FROM THE GAZA FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 November 1917, Page 7

FROM THE GAZA FRONT.

SOME PERSONALITIES. GENERAL ALLEXIiY AND "FIXED BAYONETS BILL 1 ' A New Zealand non-commissioned officer who has recently arrived back from the Gaza front in Palestine has much of general interest to say about that historical country. He found the climate of 'Palestine delightful, and as a man of advanced middle age said the effect on him was to make him feel fifteen years younger. Instead of feeling stiff in the joints the first thing in the morning and at night he became as limber as a youth, end was always ready for his work and a bit over. Speaking of General Allenby, the returned man said: "He is a man, every inch of him! He shook up the administration as only a big man coukl. He never spares himself any work, and he has no time for the shirker, the shuffler, or the 'pretty, pretty' officer. He likes the man that does his work well and looks for more-—that's the man that gets on well under General Allenby. The first thing he did when he visited Cairo was to ask what all the officers were doing there—there were nearly a thousand officers and men on the Australian Headquarters Staff, leading the rosy life in the fashionable suburbs of Cairo. General Allenby rooted them all out and sent most of them on to the front, reestablishing headquarters at Khan YanM>, far away from the delights of 'the wickedest city on earth.' ■ "Then he found out that no men were allowed to be served at either the Continental or Shepherd's Hotels in Cairo. He settled that by at once stopping all Cairo leave and making the regulation that men who had been sir months on the front should be allowed 48 hours' leave from Moascar. So if they were lucky they got 40 hours in Cairo, and during that time they could visit the two hotels mentioned at their pleasure. These actions made General Allenby immensely popular with the whole of the Army—of which the New Zealanders are only a handful—and lota of the men would face anything for him," "Another extremely popular officer," said our informant, "is 'Fixed-Bayonets 'Bill/ in other words, Brigadier-Genera) Meldrum, formerly a Hunterville lawyer. His name describes him, and he knows hk nickname as well as we do. He is a fighter through and through, and a man through and through. All the ollicerj are given nicknames out there, and it's surprising the liberty of language that is allowed there as compared with other fronts. There's no lack of discipline when there's work to be done, but the men are allowed more tongue latitude there than anywhere else. I don't know why it is—perhaps it's the heat.

"There was Major Alec Wilkie, as good a soldier as you would meet anywhere, and he was always called 'tie Wilkes.' Why I can't tell you, any more than I know why Lord Eobert.9 was called 'Bobs.' These nicknames simply happen and they stick. One night the major was prowling about the lines in his pyjamas when lie was arrested as a spy. The major stutters a bit, and in his wrath his affliction became accentuated as he protested that he was no spy, but a New Zealand officer. At last he spotted a New and, still held fast by the 'Tommy,' said 'L-l-l-ook here. Who am 1?' 'Why, you're old De Wilkes!' said the trooper. 'There you are!' said the major. ' . , I said you were making; a blithering- asa of yourself!'" What about ? "Oh, he's O.C. of the Cigarette Butts!" What's that?

■ "He's an officer who's given a fatigue party to clear up the camp—pick up the butts. The term is well-known among the boys."

"Our chief—Major-General Chaytor—is a fine type of fighting general, who knows his job and knows his men. He has the reputation of being an absolutely just man. No man need fear airing any legitimate grievance before the general, as he can he sure of a fair run and no favour.

"I'll tejl you a man who has made good—not a professional soldier, either—that's R.Q.M.S. Charlie Phillips, who was shop manager for Veitch and Allen. He has turned out real trumps, and knows his job from Ato Z. Another •Wellington chap who has done well is Sergeant Jim Stellin. He is a very able man and a good fighting soldier. He got chopped a bit last year, but is all right again." Our informant said that the long delay which has occurred in attacking Gaza was owing to the fact that our metal was not heavy enough to smash the enemy's guns. "They only had 18pounders up till a month or so ago, which were no good against G-inch guns. One lot of guns went down in fhc Transylvania. and that caused further unanticipated delay. Attempts had been made to capture Beersheba by attacking from the south and west—broken, rocky, arid country—but it was found to be impossible either with horse or camei troops, so an advance was made northwards until the railway between Gaza and Beersheba was captured and destroy* ed, which greatly assisted the operation."