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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 6, No. 3 March 31th, 1943
[Introduction]
"Parcels to we lads over here are like partners to Varsity debs—eagerly awaited and given a hot time when they arrive,' says Sig. Athol Lane in thanking the Stud. Ass. for the parcels we sent away last October. Athol says he takes it that the building still houses the seats of learning and "is not a munition factory or W.A.A.F. Convent" and expects that "red ties are even more fashionable these days than they were in the past." Other M.E.F. boys who send thanks and greetings are Gnr. Cedric Irvine, Private John Blandford, Sergt. Cliff Oram, Neale Caradus, Capt W. B. Helean, Gunner P. W. Shanahan, L/Cpl. Keith Ellison and Lieut. K. F. Foy.
"There are a number of ex-students in these parts now" writes Major Alan Lomas, "and we have many interesting talks together about our happier days at V.U.C. Dick Wild I see a lot of and you will be interested to learn he is doing particularly well. At present he is the Brigade Major of the 4th N.Z. Arm Bde."
Sgt. L. B. (Sandy) Sandford now with the Public Relations Service at Maadi Camp tells us that:—"Allan Wilton is a Corporal in Pay Office. His right thumb was badly smashed in Libya in November, 1941, but it has been repaired well. Others in Pay include Sergeants Malcolm Highet, and Hugh Walls, and Corporal Tom Davies. In other parts of the camp you find Rollo Warburton, Sgt. Ian McAllister, W.O. II Ray Martin and Harold Sivyer. Charlie Gates, erstwhile Weir Man, has survived the rigours of O.C.T.U. and answers to 'Mr.' Ewart Hay and Jack Jeffs are at O.C.T.U. now. Norman Cullen, of Wanganui, told me yesterday that he had just received a letter from Alan Horsley, written in a P.W. Camp in Southern Italy. He had asked for some clothes and was still wearing the battle dress in which he was captured. . . . "old toast to the green and gold."
"Met Dick Wild and had his evenings in Cairo with him," writes Capt. Dick Simpson. "We recalled the old days at V.U.C, sang old Extravs songs and drank then the old toast to the green and gold. There has been no suitable opportunity for a V.U.C: re-Union but as soon as there is we will organise one and let you know all about it. . . ."
Barney Butchers has been going places. Was one of the first ashore at Algiers. "An amazing affair," he says, "especially after passing Gib, when the convoys joined forces, for in our limited horizon there was over a million tons of shipping cruising East and that was but a part of the undertaking. A sure proof of our mastery of the seas. Finally we finished up as Fleet boom crasher at Algiers. We learned later that the locals were quite surprised to see us get through as they carefully decorated the boom with mines in our honour. They didn't go off.