AMONG BRITISH SOLDIERS IN FRANCE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 122, 17 December 1915, Page 4 (Supplement)

AMONG BRITISH SOLDIERS IN FRANCE.

BY THE REV. 11. J. CAMPBELL, M. A.

(Delivered in the City Temple last September.)

I thought it might .interest you it instead of ft sermon I were to give some account of one's experiences on the other side of the Channel during the former part of August. This is the second timo that 1 visited the camps in France; the first time, in February, I made a comparatively briet stay. Thk time, knowing what the conditions were, I went out under the auspices of the Young Men'B Christian Association, which is doing a truly marvellous work. One wonders that something of the kind was never attempted for British soldiers on campaign before, but it never was. The Y.mTC.A. got in ahead of other agencies of ft philanthropic character, even before the denominations. Their experience with the Territorials before the war enabled them to know just what to do and how to attempt it. They have tabled since the war began nearly half ft mililon of money :n al to build, equip, and maintain their huts, both in this country where tho soliders are encamped and at the seat of war, particularly in the West. 1 feel that the denominations wou d havt done better if they had never attempted to erect huta of their own. One comes across a Church of Engand liut occasionally and then a Congregational hut, and then a Salvation Army hut. I took some little part last autumn in the endeavour to awake? interest in the necessity for these huts, so far as the Congregationalists were concerned, but I think now that that was a m;stake. The Y.M.C.A. covers the ground, and feoverd it far more efficiently than any denomination has shown itself able to do. It would be better, therefore, if we could all come in behind that organisation and that what funds we can get for tiiis kind of work should be given to the Y.M.C.A. . Practically, tho Y.M.C.A. hut, which holds a few hundred men. is the camp club. There has never been a camp club before actually at the s«»t of war, and when you know what the life is, how monotonous day by day for the soldiers on campaign—it is not monotonous in the trenches by any means', but it certainly is out of them—you cannot speak too highly of this successful effort to provide them with brightness and comfori as well. 1 jheard of

AN AMUSING TESTIMONY from a nUier to that effect. He wrote home, "The Y.M.C.A. people are really good fellows, even if they are Christians" 1 At one end of the hut is a canteen, where for very moderate prices food and nonalcoholic drinks and other things are sold to the soldiert, who otherwise might have to pay much higher prices for similar goods. At the otner end of the hut is a raised platform, with a piano on it, sometimes a string band, which the soliders themselves organise. When players have ;o pass on to the trenches other players take their place: and there ha 6 never yet been a meeting, so far as I know, at whieh some soldier did not come forward to play whatever was required. Notepaper and envelopes are provided free. The canteen workers are ail evil am, a few of them being ladies, and give their time ungnidgingly the work, make friends with the soldiers, and do anything they can for thero, the way of writing home or obtaining comforts that they specially need. I am told, on behalf of the military authorities, that it would be better aot to say anvthing about where one went. Suffice it to say that one had a sp a ml permit, which took me practically wherever I liked to go, the same facility being afforded to the friend, Li u-t. Bywater, who very kindly motored me in his own car every foot of the way. One went wherever the Y.M.C.A. directors thought one could be of the most service. Not infrequently one was within sound of the fi rin S> M*er actually saiW any of tne fighting. It was 6trange to find such b» r gf d 1 . 9" triote on the other side practically in th* occupation of the British. Tho British were, to a certain extent, layina down the law locally, instituting their own military regulations as might fee required. Except for tho fact that «ne met practically no British civilians. #n« could almost have fancied that one was at tome. I went out intending, as in February, to visit hospitals only. As you know, the really hopeless cases amongst tne wounded are not brought heme. The poor fellows are cared for there as weirprobably as they could be cared for at home, but naturally they at* spared the pain of the journey, seeing iney might die on the way, and *nv case cannot recover. One thought «ne might be of some service to some these, and indeed was- It was pathetic to find the longing for

