CAMP "LIGHTS."

Auckland Star, Issue LVII, 1 March 1926, Page 9

CAMP "LIGHTS."

THE TRANSPORT OFFICER.

HORSES "NOTHING" TO HIM. HIS STANDING ORDERS.

(By MAGNUS.

"And -who is that gentleman with the rakish forage cap, down there by that line of horses!" I asked the orderly who was "showing mc round" the big military camp at Hopuhopu, Ngaruawahia, where Colonel E. G. Fraser liad under his command nearly 1000 troops of the Ist Battalion, Auckland Regiment.

"That, sir, is the Transport Officer," replied the guide. "He is in charge of the horses," he explained immediately, realising instinctively, perhaps, that 1 was not "military." The Transport Officer was tall and young. He sported a wisp of military moustache. Above all, the Transport Officer was decidedly humorous. He wore his forage cap, that had seen Flanders fields, at a particularly jaunty angle, and about him were four or five grooms, who went off into bursts of laughter, at his continual sallies. What's in a Name. Drawing nearer. I discovered that the Transport Officer was engaged in the important task of allotting names to the various animals which had been given into his keeping only that morning. "The white there on the left is the Wedding Horse," I heard him say. "The next is Steel 8011, and the one that's jumping about like a canary is Chirrup. Then there's Miss Melva, and —that big one—Man o' War. Remember those," lie said, with mock seriousness, to his men. "It's most important that you don't get their knives and plates mixed up. Ptomaine poisoning, and all that sort of thing." "Yossir!" snapped the grooms, and shrieked. The Transport Officer grinned, saluted and disappeared into the feed-tent. He Knew But Little of Horses. Later, the Transport Officer and I became close friends. I found in him another example of how army olhcera meet the exigencies of the service. The Transport Officer admitted quite frankly that he knew "darn little" about horses, but he was making a great job of Ins appointment. The Colonel had told him to look after the horses, and he was doing it. That sort of thing is common in the Army, and is most valuable for the training of officers. It teaches them to adapt themselves to anything at any time and to use their initiative and common sense. in i»t Army, you take a man who has spent his life tinkering with the insides of motor cars and you put him in charge of horses; or you get a man who lias been selling ladies' wear in a fashionable millinery establishment and you stick a machine gun into his hands and tell him how to deal out death. The "Wedding Horse. Thus the transport officer: "He hadn't seen a horse for ten years," but he was keeping things in excellent condition and was getting a wealth of fun out of it into the. bargain. It's the way they have in the Army. At every meal he convulsed the mess with Wβ stones of, and ideas for. the horsee. 'Im going to do everything for them, but ride them" he said, and proceeded to relate how it had been his painful duty to disrate a really good trotter to the rank of pack-horse" for insubordination in that it did "jib" at a fence, with an important officer, in full view of the troops. The day before a high staff officer arrived, he announced that he proposed cleaning the white "Wedding Horse" with pipe-clay, after which he was going to tie a piece of ribbon to its neck, shingle its mane, and send it to the distinguished visitor with a card, "To Dear General, with Love from—

The transport officer was a great favourite with his men, who worked like Trojans. After he gave his orders, he knew that he could leave them to be carried out to the letter. We_ used to stroll down the lines late at night— "just to kiss the horses good-night," according to the officer—and, without fail, we found the sentry on his beat. Original Orders. The morning of my departure from the camp—l left with the greatest regret, and full of gratitude to Colonel Fraser and his officers—the transport officer wandered into my tent and handed mc a pnper. "Copy of my standing orders," he said, without .1 movement of his face, and went out again. The standing orders were: — (1) Immediately Kevielle sounds, the senior horse will call the line to attention (hoofs together and in line with the seam of the hocks). The order will ten be given, "At the halter, on the left, form horse!" In the mane, thW movement should be carried out every morning. (2) Food. It is necessary for hardworking horses to have some stable food. Breakfast will be served by the orderly horse (if any), and dinner by one of the night-mares. Breakfast shall consist of porridge and bran rissoles, but any horse going on a route march shall be entitled to an egg as well. A horse not requiring breakfast shall, when it is offered, say "Neigh." Training must not be hurried, but shall be carried out bit by bit. Horses shall be put under cover when it reins.

(3) Grooms are responsible for the bridals. At night, grooms shall wash and feed their horses —manes to be parted in the centre —and shall attend to any horse crying in the night. The transport officer noticed with regret that Fuschia, the senior draught horse, turned a corner the other day without first putting out her hoof. This practice must cease, as otherwise Lavington, the grey, will have to draw the limber on her roan.