BANTAMS GROWING LARGER.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 June 1916, Page 6

BANTAMS GROWING LARGER.

BENEFICIAL MILITARY TRAp3XG. British Headquarters, France. March 28. Among the steady stream of reinforcements which is flowing in behind the British battle front in France a bantam battalion lias made its appearance. While the soldiers, of more liberal inches have plenty of good-humored badinage for their little brethren, they do not attempt to conceal their admiration for them. A distinguished general yesterday said that he met the bantams on a route march, and was much impressed by their sturdy appearance. In point of endurance he considered it not improbable that they would march an average Xew Army battalion to a standstill. For trench warfare he considers that they will have a very distinct advantage over tall men, move particularly of that reckless type so familiar to the platoon officers, who grow weary of reiterating the injunction, "Keep down!" The physical value of military training is strikingly evidenced in the ranks of this nattalion. One of its' lieutenants said, with a Wte of real concern in his voice, that many of the men have giown appreciably since they first went into klmki, and that he has had to admonish some of them that if they are not very careful they will soon exceed the bantam standard.