FROM CAMP TO FIRING LINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1919, Page 8

FROM CAMP TO FIRING LINE.

ADDRESS BY A SALVATION ARMY PADRE. There was a fair attendance at the Salvation Army Hall last night, where Staff-Chaplain Bladen gave lecture entitled "From Camp to Firing Line." The lecture was full of interest, the lecturer having a style which held liis hearers' attention throughout the lecture, which lasted over two hours, numerous anecdotes and incidents, .both gay and pathetic, with which it was interpolated, adding to the interest. Staff-Captain Bladen stated that lie had been anxious to go to the front from the outset, because he felt that it was an opportunity to help the men. He went .into camp with the 9th Reinforcements. The authorities stoutly refused to let hiii: to the front, as they said that three Salvation Army chaplains were sufficient for the number of Salvation Army people at the front.

The 18th Reinforcements determined he should go, and, despite his protests, a petition was signed by 1200 men, wlio stated that if the authorities did not send him because there were not enough Salvationists they were all prepared to join the Army, so that the Army nearly made 1200 salvations in one hit. The authorities agreed to send him with the lflth Reinforcements. While, many realised the feelings of those who were left behind, he could tell them of the feelings of the men who were leaving for the great adventure, and he described the departure of the transport. On the ship he soon found out that the padre's job was to do what others had not done. He had to act as mother, wife, sweetheart, sister, or brother to the men, and, whether they were seasick, lovesick, or homesick, he had to go on with his ministrations for the body as well as the soul. He showed how many little acta of kindness helped to make friends. Life on board ship' passed very quickly, because he not only had enough to do with his ministrations, but also had to assist in their entertainments, which included boxing, pillow-fighting, comic song competitions, etc. Then there were the song services, in which hundreds of the boys sang the grand old hymns which reminded them of old home associations and made them feel nearer heaven. He also had to do the. censoring of letter;, and he could tell some tales, but he would not "split," save in the case; of one soldier, who wrote the same things to no than fifteen girls. He touched on the church parade services .the voluntary services, and the son l7 services, and said that the soldier seldom prayed for himself, but for Uiom left behind! When he did pray for himself it was that he might act the part of a man in the coming fight.

He paid a tribute to those whom they met overseas. The people of New Zetland could hardly know what they oweil , to the people at the various ports that troops called at overseas. He described ; some of the kindnesses received during! their 17 days" stay at Capetown. Wiili a. number of other New Zealand Salvn- j tinnists. he formed a mission, and (!™1: blessed them, -so that their work wai j recognised bv a tablet having been pined | in the City Half containing their names j as a commemoration. iThey called at j ht-. Helena and Sierra Leone. The boy*; took it out of him going over the line, j for the padre was generally the butt of, the jokes, and he deseribed the shaving] bathing, etc. When a man showed that! he was n man other men would listen to his preaching with a sympathetic ear. He would never forget the first sight of the Eritisli Navy, when the destroyers circled round them, and told them to make a dash. through the thickly infected submarine area. They gave these de- | stroyers a great cheer. He paid a tribute to these men, as he considered that people so far away from the great metropolis hardly realised the great work th.> men of the' Navy did, without the glamor of the battle' field. He felt very much touched near the conclusion of the voyage on being presented by the men with au illuminated address, expressing appreciation of his work and signed by nearly all the men, hundreds of whom had since made the supreme sacrifice. This addres* he valued more than any other memento of the war. He referred to the arrival and disembarkation at Plymouth,' where they struck the most awful winter England had had for years, r.nd the contrast between that and so many weeks in tin tropics, where they had for many weeks worn a pair of short trousers and :i worried look, and they lost many fine boys from pneumonia before they had a chance fo getting to-the front. He referred to the journey to Sling, "grave and gay," mostly grave through the bitter cold." Sling proved a bewildering and amazing sight, and showed them that the Now Zealanders were only an infinitesimal portion of the British Army, because wherever they went it showed that the whole might of England was thrown into the struggle to beat Germany. "The "Diggers" always had their joke at the expense of new reinforcements.

The boys had found Trqjitham and Featherston hard, but that was only, child's play compared with the training at Sling, where everything was done at the double. The New Zcalandcrs had proved a credit to New Zealand, and, with few exceptions, appreciated the kindness shown to them at Home. Wherever a New Zealand badge was seen now it was sure of a welcome. He touched on the good work done by fleneral Richardson in looking after the boys' comfort. The boys were knocked into shape, and after four days' leave marched to the train, and it was with regret that he found lie was not to go with them. Later, however, he went to the line, after having his four days at the ''Big Smoke," where he had the experience of mixing with Royalty, attending a reception given by the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and Princess Patricia. When he went to the transport he realised what the war meant to Britain, meeting men who were

going back for their seventh or eighth time, and also seeing widows with their children, whose father had been killed, farewelling their eldest son, who was going out to take his father's place. Wonderful as New Zealand's sacrifice had been, it was a« nothing to the sacrifice that the Old Country had made. They should feel proud that they were Britishers on account of the part Britain had takea in the war. America had done a good deal, but she did not come in till

