CAMPS & THE MEN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2703, 24 February 1916, Page 6

CAMPS & THE MEN

BEWARE DISEASE A PROHIBITION ON WATER MORE PROMOIIONS Private IC. Sutherland, formerly of the Main Body, and now in camp at Featherston, has been attached to A Squadron, Uth Reinforcements. Lieutenant L. C. Edwards (Featherston Camp) has been appointed lieutenant in tlie New Zealand Army Dental Corps. To Prevent Disease. All ranks, at Trentham have been , earned against drinking water from the creek on Seddon Range. Tho practice is announced to be dangerous to. health, and must bo immediately discontinued. Strict compliance with this order is said to be necessary to prevent an outbreak of disease. Officers at Featherston. Featherston Camp ' reportsChap-lain-Captain Watson has returned from sick leave, and reported for duty. Chaplain-Major Dutton (Presbyterian) has arrived at the l'apawai Camp. Lieutenant Comer, C Squadron, 11th, has returned from sick leave. Captain E. 'Robertson, N.Z.M.C., has arlivcd in camp. Lieutenant Speedy, A Squadron, 11th, has returned from sick leave. - Commissions to N.C.O.'a. The following non-commissioned officers, members of the lltli Reinforcements, A.S.C., have been granted commissions as second-lieutenants on probation as from February 18: —Sergeant G. G. Stephenson, to 12tli ReinforcementsScrgt. J. Craig, to 13th Reinforcements. Featherston Promotions), At Featherston the following temporary appointments have been approved by the Camp Commandant: —Lco.-Corpl. O'lveefe, N.Z.M.C., to be corporal; Pte. C! Bolgcr, Headquarters, Q.M. Stores, to be corporal; Pto. J. J. Davison, Pte. De C. Tronsou, Pte. E. AV. Boyd, Pto. L. Ridgwav, Pte. W. G. Spite, Pte. ! J. Watson, Pie. G. S. Fletcher, Pte. M. 0. Creaney,. 11, Coy., 12th, to be lancecorporals; Sergt. D. B. Fea, D Squadron, 13th. to be sergeant-major; Corpl. A. J'. Gillman, Ist Reserve Coy., to bo sergeant; Lce.-Corpl. AY. S. 'Stunners, Pto. AA r . A. Ross, Ist Reserve Coy., to be corporals; Pte. C. M. C. Bok, Pte. J. M. Carroll, Pte. A. Maclean, Pto. F. If. Martin, Pte. D. Mofiit, Pte. 11. Sands, Pto. P. H. Gi Skews, Pte. J, Third, Pte. H. Smith, Ist Reserve Coy., to be lance-corporals; Pte. J. Wiseman, 4th Reserve Coy., to be or. derly-room clerk; Pte. R. H. Smith,■ N.Z.A.S.C., to be cook: Pte. A. M'Kitterick, Headquarters Staff, to be sergeant; Sergt. Russell, Headquarters Staff, power-house, to he quartermaster, sergeant,: 'Pte. W. . J. Simpson, N.Z.A.D.C., to he sergeant; Pte. R., 0. Andrew, B Squadron. 11th, to be farrier-sergeant; Pte. J. H. Hannah. B Squadron. Uth. to he shoeing smith; Pte. ff. G. Clothier, C Squadron, to bo orderly-room clerk. Trentham Appointments. The following temporary appoint nients liavo been made at Trentham:— , New Zealand' Medical Corps.—Pte. H. M. Brown to be sergeant motor mechanic; Pte. 11. C. Watson to be corpoVal. Headquarters Staff (Range Wardens). —Pte. J. AV. Matthews, Pto. Clias Young, Spr. J. S. tp bo corporals. , Returned Soldiers in Gamp, The following returned soldiers have reported at .Trentham for duty:—Pte. G. Drumniond. D Coy., 3rd; Pte. D. S. Smith, 0.1.8., M.8.; Pte. R. Cox, D Coy., fith; Pte. H. Conway; A Coy., 4th; Sergt. E. M'Kcan, Samoan lielief; Pte. T. Moore, 0.1.8., M.8.; Pte. R. Wreaks. ,C.H.R., M.8.; Sergt. AV. E. Shirley, Samoan.Relief; Pte. D. Gibbons, Samoan Relief; Pto. A. R. Jones, Samoan Relief; Pte. 1 A. T. Lomas, Samoan Relief; Pte. C. C. Jphnson, Samoan Relief; Pte. AV. Toshack, Samoan Relief; Pte. AA'. G. Brown, Samoan Relief; Pte. R. S. Midgely, Samoan Relief; Pte.. H., 11. Simeon, Samoan. Relief; Pte. A. Morey, Samoan Relief; Pte. T. Campbell, C Coy., 2nd; Spr. A. R. Hutchins, N.Z.E., 2nd; Sergt. AV. M. Reid, C.1., 8.M.8.; Armr.-Sergt. D. K. Loivrio, Samoan'Relicf; Pte. iii. Campbell, Samoan, Relief; Pte. J. A. Stobo, Samoan Relief; Pte. L. O'Loughliri, C Coy., 3rd. A Soldier's Droam. In a certain platoon was a soldier of dreamy habit, who often caused his platoon sergeant some exasperation through his far-away expression, when ho should have.been showing keen and active interest in affairs of the moment. Time after time, the sergeant remonstrated with him, but, hi spite of pro. mises for better behaviour, tho 6oldiei continued to dream. At last, one day, when drill was nearly over, the sergeant" paused and regarded the dreamer. Tho man's mind was evidently very far away from matters of the moment. . • "AVell, Bilkins," the sergeant said, "where hare you got to now P" "Mc," replied tho soldier, coming out of his dreams. "1 was just bayoneting tho Kaisor in Potsdam," The Fervent Sergeant-Major. Company sergeant-majors are often regarded as bullying persons by the soldiers, yet tho life of a sergeantmajor does not conduce to the use of terms of endearment. AVith four platoons under his care, especially when those 'platoons are composed of raw recruits under sergeants who are fairly new at tho game, tho has a busy time, for the company commander blames the sergeant-major, and nobody else, for any shortcomings. So it has come to pass that the expressions of sergeant-majors, profane and otherwise, has been expressed in terms of originality and crushing sarcasm. On a hot day last weok, after trying for hours to knock an awkward squad into shape, a sergeant-major said: "Stand at ease; stand easy." He ran his angry eye over the per. spiring soldiers, and said: "Well, thank Heaven, Britain still has her Navy." > ' Bush Flies. When tho subject of flies in a camp is spoken of the civilian naturally thinks of the blowfly and other flies that hang round cookhouses end make the medical

staff think of all sorts of illnesses which Hies carry round. But at Feathehston there is another ily which plagues the soldiers. It is a kind of bush fly, which lives in the manuka scrub and sallies forth over the training paddocks to annoy the soldiers at their drill and manoeuvres. AYhen the men are trying their best to please their instructors these big Dies buzz beforo their eyes, try to get inside their, cars, and do .ill the things a fly can do to exasperate. When spell-oh comes and tho troops are resting, swarms of these summer Hies make, rest impossible. A few. days ago, an instructor ivas surprised to hear the report of a rifle firing blank cartridge, lie reprimanded tho man who'fired the shot, and asked lor an explanation.

"It's that blciomin' fly, sir, that's bpcn pestering mo all tho morning," the soldier replied. "He kept landing 011 the muzzle of my rifle, so I slipped in an old blank I had and blew his off."