AT THE FRONT.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15219, 5 March 1915, Page 8

AT THE FRONT.

THE HARDSHIPS OF WINTER

(srEciXi. to "the press.")

AUCKLAND,'-March 4

Writing from tho front to relatives in Auckland. Dr. F. Richards gives an interesting description of his work at one of the advanced ambulance stations. "This place," he says, "is absolutely stiff with guns of all sorts and sizes. The headquarters of my new brigade have been so liberally shelled that there is scarcely a whole pane of glass left. This morning (January 3rd) the guns were set going as far as they could, and shook the house like a rattle. T£e noise was so great that it was impossible to hear oneself speak. The writer describes his daily round of farm, houses, etc., for the treatment of the wounded, and incidentally mentions that the Flemish people are by no means clean. They have therefore to be kept up to the mark in regard to matters of sanitation.

According to Dr. Richards, the hardships .of winter have been very great. "Rain every day," he states." "makes the mud still deeper. The whole countryside is absolutely sodden. All but the main roads are quagmires, aud the fields are cut uo by horse and transport traffic."

Referring to the colonial horses, the writet expresses the opinion that they are Jucky to l>e in Egypt daring the winter. "A week or two here, ,, he proceeds, "would soon cool their .military ardour. However, they will be all the better in , the spring and summer, when they can work on the earth, and not have to go through it."