TROOPS GO HOME.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 230, 29 September 1931, Page 3

TROOPS GO HOME.

RAIN STOPS A WAR.

MANOEUVRES WASHED OUT.

Heavy rain caused the aUandunment of the Aldershot Command manoeuvres, "Cease fire!" being sounded in the early stage of an attack which would have become a great battle on the SurreyHampshire border.

Rain fell from dawn as the men lay out in fields, and there was a deluge when they fell in for an attack on the slopes of Cobham Ridges and Fox Hills, where a Northland force had been located.

The drenched division 'began to advance against a heavy barrage of rain across Clay gate Common, through mud and puddles, when suddenly, to the delight of the most bloodthirsty of the troops, the "'Cease fire!" rang out on the bugles. The deployed lines of troops were withdrawn to column-of-route, and a very happy and determined advance was made on Aldershot.

It was late at night before the last of the 20,000 wet and travel-stained men arrived back in barracks. As they trudged home they whistled and sang snatches of the old war-time songs as heartily as when they marched out in bright sunshine for the battlefield.

Crowds of smiling sweethearts and wives waited near the barracks to welcome their menfolk back two days before the scheduled time. Had the weather been favourable the manoeuvres would have concluded with an all-night battle. Once in barracks, the men quickly changed into dry clothing, had a good meal, and many of them were in bed long before "Lights out."