THE EGYPTIAN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 June 1917, Page 7

THE EGYPTIAN FRONT.

HOW OUE BOYS FARE. Comparatively little is being heard just now of the work of our boys in Effy.pt and Southern 'Palestine. An interesting relerenee to what they are doing there :s contained in a recent report from one ot tie four field secretaries representing ie loung Men's Christian Association .ere Mr. P. M. Velvin, who complains that the work which our own bova in tie Mounted Brigade have been doing all along seems to have been lost sHit ot completely by reason of the greater interest in France. "'Judging by the various reports which are to be read in the jNew Zealand papers," he says, "one would be almost inclined to think that there was nothing in the nature of an offensive being conducted out here at all My one regret is that regulations «ompel us to refrain from enlarging upon the work and the nature .of the hardships which these men have endured and are still vailed upon to endure. Since before August* last they have participated in no small way in clearing the Turkish force from the Sinai Peninsula and ev *" ?° far as to beyond Beersheba. When the story of this campaign comes to be written the way in which the Association has risen to the occasion will command a very large paragraph, feinee last tAugusfc we have kept up with the rapid advance of this large force over a line of communication extending over 100 miles in length, and have al" ways been well to the front line and a* the last outpost established. The Desert Column Headquarters requested us to proceed to a centre out ahead of the fast advancing railway line, supplying us with the necessary transport. Can you picture some twenty motor cars conveying Y.M.O.A. stores' and equipment over that old highway along which the Christ-Child must have been borne when His parents field with Him to escape the persecution. . . Fresh troops arriving always expect to see the larg« Y.M.C.A. sign on some prominent spot, and the welcome news is passed down the line: "There's the Y.M.C.A.,. look' Trust the Y.M. for getting there!" You will gather some idea of She bigness of the job in hand in this part of the front when I tell you that we have opened some 25 centres from the Canal out along this line alone and in each case we have run a well-stocked canteen nnd the usual recreational features and religious work.

I have been with the ~Kew Zealand Mounted Eifles 'Brigade over six weeks now, and have had a groat time with the fellows. I opened a canteen with them and also a big recreation tent as well with piano and library. Band eoncerts, male voice choirs, lectures, Bible Class meetings and study groups and voluntary services have figured in the programme.

Some twenty-three cases of gift goods arrived last week and were given out from Brigade Headquarters. I have also instructed Mr. Gillies to forward from Cairo some £9 worth of cigarettes, chocolate etc., for one of the squadrons, the money having been sent for this by the Auckland Patriotic Committee,

Some of the comforta fund money could be used here to good effect, and as thero is also a large number of our men in the Camel Corpa far whom nothing has yet been done a little help in this direction would be very highly apprcciated and remind them that they arc not forgotten by the people at home. The prospects of doing a strong religious work amongst these men arc just great, and as we move on themen seem to be getting more deeply interested in the ancient land, and constant 'enquiries are being made concerning the cities and happenings connected with them in Biblical times One meet* evidences of men reading the Bible for themselves daily and they are all interested in things pertaining to the higher ordexV

•, INQUIRY WORK IN EGYPT.

Inquiry work with the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade in Egypt has been started recently by the Young Men's Christian Association there. Mr. P. M. Velvin, Association ficld-Becretary stationed at Cairo, reports that he has an excellent opportunity of prosecuting such work. He is desirous to be of any help to relatives or friends of wounded* or fallen men on the Egyptian front* who will communicate with him at the .' M.C.A. Headquarters in Cairo.