PRESS DELEGATES ON TOUR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 67, 13 December 1918, Page 7

PRESS DELEGATES ON TOUR

IMPRESSIONS OF WAR ACTIVITIES

THE RED TRIANGLE

(Bv a Member of the New Zealand Press " Delegation which recently toured in the warzono.) Tho members of the delegation were prepared on llicir arrival in England to. learn of good work accomplished by the Y.M.C.A. in its care of New Zealand troops, not only in Great Britain, but in France and the other centres of the km- operations. It required but lillle inquiry for them to realise how thorough, 'of what vast importance, that woik has been, and continues to be. It is quite impossible to give, in a short, article stich as this must be, anything like an adequate idea of the great services tho Y.M.C.A. has rendered to our troops during the period of the war. The ramifications of the Y.M.C.A. work are so wide, the centres and branches at which if is carried on so numerous, that any attempt to set out in detail its special features is quite out of the question. It. is indeed not. possible to give even a bore synopsis of the Red Triangle work in Great Britain* France, and Egypl, and an effort can only be marie to supply in general terms, with some lelerenc-c to oiie or two leading features, a short analysis of the specially valuable service the association has rendered the Empire.'' It will also be understood that reference must be limited almost entirely to Y.M.C.A. work as it bear? on the comfoit and welfare of the New Zealand troops. The executive headquarters of the New Zealand branch of the Y.M.C.A. for England and' France, are in London. Secj votaries who arrive from the Dominion report here, and are son I to the various New Zealand camps for fuller training, and thev work at those camps until (heir turns comes to proceed to France. The headquarters are in (lower Street, not fur from the British Museum, and Ihey aro in close proximity to the Shakespeare Hut. the centre of social life for the Dominion troops. The word hut is. of course, entirely misleading, for it will convey to New Zealand readers who do not know any better not the faintest idea of the class of building it is. It may best bo described .as n huge private hoteK with largo dining-room, "sitling-room, concert-room, writing-room, kitchen, and extensive sle?ping accommodation. _ Perhaps the extent of the accommodation available will be more rapidly grasped if it is stated that, covering a recent period of twelve months, nearly half a .million meals were served, and. over 95,000 beds let. The Press delegates had opportunities of judging, by personal inspection on several occasions, how well the "boys" are looked after at the Shakespeare lint, and the happy atmosphere which pervades that comfortable.home while they are in London. The master and matron are busy persons, as, indeed, is everyone who assise in the working of the establishment. The Press delegates visited the "hut" under the guidance of the general secretary, Mr. G. W. IV. 13. Hughes, formerly of Dunedin. and of Mr. W H. George, of Wellington, a staunch friend of the Y.AI.C.A., who went to England to supervise for a time the expenditure of fiinds from the Dominion. Much valuable information was given them concerning tho working of the Shakespeare Hut and the general operations of the brunch, in Great Britain and France. They have pleasure in expressing the opinion- that among (ho many centres of Y.M.C.A. activity for the benefit: of troops of the overseas dominions, none can be found With better provision for the material comfort and entertainment of the men than the Shakespeare Hut, and none in which the. solicitude of the management for their welfare can be ex* celled. This hut has probably dono mi/,* to make up for the lass of home-life that our troops must necessarily experience during the time they spend in London than any other agency, and it will bo a satisfaction <:a many anxious parents in the Dominion to know that tin's is so. The N.Z.W.C.A. continues Hie management of all the nine clubs thnt were established, and nlso all departments connected with hospitality and entertainment for the sick and wounded, nnd also of fit men. A purchasing account was opened for the convenience of men in France. Orders sent to the office are executed, nnd the articles purchased on ranch niore favourable terms than those on which the men could possibly obtain them. The largest training camp for New Zealand soldiers in Englancf is that at Sling, on Snlisbury Plain, and too much praise cannot lie given to tho Y.M.C.A. for the way in which it looks after the men. The delegates paid Sling Camp a visit, and were shown over nil its features. Among them tho Red TriangleHut stands out very prominently. Tho visitors were informed that this hut is generally admitted to be ono of the finest in England, and from its appearance there is every renson to believe the statement, to be justifiable. There are a number of voluntary lady workers, who aro in charge of Mrs. Mylrea, of whom wo formed a very high opinion. She has proved a mother to tho boys, and carries on a. large correspondence with New Zealand mothers. At Codford, also on Salisbury Plain, men who have been discharged f'roffl hospital received special training before being transferred to Sling, from which latter camp they were sent to tho front. At Codford the Y.M.C.A. has a large hut, which provides the usual social and canteen facilities for the men. The concert hall of the camp is large and seats about .800. • Educational work is carried on at Codford in special quarters, and good results have been attained. The Y.M.C.A. engaged n special instructor in arts and crafts from the Kensington School of Arts, and he trains the'men in lendlight work, basket-making, stained glass work, and kindred subjects. Tho large New Zealand military hospitals at Walton-on-T'hames and Brockeniittrst, and the convalescent enmp at Horncburch, are extensive fields for Y.M.C.A. work. The Walton-on-'i'liamcs hospital is divided into two sections, ono called Mount Felix and the other Oatlands Park, and a very handsome brick building of the Y.M.C.A. lies between the two. It is a club that is very popular with the patients, by whom it is largely used. At Brockenluirst Hospital, situated in Hampshire, on tho borders of the. New Forest, tho Now Zealand Y.M.C.A. renders valuable service to the troops and the hospital an. Ihorilics. In addition to the usual social facilities very extensive educational work is carried on, largely on the lines of curative treatment, but partly with the view of equipping the men for a fresh start in life. At Horncburch, the New Zealand convalescent camp, the Y.M.C.A. have a very line hut, which at the time of our visit was largely taken up by education!l classes. Extensive additions to the hut were in progress at -the cost of the Y.M.C.A. All the other facilities usually found in Y.M.C.A. hospital and camp life are provided, it is at lloriicliiirch that the educational classes so wisely established for the benefit of our soldiers were probably found at their best. There were other camps where the Y\M.C.A. was doing meritorious worknotably at. Torquiiy, the discharge depot for tlie N.Z.rj.F— but it will be seen from this very sketchy account of its solicitude for the welfare of the New Zealand troops how much the Dominion is indebted to it. It' anything further were wanted to show this, it is to be found in a 'letter addressed to the supervising secretary by General Richardson, who is warm in his pr.ilso of (ho aswiation's work. There could not he belter testimony In t'm- splendid results which have accrued from the Y.M.C.A.'s efforts on behalf uf New Zealand's soldiers. Space alone prevents adequate reference lo other features of Y.M.C.A. work in England, Mich as the system under which a soldier could hand in any sum of money lo any of its branches in England or Prance, for which he was given a receipl that enabled him to draw any or all of his money, without, notice, at headquarters in England, or with his division, or al the base in France. If unable to call in persun for it he could obtain it by mail. To show the popularity of this deposit system, it may be slated Hint at the end of .lime of the present year the New Zealand Y.M.C.A. in France were custodians of deposits to the value of over .£BOOO, and that at Sling Camp under this system our men

deposited with tho Y.M.C.A. in five months .-CSB3B, the withdrawals for the same period having been J:SB7S. And if the association's work in England has been so meritorious and valuable, it has been no less so in France and Egypt. Despite many difficulties in the way, the Y.M.C.A. never failed to keep up wilh the New Zealand Division in the field in France, and the work it performed in Egypt and Palestine is too weil known to require any further reference in this article.