THE FACES OF THOSE JHEY LOVED o* this side «rf tto Channel, and yet <me could we liow patently and nobly, though qlutc aware that ijjey were djine. thev resigned themselve* to the-r lot I soon found, however, thai pue tru prewed into other fcernco an we 1 The huts where the meeting were held —1 did not know that they were held .iin-v other day hut Sunday, hut I wai asked to breach practically every airfht. and often every afternoon as well. and these ordinary service* were followed before very long almost uniT«r»a»y by meetings for tion*—those were instituted by the soldiers themselvea, who pelted one With questions, many of them very interfluent questions!, too. The longest timo f V as under lire in t-hw way was tor two and a-half houee at a stretch. The motor-car was loaded up with the bales which you kindly got ready for us W». The large boxes I could net take is the car, and they never reached me ttb *U; I beard they were in the depot there, no I left the keys behind for them to fee /opened and the contents distributed by on* who could lie trusted. We took the feaJes piUd up high in tfco car, to the field hospitals to need them most The joy~4swnwtich those* parcels of Moods were received wou(ld have rewarded you if you could have seen it. When I got to the firei hut, at which we «topped for a few days, we received the warmest of welcomes, and found a number of the chaplains gathered to. gether to meet us. The senior chaplain of that particular district, Colonel Day, spoke for the rest in saving that they welcomed every helper they could get, and that DESOMTNALISATION T HAD TO BE OVERLOOKED. -under the conditions, for which I devoutly thank God. Every night at tho hack of the hut in the workers' rooms they have a supper party for tlio weary workers themwlviti, and as taatiy of the Chaplains as) can conic in, and there is plenty of good comradeship go. <ng end not a little geniality. Colonel Day, a veteran, thirty-three «Mrt fiiuplaia to 'the forces, is a w't-

ty and good-natured Irishman, full of stories. One that was told me about Vim if I may mention it, was ae good as any he ever told himself. Whon ho arrived at the camp where re «ns bo did hia best to get acq jam ted as speddily as possible with all the people under his jurisdiction, but was reproached by a lady canteen worker lor not having visfited her hut. He roplied, in ins Iri6h accent: ' Madam, » have been tramping this, district Srcai early morning to set of 6un, and it me heart was as tender as me feet ye | could do anything with me!" It is no infrequent thing to find a li6t of engagements like this chalked on the Y.M.C.A. notice board outside a hut: " Sunday, 8 a.m., Holy Communion, Church of England; 10, Mass, Roman Catholic; 11.30, Nonconformist preaching service," and the evening before, probably or possibly, a service for the Jews. The .cry same Communion table does for the Anglican and for the Roman Catholic, in the latter case tl» priest bringing his own candles, bod bless them all! I wish they would be as friendly and united at home. It was I one's practice to go into the hospitals each morning and afternoon, and to spend the rest of the day with the unbounded in the huts in meetings ot oaa kind or another At one or two camp 6 I noticed that the tents seemed to be of a more luxurious quality than elsewhere. It turned out that these were some of the tents that had been used for that magnificent Durbar in India at the time of his Majesty's! Coronation a tew years ago; now they areieing U6ed in trance tor our woundea soldiers—a very right use to make of them. Oh, the wonderful equipment of those hospitals! I will dare to say th'.t St. Bartholomew's or St. Thomas's Hospital in London has not a cleaner or bet. ter equipped operating theatre than is to be found in the open field in France under canvas —I mean British. Even hot water is laid on. I asked a matron to tell me how they got hot water there in the middle of nothing, as it were. Her reply astonished me. •' Indeed, I do not Know; I turn the tap, and there is the water." Evidently there had been good organisation somewhere. Your goods were more appreciated than I can tell you. When one took a bale into any particular hospital the staff, as a rule, gathered at once like bees round —I was going to say, a honey-pot, only that instead of storing honey they were there to seek it. They soon had the things unpacked and carried the goods where they were wanted. At one hospital the sur-geon-colonel, picikng up a certain little parcel, said, with a twinkle in his eye, " Mr. Campbell, I am a poor man smce I came to the war, and I scarcely have a suit of clothes to my back. Can 1 have those pyjamas?" I 6aid, "I really think, Colonel, you have earned them, and I will acquaint our worker* with the fact that you commandeered them."

WHAT THE MEN WANT MOST at the present time —I am not now speaking of the hospital staff —both the wounded and the unwounded, is moro reading matter, plenty of it. Light literature would be appreciated, and there would be no difficulty about sending it out if you would pass it on to the Y.M.C A. I promised to send out some gramophones, which bring great comfort 10 the Tommies under certain conditions. I believe that they can be otbained at a good discount if you know how to go about it. If anybody is disposed to give me one or two gramophones for hospitals I will see that tney reach a destination where the need is specially great. In this respect some of the hospitals and Y.M. C.A. huts are much better equippel than others. Sweets and tobacco are always welcome, lighting at Hooge took place whilst I was there. We did not know what was actually going on at the time, but afterwards saw the pathetic and melancholy spectacle of the convoys of the wounded coming in. Poison gas and liquid fire produce the worst and most painful effects. The ghastliest wounds I think I ever saw were inflicted by liquid fire at Hooge, scorching and blasting big strong men through to the. 1 bone. I am bound to say that our men are bitterer than they were. Then went out prepared to meet the Germans as brave soldiers flpd treat them as honourable foes, but 'it"lias been slowly forced upon them that this i§ m ordinary fight, but a fight without scruple, due to the system under which German soldiers are compelled to do things which I hope individually they would not do. There is no chivalry about them, or it is very rare to find it. One story was told to roe of a German officer who had been taken prisoner, to whom one of our own said, "But you don't play the game." "Game!" was the reply, "we are not playing a game; we are out to win. You English have played games too long." There is a vast amount of espionage of a most daring character. About the time that one got to a certain point in the very middle of the main lin© of comunications one heard this. A Prussian, who spoke English well, attired as a British officer, actually dared to go into one of the huts &nd give a treat by arrangement to the soldiers, taking two nights about it. He provided them with tea and other refreshments, olid an entertainment, and paid for it all, of course passing to and fro among tbem at the same time. What gave him away was tho peculiar way he pronounced tho word "so,'" vti/wh he pronounced "zo." Suspicious wer aroused, iufonuatiou was laid, and that Prussian not pasb timt way again. I heard

