SLING CAMP.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 October 1916, Page 7

SLING CAMP.

WHERE NEW. ZEALANOERS ARE ■<' TRAINED.

£ SOLDIER'S DESCRIPTION. i (By P.W. in Lyttelton Times.)' Sling is the name of the camp in which the New Zealand troops in England are given "their final training before proceeding to the front, and which is also, the base for the New Zealand forces. It is situated on Salisbury Plain, about ten miles in a north-west-erly direction from the cathedral town of Salisbury. Salisbury Plain is not like the Canterbury Plain, flat as the top of a billiard table, but consists rather of low rolling downs. The soil is of limestone, in which flint-stones are plentifully interspersed. In various places model trenches have been constructed, and, owing to the whiteness of the soil the site of these can be seen for miles, and would thus form a very easy mark for an enemy. The camp is built on a piece of land gently sloping from a low range of hills. These hills, a belt of trees and the main road to Salisbury are approximately the bounds of the camp. Through tho belt of trees is the Bulford Camp, occupied by British "Tommies." The main road is rather narrow, but it is well macadamised, and is far better than most of the streets in Christchurch. All day long [motor transports, motor ambulance waggons, mule transports, bodies of mounted troops and of infantry pass and repass along this road, so, that it is essential, especially in wet weather, that jit should be well constructed. Sling Camp, like Trentham and Feathorston, consists of huts built of galvanised iron, and after the same pattern. Outside the huts are lined with asbestos, and each' is provided with a cokeburning stove, a very welcome addition, especially in winter. Lights are supplied by electricity, and they are lights, not faint Trentham glimmers. The nuiin camp is divided into seven smaller camps, cacli with its own battalion orderly room and battalion parade ground. Of course, each battalion orderly room is controlled by brigade headquarters, under the charge of Colonel Smythe. The Canterbury and Otago Battalions occupy No. 1 camp. The messing arrangements here are excellent. In No. 1 camp there are two large dining halls, one for Canterbury and one for Otago, and between the two, connecting them together, is the cookhouse. Under this arrangement there is no neecT to carry food or tea across dusty roads or through heavy rain. The sergeants have a mess of their o\tn. Attached to the camp is a wet canteen, which by no means is satisfactory. No one objects to any man having a drink, but, since coming here, there are some going to ruin through heavy drinking. In-, New Zealand eainps, where a man cannot obtain liquor, an occasional lapse, when on leave, doe 3 not greatly interfere with his training; but in England a man can get drunk every night and thus spoil his training and impair his health. In Sling Camp there is one Young Men's Christian Association Institute with a canteen attached. The Church of England also conducts an institute. We find that most articles are not much ' cheaper than in New Zealand, this, of course, being due to the war. Tho wet canteens also sell a few necessary articles besides beer. Taken all round, the canteens hen- are not by a long way the equal of those in New Zealand camps. Since coming here the various companies have been split up and rearranged a good deal. The men who came by the Tofua left for France about ten days after we arrived here. The next draft, picked from the Twelfth, which arrived here from Egypt a week or so after the Thirteenth, went away early yesterday morning (Sunday, August 21). The third draft, picked from the Thirteenth, is undergoing the special syllabus of training set down for each draft. This course of training, which is fairly severe, occupies from seven to ten days' time, and consists of musketry, bomb-throwing, bayonet fighting, and route marching. On- the last day a route march of 15 miles, with full war kit up, is undertaken. The lait draft that left accomplished this march without losing a man, and deservedly won praise from the authorities. In the neighbourhood of the camp there are several places of historical interest. In Amesbury, a. village four miles from the camp, there is a church said to be more than a thousand years old. The church is a dim, wild, old place. In one-place on the wall there Is the dim, shadowy outline of a painting, brought through the outer coating of plaster by the warmth of a new heating apparatus installed a few year* ago. The painting is the full-length figure of St. Melor, the boy patron saint of the Abbey, with which the church is connected. This boy, a prince, was, for the sake of his inheritance, mutilated and finally murdered by his uncle. The body was taken to Amesbury, but afterwards was removed to Glastonbury. The baptismal font of the church is of' great age. Several years ago it was discovered, broken into sixty-five piece?, in the chancel, but by means of cement and copper pegs, was once again .put together. When, some time ago, in order to repair the belfry, excavations were made at the foot of a pillar, an oaken foundation block was discovered. This, it is thought, proves that there was an even older church, probably built by the IShxoiis, on the site of the present one. From the ceiling of the church one or two horrible carved faces leer down. In olden times it was superstitiously thought Unit these faces were potent to keep away evil spirits. The famous Stoiiehenge is a mile and a half from Amesbury. This ancient worshipping place, of the Druids is thought to be 700 years old. It is indeed wonderful that these people should have been able, without the aid of pulleys or cranes, to transport and place in position the huge blocks of stone which go to form Stoiiehenge. A policeman is stationed there to act as a sort of guide, and to prevent vandalism. In a parrot-like fashion, which was not very convincing, he gave us all the mythical and historical data of Stoneheng*. He pointed out the stone over which, on .lure 21, the sun rises directly and shines on the sacrificial altar set in the midst of the circle of stones. He also explained how, by means of lire and Hint, the blocks of stone were smoothed and squared. Stoiiehenge is, ,1 understand, owned by a private person, and to view it closely a charge of one shilling is made. A concession is made to soldiers, who are admitted for threepence, and who, at present, form the bulk of the visitors. Stoiiehenge is within sight of the Australian camp on Larkhill. Another place of interest is Figheldean village (pronounced Filedean), the smith v of which is said to be the one

celebrated in Longfellow's famous poem, "Tiie Village Blacksmith." Whether this is the actual shop or not is open to doubt. I have heard that there are several blacksmith shops in this neighbourhood for which' is claimed the honour of being the one Longfellow had in mind when he wrote his' immortal poem. At the- door of the Figheldean smithy a- spreading chestnut tree stands. In the village churchyard can be seen the tombstone of the village blacksmith, Thomas Shepphard by name. -He died in 1806, at the age of S3. There are several members of the Shepphard family buried close by. There are many pretty walks in the neighbourhood of the camp, and the villages are very quaint and oldfashioned. While practically all the world is at war, how restful and peaceful these little villages- are! But even the war affects them, for in all the village churches there are lists of names of the sons of the hamlet who have gone to. fight for King and country. Doubtless in many a cottage some mother or wife mourns the loss of a son or husband. The weather here has been excellent —quite exceptional for England. The nights are rather cold, but during the day it is beautifully warm. However, the winter here is very cold, there being little shelter on the plains. Still, Sling Camp is situated in a very beautiful and historical , neighbourhood, which is well adapted for the training of troops.