A MILITARY CAMP

Evening Star, Issue 23694, 30 September 1940, Page 4

A MILITARY CAMP

MUSHROOM GROWTH AT FORBURY SOUTHLAND MEN MARCH IN OTAGO TERRITORIALS GO NORTH Cavcrshnm railway station had a ■‘rod-letter” day this morning. Possibly never before in its history have such animated scenes been witnessed as when men of the First Infantry Battalion. Southland Regiment, detrained there this morning on their way to camp at Forbury Park. Crowds gathered on the platform, thronged the overhead bridge, and lined the footpath leading up to the railway line to welcome tho Territorials as they came marching down witlnmilitary precision, headed by the Artillery 'Band, Southern Command, which played them into camp. Lined up along the footway also were the children of the Caversham School. They gave tho soldiers from the south a right royal welcome, cheering them lustily as they marched through. Forbury Park was a scene of much activity from an early hour, nor was this bustle associated with “punting” crowds and equine aristocrats. A magic transformation has taken place at the course. In the short space of one week what was a quiet off-season racecourse has been transformed into a military camp, modern and efficient. Dotted in orderly rows along the lawns are tho regulation military bell tents which the troops will occupy, but the greatest transformation has taken place inside tho buildings themselves. Spaces which were once occupied by bars and tea rooms, etc., are now mess rooms for the troops. Row upon row of tables and forms fill the great open spaces under the stands. In one section which has been turned into i washing quarters innumerable basins and lines of taps meet the eye, while along one wall are hot showers, thermostatically controlled. Cook shops have sprung up overnight, and the huge ovens, electrically heated, were busy cooking the noonday meal. Cooks and cooks’ assistants early were busy peeling potatoes, huge cauldrons of which were ready for tho cooking. In another stand there are tho officers’ mess room, offices, and hospital, all equipped and ready for the arrival of the men. The camp speaks well for tho efficiency of those responsible for the transformation of the park quarters and for the Public Works Department, which carried out the work. The Southland men will be in camp at Forbury for two months. While in Dunedin they will have leave on Friday night, Saturday afternoons, and Sundays, but no leave will bo granted from Mondays to Fridays. WINGATUI CAMP. The Artillery Band, Southern Command, which played the men into camp this morning, will meet the sth Field Battery at the Dunedin railway station when it arrives from Christchurch by ,the express this afternoon, and will entrain with it and play the battery into camp at Wingatui. What has been accomplished at Forbury in tho creation of a military camp has also been achieved at Wingatui, where similar alterations have been made to meet tho requirements and comforts of a large body of men in camp. In this latter regard there is no doubt whatever that the men should be very comfortable, for every care and attention has been given to detail. The 6th Field Battery entrained at Dunedin this morning for Wingatui, and together with the sth Battery from Christchurch, will make up the 3rd N.Z. Field Regiment. Each battery consists of three troops and four guns. DUNEDIN MEN GO NORTH. At 9.5 and 10.50 a.m. this morning two trains left Dunedin with some 700 Territorials for a period of intensive training at Burnham canup. As the men go into camp on a full war footing* like those who arrived from the south, they were all fully equipped. Many friends and relatives gathered on the station to give the men a cheery au revoir. A feature of their departure, as with the arrival of the Southlanders, was their orderliness. Discipline and training have welded them into units. One gathered the impression of seriousness and purposefulness. While they are training for tho home Territorial Army, tho men realise they have a job on band ami are tackling it seriously. The Regimental Band, Otago Regiment, and the Trumpet and Bugle Band entrained with the men for Burnham this morning, and will remain in camp during the period of training. “ PAY ” TO COLLECT. The Army Office at the Kensington Drill Hall requests men who were called up some weeks ago, but whose entry into camp was postponed on account of measles, and who have already received one lot of pay. to call again as soon as possible for the second payments.