A TAIHAPE BOY’S LETTER.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 14 December 1915, Page 3

A TAIHAPE BOY’S LETTER.

WOUNDED AT THE FRONT. TAKEN TO ENGLAND. HIS EXPERIENCES THERE. 1 The following i s a letter from Mr. Gus. Aldridge, son of Mr, J. P. Aldridge, who being wounded, describes his journey to England from Egypt, and the treatment he experienced in England, his impressions of the country and other details. As the letter is uniformly interesting it is published almost verbatim: Southmead Hospital, Bristol, England, 17/10/15.

I am now, as you see, in England. We left Alexandria on the 4th October. There were about 1400 on board all’ tcld. About 150 being Australians. We had a very pleasant trip across the Mediterranean, everybody who cc 'Uld about seemed to be out for enjoyment. The only thing that seemed a bit of a bore was having to carry our life belts about wherever we wen + but I suppose it was quite a necessary precaution. A concert was arranged every evening, quite a lot of good talent coming forward. A few Maoris we had with us gave a haka on one occasion, which was very much appreciated. Wo arrived at Gibraltar after five days taking a zig-zag course. We stayed there for twelve hours. I occupied most of the time gazing at the wcndeirful “Reck,” which towered up before us. Many guns are visible hut you can bet we never saw the best of them. After leaving Gibraltar the weather got much coder and we had rum, the first we had seen for months. The rest of the voyage was fairly dull and uneventful, thanks to our Navy. We were picked up the day before we reached England by three destroyers, and escorted into Plymouth Sound, into Devcnpcrt Harbour. It is a beautiful Sound, on one side is a mass of shipping and docks, and on the other are green fields, ornamental trees, and old English-looking cottages. We were all delighted with cur first introduction into England. We disembarked at Davenport into hospital trains and /were taken straight through to Bristol, a journey taking about two hours. We were met on the Bristol station by a number of ladies who., provided us with tea. cakes, and made a general fuss of us. Ambulance men came forward and took charge of our kits. We eventually got aboard motor car s , and were driven through Bristol to Southmead Hospital. The people here turn out in great j crowds to meet hospital trains. Tire streets were lined with women and girls, who cheered ns all along the * route; it was very thrilling I can assure you. This is a splendid hospital, it is just like a home away from home. The sisters are all jolly fine girls, all from good families in England, and most of them are giving their services voluntarily. We were made welcome from the moment we ! arrived here. I could easily stay here 1

j for the duration of the war, but I am J afraid we are too well to he securing ! such good attention. We are expecting any day to be sent on to the Wccdcote Convalescent Camp, at Epsom. Woodcote Park Convalescent Camp, Epsom, 23/10/15. Arrived here on the 19th, after a most interesting train journey through England, from west to east, by express train. T am head over heal s in love with England, I think it is a wonderful old country. Although it is now autumn the country is still looking beautiful, with its green fields, ' hedges, homesteads and old castles covered with ivy, which look simply gloroius. We left Bristol at mid-day, the people again turned out, and provided tea. and cakes, also a packet of cigarettes each. A recruiting band came on to the platform and played ug out. The country is a net-work of railways, you see trains running in all direction. We travelled most of the way at the rate of over a mile a minute. We flew through many lege towns without stopping, which was all very u to resting. The only thing taat wciried me was that I couldn’t rok at both sides of the line at once. We arrived at Paddington Station about j 2 p.m. and got out into an immense j station, but had no time to look round, / We were hurried dowm a few flights of stairs into an electric tube train. I We travelled some distance in this, ' came up again and found ourselves in Victoria station, this is also a beautiful, large place. Several ladies again came forward with baskets of cakes, fruit and tea. We then travelled some distance by a suburban train and finally arrived at Epsom .where we were met by Ambulance cars and taken to Woodcote Park. It is an enormous samp composed cf long iron huts, all lined, each accommodating forty-eight men, and is supplied with three iron coal stoves to keep it warm. The weather is getting very cold here now. | I have only been here a few days and I have been out on two occasions' a s the guest cf different people about here. Tha first was an invitation tc 20 New Zealanders from a Mr. Wason, an ex-New Zealander, and member of Parliament at the time of the Atkinson Government. I am told he is a member of the House of Commons. We travelled into London in a big motor hu s and after an interesting ride through London we pulled up at the House of \ Commons, whore we were met by the gentlemen in question and his wife. We were entertained at tea in the House. Several New Zealanders were present, including the High Commissioner, his daughter, and Miss Russell from Palmerston North. She sat at the same table as I did, with several i others whose name s I have forgotten. After tea, cigars were handed roun,d and we walked on the Thames Embankment, 1 behind the Lords and Commons. We were then split up into small parties, and shown through the House. Mr. Yeo, M.P., was in charge of my party. He was very interested in us and \

I went to no end of trouble to explain everything to ns. He stopped every ! Minister we met and introduced us. I can only remember the names of three we ‘swung the duke” with vhs: Lie, yd George, T. : P. O’Connor, and the real live Lord Claud Hamilton. We gave throe N.Z. cheers for Mr. and Mrs. Wason, and returned to camp 1 1 8 p.m. Our other invitation was out in the country, to a Mrs. Richards. Eight New Zealanders were invited on this occasion, I managed to push niy frame in again. It was a very pleasant motor drive, some distance out in the country. We stopped at a large gateway leading into very fine grounds —a ibeautiful old English home—standing some distance back from the road, being just visible through the trees. We walked up a well kept drive to the house. At this point I, being the only n.c.o. with the party, was pushed to the fore to announce our arrival. We were received by an elderly lady and her daughter, who turned out to be very aristocratic people and exceedingly nice. We were taken for a walk all round the estate, also shown the stables where the daughter keeps her hunter, a really fine beast.' I mentioned how fond I was of horses and how delightful it must he hunting in this country, but she never invited me out to the next meet. We played several lawn games and after a sumptuous tea we sat over our cigars before a fire and told tall yarns about New Zealand until the maid came to announce that our car was waiting. We thanked our hostess for her hospitality, and returned to camp, all well satisfied that we’d had a most enjoyable afternoon.

We get leave every day from 2 p.m. until 9.30. We either go into Epsom or one or other of the numerous villages round about. We are not allowed in London without a pass. When we are kicked out of here Ave go to our headquarters in London, Avhere Ave get all our back pay (mine will run into about £.20), a return ticket to any part of the British Isles and a fortnight’s furlough. I am feeling splendid, and don’t think it will be long before I go out. I have not made up my mind as to Avhere I shall spend my furlough. I have lost the only address I had of any people in England, one Mr. Loader gave me. Your loving son and brother, Gus.