very late. She supplied them with plenty of ammunition, siome of which was no good. She promised 10,000 aeroplanes, and supplied 180,' which had to be

ecrappcd. She also promised standardised ebips.Jmt did not produce them in time. She had two million men in Franco by the time the \ynr ended, but these men had to be trained by British officers for gome months at the base. The British were going to Frances by hundreds of thousands, calling up not only men, but schoolboys too. At one time part of the French arip, itftyjnj; fguglit heroically

arid to a frazzle, were ready to make peace with the Germans. British statesmen said, if it cost them their last man, they would fight to the end, and sent food across to the French, although, at one time England only had ten days' rations between it and starvation. "We should be proud of such men,'' he said.

There was a very cosmopolitan crowd on the ship that left Folkestone, comprising men from every part of the Empire, also Japanese, Russians, Belgians, etc., as well as nurses, Y.M.C.A., Salvation Army people, and civilians, the latter being next-of-kin permitted to travel to see their dying sous in base hospitals, and the Salvation Army met the needs of these by erecting hostels. He explained the precautions taken to ensure the safety of the ship across the Channel, and thanks to the vigilance of tae. British Navy, not a single life waa lost of the millions who were transported across the Channel during the war. At the front all religious distinctions Were dropped, the motto being "A man's a man for a' that." He considered it Would be much better for New Zealand if the distinctions were dropped**now that they were back. He referred to the splendid organisation of the transport service. He also found the headquarters of the Salvation Army Ambulance Corps, where they had 7» ambulances in commission at once, all donated. Thirty bandsmen drove cars, and in their spare time played to hundreds of thousands of men. Moreover, in the hour of extremity they ministered to boys ''going west" on the ambulance cars.

He touched on the restrictions regarding travel in France, humorously remarking that they were nearly as bad as in England. In France the restrictions were due to precautions regarding spies. He went to Ktaples, where he had been appointed Chaplain, and on the short journey received some sad impressions of the war, passing hi hospitals containing 32,000 wounded and dying men, and also many cemeteries containing thousands of graves, with their little wooden crossc's. this was only one little section, and one could not help but reflect on the price that was being paid. At Ktaples there was a great field for religious organisations to do social and religious work. He had a large hut, provided by New Zealand money, where the boys could write letters, etc., or enjoy services and entertainments, for he organised three concert parties, also orchestras and a band, the first New Zealand band in that district. In addition, he controlled the officers' mess and all the sports and entertainments in the district. He also wrote letters, sent cables, etc., for the new men, so that he had a good deal to do. The concert parties provided clean humor that helped to alleviate for an hour or two the sufferings, distress, and monotony of men in hospital. He here gave one or two of the •'essays." There was also a hut run by the British Salvation Army, where tlu boys could get a change from the army fare. The captain's wife who ran this hut was called "Ma," and it was a small day if she did not cook 3000 eggs, besides sausages and chipped potatoes, no less than eight sacks of the latter being used The men got two eggs, sausage, and chipped potatoes for less than Is. He gave some sidelights of work at I lie hospital, where one saw the worst s'hVi of war. In this connection, he referred to the splendid work done by the women of England in connect ion with the hospitals, both inside and outside. The heroism of the doctors could not he half told. The splendid bravery of the hoys themselves made one feel proud of the stuff they were made of. Their saving grace of humor was also wonderful. Tt was his aim and ambition to visit, every New Zealatuler once a week in the hospital, irrespective of color or creed. As long as there was a need it was his endeavor to supply that need. He spoke of his experiences at the front itself, especially during the terrible days of Polygon Wood, where but for the greatness of the hearts of the men live minutes of the terrible experiences there would have driven them mad, but they realised the thing they were up against, and were willing to do what was expected of them. The New Zealanders always did what was expected of them, and generally a little more. The New Zealanders earned great honor on the field. He described incidents of the fight in the mud at Passchendaele, which was a dark and awful day, where company after company went down, and HO out of a battalion of 800 were left at the end of the day. He related some heroic deeds, one referring to the feat of a Salvationist in securing the D.S.O Conditions at the firing line had been terrible, but what were they doing for the soldiers who returned? It made his blood run cold when he saw the treatment meted out to the soldiers. God pity those who called returned soldiers drunkards, wasters, and loafers. He was always willing to take his hat off to men who had been over the top. These men were greater heroes than my of the greatest heroes they had read about, •and if some of them did return broken in health and with their moral resistance shattered Was it any wonder? They had been living and fighting under conditions that would shatter the nerves of an ordinary man in live minutes. They should make sacrifices to help those men, and put temptations out of their way. ' If the Church was alive to its opportunity and appealed to the manliness of these men, and not to their emotions, they

would do for the Church what they had done for the Kmpirc. He urged his listeners to take to heart the lessons of the war and endeavor to build a better nation.

Prior to the lecture, and during a brief interval the Salvation Army Band rendered selections.