MESSAGE FROM CAMP

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 192, 29 July 1940, Page 8

MESSAGE FROM CAMP

LOCAL BOY SCOUTS SCOUTMASTER S. MILLER'S LETTER In the Editor's mail last Friday a letter arrived from cx-Scoutmoster Stan Miller who is now attending the Arm,y School of Instruction at Trentham Military Camp. The letter is dedicated to the scouts of Whakatane and district troops, and we have the greatest pleasure in giving it publicity. It reads: — Dear Scouts, As it is impossible for me to write to you all I am sending this to the 'Beacon" hoping its contents will reach j r ou. First I am glad to learn from I#he 'Beacon' that you are keeping the flag flying and helping the Avar effort. Though some of you may think your efforts small fliey are well appreciated. The books and magazines that were collected will be greatly appreciated by the soldiers who probably after a hard day's training go into one of the Recreation Huts and write letters home and having a little time to spare pick up a magazine or book to read. I myself have found mucl| pleasure looking at tliem and know hundreds of others have. Good Scout Actsj I was very pleased to read how you have helped the Red Cross :n the copper drive and the results are a great credit to Wliakatan.e. Several of you have offered your services to wives of soldiers and performed little acts of kindness ns cutting firewood, digging the garden, cutting the lawn and running messages. That is the true scout spirit and though you may not yet a V,C. for it you are doing your bit, which is much appreciated by those away. Local Men in Camp. At present I am at the Trenthani camp taking a course in Military and Field Cooking. I have met several Whakatane fellows here. Padre Rev Iv. Watson, Lieutenant Hulquist, Lieutenant Tony Buljer, Ptes J. Cutler, D. Stewart, and G. Tippett. They all are well and asked me !.o convey their greetings to you. This is the biggest camp in New Zealand and divided into two parts. The Mobilisation Camp ancl Army School of Instruction. The School of Instruction is situated in the old camp which many of your fathers will remember. Having had experience in both the Papakura camp and here I must say one meets a fine lot of fellows and the comradeship is wonderful, the\ T are all keen to do their best to help bring this war to a successful finish. The weather at j)resent is very cokl with hard frosts at night. We are next to the Trentham race course and during the rac:s were able to go over and see them. Life of a Soldier. The soldier's life is one ol hard training and starts at 6.30 a.m. with the sound of tlie Revelle. 1 raining ' with certain hours of rest goes i|i i until 4.30 p.m., unless a lecture or night march is held. The tucker is good and by what I have been told by those ol the last war is very much better. I myself am attached to the 24th Auckland " Rifles and after my course here will be going back to Papakura. We have in the Battalion a host of Whn katane officers and boys so you may guess we are one big family. Recreati'on Huts. > The camps have as a rule three or - four recreation huts where we can : write, read, play billiards, ping pong etc. Also each hut has its canteen * at a cheap rate. The huts are Sal- * vat km Army, Y.M.C., Church Army ' Catholic and Every Man's. We have also dry canteen where almost anything can be bought, wet canteen, post office and picture theatre. In closing I should like to remind you 1 that if you have a relation or fri>id in the Forces at home or abroad do not forget to write him as the s rounds of the postman are one of ' the important events of the day, and * there is always the expectation of a s letter from someone at home. i ,