HELPING WAR-WORN TROOP

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2641, 11 December 1915, Page 3

HELPING WAR-WORN TROOP

Y.M.C.A. IN" THE FIRING-LINE,

11)6 work tliat is being carried out at I the battle-front by tlio Young Men's : Christian Association is described in a | letter received from Mr. W.. Owens, tho | representative of tlio Sydney Y.M.C.A ' work m Gallipoli. - L "My headquarters are now. on tho island of Lemnos, ten miles across the, water from tlio firiug-liue," Mr. Owens writes. "It is tlio advanced base, and also a rest camp, where the men como from the frout to have .1 rest. I'have v°\ln a eOI L ilx a better P laco f°il.iU.UA. effort. Our work was received witli open arms by bofcli officers' and men. The authorities see now more fcban over the necessity for the presenco of our work to 'buck up' the men. I have a , large marquee here, a, canteen, a small marquee for a store tent, a living tent, and a- staff of four men given mo by the military. I havo any amount of equipment with me. The large marqueo is full of tables and forms, a platform, incandescent lights, a piano, two gramophones, and an organ plenty of writing paper,-pens, ink, pencils, books, and reading matter, indoor and outdoor games.' Tho largo tent looks like a picture as it nestles at the foot of one of these classic hills, A large Y.M.C.A. sign flies above it. "Colonel Weston presided at an opening concert, when fully 2000 men gathered in and around the marquee. This place has proved a tremendous boon to tho war-worn troops.' Their eyes fairly sparkle when thoy see a piano, a gramophone, and seats, to sit upon. The place is crowded day and night, and is always very lively. The canteen is also a great success. We sell tea, ooffee, and cocoa, eggs, bacon, cakes, scones, and buns. We have a special bakery of our own here, and a Greek baker in charge,- who can never bake onough to satisfy these hungry men from, tho trenches. Wo are selling the goods at a very low price .for the sake of the men. The military have never been as sympathetic as they are now. Thoy have never turned' me down on anything I have asked for. They furnish most of the supplies for the canteen at cost prices, which saves us a lot of trouble in transport. They have given me four men to help me in my- work here— 1 three Australians and one Scotchman., They are a study. One was a hank clerk, another a'variety performer, an-

I other assistant professor in English | literature at Birmingham University, | and the fourth an Australian jockey, i Now, that is a mixture! But fino fcllows they are, and a great help to me 1 in my work. We liavo a tremendous crowd at our Sunday night's sing-song, | when we got good addresses from tho chaplains and splendid singing. Tho chaplains u«o the tent on Sunday mornings for their scrviocs, and' at night are always present to lend a hand. "I am fixing up two centres right on the fighting area. Within two weeks we will be on tho spot with tho hoys at- the front. On the. Gallipoli Peninsula- there aro two main fighting areas, ■ Capo Holies and Anzac (Gaba l'epa). former the English troops aro holding, ; and the latter the Australians. I am just waiting tho arrival of an English Y.M.C.A. secretary to carry on the work at Cape Helles. The tent will bo in a fairly safe place, but will always stand a, sporting chance of being blowu to pieces by a Turkish shell, since it is right in the midst of tho fighting area. Anzac is a much hotter place as regards fighting. I spent some day 3 there last week. Conditions here aro different from what they aro at Capo Helles. There is considerably more risk, and fighting is much more strenuous. There are a great number of [shells and bullets straying, round, far in excess of those at Helles. A tent will not be possible at Anzao. The other day tho Commandant allotted me a' site. It is not far from the beach in Reservo Gully, not far from she entrance. I am going to make' a largo dugout, 40 x 50, dug into the side of. a hill to give it a fair protection f-orn sbollfire, We are on the main road to tho front trenches, where tho troops will pass -to take up their positions. Wo could not bo in a more central ptpition. Tho other day I was up in the front trenches with the 17th Battalion, and had a look at tho Turkish trenches fifteen yards' in front of us. That night I slept iip at the trendies with the Rev. Fred Colwell, of North Sydney, who is fitting, into his job well, and giving me much assistance. "It is, impossible - to describe 'the. scenes here, and what it is going 'to lie like in tho winter. I do not pause to think. During the winter I am .going to try to supply tho men in tho trenches with tea, coifee, cocoa, cakes, buns, scenes, and eggs. Never beforo wero the Y.M.C.A. given such an opportunity of doing their work right on the field of battle. ■ It is going to be hard and very risky; but leave it to us.; That is how matters, stand here. Not'

only are we working at the training camps. and base hospitals in Egypt, out aro up at the advance bases, and, further still, have commenced operations at the two main points on the battlefront—Helios and Anzac. Since cuming here I have not received one "satback" in my organising work, ond within two weeks everything will , fcj ready to go right ahead." ■ ' ' \