" OUR LADY OF THE HUT."

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 30 August 1917, Page 3

" OUR LADY OF THE HUT."

The records of the war would be incomplete if the story of a noble band of British women now numbering over 20,000 from all ranks in life who have put heart and soul into a wonderful piece of friendly ministration work in the " huts," were passed unnoticed. These women of white souls and noble lives have done a mighty service to counteract the influence of the scarlet woman and the "pub," the wot can canteen and the deadly " away from homo lonely ness " of soldiers hungering for tho music of a woman's voice. In this unehristened army are eng iged such persons as Princess Victoria, Lady .Rodney, Lady Henry Grosvenor, Hon. Mrs Stuart Wortley, Lady Forbes-Kobr>rtson, Countess of Bessborough, Lady Stradbvook, Mrs Winston Churchill, Leva Ash well and Mrs (Col.) Mylrea—"Our Lntij JE the Hut," as the New Zealand" troops have lovingly named her, who tells the _ privilege she has enjoyed. Christian women of maturity and good sense from all positions of life— typi-ts, teachers, sisters and mothers of soldiers have dona their bit. The barriers of raniv are obliterated. They work side by side in the finest spirit, serving hot cocoa or tea, washing dishes, handing out. stationery or selling stamps. 'No wonder the most tslling- periods in Di. John fvelman's moving addresses lately given in American cities have been instances such as this. He tells of a lad of 19 just home from the furor and strain of a week's lighting in the trenches, grimy and mud-plaetered. After he had bought his cup of tea, mug of cocoa, his jam and bread, post cards, and everything that could prolong his buying, a penny at a time, and he was asked " Are your wants met, my boy, can I do anything further for you?" He said, "No, I don't want anything more but, I, I—just like t 0 hear the sound of your voice."

There is another story which reflects the demand of the heart for mothering. A boy about one of the huts who had cut his hand came to lady helper to have it bound up. After neatly giving her first aid attention the motherly-hearted woman said to the boy: '• There laddie, that's all right. Isn't that as nice as your mother would do it?" But the lad sheepishly said, "My mother would have kissed me." She did, and the kiss had more than healing for a cut finger; it healed a mere boy's aching heart for mothering.

This is tho letter that Mrs Mjlrea, " Our Lady of the Hut," the"New ZeaJandfu-s call "her, has written to the mothers of. New Zealand.

Mrs Mylrea is the widow of the late Col. Mylrea, who gave his life for the Empire at Ypres. Since this great sorrow befel her, she has found her solace and her delight in serving the New Zealanders with a devotion that is unique. White hearted Christian women of the Mrs Mylrea type will greatly neutralise the virulence of the scarlet woman's virus.

Dear Mothers of brave New Zea-> land lads:—l have been asked to write a short account of the work going on day by day in the V.M.C.A. Hut at Sling Camp, Salisbury Plain, to which so many of your dear ones find their way before crossing over to France or on their return from that country after recovering from wounds or sickness.

There is always great excitement in the minds of the helpers and myself wheu we hear a reinforcement from New Zealand is expected to arrive in camp, as for us it means much additional work of a most enjoyable kind, aud the welcoming of many strange faces to the hut.

It is a grand sight to see the khaki line wending its way from the station through the camp to the various huts allotted to it; but one that never fails to make me think of the aching lonely hearts left • behind in New Zealand, longing for a sight of the loved faces that we are looking upon, and we, one and all, strive with all our power from the moment they enter the Y,M.O.A. to "mother" aud attend to the needs of " the strangers within our gates."

And their needs are many : so many develop colds and coughs coming from the tropical weather to a colder clin.ate. Homely remedies, quinine, camphorated oil, eucalyptus can be at! once procured. In fact, we have remedies to remove all minor aiiroents. Here is a lad whose rifle has rubbed the skin off his hand ; a boy who is footsore after a long march; another who in opening a tin has baity cut his fingera. Minor dressings to be done on the premises for all these cases, and many, many others, give me never-ending pleasure as I happen to be a certificated nurse and was at a hospital in France till ray health broke down.

But what one so often finds the boys need most of all is an opportunity to"" just talk '' about their far-away home and of the precious mother, sister and often wife left behind. It relieves their loneliness, and is a never-ending source of interest to us at the same time.

Many, many dozens of times a lad has entered the hut looking dreary and sad, but after a cup of tea in my sitting--room and an hour's talk all about the loved ones left; behind, he

has cheered up wonuovi'ully and gone i away brighter and happier for " letting off all ttlo steam "on tite subject of homo and mother. Arm wo are shown picnirps — generally very well. worn ones —-of. the dear lioiiie land and all the relatives behind the:e. I i.eed not describe tho hut -photographs u'i it h vo found their way to all of you in New Zealand, but I wish you could sometimes see your bojs in it in the evening- when ilvi red

curtains are drawn and the red lampshades all show up, and the tables are lineu with contented-looking lads drinking.their hot tea and consuming plates of fried eggs, sausages, etc., "while the piano is '• going " at the far end of the hall to the accompaniment of the clicking of billiard and pingpong balls. It is a cheerful sight, and would, 1 am sure, gladden your aching hearts. At 8.30 one of the chaplains comes in, and for a brief space—three or four minutes only—prayer is offered up for the loved one far away, and thanks given for preservation during the day. There is a post office in the hut, whe-'-e the boys- can procure writingpaper, envelopes and post cards free, buy stamps, post their letters and parcels, change their New Zealand notes and French money into the English equivalent, and find outthis is the most important information —the elate of the next incoming and out-going home until.

We are here to supply as far »s wo possibly can tho every need oil the lads in camp-—to make the hut as home-liKe as possible, and to try and make up to them, however feebly and inefficiently, in a small degree for the absence of their own loved ones.

I cannot say how proud 1 am that I have been allowed to lie in charge of the hut foi N.Z lads. If I at this end, can do anything to help and •assist the relatives of the lads here, I am honoared if they will let me do it. Having lost all I held most dear m this world in this terrible war. my sole comfort is to serve in eveiy and any way the N.Z. lads in Sling Camp, and if possible their dear ones in their far away homes.