The War on Gallipoli.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 65, 16 November 1915, Page 6

The War on Gallipoli.

NOTES BY A RETURNED NEW ZEALAND SOLDIER. LUXURIES BY POST. (By C.S.K.) The Post Office is a great institution. In peace time it works like a clock; and now, when the Empire is at war it continues its clock-like work- " ing and extends its operations to within a stone's throw of the enemy's trench. Mail day is a great day for everybody on the Peninsula, for everybody appears to receive at least one letter; and one needs to be there, cut off altogether from the outer world, to thoroughly appreciate receiving a letter, it is also comforting to receive other things—things which .cost little but are almost unprocurable behind the firing line. And those who are compelled to stay at home can "do their bit," or some part of it, in making it a duty to forward to soldiers at the.front a supply of such things. The first class of these things which comes to mind is things to eaWthe south end of the waistcoat is very often in our minds. The military authorities see to it that the soldier has a sufficiency of eatables ; and now and again a special effort is made to supply things, which are not included' in the regular fare. On several days we were supplied with fresh meat (no doubt frozen) and oiice we had two eggs per man issued. But for the most part the. soldier has to content himself with the army ration, and though this is well balanced and of a character calculated to make for good' health, there come times when the monotonousncss of the fare presses heavily, and one longs for a change, even if only for one meal. This sense of monotononsness in meal s never kills anybody. Qne has one day on which he feels that he would rather chew air than bully-beef, when all the disadvantages' cf biscuits seem to loom enormously .large, and when his bit of morning bacon loses all its taste and charm'. It stfU be said that such a day is only "the day after," of which one has experience in times of peace. But on the Peninsula there is no "dayafter," and the feeling is caused merer iy,by lack of variety; and after such a day, on which one perhaps fasts jtoj a greater or lesser- degree, the 'bacon recovers its taste, 'the good points oft ; the biscuit begin'''to fitick out prominently.; and the existence of a silver lining.to bully r beef seenis possible. A very little, however, would give the soldier variety in his fare.' It )V not; possible to send him eggs, cream, strawberries or cream-puffs, but their place can be taken to-a large .extent by articles which keep well and carry well. For instance, chocolate. This could be made into cocoa, giving a little change from the "eternal tea. Sweets of all kinds may be used ■•«*. tlf,ssert, and, in the front : 'trench,; they are a form of nutriment which' caii be. e;iten without interfering with one's work. Tliey can be carried inj the pocket, and are easy To get atjufi one becomes suddenly hungry whenj ,he is twenty miles from nowhere< ( a* twenty minutes to nothing in .the morning. The sweets need not be of any fancy sort. So long as they, are sweets at all they break the monotory; and an expenditure of a sliillling a week will easily supply the soldier with enough sweets to give his meals a touch ~o f variety and generally -tend to make him look on the bright and shiny side of things. In resect of articles of clothing individual effort is not' so necessary, as the authorities do a

great deal in this direction, and if a man finds himself somewhere where his unit store cannot give him socks, underwear., etc;, then it follows that the post office cannot reach him either. Writing paper and envelopes are acceptable gifts; but should he sent in small quantities, <as, indeed, should all gifts. Coing into the field one cannot take with him all the things he will want (luring the campaign, even if he knew how long he is staying in the held, and even if he has some sort of a stock of certain things there is always a chance of it being mislaid-or having to be abandoned. The happy soldier is he who can carry bis writing materials in liis tunic pocket, and naturally his pockets cannot hold jnuch writing material, when so much else needs to he carried In the pockets. Perhaps what the soldier needs most is individual treatment in regard to tobacco. There is tobacco issued to every man, but nearly everybody has an individual taste, and I have met those who would prefer not to smoke at all than to smoke tobacco other than the brand which they have sorted out as "the best ever made." Here, again, the sender need not be at great

expense. He may, if lie wish, send weekly 'enough tobacco for every day ol the week; hut really sufficient is clone if enough is sent to allow the soldier to enjoy "the best ever made" for a day or two of each week. The great feature of gifts to soldiers is-. t&Wi" utility in breaking the monotony. ■Another form of gift which would lie acceptable is reading matter, in the way of bright novels or magazines. In trench warfare one has frequently a good share of spare time which sometimes drags, owing to the fact that one can find nothing to do. There is washing, darning, and cleaning of all sorts to do, but many times when these are done the soldier finds himself with a certain amount of time which he is compelled to use in watching the clock go round. Summed up, the chief principle of individual gifts to soldiers is: Send a small weekly parcel of articles calculated to. break the monotony and brighten things up. But all efforts at this end', will avail

' nothing if the post office at the other end does not live up to the standard of promptness and infallibility we have got accustomed to in peace time. When I I was on the Peninsula there were widespread complaints of the non-ar-, rival of parcels, advice of the sending of which had been received by letter. | Allowing for disabilities created by a, state of war it seemed that there was inexcusable laxity or want of organisation somewhere. I believe that the matter has been gone into and improvement is promised.