AUTHENTIC STORIES OK ATROCITIES ,too dreadful to repeat at iirst han"] from the men who ' tnessed them, and not the testimony of ? single man, but of men who, in company, horrible tilings that arc not repeatable in ordinary company. On the other hand, one is glad to be able to record testimonies as to occasional Geruun kind news, particularly on the pa t of. H e Savons. There is not ni'ie'i of that Wind of to be recorded about the Prussians. One instance was quota 1 to mc —I cannot remember whether it was about Christmas time. The Savons, who are of kindred race to the English, worp very much disposed to fraternise with Aiur men, and • frequently the trenches gfr, surprisingly near to each other. Out m*u called across on the occasion specified tnai they were enjoying some ham sandwiches made by themselves. The Saxons called back, you share? We will give yon some cocoa." "Done!" said the British, and a Tommy iiyppcd out to carry a ham across to the Saxoqs ou the other side. A sniper at some distance, who did not know of the arrangement, shot him in the leg, the wound fortunately not being serious. Instantly the Saxons leaped out of their trench, picked up the wounded Englishman, n<id carried him to the Brit'sh trench and ottered apologies. They returned, and presently came back bringing the sniper with them, who shook hands with his victim, assured him that it was an entire mistake, and if he had onlv known he would not have done it. Giifl or two interesting facts, CURIOUS INCIDENTS. J came ;tcroj.£ iu thy fiehi Jj.ybjntaltj.

