OUR SOLDIERS IN ENGLAND.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15874, 13 April 1917, Page 3

OUR SOLDIERS IN ENGLAND.

THE CAMP AT SLING. (From Malcolm Ros?. War Correspondent with the N.Z. Forccs in tlie Field.) February 14. A close examination of tho training and other institutions in connexion with tho New Zeaiand lorces in England leads to the gratifying conclusion that capable organisation and strenuous effort have dono all that could reasonably be desired to put tho training end tho comfort of tho iorcc on a thoroughly satisfactory footing. Ow- j ing to the exigencies of the situation, J the various camps, hospitals, etc., arc -'.altered over a rather wider area, and it takes some time to get round them ;:ll from the Headquarters in London. .My were done at a time when England was held in tho grip of an iron i'ro*t and the country was white with snow. It was tho severest \v in lor that England had experienced lor about twenty-five years, yet, notwithstanding the severity of the j weather, 1 found tho men in excellent J health and tpirits, and tho new men especially keen to get over to tho firing line, in J l 'ranee. The main camps arc on the Salisbury Plain, that- at Sling being devoted to the further training of tho Reinforcement drafts that have corao regularly from the little islands so far across the seas. A day or two beforo ray visit a reinforcement had como in. I saw , them marching through tho camp, and one could iiiii/ wish for a finer lot. They certainly looked the right stuff, and 1 have not tho least doubt that they will do the country that sent them groat credit in the next great "push" in the "coming spring and summer. I hey were eleven weeks on tho "way, ■saving been detained by circumstances over which they had no conuol. Wn.'u they arrived in camp thoy found a hot. nual awaiting them, thoro were fires in the stoves in tho huts, and blankets also were, ready for them. It is inadvisable to givo figures, bnt when L state that the camp is about tho sizo of the Feathei-.ston Camp, New Zeaiaiidi'i.,- will be abie to form 6omo idea of it-, size and numbers. In the Camp Commandant I found nn oilieer "wcil knuwn in New Zealand politics and in Canterbury soldiering. There have, however, been several changes in the command, and there will probably be others still. One of the inosfc recent commandants was a brigadier who had been on the staff New /'eaiand, and who has been with the Mam Expeditionary Force cilice it sailed in 1914. Ho is now returning to his duties in Franco, and one of the other brigadiers is likely to take his place. A great improvement has been mado in the comfort, conveniences, and tidiness of the camp sinco the Nerv Zeahmdi'i'; took charge of it. 'Jltero aro even neatly-dug plots in which spring bulbs, and flowers have been planted, Hud it is tho intention of those in authorny to aid the food supply by planting ■■ cvcr:H acres with potatoes. Since i i i°" went into camp in ■ -.pi'il last a great deal has been done in making it the model camp ifc now is. I'or thiti an Otago officer who was with us on (lallipoli and wns badly wounded there is in great measure responsible, pin ing my visit the ground was frozon .lard, and owing to tho absence of mud ir.e canm was .seen to best advantage, • »iit" it be.;r.s the reputation of being one ?! t leanest ami healthiest o&mpa in' I tigland, and the various British Gonci;;i< who have inspected it havo expressed their satisfaction with the conditions that obtain. ii;o o.vsteiii of training j s arranged on unit. of the base camp in Franco. to any, it is therefore both cuii.scasit and .strenuous, but tho men seutu to thrive on it, and look tho pic- ! lure 01 good health. They are also well cliessed and (smart iu appearance. There is the usual '-bull ring," with specialist in.>trii;.'Lors, who have had the experience ot actual variare in addition to coi/r.K's oi .special instruction. Amongst Uiem are a number of English instructors. Bayonet exercises, bombing v.iring, machine-gun instruction, and all t/n; things a modern soldier has to hvirn continue from morn till night. Old istaoies, built for another division, and now no longer needed, havo been converted into sheds so that the drilling. can go in comfort, even on wet days. The command from timo to timo sends, officers n nd N.C.O.'s- to Alder.shot so that tiiey can keep up with the training there. But occasionally tile Aew Zo;ilanders havo been a little more up to date than their comrades iu tiie Motherland. Th© men are quick to learn :l nd keen on their work, iii the bayonet training there aro three or four a Ider.shot- men assisting. At the hombing school 1 found a Timaru c-aoi.un in charge —a man whom I had frequently s.-eji ofi Gallipoli. Tho accsdeuts have Ikm-u very lew. Several tiio;:-a;ids of men havo been put tli rough with only one serious accident, when L/ieut. Carey was killed in heroically siivinr; the lives of several men. .lhc sanitary arrangements of the ramp are first class, and tho percentage oi sickness is very low indeed. Thero have been only three cases of meningitis in seven months and two of these ea»cs recovered. The first two oct Hired in the first month. Tho medical examination of the new arrivals is very thorough. A thousand men aro put through in one day, and tho unlit aro rejected. A number of the reinforcements have failed to pass the eyesight to.st, and havo to bo supplied with glasses to suit each case. Thero is a small hospital in which tho sick got every attention and necessary treatment. Thero are now threo dental sections. and these havo been found to bo \ cry necossarv. Tho kitchens arc roomy and clcan and well arranged. Tho cooks have a fairly ttrenuou-, time. They can &uppiy several thousand men. There aro smaller cook-houses for the. officers' inr -se- . I lie nien have their dinner at night rj'ier tho training. They gettro'/.en bcei. mostly from Australia and tiie Argentine. What. mutton they get i» from New Zealand. There arc hot and cold shower baths, which aro even bettor than the. Feathers to n baths. There is a small supply depot, the supplies being drown at. frequent intervals from London. Tho big dining-halis seat 450 men. I went through them when the men were at dinner, and ever v man I spoko to was ouite satisfied, not only with tho quantity. but also with the qualitv of "tho food. The meat looked excellent. Thero was plenty of vegetables, cheese, and jam—tho latter from Nelson. "The best camp I have ever been in,'' was the verdict of more than ono Jieity warrior. Tho men are well catered for in tho way of amusements. Everywhere rue meets the representatives' of the Y.M.C.A. and hears of tho splendid work they are doing, not only in England, but also at the front. At Sling 1 had the pleasure of meeting Mes.-is Varnoy. Jamieson, and Smeaton, whom only a few weeks before I had seen busv with the welfare of our men ;n France. Mr Varney is shortly re urn ■ ing to New Zealaud. At Siiiig, as elsewhere, this splendid organisation has built recreation halls for the soldiers. There was a concert room, a recreation room, an officers' tea room, end billiard tables which were always ia request by the ir.'-'n. Carp !nt.>rs and others v. ore at work ou anotin r concert loom to scut about eight hurnr.i. A i : . !, vaiy v.as v.<-H .-tor-kod with voclii. and the and Sew :>!■. .i i" •. -• •■;•!':. v ere in evidence on the tab!?s. in chargc of the Y.M C A.

was an English lady, v.,iV of an officcr v.'ho ivns killed in the war. She has with her eight voluntary women ■workers who hare their own cubicles in tho camp. _ The present very satisfactory condition of the Xew Zealand ndmmi^ration in England is tho result ot a L-;"Khia! process of evolution which has not ! pcii achieved without much iho'izht r«nd .i great deal of hard work. . In a, low months it has improved out. of all knowledge. It lias hren attained largely owing to the initiative and tireloss organisation of n gu 'n>:r, now t brigadier-general, whoso vtiv successful career will liavo been followed with interest by many of his old in New Zealand. Ho has lircn 'loyally snpnortcd by an able and cnthrsinstie staff.