hove alongside in an army launch with a band playing, and gave a few words of welcome which could not be heard for the boos. Hundreds of coins were thrown at the band, who soon packed up and sailed back into the harbour. We had a triumphant sail up the harbour with every hooter and horn blowing. The radio was telling everyone to go to the cricket field where the troops would be bussed to, and according to the radio the welcome was just as ecstatic at Wellington.

We had to wait until all the troops were offloaded, then we had to make our way to the HMS "Golden Hind" for whatever fate awaited us.

In September 1945 I was located in Brisbane when the "Oxfordshire" entered port bringing the first load of sick Aussie ex-POWs from the far east. The local radio requested all persons with open top cars to proceed to Brents Wharf and take the Aussies who were sailing on to Sydney and Melbourne a run around the city as the ship was replenishing.

A procession of cars arrived and one or two troops were carried in each one. I had a vantage point and was able to look down on the procession as the cars slowly passed along the river front and around the city. Whereas up to now I had witnessed ecstatic reunions of the ex-German prisoners, this was different, and we saw sunburned wrecks of once-proud soldiers shrunken into their new oversize greatcoats with their slouch hats covering their heads. There was no sound from the crowds, just a "Good on yer, Dig" from one or two. They were mostly in tears. The soldiers now and then gave a feeble wave, and just sat, not quite believing that they were at last free from their tormentors. News of the atrocities were just becoming publicised, and in front of them was the proof.

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