"OUR BOYS" CHRISTMAS IN ENGLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 57, 23 February 1918, Page 16

"OUR BOYS" CHRISTMAS IN ENGLAND.

War-time conditions in the Homeland are interestingly touched upon in a letter received in Auckland from Mrs. W. H. Parkes. The writer says: —

" The few days before Christmas were most beautiful, bright and sunshiny, although cold. Everything naturally was very quiet. All the game they were crowds about, soldiers everywhere. We also had an air raid one night, just about 6.30, a most annoying time, for of course the maids all ceased work, and doparted to shelter, remaining there about two and a half hours, consequently there was no dinner till about nine o'clock, by which time the most scared person was tantalisingly hungry, and the dinner was ruined, of course- I went to a matinee got up by Mrs. Lloyd George to raise funds for a memorial school where the children of Welsh soldiers killed in the war are to tic educated. All the leading artists of concert, vaudeville and comic opera offered their services. Many actresses and pretty girls, dressed in the Welsh costume, sold programmes, photo 3of Mrs. Lloyd George, and afternoon tea. Mrs. Hellaby had five seats given to her, and she kindly took us. Queen Alexandra and the Princess Royal were present, also Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd George, and many notabilities."

The letter mentions that Mrs. Parkes went down to Hornchurch Convalescent Hospital in Essex. It was bitterly cold, but a beautiful day, and the writer says that many of the men came from Auckland, and knew her, although she did not know them. As it was Christmas Day, they went to the 9.30 service, where Padre Burton (Anglican) and Padre McDonald (Presbyterian) conducted the service together. They had a very excellent brass band, which played very well indeed. "As soon as this was over," the writer proceeds, " we had a sup of tea with the 0.C., Col. Tewsley, and Mrs. Tewsley in the matron's room. Miss Cora Anderson (sister of Mrs. Beattie) is matron. Miss Thurston, the matron in chief, had come down previously. We then started for London, via Oatlands Park, Weybridge. We arrived just in time to see the Oatlands patients at their Christmas dinner. All who were well enough sat down in the main dining room, where we were escorted by the 0.C., Colonel Mill. Then in each ward there was a dinner table for those not allowed out. We got a tremendous reception at each ward. From here we went across to Walton, about a mile away, and visited all their wards at dinner time, too. The O.C. had arranged it at LID, so as not to clash with Oatlands at 12. The ward decorations ln each of these hospitals were just a perfect picture, carrying out an original idea. The moat original at Walton was a Maori pa. The entrance had the Maori carving imitated, and 'Kia Ora' written across it. The most original of all was at Oatlands, where sonic wag had conceived the idea of making one of the four bed wards the Red Tape Ward. They had made the most wonderful entanglements of red and pink tape hanging in every direction. Immediately you entered the room you got caught in

a noose of red tape and you were ticketed with some ridiculous disease written on the ticket and labelled Australias or Timbuctoo. And it was no use saying that you came from anywhere else. The ticket was picked up and read. 'No use, Madam. You must go. And, as you have got a brokea leg, you must have a wooden arm, if you wear it round your neck.' Some of the notices round the room were exceedingly clever. The whole thing was wonderfully carried out. By the time I got to the last ward 1 was a mass of flowers and crackers and mottoes. One man greeted mc with, "Oh, a sweet bower of roses round the door." "Well," I said, "I have been called the Maypole before, but never a door," at which the rest of the men picked him up and locked him out and gave the Colonel and mc three very ringing cheers. I can assure you they were one and all having a glorious time. Their meal consisted in every place of roast turkey and sausage, with heaps of vegetables, enormous plum puddings for every ward, and apples, pears, oranges, raisins, almonds, sweets, nuts, and preserved fruits, with stacks of crackers. Every single thing had been given, too.

After leaving this hospital the writer proceeded to Brockenhurst. "The roads were just a sea of ice," she continues, "but you can't imagine how lovely the whole country looked, and at sunset it wai just glorious. Trees and hedges were hanging with icicles, snow in patches everywhere, and the brilliant red sky showing through tree 3 fading into all the paler shades of gold to the greys and blues. It was the loveliest picture one could possibly imagine. We reached Brockenhurst at seven in the evening, and drove on to the hospital, where Colonel Wylie met us. We had a very jolly dinner with all the officers—Mrs. Hogg, Mrs. Bowater, Miss McLean (matron) and Miss Thurston (matron-in-chief). The cooking, which was done by the A.D.'s, was excellent. I never tasted better plum pudding or mince pies. Next day we inspected all the wards at Brcekenhurst, Forest Park and Balmer Lawn, ending up with the Morant Hospital and Nurses' Homes. Amongst the patients were several St. Matthew's boys, who were delighted to see a visitor from New Zealand. At Forest Park, the officers' hospital, I saw Stephen Allan, Bob Allan's brother. We arrived in the massage ward just as he had his wounded foot and leg in an electric bath. Later we went on to Codford, and had a perishing cold drive. Their decorations were very beautiful. They had had some glorious real flowers sent from wealthy people in the district, which, of course, helped to make it more beautiful. The ward that gained the prize allotted by the committee was an orange ward. It certainly was wonderfully carried out. It was made into a grove of orange trees jubt. banging with oranges, all of which wciq made by the men, in shades of deep orange, pale yellow and green."