RELIGION IN ARMY

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 45, 16 November 1940, Page 9

RELIGION IN ARMY

Chaplains With N.Z.E.F. In Britain COMRADESHIP OF KHAKI (From The Official War Correspondent With The New Zealand Forces In Great Britain.) October 22,1940. Army religion is established. The chaplain is part of the official organization, like the doctor and the paymaster. Apart altogether from his work and personality, he enjoys a preliminary status by virtue of his office. To argue the merits and demerits of this position would be to open up a much larger question, which would be out of place here, and in any case would lead us nowhere. Ix?t it suffice to say that the Army padre stands in much the same relation to his unit as does the vicar to an English village. In an English county regiment the parallel is exact. If it be something less m the New Zealand Army, that is because of the different organization of life in the two countries —a difference far from being all in our favour: but there again is a •larger question. Nevertheless, a chaplain with the New Zealand Forces, whatever his particular personal gifts, is more a part of the life of his community than ever he was in his home parish, though possibly in less intimate touch with the devoted devotional few. in ilie careful sifting by which good and tested referees were chosen for our inteiuiiil Rugby competition, a detail overlooked was that one team would be playing in white, the colour in which referees also had been outfitted. At the opening matcii I here was some pardonable confusion on the touch-line: "Look it* that joker playing in spec- • acles !" "lie's the referee, you ass." "Iteferee? ,So lie is." "lie's tlie padre—tile 'L’weilty-so-and-so’s padre. Not a bad sort of si eit her." Jlardlj the tribute of an earnest parishioner, one fell: yet sincerely spoken and honestly meant. And obviously based on a closer association than that'of the football field—nn association born Of common life within the Army. In civil life the siiectator might know the padre a.s a tirst-elass referee; but on that alone it would l;c impossible to classify him as a good or a bad sort. The Army, in bringing them together, has heightened respect on both sides. Padres wear the stars and crowns of rank, and live as officers, but. aie oddlv classified as chaplains to the forces first, seem d. third or fourth class, corresponding in rank to colonels. lieutenant-colonels. majors ami captains. They do not. however, stand on the ceremony of their rankfew New Zealand officers do —and move freely among the men. Not quite so freely, but niei easingly as the noii-chiireh-goitig among them lo;e heir civilian backwardness in the preseiic'? of parsons, men go to the padres fot advice and help—sometimes spiritual, more often material. Organization Lpset. The organization of the emiplai’is department of the N.Z.E.F.. in common with that of ma t "tDer departments, was upset by the diversion of the second echelon io E,.gland. _. nplains were selected, and apportioned among the several denominations, as for a division, so that when the three eche-

lons came together and the New Zealand Division was complete each denomination would have approximately its proper representation. Some denominations are over-represented in one echelon, and under-represented in another. And the effect of continued separation, even when all three echelons are overseas, is that neither in Egypt nor in England does the denominational distribution of padres correspond quite to that of the men whom they serve. Thus there came to England with the second echelon 1.1 chaplains: six of them Church of England clergymen, two Itoman Catholics, two Presbyterians, and one Baptist. The Methodist Church, which has a large membership in New Zealand and probably a proportionate representation in the echelon, has no chaplain with the N.Z.E.F. in the United Kingdom, but will have adequate representation in the completed division. So will other smaller denominations.

The senior chaplain, the lit. Rev. Bishop Gerard, who has the rank of lieutenant-colonel and is with the second echelon, would naturally prefer that every soldier adherent of one of the larger church groups in New Zealand could if he wished consult a padre of his own persuasion; but for the moment the exigencies of war prevent that in England. And, of course, even were the whole division assembled in one country, this denominational consultation would not always be possible. Chaplains are attached to sjiecilic units, and in the field units may be widely separated from one another. Except that the distinction between Roman Catholics and Protestants is always recognized, a unit padre i.s nominally and for official public purposes the padre of all men in the unit. Beyond those public duties he is given further opportunities to minister to men of his own denomination from other units, and equally they enjoy a right of access to him. tn the stress of action, however. it may occasionally be impossible to do more than ensure that a Protestant has attention from a Protestant chaplain, and a Roman Catholic from a Roman Catholic chaplain. Indeed, .such is the comradeship of khaki, one can well believe thill parties on both sides of tlie Reformation barrier will be found ready on occasion to minister to stricken soldiers of the other faith. Difficulties Overcome.'

This comradeship has gone far toward overcoming any practical difficulties attaching to denominational disproportion of chaplains witli the second echelon. Men of churches which either have no padre here, or are relatively so small that they will have no padre of their own in the I completed division, lend to attaeli themselves to a non-Anglican Protestant. and are matte to feel at home. . Then there is constant coming and goi.ing between padres. Each acts as i agent for the others, so that a soldier wishing to talk with a chaplain of liis own denomination need do no more l linn mention his wish to the chaplain : of his unit, who will see that it is realized. Similarly, a man wishing to i know what services are being held by I a padre representing his own church I can always find out by inquiry from | tlie resident padre of another church. I Announcements of special services for : men of one denomination are made every Sunday at public services conducted by chaplains of other denominaiions: and one is constantly eni countering instances of doctrinal dif- ; ference.s forgotten when two or more padres bring their beads together to

hasten some work of immediate practical importance to the troops. In the early mouths, chaplaincy work was retarded somewhat by the difficulty of getting about for consultation and ministration. Now all the padres either have cars or light vans, or are on the point of being supplied with them. They habitually carry a stock of first-aid requisites and comforts —by rucsac when they are up front beyond their cars.

Common problems are discussed at regular chaplains’ meetings, and several'profitable mornings of instruction have been held under the leadership of the Assistant Chaplain-General of the British Expeditionary Force, who was able to draw on first-hand experience in talking of the difficulties and opportunities of spiritual work under fire.

A chaplain’s success in his office depends first on his own qualities of teaching, example and leadership, and secondly ujx>n the extent of co-opera-tion given him by his combatant commanding officer and by sub-unit commanders. Some have been active church members and workers in civil life; others have not. It may be taken for granted (hat the first class will help the padre all they can. irrespective of the branch of the Church to which he belongs. In dealing with the second class a chaplain may have to fall back on the personal qualities which commend him to the troops. Many an officer not himself a churchman' is cordially predisposed toward the Church. If in addition he comes to admire the Church's representatives with the Army, lie probably will become an active co-operator. Even the officer who is more or less openly hostile. or lie whose example is constantly if unconsciously exercised against the influence of the Church, is open, if not to conviction, at least to favourable impression from growing acquaintance with his chaplain. But the fact remains Unit tlie padre’s job. now as formerly, is one of the hardest in the Army. It is also, happily, one of illimitable possibilities.