SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 January 1917, Page 3

SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS.

Happy anti Weil Fed. (Special from the New Zealund Official War Ccnespondput./ Christmas Day. Tbe Naw Zealanders are sueudiug their first Chrisfcmab in the front line. In company with jhe divisional general, I walked through it this morning, and found the men well and happy. They bad bad their Caristmaß dinner two days before, but today, even in the firing linq they .were able to have hot plum puddings. Later corps and divisional commanders visited tho troops in bidets buhind the lines, aid found them sitting down to dinners that would do credit

to many countries even in peace time. In one hall 180 men were plying knives and forks to the music-of their own band, ana other relays would follow till far on in the afternoon. In other places artillery, engineers and various units were doing themselves remarkably well. To each unit the corps commander addressed a few werda of greeting, and was heartily ckteered, He told them that if next spring they fought as well as they had done at Gallipoli and on the Somme it would go a long way towards winning the war and that by next Christmas they might be in New Zealand, or on their way there, Everywhere the beat of good feeling prevailed. In the meantime onr as-tillery was not idle, but was sending over Christmas puddings of another kind to the German lines. The enemy was strangely silent. Christmas services and entertainments are the order of !he day. Yesterday a division entertained the children of cne village. There was a band, a Father Christmas and many presents, The villagers were delighted at this kindly thought. To-morrow we will euiertaia 600 children in another yillage. Greetings have been exchanged with our comrades in Egypt and England, and with those who fought beside ua at the Somme. Amidst it all, our kindest thoughts go far across the seas to relations and fr : ends in cur owd dear land.