FRESH FROM FRANCE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 267, 31 July 1918, Page 5

FRESH FROM FRANCE

LIFE AT ETAPLES

ADJUTANT BLADIN TELLS A STOKY. Chaplain Bladin,• adjutdnt in tho Salvation Army, and formerly in oliarge of trie , Wellington Corps, loft Staples in France loss than three months ago, and arrived hero, this week. From his experiences in Sling Camp, where he was working for two months, and Etaples, where ho worketj for twelve months. lie knows tho war through and through, from tho Salvation Army scrvico point of view at all events. Adjutant Bladin was placed in charge of the Army's big work at Etaples, and lie "stood the gaff" until his nerves gavo way and he became stone deaf through nusal catarrh. Tho rest ho has enjoyed in England, and on the six weeks' trip to Now Zealand, has set him up agai», and ho hopes to bo looking for trouble again very soon. Conversing with a, Dominion reporter yesterday, Adjutant Bladin referred to tho wonderful work the Army was doing in France, among the unending stream of men, men, men, that was going to run on until victory was achieved. "No one likes it," said Adjutant Bln,diu; "they aro all weary of tho warbut all aro dogged determined that it has got to gu on, that they have-got to go back as soon as they're fit again to relieve those holding on, and dogged wins!"

"It's been a heart-breaking, tiresome business this-retreating after every German push, but don't worry. The change is coming noyr. Foch knows his business. Tho French went nearly delirious with delight when it was announced that Foch (pronounced with ft soft 'c' as though fho word were Fosh) was appointed Generalissimo of the Forces. Ho had to wait, he had to retreat, and in retreating took his toll of the enemy. It was all to gain timer-time for tho Americans'to get in. You.remember Foch's message to tho Americans six months ago. It was two words, 'Hurry, hurry!' And they are hurrying over at tho rate of 300,000 a month. Think what that means. I've seen them at Calais and in Paris. Great fellows—the pick of a nation of 120,000,000 souls. Fine, fresh, alert, brainy men, full of ardour, and determined to show a* world that American troops can hold their own with anyone,. Freodom is the Americans' birthright.' They havo fought- and died for it in two great wars, and they aro going to fight till tho death for it again. Don't worry. We'll tie the Huns up next is all in our'favour!" '

Adjutant Bladin said that I hero are sixteen huge hospitals in Etaples, capable of accommodating 30,000 wounded, and after an fiction they soon filled up. One of his chief duties every day, month in and out, was hospital visiting. Tho Now Zealand padres made this work their first thought, and ho wished to say for tho benefit of friends ami relatives m New Zealand, that everv New Zealand soldier in those hospitals was visited at least onco a week, und if auyono wished to know the valuo of thoso visits they should ask the men. plenty of whom had returned to New Zealand. They tried to talco with them- as luucn cheer and comfort as they could. They wrote cablegrams and letters for the wounded, gave advice in many little ways, provided means for the men to and distrihutcd solid comforts prouded either by the Army or the War Contingent Association, a body that was doing fine work. Owing to the way they were £ kC W he Zealan(l ■lere the admiration and envy of all the other troops, and it was doing New ZeaTHo'n a n Po T, ot . s °2? in 4s. Then they had to officiate so often at funeiala—so manv died there in France. On the other side of life was hope, rec'min r tlie Arm 7 in a m °nster hut capable of accommodating about one thousand men, and t],ere were concert Dirt nn,l ntS ni B M in one pait, and perhaps a religious service AcHuhnfc 1 ? ! , a ?- 0ther at - the 6ame time - Adjutant Bladm organised a regular ■hr'™ l COn S ert ) J arty ' nn or "hestra, and i ..™? bal }d> out ot men unable to ro>tc through wounds, W ? so . peopl ° " setl to tour tho even t\T ° lve concerts afternoon aud ovounig—-real apostles of cheer! .'lnd the Army had women workers in racTnf tt 1y ( ° fficers wero attached to each of the huts, and they were finn m men and tireless 'workers? "I e ti'i sn u Ad i uti> nt Bladin, "one St Km y on . e of onr la d.T officers A little tommy soldier, who did not look moro than eghteen vears nf ~™ £ j he had ■ been made as comfortaM« n - possible, tho officer had taught hkn i thfs '■ b " ft into l eai" e on oHhotoT's |d\Xf talg^S coSf in° m He nC>Xt b i ed a ' lmin istered to Ilia bedside. 'Sav, sister,' he said I 'eard youtlearnu/ 'im to n » 1 Scotsman 1 , reHr® merit, found himself in "No Jian'* ; Land m company with two others-ail hreo wounded Two German ■stretch r wf iT® a!ons afte a timet andthe 'lie ti' as s, , lftenn 5 so much that nebe D „ed them to put an end to lm ■pain, flut with stolid indifference they ™' mo of his mates - then thn other. Then, knowing that they would come back. for him, he resolved to defeat them His shattered leg he lashed to his wholo oho with his belt and soma string, and then, suffering immeasurable a ?°?7; h® dragged himself to another i shell-hole, • and hid ,There he was j found when the British advanced again, i and. Adjutant Bladin was find to say his leg healed up m good style. I RW!i°n r ° inß - W and Militant! 5: , al the invitation of General ! Richardcon, visited all the, New Zealand hospitals-Walton, Codford. . Brockoun'c'i ci nc ! n l. l ' c ' 1 ,', and lh e New Zealan.t : tiift Stores at bouthnmpton (where' Major ; Greene is in charge), and it was n re- ; velation in what could be done for masses'' ,of men by good organisation and management. What pleased him most was tho way they had instituted ways and means at these hospitals for tlie convalescents to learn new trades and haudiornfts—Ujero were classes for woodwork basket-making, engineering, wool-classing' and lots of others-all giving a man intelligent employment, and teaching him a new business if Wis wounds made his own one that could not possibly bo resumed. Great praise is due to General Richardson for the fine work he was doing for New Zenland in England, and for. his inexhaustible humanity where the men were concerned.