A TRIP TO "BLIGHTY."

Taranaki Daily News, 23 April 1917, Page 7

A TRIP TO "BLIGHTY."

A SOLDIER'S LETTJER. Gunner A. Robinson, brother of Mr. J. Robinson, of Tikorangi, formerly of Te Puke, writes as follows: I have just about got over the wound that I got on September 15. I dodged the lend and stool till it got too thick, when 1, with a lot mbre, got put out of action. I suppose almost every family with lioys at the front has received sad news lately, and it looks as if there arc more sorrowful days to come', for more men will have to be sacrificed to beat those cruel Iluns, but I think this year will fix Mr. Fritz. I received my wound at the Somnie at 9 o'clock at night, the piece of shell entering at the cheat and going out at the back/ Tlicy were not long in getting me away from the firing line, two of my cobbers carrying me down to the first field dressing station, where they ripped oft' my tunic, or rather cut it oil, for I was soaked with blood, and breathing like a broken-wind-ed horse. I cannot describe the pain I went through. The first thing they did was to give me an injection of something, I don't know w)>,;t they call it, but something to torment a fellow, you may be sure. Every soldier who gets wounded goes through it. I believe its to stop lock-jaw. In about an hour's time I was placed in a motor ambulance, and away we went. Now and then a shell would land a few yards away, but we got out alright. There were three others in tho ambulance, one of the Black Watch, a Grenadier Guard, and a. Tommy. I think it was the worst ride I ever had. I was in one of tho top sections, and the road was 30 rough, being ploughed, up by shells, that- I thought I would fall out. My next stopping place was at a field hospital about four miles from the filing line. Her© I was put into a nice clean hed, with sheets, my first for twelve months, and after a nice wash and a drop of soup I was soon fast asleep. I slept for a day and and a half, but I had had none for three weeks. My noxt move was to a Red Cross train, which took us to a small French town 16 miles from Havre. This was a very nice place, and we received the best attention, especially from tne nurses, who were all English. Here I put in five weeks before I was well enough td go over the pond to old Eighty. They bundled me off one morn|.ing, however, with others, in a motor ambulance, which was driven by a lady. We had 10 miles to go to reach the hospital ship, and enjoyed the drive very much. Once. aboard the ship we soon found ourselves at Southampton. Here train, and taken to another town called Reading. After six weeks in bed I was sent to the New Zealand Convalescent Camp at Hornchurch in Essex. Th<s is the first stage on the war path agaih, the unfit, men being sent back to Now . Zealand, while the fit go on with the game, short route marches, etc. When you aro well on towards recovery you get furlough for fourteen days. This is the best part of getting wounded. Fourteen days as a free soldier in England is tres bon. You apply for a free warrant to travel on the railways to any part of the British Isles, and it is granted. I got a free, warrant to Aberdeen. I stayed three days at Edinburgh, and saw the famous Edinburgh Castle which stands on the hill and overlooks the Firth of Forth and its great bridg?. The latter is a wonderful piece of work, one. and a half miles long, and is used only for rail~vay traffic. I had to get a special pass to go on the bridge. After I had seen all the places of interest I travelled to Glasgow by the Flying Scotchman, easily the fastest train I was ever in. I found Glasgow the nicest place of tlie three, and by fir the busiest. There 'are no end of ship, buildings yards, and the mo»,t up-to-date tram service I have „een in Enghnd. I visited the Art Gallery, the Museum, and other places. The S"otch peojile think a lot of the New Zealanders, in fact they have a good name right through England, and it 3 up to us to de our best to keep it. I found Aberdeen a bit on the cold side, and only spent two days there. I then returned to London and spent my last three or four days in seeing the sights of this village, as they call it. What with underground railways, motor busses, etc., a fellow does not know where to go iirst. The underground railways are very wonderful, they go under the River Thames several times, and, in some places, there are railways under railways. There aro bigger stations than the Auckland or Wellington stations under the ground, and as many people, travelling underneat as on top. I vißited Westminster Abbey, the House of Lords, House of Commons, where I had 11, scat for a few seconds. I aIBO visited the Tower of London. I was lucky enough to eee the famous London Bridge Opened up for the boats to go through, and also tho Royal Show at Islington, where King George won several prizes for fat stock. It was a great show, even now the war is on. The Zoo is the bost thing I saw in London. Every animal or bird in existence can be found there. And now to-day I have to report back to camp, after a most enjoyable 14 days' leave and a well earned one at that. I will soon be in the firing line once more, and I hope its always a "Blighty" I get and nothing .more. Well, you see I have had a good time, and i think every New Zealander /hat has had leave in England will say tho same thing. I think by the time this reaches you there will be something doing, and I honestly think we will give the knoclc-out blow this year, and I want to have a say in it. I must ring off now its nearly lightsout, bo I must get away and get my bunk fixed up, so I will say good-bye and good luck.—Gunner A. Robinson.