THE CHURCH ARMY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 231, 18 June 1918, Page 6

THE CHURCH ARMY

Sir—The Wellington War Relief Asso-i ciat.ion, when inquiring into the work ; done by tho Church Army, expressed sur- [ prise at tho scope of its activities, and . this fact whs somewhnt of a revelation to i them. 'They then granted .£3OO, which endowed ten beds, for ono year, at tlio Church Army War Hospital, in Kent, England. Private H. Whitly, who <ccupied one of these beds, wrote a grateful letter to the W.W.R.A. The Church Army war work is testified to by H.M. 1 tho King, admirals, generals, Ministers ■ of the Crown, ami by soldiers tliem--1 selves. Both in efficiency and volume of work it has been second to nono since tho commencement of the war. Their work has not been advertised in New Zealand. until recently, yet the Church Army representative in New Zealand has been enabled to send funds for fourteen huts subscribed by friends of the Church Army in New Zealand, and the greater part of the funds for four more are already subscribed. We have the , honour of adding tho first Naval Hut given by a New Zealander. In ihe region of the bleak North Sea, where our fleets keep ceaseless watch over our shores, are a number of Church Army Huts, somo in very remote situations, for tho gallant men who serve tfto King afloat. Their slioro leave is often spent where there is no population, and tho Church Army Hut is ' then as a Godsend. The Naval Huts are furnished and warmed similarly to those at Uio front, nnd supplied with music, games, magazines, and letter paper, etc. In 1916 tho admiral wrote to our headquarters: "We dtflve great benefit from tho Church Army recreation lints at our naval bases, which are a very real comfort and blessing to the men of tho fleet.—Yours very truly (signed), J. Jellicoo." Our Knox Naval Hut is for minesweepers and others. The officer of a, launch attending minesweepers signalled a drifting mine; a half gale was blowing; the mine could not be hit/by gunfire; darkness was coming on. This gallant lieutenant owed as near as possible, and then jumped into tho sea and swam with a line to pass through tho ring-bolt of the mine, which was towed till sunk by his guns. That heroitf deed may havo been the means of savin® the vessel that carried your wool or meat, or the parcel for vonr bravo lad in the trenches. It is such men that the Church Army is in touch with, and extends n warm welcome to when oil shore. The Navy is (named the "silent service," and this service of ours is also silently carried on year after year. When tbe history of the war is written '.hen will the great work of the Uiureh Army for our sailors and soldiers. become more fully known. The Ohuivli Armv had 220 lulls in the shell-rone, rnd lost 57 during the laic German advance. The pily of it is that our hoys will lose all tho comfort they received m them till they are replaced. I am glad to say that wo are being helped tc do this. One from the front writes of the heroism displayed by many of our hut superintendents during tho rccent retirement, and says: "It is not surprising that the Church Army should oe innfling in an over-increasing degree the aft'cction and respect of men at thf front. Tho Church can do no bettor thing.in these critical times than enable the work of these huts to go forward and ■grow."—l am, wmßl^ Hon. Pec. Church Army in N.Z. Tho Vicarage, Orinondvillo.