LIFE AT THE FRONT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2508, 8 July 1915, Page 6

LIFE AT THE FRONT

TALES OF "TOMMY" DR. A. A. MARTIN'S EX- \ PERIENCES An interesting address was given by Dr. A. A. Martin, of Palmerston North, at the New Zealand Club luncheon yesterday, on his experiences in the fighting Jine in France and Flanders. Mr. R. H. Webb, president of tho club, occupied the chair, and there were present tho Hon. R. H. Rhodes (Minister of Public Health) and about 200 guests. Mr. Webb in introducing the speaker said that he was a New Zealander born and bred, and for eight months gave bis valued services at the front. So valued were they that twice he was mentioned in dispatches. • (Applause.) Dr. Martin got.a great, reception on rising. In speaking about experiences at the front, he said it was hard to form any concrete narrative, as tho events there were so many and so jumbled. He enlisted. from Scotland, and went with the Royal Army Medical Corps, in. the first reinforcements, which left for Franco at the beginning of tho war. When they arrived at Havre the scene was one that baffled 1 description, for every vantage point and window was crowded with cheering French people,, shouting,_ "Vivo les. Anglais." Tommy •shouted ill reply, "Are we down-heart-ed?" and ten thousand voices shouted back, "No." Then the cry was, "Do we like; beer?" and fifty thousaud throats shouted "Yes." (Laughter.) "Tommy" was loved in France, and "Tommy'' loved the French; ho hugged the children, nursed the baby,, and kissed the women. (Laughter.) "Shortly after their arrival, the ominous rumour came. down that the British were retreating, and thousands of Germans were advancing on Harflcur, tho guarding point to the base at Havre. Fifteen thousand French troops' were sent to'the Telief, and the Germans held off; Kitchener saw the danger the same day, and the Army was moved from the base in' Havre to St. Nazairej in the' Bay of Biscay. That was a point little known in tho history of the war—that tho base was moved at one time. The Order to Advance. "You never" saw such a change in the men," continued the doctor later, "when the''■ news. came, down that tho retreat was ended and we were advancing against the Germans.'' They had not been down-hearted before, but they, had been depressed. After the battle of tho Maine the march, was towards the Aisne: He. had hero seen first evidences of the German methods, but personally he had seen no evidences of outrages. ' Talking of tho wounded, he said it was ourious to see how men acted when wounded, and. instanced a case of three Germans,' who crawled"together to get company before they met death. All over the place were groups of killed Germans; sometimes as many as a clump of twenty, dead. They also saw murdered French farmers, and there was no excuse for this. killing of old people.. Thero was nothing the French' liked better than to see dead' Germans. "Of course tbo French love us, and it is inconceivable to think of the French and English, ever again being at war," was a statement which met with loud applause. Curiously enough the German wounded were tremendously popular' with "Tommy Atkins," and all. tho rancour of warfare was forgotten/ when the German wounded were being cared for in France. The Gorman wounded.were treated the same as the English and French by- tlip doctors: in France. (Applause.) "Tommy" was always a humorist, and would jocularly ask the wounded Germans "How old Kaiser' Bill was?" and "How that blighted. Crown Prince was getting along ?" (Laughter.) The Germans, of course, (fid not know what the question-was, but they joined in the . laugh* Constantly with the columns rumours were flying about.'Ono day it'would be . that the Kaiser was dead, and the. next that they' had buried 'the ' Crown -Prince. "Tommy" loved those rumours. ' ; ; Tho British Charge. •"It was.rny privilege to see the Engi lish and. French .charge into the Bavarians," said the doctor. "The Germans charged with short steps and low grunts, while the French wont into tho charge; with, great 'oxcitement. On the other hand the British were dogged, and the men for the most part were cursing. The French said that the British charge was irresistible—that nothing could stand against the charge of the British. (Applause.)- Everywhere all requests made by; the English doctors to the French were readily complied with. "Yes, France is yours," was the invariable reply for ■ any' assistance, and the French nuns rose to the occasion admirably. • (Applause.)',So long as it was for France the people were happy to die if they were giving assistance. That was the feeling that animated the people. ... . , '. j Hie Prince of Wales, whom the doctor saw at the front, was tremendously popular. He wanted, to go into the: trenches, and in fact'did spend two days ; there. The Prince knew how to .get; on with the soldiers. Tf you want to bo popular, with 1 "Tommy," you must ask for a cigarette, and not' give him one. The Prince asked one group for a cigarette, and they were delighted. ■ , Oiir Indian Allies. "I want to talk about our Indian allies. Rumours have been heard that they did not do very well. It is a great pity that such rumours have got about." Ho was with, them the day they were thrown back from La'Bassee. They had been terribly cut up, and had lost their . officers, and they were not then acclimatised. Since then they had found themselves, and you could not get better troops at the front than the Indians. (Applause.) "In conclusion," said Dr. Martin, "I want to say this: You are np against a very big thing in this war. Anyone who has been to the front must realise the formidable nature of tho task. Thero is 110 doubt about the, ultimate victory. (Applausi.j At the front there is a spirit , of'profound . optimism, and 1 that prevails right through France. There is no doubt that so long as Joffro : is at tho front, and France is united, there will be ultimate victory. German militarism must be crushed; to think, about compromise—well, you might roll up the scroll of history, and burn the book of life." (Loud iipplauso.V A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Dr.-Martin, on the motion of Mr. Webb, who said that as he had'feared Dr. Martin had said much about what lie had seen, but very little about what he had done. ,