The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Saturday, May 25, 1968 — A CRIPPLED youth on a recent pilgrimage to Rome, Fatima and Lourdes was one of at least 12 Rhodesian Catholics out of a party of 42 to have his passport seized by British immigration officials at London’s Heathrow airport last month.

He was Anthony Simpson (19) of Salisbury, who was taken on Rhodesia’s second peace pilgrimage with his brother, David (16) by his mother, Mrs Mavis Simpson. Anthony’s mother and brother also had their Rhodesian passports impounded.

Other pilgrims inconvenienced by the confiscation of their Rhodesian passports were Miss Anne Roche, Mrs Shelagh Johnson, Miss Dorothy Mortley-Wood, Mrs Margaret Bell, all from Salisbury. Mr Richard Nyaguze of Bulawayo, and five other Africans had their passports taken too.

Interviewed at Salisbury airport today after their five-week trip Mrs Simpson said the immigration officials in London were very sympathetic towards the Rhodesians and said: “This always happens to the wrong people.”

With the exception of Miss Roche, all were issued within a few days of their arrival in London with British passports which are valid for six months only.

With only a piece of paper acknowledging the seizure of her passport, Miss Roche flew to Ireland and then to Rome. In Rome she was forced to obtain another passport and because of the delay missed an audience of the Pope.

Rev V Riederer of the Salisbury Catholic Cathedral, who led the pilgrims, said the confiscation of the post-UDI passports was expected.