BACK FROM EGYPT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2425, 1 April 1915, Page 5

BACK FROM EGYPT

A NEW ZEALAND OFFICER'S IMPRESSIONS; Surgeon-Captain R. L. Withers, of Southbridge, who went to Egypt as a member of the Neiv Zealand Medical Corps, and spent a couple of months there with our troops, returned to tho Dominion recently in charge of a batch of men who were brought back home medically unfit for service. Captain Withers is at present spending a. week's holiday with his parents at Sputhbridge, prior to going into camp at Trerithain with the reinforcements, and to a representative of "The Press" who called on him on Saturday, he chatted interestingly about his experiences and the doings of the New Zealand troops generally. "I wouldn't injss this for anything,"■ was Captain Withers's reply to a question concerning his association with the Expeditionary Force. "Naturally lam pleased to homo to see my people, but I am anxious to get back to rejoin the main body, wherever they may be, as soon as possible." Captain Withers looked the pictureof good health, and said that the military life thoroughly agreed with him; in fact, our men wore, on tho whole, feeling very fit when he left, and with tho training they received and the good, ■wholesome food served out, they could not well -he.otherwise. Sinco his return to the Dominion he had heard that some of tho men had made complaints in the courso of their letters to friends here about the food supplied to them, but those complaints ivere entirely without foundation. His position as medical officer enabled liim to see how the men were treated in the matter of food, and he could say that complaints were very rare. It was absurd to think that soldiers in camp preparing for strenuous service at the front should have such luxuries as many of them had been used to. The colo-.-nials were having a good time and seemed to be enjoying military and camp life. . Captain Withers said he was not pre* pared to back up the claim made in some quarters that the New Zealander's were of better physique tlian the Australians. The latter were fine, wellbuilt men. He had' been particularly impressed by the physique and. bearing of the English section of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. These men had - been t rained on Salisbury Plain along with tho Grenadier Guards, -with Guardsmen a 6 officers, and were, consequently, very fit. He had.been told that they were nearly being sent direct to France with the Guards. When they arrived jn Egypt, however, the iection was split up for some reason or other, and part was formed into an army service 'Corp« and^the.-remainder .into a comjjany of engineers) mueli to £ thb disappointment ol the men. Asked for his:opinion with regard to the rumours that had been circulated about gifts sent for the men being sold, in the canteens, Captain Withers said fie fliougbt far too . much had. been made of tlie matter. When they arrived at their destination the whole ten transports were unloaded iu'fivodays, which was remarkably' quick work, and it was possible that a case'of gifts had been mixed-up with the'canteen stores. With such, a tremendous quantity of baggage and stores unloaded in 'such d' 'short" space'of timo, one oould easily understand how Buck a mistake might be made. There wa6 no foundation foranother rumour that the Now Zetland .Government. £I,warrants; issued to: the' men 1 were only, worth 19s. in Egypt. No difficulty' was experienced iii getting .fiioJull value from any or .native in Cairo;; '■