THE Y.M.C.A. IN FRANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 May 1917, Page 2

THE Y.M.C.A. IN FRANCE.

Private Jack Bakefy of Sherenden, who is at present with the forces in France, writing to his sister under date January 21, says: "I wish it was as hot here as yon say it was in New Zealand when you wrote your letter, or even half of it, for the cold here would kill a frog. The snow has ibeen lying on the ground for a week now, and the laat couple of nights has frozen hard, so you can guess how nice it is. The roads, are as hard as iron, and the water covered with ice, and, as a matter of fact, I don't think we have hiid a sight of the sun for- a week. We came out of the trenches last Wednesday, after being in for a fortnight, but a fellow is just as well off in there as he is in. the 'billets, in fact I think it is better. There is absolutely no comfort in the billets; you nearly freeze to death. Fires are almost out of the question., as there is no firewood to bo had, but in the trenches you ean generally scrape up something to burn. Besides that we have to go back to the trenches nearly every day on work of some kind or other, so I don't think there is much to be gained ! by being out. Fortunately for us we have a Y.M.C.A. close' to our ballet, where they keep a fire going all day long, and also provide reading and writing material for ns fellows. If it was not for that we should have a 'bad time. These institutions do more gtiod for the soldiers than it is possible to describe. If people only knew I think they would help them along more than tliey do. ' Fancy, they have dug-outs in tho trenches as well as huts behind, the lines, whore soldiers are able to get hot tea, biscuits, and fags any time.of the day or night, and all free. Of all the thousands of pounds that are collected in Now Zealand for our benefit, we never get a thing out of it, but the old Y.M.C.A. sticks to us all the time." Mr. H. M. Smeeton, of Auckland, who lias just returned from Franco, will 'tonight, in the Good Templar Hall, tell the story of his experiences in the base camps and at the front. No one should miss hearing him tell of the wonderful organisation that is doing os much for "Our Boys." Remember, to-night in the Good Templar Hall, at -8 o'clock. Seats are free. Collection for Y.M.C.A. war work.