N.Z. COMMISSIONER AT THE FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 January 1916, Page 6

N.Z. COMMISSIONER AT THE FRONT.

COL. RHODES' VISIT TO EGYPT AND THE DARDANELLES. INSPECTION OF HOSPITALS AND POST OFFICES. THE ROUND OF THE TRENCHES. (From Malcolm Ross, Official War Correspondent with N.Z. Forces), Gallipoli Peninsula, Nov. 2. The Hon. Colonel Heaton Rhodes, M.P., who lias come out as a Commissioner on behalf of the New Zealand Government 'to visit the New Zealand troops in Egypt and ou the Gallipoli Peninsula, has arrived at the front, and during the past three or four days has been bIISV <'f)ill!r t.lin rnnnrl nf 41m

Gallipoli Peninsula, Nov. 2. The Hon. Colonel Ileaton Rhodes, M.l'., who lias come out as a Commissioner on behalf of the .Vew Zealand Government 'to visit the New Zealand troops in Kgypt and ou the Gallipoli Peninsula, has arrived at the front, and during the past three or four days has been busy going the round of the trenches in the firing-line, in visiting the field-dressing stations, and generally enquiring into matters of interest and importance to the Sew, Zealand Expeditionary Forces. Colonel Rhodes arrived at Port Said on October G, and at once set about visiting the various military hospitals in Egypt. He went first of all to the No. 1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital, which, under Col. McGavin,' had got together a first-class equipment, and was doing excellent work. Shortly afterwards—as New Zealanders will know by this time—the situation in the Balkans and the new landing at Salonika made it necessary that the hospital should shift to that place. Accordingly, doctors, nurses and attendants were shipped on board a troopship and joyously set out for their new sphere of action nearer the front. The ship, as you already know, was torpedoed by an Austrian or German submarine in' the Gulf of Salonika, and the whole of the valuable equipment is now at the bottom of the sea. Unfortunately, amongst the loss of life that ensued was that of ten of the New Zealand nurses, who had got s afcly into one of the boats and were killed by another boat falling on them. Many of those rescued—there were about 1000, all told, on boardwere for eight hours in the water. All the doctors were saved. Colonel McGavin has remained in Salonika, and the other doclors have gone back to Egypt to get a new outfit for the hospital, which will be established as soon as possible.

From Port Said Col. Rhodes proceeded to Alexandria, where he inspected the New Zealand base, now about to be shifted to Cairo. On the afternoon of October 7, with Capt.-Chaplain Greene, of the Salvation Army, he visited the Greek Hospital, where, among the patients, he found a number of New Zealanders, all of whom expressed themselves as satisfied with their treatment He also saw the No. 21 General Hospital, with accommodation for 1400 patients. Here he found 9ome sixty New Zealanders, and again everyone expressed himself as well satisfied with the treatment received. This, indeed, was the same story told by the New Zealanders in every one of the many hospitals visited in Egypt. In this particular hospital there were a number of cases of enteric, and Col. Rhodes ascertained that whereas in New Zealand the vaccine used was against only one kind of the disease, quite a different vaccine was needed for the types of disease contracted here. He hopes to arrange with the authorities to have cultures of the new types sent out to New 'Zealand, so that the special kinds of vaccine could be prepared there. During his rounds of the various hospitals, both British and New Zealand nurses expressed a great desire that the New Zealand nurses should be sent to England and the British nurses sent to New Zealand and Australia with the hospital ships parrying the. sick and wounded. On the same afternoon Col. Rhodes visited the New Zealand hospital ship Maheno, which was just on the point of leaving for London. It is the intention of Col. Collins, who is in charge, to have effected while in England certain changes in the internal accommodation which experience lias shown are necessary. The Maheno has already justified her existence as a hospital ship, she having up to date carried about 4000 sick and wounded. The personnel had proved efficient, had worked well together, and had been wonderfully free from sickness. It is likely that the Maheno will return from England to New Zealand with a number of the more serious cases. On October 8 Colonel Rhodes went to Cairo, where he was met by the N.Z. A.D.M.S. and the Base Commandant at Zeito'.in. lie also had a conference with General Maxwell, in command of the troops in Egypt, and with General Ford, the D.MS, in Egypt. He returned to Alexandria that night, and on the following day visited Lady Godley's convalescent homes, which are beautifully situated on the sea front at Ramleh. Norland House, one of the homes, has been generously lent by Mr. G. B. S. Alilersou, a merchant at Alexandria. On October 10 Colonel Rhodes again visited Cairo, and had a further conference ivitli General Ford on the subject of convalescent homes and other matters. [Tc inspected the Winter Fahiee Hotel at Heloan, where are the famous hot springs mentioned in Herodotus. The negotiations for a lease of the property are, however, in abeyance, as the offer of a more suitable building is under consideration. There Colonel Rhodes met "Plevna'' Ryan, of Melbourne, who occupies an official position, and who told him that there were no patients belter looked after than the Australians and Xew Zealanders.

