A million to one chance!
Pvte. James Hesson, of Alexandra, when he proceeded overseas to serve with the N.Z.E.F., was issued with the usual Service Kit Bag. On arrival at their destination, these bags were returned to New Zealand, and the extraordinary thing is that when brother George presented himself for equipment, he was provided with the identical bag that his brother had received. -Alexandra Herald and Goldfields Gazette, 19/2/1941.
Safe and Sound
Our readers will be delighted to learn that advice has been received that Pvte. James Hesson, previously reported missing and again killed in action, is now safe. A prisoner of war. It is worthy of mention that Jim was the first Volunteer in Alexandra, he having waited for the opening of the Post Office on the declaration of war to enrol. -Alexandra Herald and Goldfields Gazette, 6/8/141.
PERSONAL
Mrs Henry Hesson has received the glad tidings that her son Sergt. James Hesson, has been repatriated from Germany and has arrived safely in the Middle East. -Alexandra Herald and Goldfields Gazette, 10/11/1943.
DEATHS
HESSON. — On July 10, 1948, at Alexandra, 8241 Sgt. James Hesson (Jimmy), 20th Battalion, 1st Echelon, 2nd, N.Z.E.F. (exprisoner of war Stalag 8B), dearly beloved son of Jean and Henry Hesson, Alexandra; aged 29 years. Deeply mourned. "A patient sufferer at rest.” — Private interment at Alexandra To-day (Monday). — L Verco, funeral director. -Otago Daily Times, 12/7/1948.
James Hesson is mentioned in the 20 Battalion Official History during the final stages of the Campaign in Greece, by Private A M Jones, who was wounded and captured on the same day:
About 5 p.m. a German reconnaissance group entered the town and cut us off from the quay where embarkation was to take place. At dusk we started to move towards the town and about half a mile from the outskirts Major MacDuff met us and distributed grenades and small-arms ammunition. He was shouting to us to get into it and saying that unless the town was cleared the Navy would be unable to take us off. Nearing the town we encountered fire from a large calibre gun, a heavy mortar, armoured vehicles, and machine guns. Steady progress was made towards the centre of the town. An LMG (light machine gun) which had given considerable trouble was cleaned out by means of grenades. At this point I lost my section. The officer was missing and the others seemed to follow suit. However I made contact with Jim Hesson, Doug Patterson, and Jack Hinton, all of the page 7920th Battalion. Jack had just wiped out an MG post at the corner. There were dead Germans lying about. There was some mortar fire about this time. We took over the Jerry LMG and sort of meditated about the position. The closeness of the mortar fire, the heavy gun firing on the beaches, together with the LMGs which were giving covering fire to the heavy weapons were giving us some worry. They just had to be put out of action. After discussing the problem for some minutes we received a rude shock when a very large German stepped out and let fly with a tommy gun, severely wounding Jim Hesson in the arm, and disappeared.
The Official History's summing-up of the ill-fated Greek Campaign - soon to be followed by the more punishing defence of Crete, had this to say:
Whatever the final result may have been, 20 Battalion is proud of those who fought at Kalamata, and glad that the defiant heroism of Jack Hinton, fittingly rewarded with a Victoria Cross, the reckless courage of men like Alan Jones, and the fighting spirit of quiet chaps like Doug Patterson, Pat Rhind, Jim Hesson, and Bob O'Rorke so ably upheld its honour in the field.
James Hesson was initially held at the Kokkinia Prisoner of War Hospital in Greece and then at Stalag 5B in Villingen, Germany. His repatriation would have been arranged by the International Red Cross, on medical grounds and his arrival in the Middle East would likely have been via neutral Turkey.
Alexandra Cemetery.
No comments:
Post a Comment