GOING ON THE LAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1920, Page 10 (Supplement)

GOING ON THE LAND.

A COLONEL AND HIS GROOM. When the Main Body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force sailed from New Zealand anyone who knew anything of the different units must have been struck with the fact that it was essentially a democratic force.

On on? of the Samoan transports a mess orderly asked at Suva if he might have -cave to visit a certain warship. "What do you want to go on board that ship for?" asked the major. "I want to see the captain," said the mess orderly.

"Is he a friend of yours?" wav-the major's next question. "Sfes, he's my brother," was the reply, and so the orderly got leave, dined with the captain and came back to wait on the officers in the mess' on a New Zealand transport. One could quote many such incidents. Rounding Terawhiti in one of the transports "mucking" the horse lines and swabbing decks was a private who could simost have bought the whole outfit. On Gallipoli a trio of wealthy Australians, clad only in shorts, were putting in a tunnel and were go proud of their work that they refused to leave it till they had finished the job, though the relief was ready to take their place, and now we have the latest instance in New Zealand.

Inspector A. B. Charters, of the Education Department, formely LieutenantColonel Charters, CM.G., D.5.0., of the New Zealand Division, is going on the land with his groom. LieutenantColonel Charters is well-known to most cf the returned soldiers, but especially with the Otago men, with whom he fought so gallantly He has a long rcei.id of fine service, and so has his groom, also an Otago boy. whom he pi.ked ./lit for personal service early in tin; vunrcaign. Recently, the Wellington Education Board, in accepting his resignation, metaphorically speaking, threw bouquets at Lieutenant-Colonel Charters, but they did not know about his groom. To-day I met Lieutenant-Colonei Charter.; in the street, and he told me thtu tii-> moment hj» thought of going on the land he thought also of his groom. And th,'y are going in on an equal, partnership

Very many members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force will wish Charters and C 0.," the product of a democratic division, the best of luck Hawke's Bay Herald.