FOR HER BROTHER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 26, 6 January 1916, Page 2

FOR HER BROTHER.

C!RL STOWAWAY ON TROOP TRANSPORT. A romantic stowaway incident has come under the notice of the Victorian military authorities. The story is to the effect that a girl. IS years of age, whose parents live at Newcastle, desirous of seeing her brother* who is at the front, and of becoming a hospital nurse, decided to try an I iret to Egypt. Finding nil conventional methods impossible, she fixed upon the expedient of disguising herself as a member of the expeditionary force. She managed to purchase a khaki jacket from a private, and subsequently procured all the other items of uniform, save the regulation hoots. She (then paid a visit to a barber's, and [persuaded him to cut her hair short, and iti the correct military fashion. Thus prepared she seized an opportunity and managed to board a troopship at Sydney, where she made her way to the boat deck, and concealed herself in one of the boats. She had made no provision for food. for. as she told the authorities subsequently } slip believed that when discovered she would he allowed to proceed with the vessel. Kate, however, ruled otherwise. Shortly alter the vessel had put to sea mi inspection parade was called on the boat dock, and as the men mustered, the luckless stowaway \va. < discovered in her hiding place. Since it was obviously impossible to rake her to Rgypt, the authorities on the boat got in touch by wireless with a steamer, and the girl, still in khaki uniform, was transferred in one. of the ship's boats. As she left the transport, the soldiers, who had heard the story, crowded to the side of the vessel and cheered whole-heartedly. The girl was brought oil to .Melbourne, and on Christmas Day was interviewed by the military authorities, to whom she told her story. She was handed over to the care of the officials of the Young Women's Christian Asocintion. who arranged to send her hack to her parentis.