A BUSY DAY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3053, 14 April 1917, Page 10

A BUSY DAY

RECRUITS FOR THE 28ths MAKING UP SHORTAGES HARD WORK FOR THE BAND Trentham Camp was a busy place yesterday, over 1000 recruits arriving during the day. Tho men came from many districts, including large' drafts from the. south and from Wellington, as well as from tho Wairarapa and Hawke s Bay, and the Manawatu. Every draft was met by the .Damp Band. The band seemed to bo marching to and from the railway station all day, with but a short respite in the middle of the day. . The first draft to arrive reached camp at ten o'clock, and was from the Wellington district. The recruits appeared to bo men of good physique, and they made an imposing sight as they marched up the main camp street. The assistant-adjutant rode at the head of the column, and the band was playing that cheery marching time called "Half-and-half." The, whole of the lino of march was lined with officers and men in khaki, who always show the keenest interest in the latest arrivals in camp. At the Salvation Array Hall the hand wheeled aside and played tli'e men into tho building. Then it turned about and went back to meet tfce Wairarapa train, which was due shortly before eleven. - Playing as tirelessly' as Aver, tho band led this second draft along the familiar way. This draft, too, looked well, was received with the same cordial expressions of welcome from the soldiers in- camp. It passed, with ■it's joyous musicians, but still there were men of the 24th who looked towards the camp gates as though expecing furher arrvals. A Draft of Troops, Round the racecourse enclosure, presently came a draft of troops—men of the Twentv-fifths.. There were 99 of them, and they had come from Featherston Camp to fill shortages in the Twenty-fourths. Loaded tip with gear they marched in to the medical quarters, where they halted. From the adjoining hutments, shouts of greeting were addressed to individuals, and here, and there men in shorts stepped out and shQcfc hands with comrades. Evidently there -was a warm welcome waiting among the Twenty-fourths for their fellows "of the Twenty-fifths. The camp adjutant rode up and dismounted, the O.C. in charge told the men to form two deep and face inwards. Down the space between .the lines two medical officers passed while'the men bared their chests. One medical officer took one lino and the other the second line, and made the inspection which is always carried out when troops move from one camp to the other. When this was .(lone, the troops were called to attention, and the adjutant spoke to them. "There is a shortage of 60 men in the Twenty-fourths," ne'said. "I want those, men who are willing to trausfor from the Twenty-fifths to tho Twentyfourth to stop forward.. Those who wish to continue with their draft stand where you nre."

At once there was a movement in the lines, Tho first man to step forward did so quickly, and with a grin at some friends in too Twenty-fourths. Fully two-thirds stepped forward, and among those who remained thero was some indecision. ' One.man, standing halfway between the lines, was asked whether he was transferring or not. Ho shook his head, but added;

"I'd "like-to.", The volunteers were then asked if they would prefer to join any particular company. There wero some expressions of i assent. "Or would you like to go together?',' ' 'Together! ' Togother!'' several voices exclaimed, but the candidates for selection for special companies spoke up too. So the latter were drafted off first as the n.c.o.'s led them away, tho members of these companies stepped forward and received them gladly. "Hullo, Billy, hero we are. This is all right." . . "Come on, old horse, we're just wanting you to make up a team."These were some of the greetings. The bulk of the volunteers were then detailed to another company and the n.c.o.'s set to work to make out the rolls of these additions to their companies' strength. While this was being done, several drafts of recruits passed, bound to other parts of the camp, where their new quarters were; and tho South Island draft, led bv the indefatigable' band, passed_ with a swagger. The scene was a stirring one, and it was but,a part of a wide-spread busvness which permeated the eamp.

With a. thousand recruits to fit out, and to he entered in the bonks, the' Camp Quartermasters' Stores and the Records Office were working at hiah pressure. As shon as the olerieal narr, of "the work had been done, ouch draft was sent to the Q.M. stores; where thev were given knives, forks, mugs and plates, and taken away to have a meal. The next step was the issue of clothing and equipment, and then they were shown their hutments ai'.d f.iven supplies of straw to make their beds. Later in the (lav, groups of the 28ths were to hs seen in ohargo of n.c.o.'s who were showing them round th« camp, and explaining what was in and what was out of bounds, as well as r'ving them other , valuable information.