AUSTRALIAN RECRUITS IN ENGLAND

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 123, 16 February 1918, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN RECRUITS IN ENGLAND

AN IMPROVEMENT NOTED. (Rec. February 15, 5.5 p.m.) London, February 14., The latest Australian reinforcements have made an excellent impression. A system is now in full swing whereby experienced Australian officers, assisted by Imperial instructors, including many Mons men, command the training depots at Salisbury and put a,-final polish on the reinforcements under -jvar conditions. Many drafts have gone to France during the past two months. A considerable proportion of recovered wounded men, who have been in England—in some cases twelve monthsare now undergoing a slow hardening process. The recruits have a great respect for the men who have been through the fighting in France, and many warm friendships spring up with the n.c.o. instructors. When the latter are ordered to France they are besieged by appeals from recruits to accompany them, in spite of the' fact that the training period is unfinished. Some even willingly forego their disembarkation leave if permitted to' go. to France with a popular officer. As an instance of the general keenness of the latest arrivals, a batch of artillerymen offered_ individual bonuses to instructors to give them extra instruction in gun-laying, including night practice.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.