ENGLAND'S MILITARY CAMP.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 745, 13 February 1915, Page 3

ENGLAND'S MILITARY CAMP.

KITCHENER'S NEW ARMY. RED CROSS SOCIETY'S WORK. The majority of the war news received is in connection with operations at the various battle points, and very little is heard of the conditions prevailing in England. It is, of course, known that a vast army is in training, but information concerning it is sparse. The following extracts from letters received from a Te Kuiti nurse who went to London in the hope of getting to the front will be of special interest in the circumstances: — November 27th. Ira my previous letter I told you that I was engaged by the British Red Cross Society immediately on presenting ray credentials, and told to hold myself in readiness to go to France at a moment's notice. In a few days, instead of being sent to France I was ssnt down here, Kingsclere House, Kingsclere, Newbury, Hants, the home of Lady Rosemary Portal, whose husband is in the army. They have given over to the British Red Cross Society the whole of the second floor ol their house for a hospital. I am most comfortable, have eighteen Tommies in various stages of convalescence, and they are a decent lot. There seems not much chance of getting abroad at present. Things have been very quiet in France this past week. We have not had any very definite news from there. The Russians have done very well lately, took 15,000 prisoners the day before yesterday, and yet we were told yesterday that they would not be ready to make their great effort until a month from now. It causes us to think it will be stupendous when it does come.

I am living in the lap of luxury, and everbycdy is mora than kind. 1 always had the idea that the average Englishman or woman was very stiff and,.unbending, but have now come to the conclusion that it only applies when they are away from home. This village (Kingsclare) is chiefly notable for the fact that there are large racing stables here. A Mr Waugh, who trains for the Duke of Portland, and various other notabilities, is the owner. It is very near the Downs, and we have walked to where we can see for miles over them. England is beautiful, just like a large garden, every bit cultivated, no bare spots anywhere It is most interesting tn hear the accounts of the Tommies who have been invalided back from the front. Not many of theni wish to go back. They do not mind the Germans so much as the hardships. While the trenches are dry it is not so bad, but when it is wet, as it so frequently is, they have to stand and even lie in the water. It is frightful work. One Highlander told me it was good spore in the trenches when they are dry, they dig a trench deep enough to stand in, and fire over the edge, and then excavate a sort of cave to lie in, generally crib some straw or something to lie on. He 3aid there were some crops near them unharvested, and they had plenty of straw. They do not have anything hot in the trenches except tea, and that they have at any hour of the day or night. -They have ration tins containing-a w&ola dinner —meat, vegetables, and gravy, and if by any means they can get it heated they have a splendid dinner, otherwise they eat it cold —he describes it as good either way. They have to stand to arms at 3 or 4 a.m.

Tney all say the German infantry ia no good, they fire from their hips, and the Tommies Bay they cati get within thirty or forty yards, and the shots go over their heada. They all agree that their artillery is deadly, and say that all the damage ia done by Bhell fire. The Prussian Guards are the only regiment which fights in the same style as the British, and fires from the shoulder. They have been practically wiped out. The losses on our siiie have been awful. The men tell of things that never appear in the papers. I have one Argyle and Sutherland Highlander here, and his regiment has practically been wiped out, only one officer surviving. They all spaak in higbUerms of the officers, and say that if they would take a little care of themselves, we should not lose so many; but it seems a point of honour with them to expose themselves, and lead the men on, cheering there lip all the time.

With regard to the awful things the Germans have been charged with, some certainly* appear to ba true. There is a concentration camp for Belgian refugees nenr here, and there are five boys vtfho have had their

hands cut otf. In Newbury there ia a Belgian father and mother whose children wsra taken from them, and they have nevur seen or heard of them since. There were three girls in Belgium when the war broke out, one of whom Miss Holding, who is commandant of this division of the Red Cross Society, knows quite well. Exception was taken to some of their correspondence. They were stripped and left naked in a room without food or water for two days. The men here say that the German soldiers are kept primed with beerana wine, and, when fighting, the officers stay behind and force them on with their swordd, Last night we had a wild dissipation, Mr Waugb, the trainer of the sjabief; sent down to say the stable boys were giving s cosing exhibition at 8.30, and asked the soldiers to come. The Duke of Portland was to be there. We decided they all could, so Lady Rosemary ordered the motor bus from the village, and Bhe and I took the two worst cases in her motor, and the others went in the 'bus. The stable boys are very wonderful boxers, weighnig four or five stone, and they are the champions for all England for their weight. It was wonderful to sse tho-?e little mites of boys, so li 6, such rosy cheeks, and as hard as nails. They were like bits of india rubber, and quite blase at the game. The trainer is an old London prize-fighter, and comes down here for three or four months in each year to finish them up for tbe competitions. They start off in about a fortnight. They have auout 50 men and boys at the stables, and are splendidly looked aftsr, and everybody seemß to think Mr Waugh one of the straightest trainer 3 in England. Dscember 22nd. You see I am still in the same place. Kitchener's Army is billeted round about this placej not in this village, but in neighbouring ones. Thev have been under canvas on Salisbury Plain, and the weather conditions have been awful. Some have not even board floors.to their tents. Lady Rosemary's mother-in-law, Lady Portal, lives about seven miles from here, and has a hospital like this one.