Tlie following day the New Zealand Record Ollice at Alexandria, in charge of Major N. Fitzherbert, was visited. The arrangements here were found to lie first-class, an excellent system being ii> operation. Tlie New Zealand Ordnance Depot, and tlie New Zealand Advanced Base Post Office, at No. 12, Rho de la Porte Rosette, were likewise visited. Generally speaking, Colonel Ul.odes found tliat tlie postal arrangements, as far as New Zealand is concorned, were now working satisfactorily, though there were still some complaints about the late delivery of letters and the non-delivery of parcels. In regard to parcels, however, it was found that in many cases the non-delivery was due to the careless manner in which they had been wrapped up and addressed. In all cases parcels should be enclosed in tins or canvas, and, in addition to the address, should bear the name of the sender. If jam is sent it should be enclosed in tins —never in glass jars. It must not be forgotten that in a military postal service, especially on such difficult and lengthy lines of communication as between New Zealand and the Dirdanellcs, the mails are necessarily submitted to rough usage. New Zealand, so far, is the only country that sends its parcel post in boxes, and this

method has proved a very effective one. Other parcel mails come in bags and crates, and suffer accordingly. There are at the base, and also at the front, numbers of parcels for dead and wounded men, and in accordance with military rule these arc usually returned to the senders. In the case of eatables, however, it would be a great pity to send them back, and the donors, no doubt, would be only too pleased to let them be handed over to the comrades of the dead or wounded men. who are still in the trenches. In the N.Z. and A. Division tliia practice already prevails in regard to parcels of eatables that have already reached the regiments on Gallipoli. With regard to records, Col. Rhodes has suggested that, in order to facilitate enquiry, to save expense, and prevent delay and confusion, all official enquiries in regard to sick and wounded, or those killed in action, should be made through one office in New Zealand. It is not easy to convey to people in distant countries the difficulties that exist in supplying the answers to many of the enquiries that are made; but in every case all that is possible is done. One matter on which there are many enquiries is in regard to the graves of those who have been killed in action. Col. Rhodes is arranging to have, as fur as possible, the graves of New Zealandera killed in action photographed. This. however, will be no easy matter, at all events for some considerable time t« come. In a great many cases the brave fellows who hare given their lives for the Empire lie in unnamed graves, or are buried side by side with the enemy in the trenches where they have fallen. The Turks have buried our men, and we have buried theirs. The other day 1 saw a grave on which a cross had been placed by some of our men with the inscription, ''Here lies a Turk." The Turk would not be very pleased to know that his body was reposing under a cross, but it was a kindly thought that prompted this action of one of on; "Tommies."

