ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE

Evening Star, Issue 23677, 10 September 1940, Page 2

ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE

BEAUTY EXTOLLED BY N.Z. SOLDIER TRIBUTE TO HAVY AND MERCANTILE MARINE “ Britain’s command of the seas has never been more amply evidenced than it is to-day, and once more wo_ echo ‘ Thank God for our Navy ',” writes a New Zealand soldier 'who reached Britain with the Second Echelon. Describing the journey north, he writes: —“Our danger increased ■ each day, extra look-outs, guards, etc., being posted on each ship, each one of which pursued an erratic course Surrounded on all sides by our escort, we slowly steamed into our berths and reached a safe haven, having cqrapleted a 20,000-mile journey and 1 having been 51 days at sea, 30 days longer than was anticipated when we left Now Zealand. The safe completion of the journey frought with so many perils is a wonderful tribute to our navy and our mercantile marine. We cannot praise them too nuich, especially in view of the fact that enemy submarines were out to make a bird of our convoy, and on the day we actually berthed sank seven ships within a few hundred miles of us. “We were taken ashore in lighters. As we neared the shore and prepared to set forth I glanced back for a final look at the good old ship which had served us so faithfully and well. I couldn’t help thinking how long will it be and what things may come to pass before I commence to steam homewards again. _ \ Dealing with a trip through Scotland, the soldier says:; —“Edinburgh was very clean, very solid, and full of interest. I had a glimpse of Edinburgh Castle and numerous other spots which one had read about but scarcely ever hoped to see Down the coast wo passed through the loveliest countryside it has even been my fortune to behold. All the land intensely cultivated, not vast acres of land such as we are accustomed to, but all comparatively small holdings, surrounded' by trees of all descriptions, everything so green—green meadows, green hedges—with here and there little valleys covered with trees and streams wending their way quietly down them. “ The English countryside increased so much in beauty that it is impossible to describe. There were villages and homelets with the same picturesque greenness which seems to fold _ over everything, here and there catching a glimpse of an old castle rearing its head proudly amongst the ever present trees —seeing the appealing farm houses and cottages all so neat and yet so old. Everything, the countryside, the ( huge industrial centres—the whole outlook was just as I hoped it would be, and exactly what has been written about it all. Actually, we were fortunate in seeing it at the present time of year, for this is its most beautiful period, and it is easy to understand why it has made such an impression on us—an impression which will last for all time. I could not help thinking when looking at it all, with everything so peaceful and heavenly looking, that it was impossible to imagine that a war was on, and just how much of its beanty_ would be desecrated and destroyed in the future.”