A Trip to New Brighton. (BY A VOLUNTEER.)

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Issue 46, 8 April 1899, Page 1

A Trip to New Brighton. (BY A VOLUNTEER.)

We journeyed from Waimate to Timaru by the ordinary evening train, and thence, -with the three Timaru companies, a special took us to Chnstchurch. It stopped at Teinnka and Ashburton to pick np the local volunteers. Wo reached the Cathedial City about one o'clock, and took the tram to Burwood. Prom the Litter place we marched to the campinggiouud over a track about a foot deep in sand. Very pleasant walking we found it at three o'clock in the morning. However, we had only about three miles and aD the end " George " had a boiler of hot coffee, which we didn't refuse. Tents were then visited, and it was found that there was only about half enough strnw. However, we made the best of it, and got to bed at half-past tour. After two houis' sleep the reveille sounded and we crawled out, to find a very unsatisfactory breakfast. The cook had neglected to get an order for supplies from the captain overnight. The order to fall in was given about ten, and after a couple of hours' dull in the open neai the tents we dismissed for dinner. This made up for the breakfast, and " George" was in favour once more. At two o'clock we started again, and after marching for about a mile along the usual style of road we came to the sandhills near the beach. Waimate being F or No. 6 company formed the reserve and so had a rather better time than the others. The diill consisted of outpost duty, in which the battalion advanced by half .companies, each half company advancing under co\er of the imaginaiy smoke from the imaginary olleys. Our company had to support any company driven back by the enemy, so that our duty was rather a light one, as will be understood. The place where we weie drilling was called Bottle Lake, but as no water was in sight we decided that sand must be tempoianly taking its place. Wo arrived at camp about five o'clock, and after tea most of us went to bed to make up for the loss of sleep the night before. Some, however, went to town, and two of these didn't " come home till inormng." On Satuiday morning, we paraded at nine o'clock, with water-bottles, prepared for a hard morning's inarch. We set off in a different direction this time, over a road that was even worse than before. The sun was blazing hot, and with our tiny caps perched on our heads, we pined for shelter. Water-bottles were soon c nptied, and it was the cruellest of erne 1 April fool jokes, to offer an empty bottle to a man whose tongue v\ as hanging out for w^nt of a drink. The new parade ground was much worse than the first, and consisted of soft sand varied with dense clumps of manuka. But Waimate being the last company, again had an advantage over the rest. The sun dealt

out its heat unsparingly on our almost unprotected heads, and headaches were the order of the day. One man was &o bad that he had to be carried home. In the afternoon we went to Friday's paiade ground, each provided with five lounds of blank ammunition. The same outpost duty \\.is gone tin ough, ending m a change with fixed bayonets. The men can now understand the excitement a real charge would work up in war. That night after hastily bolting our tea nearly the whole of the company rushed off to Burwood to catch the tiam to Christchurch. Heie the only amusement seemed to be "strolling round the town " by meeting old Waimate lesidents, and putting in the time as well as possible. Most of the Waimate company left town by the 10.15 tram, and got to camp a little after eleven. Here the guard turned out to meet us. but after consultation the officers oi the guard decided to allow all who were orderly to p.iss after they had taken the name of the chief non-com, present in each company. (None of our men were stopped.) On Sunday morning all was activity preparing lor the inspection by the commanding officers, which took place after church parade. Here Waimate were to the front, having the cleanest tents in the battalion. In the afternoon, we marched to a large field opposite the cavalry camp and after a little drill all the companies marched past the commanding officer. We showed ourselves cracks by marching better than any other company in Canterbury. We tiiPii marched bfi'jk to camp, and ,it half-past si\ tho writer, with eleven other South Canterbury, privates, one corporal and one sergeant, went on guard for the night. This is very dreary work, pacing up and down with no one to talk to. and no chance of sleep. However, it was a glorious moonlight night, and for a while this made up for the loss of sleep. But when " Lights out " sounded and tho whole camp grew still, the beauty of the night was unheeded. This night no attempt was made to stop any night owls. We expected to be relieved from guard at half-past six in the morning as usual, so as to allow us to get a sleep in the daytime. But instead of that the men were hurried out so quickly that the guard was forgotten and had to remain on till three in the afternoon, when the battalion came back. The drill that day consisted of a sham fight, North Canterbury against South Canterbury, and took place in the second parade ground. Those who took part say it was the hardest day's work they had ever done in their lives, and that when they got dinner, at four o'clock, they required no invitation to fall to. Nothingthen remaiuad but to pack up for home. That afternoon teams representing * the Temnka JRifles and the Canterbury Engineers held ft flag signalling competition, in which the former were successful. This was another win for South Canterbury. The North Canterbury representatives were the first to march out, which they did amid vociferous cheering by those left in camp. South Canterbury left shortly after 8 o'clock, on the march to Burwood, there boarding the tram for Christchurch. We entered the train at ten o'clock, and after a sleepy ride of seven and a half hours, having had, on the whole an enjoyable and instructive tirne, we arrived at Waimate. I omitted to say that while we were in Christchurch our Surgeon- Captain, Br Barclay, was unfortunately jostled by the crowd, and, slipping on the edge of the footpath, struck his head on the kerbing. He was rendered unconscious. The whole company was extremely sorry at this unfortunate ending 'of a pleasant holiday/