NEW ZEALAND ARMY AT HOME.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1901, 9 November 1918, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND ARMY AT HOME.

THE JOURNEY’S END—REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE IN ENGLAND. Cl IA RACT E RTSTIC HA PEEKING S. (By H. T. R. Drew, 2nd Lieutenant.) Out at sea, a few miles from the love, misty English coast, darkness slowly enshrouds a fast-steaming, strangely zigzagging convoy of large ships. Around them, low-set in the water, dart, in a scurrying swirl, small venomous shapes that look like mammoth hungry Jisb seeking prey. The Jong journey of the troop-. ships from those distant farewells many days back over the waters is drawing to a close. To-night they should anchor in calm, safe waters. But. these last few knots of sea hold dangers greater than any Dud have lurked in the thousands of billowy leagues. It is here (tie enemy’s submarines lie in wait. Vigilance amt full-speed movement alone can balk them. But the torpedo-boats, circling round, and twisting and turning here and there, are stealthy, aggressive vigilance typified; and mi each troopship also a ring of armed, silent sentries peer ceaselessly around for those signs on the water which periscopes give, and they also watch that no betraying lights are shown inboard. On the morning of (lie same day -there have arrived at (he coastal city which is the port of disemharkalhm for this Reinforcement the Genefill Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces in England, General G . S. Richardson, C. 8., C.M.G., and the Landing Officer at--1 ached to (lie New Zealand Stall. From the camps to which the Reinforcement will have to go have also come two Conducting Oiticers. And, (hough this is war-time, and the time when most things are uncertain, between these officers m their comfortable quarters in their hotels that night and (he ships in peril at sea exists a fairly accurate knowledge of what each will require of the other on the morrow. When morning dawns, eager eyes, peering out of (he portholes and over the bulwarks of the transport, see strange unfamiliar sights—that, no doubt, is what should he written, hut any one acquainted with the real facts knows that very little khaki is moving aboard a transport newly come to anchor “when morning dawns,” for the reason (hat in (he danger-zone for days the strain has been so great, the rounds of deck guards so constant, and sleep so broken, that every-one is glad of a long res! in security. Besides, by the time a Now Zealand transport reaches England, especially by way of , men are fairly weary of new sights, and cease to look with wonderment a! each fresh port. And so, when, in the ease of ibis particular Reinforcement, Ge n e r.a 1 Richardson and the Landing Officer —and in this ease also the Hon, Colonel R. Heaton Rhodes-arrived unexpectedly alongside by an early tug, and climbed rather unceremoniously up a swinging ladder, only very 7 few of the thousand-odd soldiers aboard were on deck. It was an excellent chance to look round and see things as they were. “Things as they were” showed, no nnuldlenient or disorder —fortunately’, shall one say, since the General had come aboard? The ship looked trim and yet showed orderly evidence of preparation for immediala disembarkation. To Now Zealanders it is not necessary to describe a troopship arriving a! its destination. Troopships arrive in England very much as they leave New Zealand, only 7 perhaps neater and trimmer. Plenty of men are available on the voyage, and fatigue parties have to he kept employed, and sea painting and scraping go on continually, and when the ships arrive they show no signs of weeks of travel. The last few days nut, also,

all surplus papers and voyage accumulations are thrown overboard (though not so as to indicate any route of travel to submarines), and only that retained which should 1)0 taken to camp. This troopship was a good specimen of her kind. SCENES ON BOARD. “Good morning, lads,” was the General's greeting to the first group of men he met. “Had a good trip over? Fine all the way, eh? That’s splendid! Quarters good? Some black bugs! Wed I, you wilPshnw me them, soon. Food all right ? Bread a little sour! Take me down and get me some.” The party descended, and the bread was brought—white bread, made of New Zealand Hour —quite a rarety. It was smelt and tasted. “Any of you fellows possess cameras?” Several said they did. “Well,” with a smile, “later on you boys take this bread on deck in the sunlight and get as many snaps of

it ns you can, because it is. the last white bread you are going - to see For some lime!” In regard to the complaints about insects to some extent it is impossible to avoid vermin on troopships where wooden bunks such as those which are characteristic of New Zealand troopships are lilted. In spite of care and daily inspections, and all possible cleanliness, liUle corners and crannies have their small accumulations of dust bearing bacteria. Another disadvantage of wooden bunks is the large amount of space they occupy; they are permanent, whereas under the system adopted by the Americans all sleeping-space can be utilized as cleared decks during the day, after the manner of old Indian troopships. In harbour, near our ships, lay five large American transports holding several thousands of soldiers, and the previous day General Richardson, who was impressed with the American idea, had been shown over the mammoth , which was one of them. The system there is to have galvanised-Iron upright rods, with brackets at intervals up (hem, for three tiers of bunks. Into these brackets (it long horizontal side bars, which are threaded through the (luted sides of the canvas stretchers in which (he men lie. The bunks are thus stretched rigid, yet can be taken down during the day, the canvas folded up, and the iron bars removed, leaving clear decks. The Anglo-Indian transport system is ma.de much the same except that the bunks are slung from hooks, hammock fashion. Air can circulate more freely than with woodensided bunks, and (bis is an important consideration in the Ironies. At a rough, measurement, (he average air-spaee on tin* was 54ft. per man, widen, .with bunks, kitbags. clothes, and small possessions, became reduced to very little over 40ft.; whereas America requires 80ft. per man. The biller system, by providing more free space below daring the, daytime., supplies a rather important want, because if the weather is wet 'the men go somewhere, and unless there .are large balls they have to seek (heir dormitories, and then, with (lie wooden bunks and bedding taking up so much room, not only arc the men cramped up, but the place is insnflieicntly- aired and soon becomes stuffy and foul, It seemed strange, coming from ji strict British camp, to notice the little lapses of discipline and overcandid remarks in the vicinity of a gold cap and crossed swords; but in long sea voyages men with only three months’ (raining suffer such lapses. Such things are overlooked until cam]) is reached, and then SOME NAIVE QUESTIONS. Men newly arrived ask many questions. Eir.-J and foremost eom- (■", “Do we get shore leave?” Then, rather gloomily, and with some show of apprehension, “Things are rather bad at (be front;, aren't they? How long before we go over?” Immediate surroundings do not claim their attention; their mind’s eye is focussed on futurity —strict camps, live-bomb throwing (pictured by (be varus they have beard about its dangers), terribly strenuous bnll- , rings, the inferno in France; and, back of it all, wondering bow much leave they are going (o gel. Asked if he is glad be ,js in time to take his stand in France beside bis hard(Gonelnded on Page 4.)