WITH THE TRANSPORT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2525, 28 July 1915, Page 8

WITH THE TRANSPORT

MULE CARTS INSTEAD OF MOTORS,

Captain Harry Avery, officer in chargo of the First- Divisional train with tho Main 1 Expeditionary Force, and formerly a representative Wellington footballer, writes interestingly about the great work devolving on tho transport men in conncotion with the Dardanelles campaign, and incidentally throws a deal of light; on. the difficulties which have been' encountered in keeping tho troops at the front supplied . with all that was necessary for their well-being. Extracts from Captain Avery's letter read as follow; —•

"It was sooil found on our landing. in Turkey that our., transport -was. not suited to tho country which we . would have to work over,\and as it was a) caso of :our fellows 'digging in', 'and . simply hanging on for some time, it was decided ..to reorganise the whole of the. transport in the meantime.. Consequently all vehicles, horses, mules,'" etc., were returned to Egypt. Of course, very little of this had been landed, as there was no room for it. ■. The landingplaces were small enough as it was, without blocking them up with transport for which there was' no present, ■need.

"I think, the question of water supply also had a good deal to do with finally deciding the point, for the supply was limited and tho animals numerous. As it was, and still is,' all water is sent ashore from the'supply ships in lighters, pumped into' tanks, and from them carried in petrol tins up to the, troops in the firing line.: Arid so with the exception of a few hundred odd mules for pack work and tho necessary drivers, all transport was sent back. I was detailed to go also to help with the reorganisation and so here we are in Egypt. All four-wheeled vehicles with few' exceptions are being cut -out and replaced by_ Indian mule carts, littlo wlieeledt hiilgs, very small but handy. For every four-wheeled vehicle we' are substituting five of these carts, each drawn by two mules with an Indian driver. , Our own officers and N.C.Of's will still command these units (most of our." own drivers thus being freed to go into the firing line), and therefore will have to pick np a few Indian words. Motor transports all being washed out, and our supply column of about 200 or 400 motor lorries "has got to be replaced by carts. Yon can imagine there will bo a few carts required. However, there will bo no difficulty apparently to find these carts. There are thousands of them already here, and tlioy roll up from somewhere every day. ■ We are getting on with our job, and I feel_ sure that 'we will have to mark time hero for a while when it is finished, as things are pretty sticky just at present in Turkoy, and of course the transport is not required until a move forward is possible. It is frightfully hot here at present, and if we were camped right on tho beach it would be almost- unbearable. Now and. aaain we get a. hot wind, and it is just like a blast from a furnace.

After referring at length to military plans and details. Captain Avery concludes "You will liavo liad some pretty formidable casualty lists bv time, and I expect it ought to liclp recruiting in New Zealand. There must be still a good many young, fellows there _ who could serve. It is sure they will all bo wanted if the New Zealand Division is to 1)0/kept up to strength."