NEW ZEALAND ARMY AT HOME

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 39, 9 November 1918, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND ARMY AT HOME

WHEN REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE

SOME CHARACTERISTIC HAPPENINGS

(By 2nd Lieutenant H. T. B. Drew.) Out at sea, » few miles froni tho low, misty English coast, darkness slowly enshrouds a fast-steaming, strangely zigzagging convoy of im'iJo ehips. Around them, low-set'in the water, dart, in a scurrying swirl, small venomous shapes that looi; like mammoth hungry fish socking prey. The long journey of the troopships from those distant farewells many days back over tho waters is drawing to a close. At night they should nnchor in cnlm, safe waters. Bnt these last few knots of sea hold dangers greater than any that have lurked in the thousands of billowy leagues. It is liqro the enemy's submarines lie in wait. Vigilance and full-speed movement alone can baulk them. But tho torpedo-boats, circling round and twisting and turning hero and there, nro stealthily aggressive vigilance typified; and on each troopship also a ring of armed, silent sentries peer ceaselessly around for thoso fiignß on the water which periscopes give; and they also watch that no betraying lights arc shown inboard. On tho morning of the same- day there have arrived at the coastal city whicn is the uort of disembarkation for this reinforcement the General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces in England, General G. S. Biehardson, C.8., OM.G., and the Landing Officer attached to tho New Zealand Staff. From the camps to which the reinforcement will have to go havo also come two conducting officers. And, though this is war-time, and the time when most things -are uncertain, between the.se officers in their comfortable quarters, in their hotel that night, and tho ships in peril at sea exists a fairly accurate knowledge of what each will require of the other on the morrow. . . . AVhen morning dawns eager eyes, peering out of the portholes and over the bulwarks of the transport, see strange unfamiliar sights-that, no doubt, is what should be written, but anyone acquainted with the real facts knows that very little khaki is moving aboard a transport newly come to anchor "when morning dawns," for. the reason that in the danger zone for days tho strain has been so great, tho rounds of deck guards so constant, and sleep so broken, that everyone is glad of a loug Test in security. Besides, by the tirao a New Zealand transport readies England, especially by way of , men are fairly weary of now sights, and cease to look with wonderment at each fresh port. And so, when, in the case of this particular reinforcement. General Richardson and the Landing Offieer-and in this case also the Hon. Colonel I?. Heaton Khodes-arrived unexpectedly alongside by nu enrly tug, and climbed rather unceremoniously up a swinging ladder, only very fo>v of tbo thousand-odd soldiers aboard were on deck. Jt was an excellent chance to look round and see things as they were.

"Things us (hey were" showed no muddlement or disorder—fortunately, shnll one sny, Kinco the General had come aboard? Tho ship looked trim, and yet showed orderly evidence of preparation, for immediate disembarkation. To i\W Zealanucrs it is not neceseary to cleacribo m troopship arriving at its destination. Troopships arrive in England very much as they leave Mew Zealand, only perhaps neater and trimmer. Plenty of men are available on the voyage, and fatigue 'parties have to be kept employed, and wa paintiu? and scraping go on continually, and when the ships arrive they show no signs of the weeks of travel. The last few days out, a160,_ all surplus papers and voyaize accumulations nre thrown overbonrd (though not bo as to indicate any route of .travel to submarines), and only that'retained which should be taken to camp. This troopship was a good specimen of her kind.

