PRAISE OF THE COMMISSARIAT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2323, 3 December 1914, Page 5

PRAISE OF THE COMMISSARIAT

'A LIVELY CORRESPONDENT, 1 On September 17- aa Infantry office* at the front wrote to his sister, and the subjoined passages are .taken from' , the letter: ■ . • ■ "There is absolutely no fun in modern warfare, no romance, nothing abuti murderous shell- fire, which is nerveracking, to say the least of it. Since our arrival at Lβ Havre we have marched and counter-marohed well over 200 miles and fought three pitched battles and one or-two minor scraps. -Things seoin to bo shaping satisfactorily for tho_ Allied Forces, and-the Kaiser is having his work put out to do any of his wonderful strategical moves. Wβ have had two lots of ' reinforcements sent out to us already; thank- God so far I,have escaped. The.South. African War was quite a beanfeast ■ compared to this one. Sometimes I chat with German prisoners, mostly decent fellows, who\ seem only too pleased to bo made prisoners, and hope that they will not be handed over to the.French." The weather unfortunately has 'turned cbld- : after the very hot days we experienced at first. My -'waterproof" which was sent to mo is practically useless as it; is shower-proof only, and one wants Rale , - or hurricane proof clothing for a. campaign: So far. I have kept very fit, but a few days ago the succession of wefr nights and heavy marching'began'td'tbll on me, and I really thought I was down' with dysentery, but, thanks to soma brandy, I pulled round again the next morning, and at. the time of writing am! 'as right as ninepence.' I bar getting wet. Our valises are rarely up in time for us to change, hence the necessity; of waterproofs and stout boots." • Plenty of Jam. "So far our commissariat merits have been excellent, the only l , thing boing that one Rets painfully siok i of bully beef and biscuits, hence the, ; need of a change liko chocolate. Wβ. get plenty- of jam, though, and I amcertain I have eaten more jam the last; few weeks than I have eaten in the , whole 'of-my life before; one simply, cannot help it. The socks you propose sending out to me will prove a Godeend, also_ a little soap, please. 'What we want is a helping hand. , (Do you recollect George Barrett in "Mies Hook of Holland'?). Also a tooth-brush, as 1 mine lias disappeared. '■ How I would relish-a Turkish bath just n6w and a, really well-cooked meal, or rolls and coffee, but such luxuries are not for us.-, We manage; as a rule, to make ouiv selves .happy over a bottle of vin Mann or rouge, as the case may be..

"When wo passed through towns which had not beoir pillaged by tho onemy the inhabitants could not da enough for us, all manner of '■• fruit, wines, eggs, butter, milk, etc, but now it is the reverse; '!es habitant's bo sonti sauves, a la fiuerro comme a. la-guerre. , I do not yet know our next move. Suf-i fice to say that thess two days are tho first rest we have enjoyed for three, weeks, so you can imagine how very; strenuous the whole thing is. I had a; letter from Gladys S —— this morn-.' ing, she is having tea with you, I hear; bow nice that sounds, tea' with real milk, served- nicely, too I Wβ had a a great round up of .a German convoy: the'other day, aiid captured ono ■of their field cooking ovens oil a cart with, horses complete; we'now take it about; with us, and have 'cafe au rien sanf lnit , whenever wo want it!"