Going through one ward I noticed a boy with a beautiful face, almost an angel's face, looking at me wistfully, as he wanted me to come to him, and with a clear, alert look in his eye 6. I said to the matron, "I am going l across to that boy." She 6aid, "In spite of tht look of intelligence on his I face, as if he wanted you to speak to him, he ia utterly unconscious; he can neither see nor hoar, nor does ho even know that you are in the ward." I spoke to the boy for some minutes, asking if he could hear mo. The intelligent, wistful look remained; h;s big eyc6 were fixed on my face, but he did not speak nor give the smallest sign that he heard. A few days afterwards when I again went to the ward the matron told me that the boy was semi-conscious, in a sort of dream state. I took hold of his hand and said, "Do you remember me coming before?" "Yes, sir." The matron thought the boy didn't know of my previous visit, but she was possibly mistaken. He may have been afflicted with some form of nervous paralysis, and could understand without being able to show it. Then I came across a soldier who was in the Hoge fight, a man of about 35, who had been hit on the head by a piece of shrapnel, and who (Vd not remember anything before that; hie whole life was comprised in the few days that followed. He was quite chatty and cheerful. A letter liad come from his wife, and he said, "They tell me I have a wife, and that is a letter from her, but I do not know whether I have or not; and they tell me I come from West Bromwich; there may be such a place as West Bromwich, and I may belong to it, but as far as I know 1 never heard of it before." The doctor said that hi memory would come back to him with a rush. There was another man in the camp, among the convalescents who had been rendered deaf and dumb by a wound in the head. During a concert given by Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Hol-6tein's concert party hearing and speech suddenly returned to him. I heard of other instances of the kind. Our men are all so brave, s« patient, so cheerful, so confident of victory, one could not but be proud of them. It did one good to go to and fro amongst those men who were fighting our battle, many of them giving their lives for Old England. Cheerfulness is a point of honour with them. Tommy's spirit is truly wonderful, a thing of which England has every reason to be glad and rejoice. It contrasts rather curiously with that of the French. It seems as if the characteristics of the two nations had been reversed for the time being. There is a proverb that the Englishman takes even his pleasures saaly, while the French have the reputation of being a gay nation. If you meet a French regiment on the march, the chances are that they will neither be singing or even talking to each other; their faces are set and grave. If you meet British regiment on the march, there is a swing and an elan, almost a swagger, with them, and they are all singing—something or other. The French feel the war in their midst, as we do not here. Jn France every other woman one meets is a young widow. The churches are well filled even during the day, by silent worshippers, dressed in mourning. It is a sombre spectacle to look into a French church. But so far as our army out there is concerned, all the pessimism is in England. A friend told me that he had never come across a man invalided home who wanted to go back. Well, 1 have met with a number who certainly do. There a corporal there who had acquired a reputation amongst his fellows for more than ordinary daring in an army where every man is brave. He had won the Victoria Cross, the D.C.M., and he held the French Legion of Honour. He had been gassed three times, and it was difficult for him to get his brother properly. He had been shot all over the body, but he said to me, "They will never get me." He had been a Jion tamer before he went into the army, and he looked it. 1 never saw such an eye as that man had. Jokingly, the men would often say to him, "Don t look at us!" They could not, or pretended they could not, bear to meet his eye, and 1 should not wonder it the Germans could not! All by himself ho blew up a chateau with 75 German officers in it. I came across a Canadian, not more than 20 years of age, who said he was not going home because he had a debt tcJ pay. He said lie had seen two Canadians who had been crucified. I suggested that perhaps they had been hung up after they were dead. "You would not think that," he said, "if you could have seen their faces." If ever there was a Christian enterprise it is that of giving joy to these soldiers by the sending out of concert part es. I was present at one which was crammed to suffocation. All the men joined in the chorus, cheerfully, gaily, but with very deep feeling. A solist was singing, "Till the boys come home, keep the home fires burning,' and they altered the first word of the song, so that it went: "You were summoned from the hillside, You were called in from the glen, And the country found you ready At the stirring call for men." Then came the chorus, every man singing with all his might, officers as well: "Keep the home fires burning While your hearts are yearning, Though your lads are far away, they drenia of home. There is a silver lining, Through the dark clouds shining, Turn the dark cloud inside out, Till the boys come home." In the middle of the song a young officer rose ou the platform and called out: "An order hatf just come in. The 7th a.nd 9th of the Kmg's Royal Rifles are wanted at once. Any men here from those battalions?" All over the placemen rose auietlv, the song going on, and left le room. There was no attempt at applause or demonstration of any sort, hooking through an aperture one saw them lining up outside, hundreds and hundreds in drafts for the trenches. On the western front artillery duels continue to be frequent, but the infantry engagements seem to be small, isolated, and comparatively unimportant. The enemy cTaiiued to have captured positions at the summit of the Hartmannsweilerkopf, but the French report declares that though the Germans got a footing there they were driven out, and our Allies hold all the positions occupied before this attack was delivered. In the Dardanelles there is au apparent l.ujll ats far as infantry .'attacks are concerned, though Allied warships have bombarded the Turkish trenches near Seddfll Ualir. British warships appeared off Smyrna and did damage at several military points.

A WEEK OF AU{ RAIDS. Zeppelins visited the eastern counties and the London districts on four times in six nights. The raid on Tuesday night resulted in the destruction ot 15 small dwelling-houses and 56 casualties. A more serious experience befel Londoners 911 Wednesday uight. Explosive and jncohdialy bombs were dropped in yariqus places, and some fires and a rather casualty list vero reported. There were 20 people kflied, ipcuicjing twp women and (i children; 14 were seriously injured and 72 slightly Injured in Wednesday night's raid; out of the total of 100 casualties, 2!) were women, 19 wero children, and out of tho 58 men only four wero soldiers, one of them b.eing killed. Another raid was reported on tlio east coast lust Saturday uight, and fclill another ou Sunday nijjht, but no

damage was done e i or to persona or property. There is reason for the report that a Zeppelin was destroyed near Brussel last week, though details are not yet forthcoming. Since the beginning of the war there have been 18 air raids. Thei total casualties through air raids stand now at 456, of whom 140 were killed and 340 wounded; among the killed were 27 children and 39 women; among the injured, 58 children and 114 women. There is a total of 50 men killed and 168 wounded. With these figures before us, it is not difficult to understand the indignation expressed by the Archdeacon of London, preaching at St. Paul's, last Sunday afternoon. Battle, he said, lias changed into murder. "Speaking with all the restraint that is due from every preacher as well as the Press, and with the knowledge and consent of tli© Censor, I tell you that to one hospital alone were taken the dead bodies of little children of fifteen, ten, seven, end five, and one little baby, so that the nursery became a slaughter-house. Of tho Imperial murderer who allowed it, if lie did not order it, all we can say is, in the words of the Psalmist — the most awful punishment ever given to a man —'I will set before thee the things that thou has done.' "