JEEVES IN DIV CAV.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 52, 13 May 1942, Page 6

JEEVES IN DIV CAV.

Official War Correspondent X.Z.E.F. CAIIU), Fell. 21. Because a lieutenant in the Xew Zcaland Divisional Cavalry regiment has "a nose like a retriever." the officer commanding the unit to-day has the use of a fully-equipped caravan. It was captured from the enemy in Libya. And thereby hangr. a tale as colourful as any, that has come out of that desert campaign. The lieutenant -who is an Auckiandcr is best described as a most enthusiastic fighter. Friends who know him. well, too, describe h,im as the biggest scrounger in the army; invariably he manages to obtain the unobtainable alter everyone else has failed. If a new truck is wanted, an extra gun when no more are on hand, or crockery for the mess, the cry goes up "Leave it to Jeeves." By one and all in the unit, he is known as Jeeves. And almost invari- ! ably Jeeves produces the required article as a conjuror produces a rabbit from a hat. During the mopping up operations after the capture of Bardia and the restoration to the division of hundreds of New Zealanders avlio had, been taken 'by the enemy, Jeeves went on the scrounge. He arrived back in camp with his tank. And the tank towed a caravan. The commanding officer saw Jeeves arrive. "What on earth ..." he asked. "Just brought you back a little present, sir," smiled Jeeves. "Thought it would be more comfortable for you to live in than a dugout." Just like that!

Since, the Commanding officer has been the envy of the division. His caravan is his home on wheels. Sixteen feet long and eight feet wide, it allows plenty of room. The kitchenette is most modern with tis petrol stove, cupboards and enamel sink and washbasin. The walls are finished in white enamel. The rest of the interior is panelled in light oak and the floor is covered with green linoleum. Folding tables which allow of a bed being formed with two large sofas, seven windows curtained in green and. white, a full length mirror, a built-in wardrobe and green cushions complete the picture. There is even electric light.

With soldierly whimsicality the troops have christened this vehicle "The colonel's passion waggon." Every bit as good as the foregoing. another talc is told of Jeeves. One night he was told that hi.s job next to make dummy tanks look like rea.ll ones. Jeeves went to work. He was thrilled to the core. "May I fire smoke?" he asked. "Yes, you may fire smoke" he was told. Back came Jeeves. "May I fire verey lights?" "Yes, you may fire verey lights' was the reply, "and you may fire anything you have—smoke, tracer, verey, incendiary—anything. Your job is to make the Huns think the whole British army, is coming at them." Next morning he was found with his tanks amongst the dummies. Soon he began firing his guns at the German pill-boxes. As the battle developed, Jeeves had a glorious lime. He darted in and out of the dummies, firing every tiling he had at the enemy defences. The ruse was successful. The enemy artillery got busy and a heavy fire was opened on tiie dummies. In the short space of 15 minutes, three- hundred shells were wasted.