Page 3 Advertisements Column 1

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1789, 14 February 1918, Page 3 (Supplement)

; WHAT THE PRIME MINISTER WRITES : « ftM r • ■ ■' . .■ “I take this opportunity of bearing' my testimony to the extreme usefulness of the Church Army-,Recreation'Huts, at Home and in all the theatres of War, to H.M. Forces for edruforf and cheer. “In the Shell Zone, these Huts are invaluable. I heartily wish success to the effort to respond to the request for many more portable huts, many to bo erected in the devastated region recently taken from the enomv. D. LLOYD GEORGE.” WHAT. THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR SAYS: “Ever since the beginning of the War, the Church Army has been active in many ways for the good of H.M. troops. I much appreciate the value of the Church Army’s work, which has conduced materially to the physical and moral welfare of the troops, and I wish it every success. , . DERBY.” THE OPINION OF A MEDICAL OFFICER. . ‘‘This Evacuation Ward is really a large hut, and is run by the Church Army; I expect you will have heard of it, they .do wonderful work. There is a padre, not an official Army one, but a Church Army man, who runs it. There are papers, books, and games provided, One end is used for stretcher eases, and, of coursey in a push the whole of it is used and is full, and it is a very large place. The padre goes round the stretcher eases, writes postcards to their parents, gives out cigarettes, writing materials, and has a library. He gets out dozens of papers by post every day, and goes round the wards. What the place would do without him and the- hut Tdon’t know. The library is small, but excellent, and when one thinks this is but one of hundreds of such huts, what enormous numbers of books are needed. The Church Army did magnificent work, and honestly required everything they asked for. There,js a piano in thc lnit also, a present, I hear, .from ‘someone at home',*’’and concerts are ,given. When you think we pass through two thousand men a clay,lin'd that all have to be clothed, ted’,'smokes, letters" written for them, papers for-them to read, and 1 he,se Church Array Huts and workers do it all, they deserve a lot of prais.e. I was very wont to scoff at them before I saw the good they do. The number of dressings, head caps,-etc., used in a plabe like this is enormous, ‘ and' so; again • the Red Cross ’working parties are brought to one’s-mind-as one sees the results.’.’ ' WHAT THE BOYS SAY ABOUT THE CHURCH ARMY. A Bombardier, writing from Belgium) say|:— no idea what wonderful things these Huts are for us, and the Church Army work is well appreciated by the boys. The Church Army even carry on the work right up to the lines, where it is impossible to have Huts. There they use dug-outs, and supply coffee,Riscuits, etc., to the troops. And what a comfort they are, when one is tired out and smothered in mud.” ■“ 1 ' ’