UNKNOWN Letters in War Time.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 108, 13 February 1900, Page 3

UNKNOWN Letters in War Time.

o At one time it was impossible for our troops engaged on active service in a foreign land to receive and despatch letters. But now all that is changed ; and no matter where he goes, ,or in what numbers, "Tommy" is almost certain oi! receiving his letters as you are here in England. Every non-commissioned oiiicer and man in the 2-ith Middle&ex timo Volunteers is a postal employee, most of them being sorteis or postmen in the London postal districts, each dibirict having its own company. The " Army Pobt Office Corps " iire the M Company of the 24th. The L Company are the Field Telegraph Corps attached on active service to the Royal 'Engineers. About 200 men are already on their way to the Cape, and more will follow ii." repuiied. It was in the Egyptian campaigns of 1882-85 that the War Office authorities first made use of these London volunteers for active service. And ever since the manoeuvres were commenced on Salisbury Plain, the 2Ath have always done the field Post OiTice work, as well as attending to the volunteer training corps at Aldershot, Sliornciiffe, etc. Wnen a camp is moved, the Post Om.ee if; j always one of the first away, atld the first Ihing " Tommy " does on ai riving on the camping ground, is to look for the red and while flag sh,owing the position of bis Post Office", ths great link that connects him with his dear ones at home. One can easily picture the grimy, powder-blackened, perhaps bloodstained soldiers, storming their Post Office after some bloody battle, anxious to inform those at home of their safety or the death or disablement of .a chain. The Pont Office Corps is very popular with "Tommy Atkins," who looks upon them as the only means of relieving the mental anguish of a dearly-loved mother, wife or sweetheart. The quantity of postal matter for the troops is already emumous, and (o an ordinary observer it would seem impossible for a hundred men or so to deal with it ; but so skilled is our London sorter or postman, that it only requires .some six of them to look after seven or eight battalions. Besides, each man is a highly efficient soldier, and the London Press was unanimous in its praises of the 24th Middlesex, as the steadiest and most efficient

of the -whole fifty-one battalionfc of infantry present at the lass Eoyal review in Hycle Park. On foreign service the men wear the Engineer uniform ; at Home the same as the Rifle Brigade. Tho full strength of the corps is about 1.200 men, under the command of Colonel RiUleu-Thompson. Captain Tioble. oL" the M Company, is the Postmaster-General of the; British Army operating in South Africa. — Daily Mail.