Tahiti Planter
p. 39 · Read in the full issue
Returns
Mr. F. Hanak's Four Years' Service
AFTER four years’ war service in Europe, Mr. F. Hanak, a Czecho slovakian, was recently in Auckland, NZ, on his way back to his coconut plan tation in Tahiti.
Early in the war he heard a broadcast appeal made by Dr. Benes in London, calling upon all Czech patriots. Mr.
Hanak immediately placed his planta tion in charge of Chinese employees and left Tahiti in February, 1940.
He landed in Prance and joined an artillery unit of the Czechoslovak Army, which had been formed there. France collapsed after he had seen about three months’ service, and, with a number of his fellow-countrymen, he made his way to the south coast of France. From there the party was taken by two small British cargo steamers to Gibraltar and they were later transferred to England.
Rejoining the Czechoslovak Army in England, Mr. Hanak was then trans ferred to the Czechoslovakian Ministry of National Defence.
Now discharged on medical grounds, he is on his way back to Tahiti, accom panied by his wife, a Czechoslovakian girl whom he married in London.