A BUSY CAMP

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2592, 14 October 1915, Page 6

A BUSY CAMP

SWEARING IN THE RECRUITS

PROCESS OF INITIATION

Tho camp staff at Trentham had an unusually busy time 011 Tuesday and yesterday, when about 2GOO recruits wero put through tho various stages which transformed them from civilians into soldiers . Soon after nine '011 Tuesday morning the influx began, and it continued until late at night, the men coming from all tho military districts in New Zealand except Auckland. The Aucklanders arrived' by special train yesterday morning, and nearly 800 mounted nion, who have been drawn from the Auckland, North Auckland, To Aroha, Waikato, and Taumarunui districts. Tho last draft to arrive in camp on Tuesday liight was also a largo one, made up of men from Poverty Bay, Hawke's Bay, and Forty-Mile Bush districts. About 280 men arrived from Nelson and. the West Coast yesterday. With the exception of about 100 mc.o.'s for the Tenth Reinforcements, the whole of the 1 recruits were for the Third and Fourth Battalions of tho Now Zealand Rifle Brigade. Owing to tho- late hour at .which the swoaring-in and equipping of the men was concluded, it was not possible to obtain the numbers of men who came from each district. Tho Initiation. The process of initiation of-recruits takes more time than might be supposed. When tho first draft l , composed of men from Otago and Canterbury, arrived at Trentham yesterday morning, they were paraded on tho railway platform, the mounted men, Army Service men, and ambulance men, forming separate companies. They wero then marched into camp, and formed up in the open space opposite lioadquarters, near the flagpole. Their papers, which had been handed in when they were medically examined some weeks ago, wero returned to them after which they were marched to the Camp Institute, whore t'heir attestations were taken. Then, in small parties, they were taken by u.c.o.'s, who have been undergoing training in camp for several weeks, to tho camp quartermaster's office, whore they received ■t-heij' kits, a process carried out with amazing celerity, considering that eacli man received a hat, a palliasse, a kit-bag, 3 blankets, 2 shirts, 2 changes of underclothing, X suit of denims (fatigue uniforms), 3 pairs of socks, 1 jersey, 2 towels, 1 oil-sheet, knife, fork, spoon, plate, and mug. As each batch arrived at the door, tho sergeant-major said:

"Unlace one boot each, and try and remember the size of your hat and of your boots."

_ In a few minutes they were called inside, where a number of assistants wero busy. As each man's name was called, an assistant laid a waterproof-sheet on tho floor and rapidly tossed into it all the articles which did not require to be tried on. Other assistants asked the men's sizes in hats and boots, and almost inundated them with likely fits. The men did their best to fall in with the idea of haste, and when their kits were complete, signed for them. Then they struggled to tho , exits, where platoon commanders wero stationed to . direct their luture movements. Frequently' those u.0.0.'s lent a. friendly hand to the men when tlie unwieldy bundle containing their soldierly possessions seemed to bo setting the better of them. As soon as ten men of a battalion were ready, thoj ivere led away to their hutment and told where to camp. Afterwards, they wore shown where straw could he had tvith which to fill their palliasses. Somotimos the men would grin at ono another as tliey changed from cilivian to Eoldiers' garb and remind ono another that they wero in tho Army now. All through, they were in the best of <rood tempers and tlie sight was an inspiriting one. Favourable comments wero passed on the camp in general, and tho hutments and foot! in particular. Several drafts which arrived about lunch time were served with eating utensils without further delav and given their luncili. an event which was appreciated, especially by some men wlio said they had had nothing to eat since the night before, and had had a long train iourney. After lunch they went through tho formalities of being welcomed to Trontlbam camp. The Lighter Side. Naturally, among such large bodies of men tho humorous and human side of things'cropped up frequently. Ono mail, as ho staggered out of the quartermaster's store with his new boots already on, his hat jammed on on top of his old hat, and his denim .coat over his civilian- coat, was asked by the u.c.o. if lie 'had got everything. ''Tloaven knows," the perspiring and smiling hero replied. "They threw a lot of things at mo and I've signed for them. Surely you don't think I need am' more?"

The n.c.o.'smiled and said ho would check them over witli the recruit. Needless'to say they were all there, evon to the tin mug and plate, which fell out of.the bundle as soon as the man started to move away.

"What kind of bunks do we have?"another recruit asked.

"Feather beds and stretchers," he was told.

"That's good," ho said with relief.

Another youth who had put on as much of his uniform as lie had been able to in the hurry, said: "When do we change our toss?"

"Right away," the n.c.o. replied, seeing that this man just made' up the necessary number of a batch. The man, in a hurry, marched away witli his bundle on his shoulder, and a smile of hnrmy anticipation on his face.

Whore ilie gravel of the roadways has not been raked over and blinded with sand and rolled. the walking in She camp streets is, in places, heavy. Tin's was commented on succinctly by ti meruit-.

"It's like*walking round the beach to Torawhiti," ho chid with a urin.

"Train you for Egypt," his friend assur»d him.

The stay of these. recruits in camp will be short; as tlie Ninth' Reinforcements will ontcr camp next Tuesday and t : be riflemen will move on to Maymorn Camp at Mtinsraroa some time between Friday and Monday. Hut in the few (lavs that, they will bo in Trcntham. they will lonrn the routine of caiiin life and a littlo drill. One thin"; they will surely learn, and that is, tlw croose-stop. In fact, somo of the men who went to camp yesterday, carrying luggage which ranged in variety from a biscuit box wrapped in newspaper to a swagger suit case, will ho geose-stepping this morning, in souads of eiflit, with a camp-wise n.e.o. sliow-imr-them bow to do it. For they are soldiers now.