SECOND ECHELON

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 December 1940, Page 6

SECOND ECHELON

ENVIOUS OF BROTHERS

IN EGYPT CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS IN ENGLAND. WELCOME MAIL DISTRIBUTION. (Received This Day. 11.4 a.m.) (From the Official War Correspondent with the Second N.Z.E.F. in England). BRITAIN, December 27. Neither the novelty of a winter Christmas nor the limitless hospitality of English homes, wherein many of them are guests, can displace envy from the foremost place in the thought's of our troops here this season. The boys are having a wonderful time here but ever since the battle for Libya began they have been openly envious of their comrades. If they could themselves elect where they would like to be today, nine of ten would choose the Western Desert. Nevertheless, this has been a Christmas to remember. Two hundred and fifty travelled to London to be guests at a dinner at the New Zealand Forces Club, where the home atmosphere was particularly strong.

In every camp and mess room, however, was something marking their connection with New Zealand, often a pudding pooled from Patriotic Fund parcels. The expected ration of New Zealand lamb failed to materialise, the Army's only official contribution to the festivities being the issue of pork in lieu of beef, which was compensated for by issuing bully beef and biscuits on Boxing Day. Most units used the Patriotic Fund’s cash contribution of 18d per man to provide extras in food, sweets and drink. The whole Maori Battalion dined in camp, the social preparations including the cooking of a number of gift pigs in Native fashion. Many men in other units dined out privately. Many more could have done so. as invitations continued to flow in until the last moment. The grey coldness of the Christmas forenoon was relieved by a general rum ration. But with it all the troops felt they were unfairly favoured compared with their comrades in the East, with whom they would gladly have changed places. ■ Letters posted in New Zealand between October 17 and 25 were delivered to troops on Christmas Eve. Parcels are being distributed today. This was the outstanding mail letter postings to November 5. The troops have now received every mail despatched before and including those on November 5.