Scenes on Board. "Good morning, lads!" .was the General's greeting to tho first group of men he met. "Had a good trio over? Fine all tho way. eh? That's eplendid! Quarters .good? Some black bugs! Well, you will show me them soon. Food all right? Bread a little sour! Tako me down and get me, Rome." , Tho party descended and tho bread was brought—white bread made of New Zealand flour—quito a rarity. It was smelt and tasted "Any of you fellows possess cameras?" Several said they did. "Well." with a smile, "later on you boys take this bread on deok in the sunlight and get as many snaps of it as you enn, because it is tho , last white broad you are gain? to see for some time!" In regard to the complaints about insects, to eonin extent it is impossible to avoid vermin on troopships where woodon bunks such as those which Mβ charac-1 tcristic of N v ew Zoaland troopships are fitted. In spite of care and daily inspections, and all possible cleanliness, little corners and crnunies have, their small 'accumulations of dust-bearing bacteria. Another disadvantage of wooden bunks is the large amount of space they occupy ; they are permanent, whereas .under tho system adopted by tho Americans all (sleepine-apace can bo utilised iw cleared decks diii-irtK the day. after the manner of old Indfan troopships. In harbour, near our ships, lay five large American iraneDOrts holding several thousands of soldiers, and the previous day General Richardson, who was impressed with the American idea, lind been shown over the mammoth , which wn.s mm of them. The system there is to ,ln\vo galvanised iron upright rods, with bracket* at. intervals up them, for three tiers of bunks. Into these brackets fit long horizontal sidn bars, which are threaded through tho fluted sides of thi. canvas stretchers in which tho men lie. The bunks nre thus stretched rigid, yet can bo taken down during tho day. the canvns folded un, and the iron bars removed, leaving clear decks. The Angln-Tndlan transport system is much the same, except that the bunks arc slung from hooks, hammocV fashion. Air cein circulate more freelv than with wooden-sided bunks, nnd this is an im-. portimt consideration in tho tropics. At a rough measurement the average air spnen on the — wns 54ft. per man. which, with bunks, kit-bags, clothe;:, and small possessions, boenmo reduced to very littio over ML; whereas America. ' requires SOft. per man. The latter system, by providing more free *space below during tho daytime,' supplies a rather important, want, because if the weather is wet tho men must go somewhere, 'and unless there are large halls they have to ?ppk their dormitories, nnd then, with the wnorlpii bunks and boddincr hiking hn fti much room, not only nre the men cramped up, but theplncp i« insuftirio'lly aired a" , ' stun bonniups stuffy.siml foul.

It seemed ntrniißP, nomine fvom a_ strict British eamp, lo notice the little lapses of discinline a"d overrniulid remarks in tho vicinity ef n gold cap nntl crossed fiwnwis: bill in long sea voyages men with only Hire." months' training suffer such Innses. Such things are overlooked until camp is reached, and then ——! . Some Naive Questions. Men newly arrived ask many questions. First and foremost comes. "Do wo pet shore leavo " Then,, rather gloomily, and with somo show of apprehension. "Tilings are rather had at the front, aren't they? How long before wo 'go over " Immediate, surroundings do not claim their addition; their mind's eye is focused on futurity—strict ramus, live-bomb throwing (pictured by tho yariiii they have heard about its dangers), 'terribly strenuous bull-rings, the inferno in France; and, baek of it nil, wondering how much leavo they arc going to eft Asked if he' is glad ho is in limo to take his stand in Franco beside his hardpressed comrades who have been hearing fho heat and burden of the day, a man, after a gulp, may sny "Yes." lint everyone guesses he will be ready "'lien tho timo comes, though there is not that spontaneity there was about Iho earlier rein-forcements-in this respect. General Riehnrdson addresses tho troops. No one has shown more concern for the welfare, of die men than ho host and ho told them that while they were in tho United Kingdom they would find everything was being done for their comfortaml happiness, as well as for fitting thorn for France; they would bo amply fed in spite of the stalo of tho food problems; they would havo plenty of attractions to k?ep thoni occupied in their spare time, and in their future training they would havo little to grumblo at.

They had nothing to bo apprehensive about if they did their work well, and showed a keenness to become fit to fight in the Now Zealand lines with those who had como beforo them. That this is bo. and that the enthusiastic enre of our men in exceptional even with colonial ju-miwi, the descriptions of the camps, hospitals, and convalescent camps which follow this article will show.