A SOLDIER'S APPRECIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 February 1918, Page 4

A SOLDIER'S APPRECIATION.

y.m.c.a. set?.Vice.

The following is an extract from a letter written to his parents by Trooper T. A. Glenny, of Napier, at present in Franco and endorses the many high econiums of the worth of the Y.M.C.A. at the front. “We aro not allowed to mention lots of things that would be of interest to yon. They drum it into us that it is a very serious offence to mention anything about our movements, as to where we are, how many there aro of us, or wlint we have done, or are. going to do, so it is hard to know what to write about. I expect it will interest you to know’ what the Y.M.C.A. is doing, and what we think of them. Of all the patriotic'.societies and institutions the Y.M.C.A. stands out on its own. They hove little canteens and

marquees everywhere and are doing great work. Whenever we shift they pack up their gear and come too, and

we can get a good mug of tea or cocoa for a penny they have biscuits for 2d a. packet, so you sec we can get a hot cup of something and a shack for 3d. When v’e were up near the trenches, we had a lot of night work to do, carried barb-wire, iron posts, etc up to

the front line. We had a long way to walk before we got to where the dump of wire was, and then we had a-very long carry, and the trip there and bark again to camp took six or seven hours. They used to shell our camp sometimes, and so sometimes we were under shell fire all the way up and tiie way back again. When we got up near the front lines, the shells used to lie bursting around us, pretty thick sometimes. When up there we wore in trenches of course, and w-ero perfectly safe, but every time a shell whizzed overhead, we used to duck, and what with ploughing through the mud with a coil of wire, or whatever ysur load happened to be, on your hack, and the excitement of it all, was very ing work. Wo used to usually get home somewhere in the small hours of the morning, and on our way home, there was a Y.M.C.A. Canteen that was open all night and every night, and we could go hi and get a mug of something hot to drink and a pieefe of cake or packet of biscuits free. I can tell you we appreciated it too. Every night this particular canteen used to supply hundreds of soldiers who bad a night’s work as I have described with a hot drink aijd a snack free.

This isn’t the only one good w-ork, they are everywhere. When we came down here, u'e marched for about ft)ur hours to the train, had several hours in the trains, and then nearly four hours marching from the train We got out of the train about 9 a.m. and the Y.M.C.A. people wore there on the side of the road with their boilers and biscuits waiting for us. Wc just marched past them in two rows and in a few minutes the whole lot of us us and there were 1200 to 1500 were fixed up. The next day these same Y.M.C.A. people had a big day, as there was a big lot of troops moving about, and they say they supplied about 7000 men that day each with a hot drink and a packet of biscuits free this is a sample of the work they are doing. The marquee they have here was presented by the ladies of Marton and there have a notice up where every body can see it to that effect. The Canteen manager has a motor can to use called ‘Buckshee Mlac.’ -This is what they cart their boilers and gear in when they go to meet moving troops.

This van has a notice on “Bucksliee Mac” presented and kept by P. A. Hardy, Palmerston North.” Another canteen, and tliey are doing splendid work, was donated by the ladies of Wairarapa. There are Y.M.C.A. canteen's wherever there are troops, and all doing the same work as well; as supplying tea etc, they all have writing paper and envelopes and a part of the room is sot. apart exclusively for writing. I. know they are always collecting for different purposes, in New Zealand but if I was back again the Y.M.C.A. is flie first one I would subscribe to.” '

The sentiment is expressed in letters from soldiers over and over again showing that the work of the Y.M.C.A. is really of vital importance to the comfort and well-being of the men, In order to maintain the service at its present state of efficiency, a. Red Triangle Day campaign for Funds is being organised^throughout N.Z. and it Is lioped by this means to raise £1 per soldier for a year—not much to expect, when one considers that it cos/.s £2OO or thereabouts t« train and equip eaeli man for active service.