LETTER FROM THE FRONT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1730, 26 June 1917, Page 3

LETTER FROM THE FRONT.

Pie. A. If. Yiites, late of Whilaunui (Moutoa) writing from Franco under dale April Ifffh, says; —

“We have been liberated from segr; gallon, where we were for six weeks-. We fire some l fifty miles from the front at present, and on a calm night can hear the boom of (lie guns quite plainly especially between four find live in the morning. Tho camp whore we are situated is a very large one. and soldiers tire from everywhere. You asked me to let put know how soldiers are clothed, etc. I am enclosing a copy of all the articles,which a soldier is ('((nipped with before leaving here for the trenches, and 1 think yon will .agree he is not treated 100 bad. The underclothing supplied to the soldiers is the very best of woollen garments. Every man's kit is inspected before he leaves in a draft, and he is supplied with everything he needs. 1 would never advise any woman to knit anything for soldiers unless for someone she knows who would pass them on lo a deserving ease. .1 Imve semi socks, gloves, shirts, underpants (all woollen), some slightly worn, others almost new, thrown away. Only this morning I saw a cardigan jacket, a pair of underpants, and a woollen shirt thrown into (he rubbish bin, I drew a sergeant’s attention to it, and he said, “if the O.M, Captain saw that there would be a h of a row.” I have known men who had underclothing and socks slightly woi'n to tear I hem'purposely when they knew a parade to replace worn or lost ('Robing was to take place. It makes me real mad to think Unit so many good women are knitting tor hours, and so much unnecessary waste is going on. In short, every nmn is properly fed ami clothed, and well looked after under the eir-(•nm-l auees. The London P.O. handle.- 4 millions of letters, and a million parcels every week; it is estimated that a thousand parcels are lost every week' because they Imve been improperly packed. All parcels sent by post should he packed in tin boxe- with the lid soldered down, then wrapped in calico or scrim, sewn where necessary with strong (wine. A good plan is to register, because hundreds of parcels never arrive fit their destination. Everybody here is confident of the war Hiding this year, but of course we will pay the price.- We hoard the guns of the destroyer engagement in the Channel quite plain about 11 p.m., also the attack on Dover the following day. Kind regards to all.”