FRIENDS OF THE WOUNDED

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3006, 17 February 1917, Page 6

FRIENDS OF THE WOUNDED

WORK OF Tin; Y.M.Q.A. At the Auckland YVM.C.A. Mr. Walter Copland, who recently returned from France, gave a graphic description of his experiences in the great battle areas. Mr, Copland severely wounded in tho trenches, and afterwards performed some good service as a driver of a Y-M-C.A. car communicating from the trenches, to the bag? hospital. -Tho speaker mentioned that the Y.M.C.A. was given every encouragemont and assistance in its work for thy armies, and what it had achieved in. tho direction of lending comfort ami succour to "tho men was universally ai> Draised. At tho conclusion Mr. Copland was tendered a hearty vote of thanks.

[ One of the most interesting branches of tho Y.M.C,A'. work in France, ho said to 'an Auckl'and interviewer was that of looking after relatives of sick and wounded soldiers limmediatel.y; oil the arrival of the formor from England. "Wo have," ho continued, "what is known as a relatives' car. In fact, wo havo quite a number of them. These cars aro used only for ono purpose,' that of talcing relatives on thoir arrival lin France to the particular hospital or dressing station at which tho soldier iu whom ..they am interested is receiving treatment. The military authorities in England send word to the Y.M.C.A. officials whan, relatives leave ■for Franoe, and immediately oik their, ■arrival they are met' by one of these cars in charge of a, competent driver. Tlfoy aro taken direct to ono of the many homes that lmye been established by the institution in Franco, and/kept there free of cost from the time of thoir arrival to the time of their departure. Tiie homes aro connected with the various hospitals by telephone, and if anything serious occurs relatives can he communicated with at once.

"Another institution which has become very popular wit lithe soldiers in the'motor car restaurant. The object of this is to provido good, wholesomo food for new troops arriving from England. The food supplied on the trains by tho authorities is not always''of the kind that is particularly palatable to now troops, and with these pars a point is made ufi meeting all the\ train's and nroviding the men with food.

"In tho vicinity of the firing lino there are huts from which all man,nor of goods are sold to tho soldiers, such as chocolates, cigarettes, tobacco, cake, and many other articles dear to the heart of the man in khaki. The troodj are frequently sold at a loss, hut the soldiers get the benefit of it. which is the principal thing to be considered. As showing tho demand that is made on these little itemiC bv tho men. the sneaker mentioned that forty cases of cake, each case containing live big cakes, were disposed of in four hours after their .yrival, and more still could have been disposed of had they had them." !.