ABOUT THE CAMPS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2602, 26 October 1915, Page 6

ABOUT THE CAMPS

9 MAY MORN IMPROVEMENTS OPEN-AIR BATHING PARADE The training camps at Trentham, May Morn, and Tauherenilcau, are all ill good Tunning order, and the new troops are settling down to drill with commendable zeal. On Friday, tho mounted men of the Ninths went by train to Fcatlierston, en route to Tauherenikau, where thoy will begin their instruction in mounted infantry drill under tho guidance of Major Cardale. The Eighths, all of whom returned from extended leave more than a. week ago, are now well advanced in their training. Passengers by trains, which pass closo by Trentham and May Morn camps; take a keen interest in them. Some surprise- has been expressed of late at the large number of tents which have been pitched at Trentham near the railway and adjoining parade ground. Tho explanation of this apparent departure from tho wooden 'hutment programme is that those tents have been provided by the Public Works Department for the hundreds of workmen who are employed in the extension and improvement of tho camp and its accommodation. These works go on steadily. Tho new Anglican Church room is among them, and it will bo ready shortly. It is one of the largest b.uildings in the camp, standing immediately opposite headquarters, and is built of wood and ioofed with TUbber preparation. Prior to its erection, ■ the Anglican Church was represented by the smallest of all the many galvanised iron mission halls in the camp. A similar church rosm is being built at tho new Tauherenikau Camp

May Mom Cossip. The traveller by train sees at May Morn a camp of snow-white tents standing on green grassed level land, with the river and hills behind it. It is a pretty place, with a charming namo, and the men of the Rifle Brigade Battalion, numbering 2500, who are encamped there, declare it to be a splendid camp. They havo only twp halfhearted growls to make. Ono is that bo far, owing to the absence of suitable trains to carry thorn to and from Wellington, they have not yet had any leave, except for the day at Trentham races which some of them had on Saturday. The othor grumble is regarding; the putting of twelve men into each of tlio square Indian tonts, when ten men and their belongings are, it is said, sufficient. Both these causes of complaint will be removed shortly. The extra tents are already on the ground; and tho train service is now being considered by the railway authorities. Some of the soldiers have expressed tho opinion that, as Upper Hutt is only about five miles away from May Morn, some of the Wollington-Uppor Hutt trains might be extended to camp occasionally. The lack of entertainment from which the men suffered in tho camp has been remedied in part by the officers, who have procured material for games and sports of many kinds, and by the Y.M.C.A. and Salvation Army, tvho have erected marquees where the men may find rest and recreation after drill liourß. A canteen has also been opened. The men are entering into their rifle brigade drill keenly. It differs somewhat. from infantry drill, as many Territorials aro 'finding. Thoy have practically to unlearn all they learned. Only when marching in file do the riflemen shoulder arms: even the guard carry their rifles at the trail and without bayonets fixed.

Soldiers' Ways. There has been some argument in the camp as to whether it is easier to march with the rifle on the shoulder, as tho infantry do,_or to carry it ,at the trail—that, is in the hand, with tho arm at its full downward swing and the haJid grasping the rifle in tho middle—as the rifleman does. Somo men declare that a man's hand and arm become as stiff as wood after marching far with shouldered arm; while others consider it is bettor to have the weight of the rifle on the shoulder than on tho arm. The country youths, unlearned in much drill, appear to pick up the rifle battalion drill better than those who have something to unlearn. But some of these raw recruits provide amusement for their comrades. Ono of them could never remember the correct terms for his water-bottle and his haversack. Coming on parade with his haversack but without his water-bottle, he was tolcl of his omission. "Dear, dear," he said, "I never can romember my water-flask." He went to his tent and, to put it on, took off his haversack. In his hurry ho forgot to put his haversack on again. Ho remembered it as ho reached his place in the ranks, and ejaculated : "Well, if I haven't gone and forgotten iny haverbag, now." Another hard task of eome of these soldiers in tho making is to discover and remember, which is their right and which is their left. "S'elp me, Bob," said a disgusted n.c.0., "there's a chap in my lot that didn't know 'his right hand from his left until I 6howed him. He's a great cigarette smoker, and the fingers of his left hand are stained yellow. So I told him to remember it by that. 'Left yellow, right white,' I told him, and I believe ne knows now. . But there are lots who cannot remember oil the spur of tho minute which is their ..left foot." '

Saluting the Sontry. One of the first things the soldiers learn is to salute tho sentry. Because the sentry > is tho man who demands passes from them when they leave and re-enter camp, they feel that ho is a person to bo propitiated and respected. JBut the new recruit does not always know, and certainly few civilians know, that, the sentry on duty is the most responsible and respected person in the camp. Everyone salutes him, from the highest officer downwards, and no ono ever argues with him. Ho speaks and acts according to tho King's orders when he is guarding camp or other place over which he is sentry. Quito recently a civilian, who was smoking, pas passing the sentry at the entrance to Treutham Camp. As he showed his pass to tho military police, one of them, glancing over towards the sentry who stood at the side of tho roadway, said: "Don't smoke, please." . "I beg your pardon," the civilian said, taking his pipe from his mouth. "But, tell mo, why should I not smokop" "No one must smoke when passing the sentry," was the civil but brief rePty- ' . . Though civilians are slow to realise and appreciate these points of military etiquette, the recruit has them impressed upon him, and- when he has had u turn on sentry-go, ho knows tho importance of tho post.

Bathing Parades. Tho now hot and cold showers , at Treiitham havo been in use for more than a week now, and fclie bathing parades at the river, when, as tho camp joke goes, everyone had to fall in, havo been abandoned. But at May Morn the Mungaroa River is so close that bathing parades have begun, and are likely to become very popular. Last Friday tho wholo of the men in camp were paraded for bathing purposes. Every man had io strip, and, at least, to wash his feet. The undressing was done in ifro 'ahejter of tho banks and far. as shelter was

required from tho breezo. Otherwise there was no need, in that sylvan wilderness, for any dressing-rooms. Tho camp story goes that the first man into the water was a man from sunny North Auckland, who was used to bathing in warm and tepid water. Somo jokers told him that tho Mungaroa was a hot river, flowing from thermal springs. So in he went, to reappear red-faced and almost spcechless from tho shock. "I thought," ho spluttered, "I thought you said it was warm." "Isn't it?" one of the jokers asked, innocently. "Oh, I know! They've been throwing old ice into it at) the iceworks. But it will bo warm to-mor-row, all right." Tho speotaclo of 2600 men splashing, swimming, and paddling in tho mountain river was a remarkable ono, and tho noise and fun they made out of tho business was g;ood to see and hear. Tho men, especially those who, like tho Auoklander, plunged straight into the water, returned to camp with a healthy g'ow and a tremendous appetite—so tbey said.