SECOND ECHELON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24416, 30 September 1940, Page 4

SECOND ECHELON

THE FIRST CASUALTIES TWO MEN WOUNDED BOMB BURSTS NEAR;-BUS? (From the Official War Correspondent with the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces in Britain). ENGLAND, Sept. 27, The Second Echelon's first casualties in enemy action were suffered to-day when an aerial - bomb burst 15 feet ahead-of; a ~ full bus containing members of ?■ the Auckland Battalion, The : bus was overturned, and two men were slightly wounded in the face and thigh respectively. The bus was returning from a ... swimming parade. ' The bomb was one of several dropped in a south-eastern town when a formation of 16 enemy planes; heading towards, London, was broken up by anti-aircraft guns and British fighters. Two of the raiders suffered severely at the hands of British' fighters'. One German pilot who landed his mar . chine intact, ; but was badly wounded, .was captured and .rushed to hospital by members Wellington BatValioh.'' *' ' During the : same fight a member of the Composite Battalion formed from reinforcements with.ttie Second Echelon was severely, but riot dangerously! wounded in ' .the ■ face by a fragment of anti-aircraft shell, which did not burst, until,it struck the ground. -.■■■'■>. , Three New Zealanders—-a major, a sergeant, and a private—who were close at hand when another bomb burst and entombed. a number of civilians, earned- high praise from the civilians for their instant and energetic rescue work. • IN FRONT LINE TROOPS WELL ACCOMMODATED WINTER SHORTS s&sss; (From tlie Official Wax Correspondent with the N.Z.E.F. in Great. Britain) ENGLAND, "Sept. 28. The majority of the troops of. the second echelon are comfortably accommodated in billets near their! forward base, which' is in southern' England. Some of them are living in: vacant houses, others in the parish hall, barns;, lofts, oasthduses, apple sheds,- -unused stables, other farm buildings, and huts. When the force first took up .its position in the field it bivouacked; as had been customary on the training exercises, but when -orders: were received for an indefinite, stay in the front line area it was made the first consideration to . get all ranks.under shelter, because, although the , was unbroken, autumn was hurrying on." The 'nights are -already 'much colder and occasionally showery* !■■..- Comfortable Quarter* Everyone. ; has ■ been placed under cover within a' few days, those not immediately billeted being provided with tents.; ..Since-then there has been a'-progressive••■ improvement jboth, by the transfer' of the tented' units 1 to billets < and by moving ; those-• already in poor .billets to .better ones.. ~, - , "As when camping 'iri the open, the men haye shown commendable, initiative "in making the most of the quarters available. Owners arid tenants.of the premises have been 'uniformly gerier.-; ous and helpful. Units and sub-units are rather widelv distributed, but there is safety in diffusion when- death is unleashed from the sky.: The signals branch maintains a complete system of communications by landline and wireless.- .... .-•• y . Organised winter . ; sport - in'■ the N.Z.E.F. iri the United Kingdom, began this "week. The force, has been divided for "the purposes of iritergrqup. competitions in .Rugby and- Association football, hockey, athletics.'' harriers, basketball, boxing, wrestling, swimmirig and diving, for which tepid baths, are available, but first there will be preliminary competitions within the groups. The infantry battalions for instance/each of which forms one group, have ' begun - ' intercompany games. From players in the battalion teams, and then from players in the intergroup fixtures, which start the week after next. New Zealand Army teams will be selected. ' at least in Rugbv and hockey. The Rugby selectors will be Bishop Gerard, Lieutenant Rex. King, and Company-sergeant-major Frank -Solomon.; ..'"-, Importance of Sport General.Freyberg attaches great importance to sport as a means of keeping the troops fit, especially when their military training has been as.far advanced as that of the second echelon now is. The daily work -programme presently provides for a minimum of four hours and a-half drill, including two hours', marching, with organised, games filling the balance of the. day: It has been laid down, and is repeatedly emphasised, that the purpose'of sport is to cater for all. and that all must have a regular opportunity "for competitive nlay. ■''.' ,' :>'":' . '::.:•■■>.

Even though the standard.may not be high., in Rugby especially, much interest and enthusiasm will "attend the selection and performances of the'New Zealand team. Nevertheless, it is regarded officially as of. only secondary importance, in the winter's 1 activities: Since the men themselves aire equally anxious to keen .fit. many, will clay more than one sport.-and the competition programme has been spread oyer a week to permit this, ft is • intended that the New Zealand teams should ; be selected bv the end of October and in the last week of that month an athletic snorts meeting, a-boxing and wrestling tournament, and ,a. swimmingvand; 'diving carnival will beheld... , e ~.- ,: