THE PRIDE OF WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2980, 18 January 1917, Page 5

THE PRIDE OF WAR

SIGHTS NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN

NEW ZEALAND'S BOYS

'A! Wellington gunner writing to his relatives on October 27 gives an idea as to the relief experienced after coming out of the "big push :— , "Wo are out for a spell, and not before wo needed it. Wo were for seven weeks in as hot a placo as you. could wish for. Believo mo it is 'Somme' place to bo out of. .1 was lip with the guns the whole time, and, barring going a bit deaf for a day or two, cfme through all right. One good thing is that we have done our spell before the worst weather sets In. Wo have had soroo lovely white frosts up here, with plenty of rain, and mud enough to sicken me of the locality tor good and all. Still it was not so bad Is we had been told Two of us had a duf-out, and until it was blown m was the only 'posy' that did not leak. The first day we went in it looked as though it was going to be a hot'show, as we had four men hit while digging in, but I think this, to about tho luckiest turn-out m the Division.. Young Shaddick (of -Jenkins and Mack) was, caught by a 5.0 while out on his job, that of linesman. He was reckoned ono of the very best at it. ~ ~

In "Paradise." "Novembor 10. "On coming out of tho last place . I had to throw in and go sick. Saw the doctor, and ho ordered me to the hospital, but let me tell you how long it takes to reach that paradise. First of all I had to go to a receiving station which was not far away I stayed there a day, and left the following morning by motor ambulance for the hospital .train. Thoy are very decent, and fitted up with heaters, and they looked after me real well. We arrived next morning at a town whero there are dozons of hospitals. There we were met with motors again, and whisked off to the hospital. I was lucky 1 Igot into the First Australian General Hospital, and it's 'just a shame' the way they look after and feed you. I wouldnt have minded staying there for the duration of the war, but an ending to all good things there must be. so after eght days of bliss.l was shifted to a convalescent camp. There were aboutloo of us, all colonial. I am now waiting to go up the line again. ° "November 20. "You know by this time that \we have had a share, in.'the big push; I tell you that one shovo lasts a long time.. We had seven weeks of it, and everyone was quite satisfied. 1 was dad! we got there, because it was what f«J to see. I'm quite satisfied new. I'm still at the base, It just about knocks your heart in here. They give you four Hours a day of the stuff. fou get in Trentham-that after you've been up the Hue in action for Jive months . • - Hoary old General WiS will be tho hardest one to beat for the next four months I saw Dick Cotter when we wore at-to, Somme. He is in a trench mortar battery., ihe infantry don't like them coming in, as Say get the IrencTi fire for about two or thfce minutes and then get out Of course old Fritz f tauat t% Z you have it. I take my hat off to the infantry every time. I saw two sights dowii there (at the Somme) that I wiU never forget. One was our good New Zealand infantry coming out■ afterlfcoy had taken their three in 7 out grandly, with the band at their head paying 'The Boys of the Old Brigade.' I tell you I was proud of .the plas> they came from! The other sight that left an undying impress on my brain-pan was that of a Highland division going into it. It was . a wet, miserable day, and they had to trudge through mud that clogged their feet. But it did not clog their spirits. Though they knew where and- what they were going to-for it was not their first time in-they swung along m the march singing fe Smiling,- a-song that is popular with them. I.tell you it is sights and sounds like- that that cheer you up when you are feeling sorry ° "In°these 'camps of a cold day I don't know what wo would do, but for the Salvation Army and Y.M.C.A., who havo big huts, with large fires in them, and they are appreciated by the mon. Of a night the crowdis so great that it is a job to get in and have a warm up before turning m.