"A FAIR TREAT."

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 156, 17 March 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

"A FAIR TREAT."

SAILORS VISIT THE THENCHES. It was a gale which biow us abruptly into the New Year. Wo went roaring into it with the eyebolts ot everything seemingly carried away. A very brisk and disrumpled entrance. There is a place called , to use the Censor's language. The sight ot another human creature there shocks you, as though you had come upon .someone else who was furtively creeping from wrath. But one I met somewhere near it was doing nothing of the kind. Mr. H. M. Tomlinson writes in the "Daily News." He was paying a New Year's ■visit, he said, and tried to hitch up bis slacks, but recollected himself and gazed at his puttees, witch are not used on His Majesty's ships and cannot bj hitched up. 11 i« cap had r.o regimental badge, but bore the name of a Dreadnought. He was listening to the general uproar with brooding enjoyment. "Well. he said, "th s lireaks the monotony. Fritz never gives us a chance to do th s to him. This," he mused, "is a fair treat "

MADE A NIGHT OF IT

He indicated that there were more like himself further along. It was not difficult to discover them. It was a large group, certainly, 111 khaki, but its caps represented thirty ships of the (Iralid Fleet. Except when they are 011 a New Year's v'i-it to the trenches, the part of such men in this war is as seamen, stokers, and marines, waiting for the locks of the Kiel Canal to open; though they candidly admitted they expected no such luck. They had just come out of the trenches, where they had stayed for twenty-four hours. Orders were that they should retire to sleep as soon as they had seen enough : but they kept it up all night, and had not scon even then. They had a great deal of comment to make, but chiefly they were agreed, after quietly thinking it over, that taking it all round, they preferred a casemate and sea room to a trench. Yet they were also assured they had had a great lark. " I was slinging bombs." cried a boyish marine, as another might confess to a full-orbed participation in a feast of flowers, "for hours." "I wonder whether 1 got him." debated a seaman thoughtfully. "I saw h'm hull down, and let fly. My first shot in this war. If 1 did get him I'd like a certificate for it." Another admitted that the rifle grenade was his chief pleasure a'l night.

MANY SHIPS REPRESENTED

It ajijiears the vis t was kept very quiet —till it was made. A soldier saw a grin coming along the trench, toppod by a famous ship's name in gold letters. "Is that you, Jack?'' asked the incredulous soldier. '' Have you conic down the Kiel Canal here? \\ here have you anchored her?" Questions like that passed. Even the Germans knew nothing of this v;sit. They also found out. All unconscious of what they were do ng they mildly whizz-hanged some parapets. Then tlioy launched a sort of attack, which faded in a most peremptory manner. After that, so that the seamen might know there are gunners ashore as we 1 as afloat, our artillery did its very best, with ehe sailors in the stalls.

A slrp's gunlayer admitted his enjoyment of this as a first-class turn. Then there commenced "a little liveliness," as a communique would say. on this part of the front. There could have heen no sleep in the German trenches, 110 sleep till dawn, and r.ot much then. So far as one could (rather the soldiers and their guests niade a night of it. The front decrepitated. The Germans must have thought this wns was a curious form of enjoyment.

"Come up here, Jack,'' invited _ a Tommy, sitting on a parapet. "You can see better here." No, my boy, ' said Jack, "1 might not ice at all. I keep below the bulwarks when ma-chine-guns are a-bcam.'' This visit was certainly a happy thought of the authorities. The party from the Fleet was a large one, was here for some days, represented all ratings and many of the ships, ha* c-on. lirmed its high regard for the way the soldier is doing his part of the work, and is going back to the Fleet to say