ON ACTIVE SERVICE.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1918, Page 2

ON ACTIVE SERVICE.

A WKST COASTER’S EXPERIENCES Corp. C. E. Hannam, ,tof the Army Service Corps, who is head butcher for military camps at Sling, where somo 0000 men have to he catered for, writes cheerily in early September of the soldiering .life. Some little time viously to‘writing our old townsman had been on leave to Cardiff and Swansea, anil he says he could not have wished for a hotter time. When passing through London lie met at a hostel a very old chum of the early days of Hokitika, whom he had not seen for over 30 years—“Baldv ” Rodgers, son of a former employee of the Hokitika Harbour Hoard, and now in a. good wav

'■’ngland. Mr Rodgers is a brother of ‘Mrs TaminellT, of Ivanieri, and sends remembrances to old Coast friends, many of whom he asked for personally. Strange to say Rodgers had met many New Zealanders in England, but never before had he dropped across a Coaster. The two old cronies had a pleasant re-union and made the most of their meeting. Corp. Hannam at the time had his own son in camp. The son is serving on a New Zealand transport now engaged in carrying “Sammies” across the “herring pond.” The steamer has boon fitted up specially to carry troops, and carries 2,40(1 per trip. There are many West Coast hoys in camp at Sling, and they nil find occasion to meet together. Corp. Hannam hopes to see the war out on active service. He would like to got to the front, wliero he expected to go when lie signed on, hut age is another thing, and when you are in the Army you have got to do as you are told. Life in Camp is interesting and brisk always. Aeroplanes are buzzing about continually, and words of command ring out from the instruction squads always at work. “The authorities have not been sending any of our' boys across for son.* time,’’ writes Corp. Hannam. “They are getting them thoroughly trained for the big Stunt, which, I think, will end the war. What with the Americans coming In, and the Australians and our own boys that are over there and the rest that are training, they will make it hot for the Hun, and a good job too, to get it over and let us got hack again to “ civy ” life. Some it has made men of, and some it- has broken clown, but. never mind, they are all good men, and the New Zealanders have a. great reputation for being good fighters. The. “Tommies” and Australians all vouch for it.” Mr Hannam concludes with host wishes to all old friends in Hokitika.