HUMOURS OF SOLDIERING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 156, 1 June 1940, Page 9

HUMOURS OF SOLDIERING.

ADDRESS TO LUNCH CLUB. Humours of soldiering formed the subject of an address by Alajor J. T. Bosworth, who has had considerable service, at the weekly meeting of the Citizens’ Lunch Club yesterday. Among a large number of anecdotes which Major Bosworth related was one of a special parade of a battery to which he belonged in Auckland, this batthry being expert in the matter of shooting but poor in field manoeuvres. They had no horses and no harness, these requisites being hired (with civilian drivers) from a large cartage firm as they were required. The parade was held in a field where the speaker understood the University now stands, but when the parade was drawii up for the march past the cross-bar from a Rugby goalpost fell and hit the two leading horses. These bolted, and, to make matters worse, the other civilian drivers thought the manoeuvre was at the hand-gallop and set to as well. At the saluting base the colonel was seated on his, charger (a steeplechaser) and, as the unit thundered past, the colonel’s horse joined in. Meanwhile the general public thought the whole affair had been provided for their benefit and applauded heartily.

At another period a contingent of New Zealanders arrived at Capetown,’ on their way to the South African war, Alajor Bosworth being among the number. Their ship met a Poituguese man-o’-war, the latter firing a salute of 21 guns. The New Zealanders were elated, but were even more so when a British warship followed with a similar salute and then, to make the New Zealander’s pride and satisfaction complete, a fort_ on shore entered on a further 21-gun salute. Later, the speaker mentioned to an officer visiting tlie New Zealanders’ ship that “there had been a lot of firing going on this morning.” “Yes,” said the other, “it is the birthday of the King of Portugal 1”

In the course of the South African campaign the New Zealanders took a small town and on their arrival an Englishman left his grocery store and galloped off. It was learned that he had been a renegade and a spy, and so the troops took private measures to. 'inflict punishment in the form of reducing tlie stock at the store. They fared exceedingly well, hams, sauces and other such things, few of which they had not Seen since leaving New Zealand, coming tlieir way. A Scottish wheelwright who had not been with the initial party eventually finished a job he was engaged on and rushed off to the store. He remembered the till—and £33 in sovereigns was his haul. Three men were seen rolling a keg along a roadway, in the same campaign, proceeded the speaker, and he asked them where they had found what they called, a keg of rum. He disbelieved their story, because rum was guarded more carefully than pay and was never, under any circumstances, known to fall off a wagon. The keg was duly opened under the direction of quartermaster and was found to contain, not rum, but crude carbolic acid left for the use of the Medical Corps ! At 'the outset of the Great War, continued Major Bosworth, ho had occasion to visit Wellington for stores, for which the troops were in short supply here. He interviewed a highlyplaced officer who said that all efforts were being directed to “get ‘ .the advance party away.” Alajor Bosworth was informed that the matter .of this advance party and its destination was a military secret. Later in the day lie was near the transports at the wharves. Large packages arrived and, chalked across them ,in large letters was “Samoa.” So much for secrecy. Air A. V. Pizzey, who presided, thanked the speaker." Mr ,V Arlidge. of Woodville, was welcomed as a' visitor.