ENGLISH BASE DEPOT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2754, 25 April 1916, Page 6

ENGLISH BASE DEPOT

FOR N.Z. SOLDIERS

ESTABLISHED AT HORNCHURCH

An interesting report relating to the new baso depot established a& Horn-chui'v-i, lissex (England), for wounded and side New 'Zealand Soldiers lias been received by the Hon. James Allen, Minister ot Defence. The report was forwarded by Major T. H. Dawson, Auckland Battalion, commandant of the depot, to Major Edwin Harrowell, Commandant of New Zealand Base Depots, who in turn sent it 011 to LieutenantGeneral Godley, Commanding New Zealand Expeditionary forces. General | Godley lorwarded the report to the Hon. J. Allen.

Major Dawson states that, acting under Major Harrowell's instructions, he proceeded to Hornchurch and took over the canip from the O.C. 26'tli Middlesex Battalion (Lieutenant-Colonel J. Ward, M.P.). The arrangements for the transport of tlio men from Wey- i mouth were made by Major Spragg, anil' worked very smoothly, and, though the men arrived in the dark, the work of telling them off to tlioir huts and other details were carried out without contu- ' sion. The camp, adds Major Dawson, is pleasantly situated witi.ifl .one milo of Hornchurch station, and two and a half miles from Romford station, and the distance from Loudon is between twelve and' thirteen miles. The camp glounds are extensive, comprising in all some' 85 acres, most of which is ,'in grass, and affords ample room for parade grounds and playing fields. For an English camp, it is quite the driest Major Dawson has seen, and a wonderful improvement on Weymouth. The total accommodation in the camj> is 40 officers and 1450 other ranks. The huts used by the men are well built of corrugated iron, lined 'with wood inside. They are well raised from the ground, and -,two stoves arc provided in each hut. They are fitted with stretcher beds and a bos 'for each,, as well as being provided with ample shelving and, clothes hooks. Each hut is. built to accommodate thirty men. Six huts have been allocated as messing huts. The system existing in the camp prior to the ,New Zealanders taking it over was that the men messed in their sleeping huts, but Major Dawson considered that the New Zealanders, being ex-patieiits, required more attention than ordinary soldiers. The cook-house, Major Dawson adds, is large and well-equipped. It contains eight 50-gallou boilers and two very large ovens. There are two hospitals in the camp. The smaller one contains one ward of ton beds. Ail' other ward is used as a dental surgery, dispensary and other necessary conveniences. . The hospital io well equipped, and it has not been necessary to add to it to any great extent. The second hospital has accommodation for twenty patients, and is fitted- with the necessary beds, bedding, and other necessities. The officers' quarters are situated in the house belonging to the grounds, and are splendidly equipped. The furniture, which is that of an English country-house, has been loaned by the owner of the property. As- the camp is situated within the metropolitan

telephone district direct, communication is possible with the Officer in Charge of Records, tho War Office, and the headquarters of tho Eastern command. For the purpose of organisation and administration the men are divided into five companies, as follows: — ( A Company (Auckland Mounted Rifles, Auckland Infantry).

C Company (Canterbury Mounted Rifles, Canterbury Infantry). .

D Company (Detail Company, Artillery, Engineers, A.S.O. N.Z.M.0., N.Z., Maori Contingent). O Company (Otago Mounted Rifles, Otago Infantry). TV Company (Wellington Mounted Rifles, Wellington Infantry). It has been found necessary to establish a sixth company for ex-enteric cases. Enteric cases are granted sisweeks' furlough after leaving hospital, whence they are not discharged until they have been' subjected to three ne-

I gative tests. However, in many cases these men arrive in the depot without any information as to their tests, and it becomes'necessary to isolate them and to 1 institute a further system of tests. They will be in huts by themselves, and undergo a series of three tests .under supervision. of the camp's own medical officers. The hospitals from which these men have been discharged | have been written to for tho result of the tests,, and when these are received 111011 who have been declared negative will be returned to their distriot companies. These men, under Lieut. Chaytor (himself an enteric patient), carry out a modified system of training. Concluding his report, Major Dawsoß brings under the notice.of Major Harroivell the excellent work carried out by the staff of, the depot in assisting him in the necessary laborious work of establishing the depot. _ . ■ Major Harrowell, in reporting to Lieut.-General Godley, says it is obviously impossible for one medical officer to continue to efficiently carry out the very heavy medical duties entailed with • 1600 odd men, all of whom have been -wounded or sick, and a large proportion of whom require treatment until sent to Now Zealand or to the division. He has therefore recommended the War Office to add another medical officer to the depot staff, and has proposed tho namo of Capt. Campbell, N.Z.M.C. The War. Office, says Maior Harrowell, has dono all that is humanly possiblo to give the troops comfortable quarters. .Lieut.-General Godley, in forwarding the two reports to the Hon. J. Allen, endorses Major Harrowell's suggestion that suitable action might be taken by the New Zealand Government in the direction of expressing appreciation of the assistanco rendered by the officers of the War Office.