Phere are in all eighty-one hospitals and convalescent homes in which Now Zealanders are looa ted, in Mudros, Gibraltar, Malta and Egypt, Amonsrst other hospitals visiteil I>l Colonel Rhodes was the Deaconess' Hospital at Alexandria. This was originally a German hospital, and for a time

was managed by the German deaconesses, with German nurses. It was, however, thought better, after a time, tliat German nurses should not be env ployed to nurse our wounded soldiers, and their services were dispensed with. They were very well treated by the authorities, and were sent to Switzerland, from which country they would make their way back into Germany. The hospital, which is now run by the R.A.M.C., had eight New Zealanders in it at the time of Colonel Rhodes' visit. Colonel Rhodes also had conferences with the Commissioners from England who are enquiring into the health ot the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, and with Surgeon-General Bapte, V.C., C.8., C.M.G., who is the Director of the Medical Services of the Force. Subsequently a visit was paid to the hospital ship Neuralia, which had just returned from the Peninsula, with 407 eases, mostly medical. At the Abas<ueh Hospital Colonel Rhodes found accommodation for 1400 patients. The Glvmenapoule Hospital at Ranleigh lias an Englishman, who is at the head of an Egyptian start". The Abassioh School, which is now a military hospital, has IaOO beds. . There were in it 31 New Zealanders, including three Maoris, all well pleased with the treatment and attention they were receiving. A visit was paid to Lady Howard de Walden's British Red Cros9 Hospital, which was formerly a palatial private residence. Much marble has been used in its construction, and it stands amidst beautiful grounds. Among the patients were 3(1 Xew Zealanders, Lady de Walden's husband, who is serving with the Forces in the Dardanelles, is one of the richest men in England, and both ImsWnd and wife have been generous and indefatigable to a degree. Nevt Zealanders who come to this hospital ara indeed fortunate.

Col. Rhodes, on arriving at Mudros, was met by General Oodley on October '23. Next day tliey inspected tlio 4tb Australian Brigade—which is part of the New Zealand and Australian Division—also the New Zealand Infantry Brigade and the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade. Officers and men were addressed by the General and Col. Rhodes, and the latter gave the New Zealamlors a message from Col. Allen. Minister for Defence, and told them that New Zcalandors were proud of their gallant deeds, and the success that had attended ' their brave and strenuous efforts on the Peninsula of Gallipoli. He said New Zealamlors would be proud to learn of their desire to get back to the front, and of their determination to see matters through to the end, Col. Rhodes spent tl ,n following day with Col. Mailer, R.M.0., inspecting the Canadian and Australian hospitals that are established on the island. lie also visited the Convnloscc-nt Depot. Col.. Rhodes was pleitsed to learn that the Xew Zealanders had improved in a marked degree during their stay on Lemnos. Generally speaking, the men seemed contented with theii lot, though they would have appreciated the benclit of a canteen.

Col. Rhodes, who arrived at the New Zealand Divisional Headquarters on October 2(1, spent the next day in company with General Godley, going through the trenches in the firing line and in getting a comprehensive view of the ground over which the New Zealanders have fought since their landing, on April 25 last. On the following day he visited the firing line on the Chunuk Hair front —Rhodoncdron Spur. The Apex, The Pinnacle, etc. In company with ,-*cneral Johnston, of the Artillery Brigade, ho also visited the various batteries and witnessed from an observation post at close range a bombardment of Hill GO, in the taking of which the New Zealand Mounted Rifles fought so gallantly. On Sunday, October 31, Col. Rhodes, with General Godley and members of trie Stall, attended divine service, conducted in a gully near headquarters b\ the B'shop of Southern China, and in the afternoon he made a round of other trenches in the firing line. The following day he went a long walk with the General In the lines held by the fltli Army Corps, on the left, processing as far as the Chocolate Hills, and saw the redoubt recently captured by Lovatt's Horse. He afterwards visited the ground over which the 4th Australian Brigade, who are in the New Zealand and Australian Division, fought in the battle of August 4 and 10. From this point he had an excellent view of the country between Suvla Bay and the village of Anafarta on the one hand, and. on the other, the position on Chunuk Rair where the Wellington Battalion fought so bravely and lost so heavily. On another day lie went with General Birdwood to the' extreme right of the Anzac zone, overlooking the Turkish position, and obtained a. good view across to Gaha Tepe Headland, the Olive Grove, and the Kilid Bahr p'atcau. The afternoon was spent in an interview with Surgeon Col.