HAIG’S MOBILE HEADQUARTERS.

Taihape Daily Times, 27 August 1919, Page 3

HAIG’S MOBILE HEADQUARTERS.

Not much was heard during the war of the train wlli‘<3'h was Sir Douglas iaig's mobile lleadquarters during active operations. The silence, which was necessary for so long, may pa.l'donably be broken now_ Whose the idea was is not definitely known, but those concerned in the sudden moves of G».H.O. before the train system was adopted blessed him.

2 Documents and maps, and all the imgpcdimenta of the staff had f-ormerly {to be packed on lorries, and with the ibest will in the world, backed by the ‘ best organisation, it was impossible to have things unpacked and straightened out into \\'orkillg' order -at the new head-quarters before some irate G.S.O. came thundering for documents that Could not immediately be found (says the M.-anchester Guardian). The train clmnged al’l that. It was «a compact combinntionof a first—class hotel and an up—to-déiitc office. It was fitted throughout with telephones, and silkslraded electric lights that cast a discreet and comfortable radiance in the thickly carpeted compartments. Here‘ .were ranged the ofiices -and bedrooms‘ of the principal officers of the general‘ stafi’.

Clean, white paint, and polished brass, smokerooms with deep saddlebag armchairs, cosy dining_rooms, bath-moms—-—all these were on the wonderful train; and when a change of position was decided on -all that was necessary was to ‘set the locomotive going. There wzlsino need to distu'r?3 a single map or paper, 51nd 111'-.1011 was saved in good humour and smooth working.