ANZACS' NEW TASK.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLII, Issue 88, 12 May 1916, Page 3

ANZACS' NEW TASK.

ARRIVAL IN FRANCE. TKOOI'S l.\ HIGH SPIRITS. LONDON",'May 8. .Nearly half of the Australians anil must of the .New Zealanileis who are at the west front have seen fighting at Auzac or in Western Egypt. Their losses at Uullipoli were so heavy that in order to make tip the full quota destined for Northern France, with adequate reserves, it was necessary to draw largely upon recent drafts from the Commonwealth and the Dominion.

When the expedition was being arranged there was much anxiety, some regiments fearing that they would not jro. Many men belonging to the Light llorse disowned their regiments, hoping to In' drafted into the troops for France. None wanted to stay behind. Nine hundred Light Horse volunteered for the infantry in a single day.

The last Australians left, carrying with tliem the Anzac Headquarter Staff under Generals Birdwood and White. The voyage was practically without incident. Directly the men embarked they were supplied with lifebelts, which they wore all day. Boat drill was part of the routine, aml every man was allotted a station. The navigation oilicers spent several anxious hours, but the men were not aware of the proximity of the deadly siibiii:!iiues. Several false alarms were sounded to test the efficiency of the safety arrangements. The troops were required to stand by the boats, but the whole body was transferred without a single mishap. There were a few cases of sickness.

On the last day of the trip a meeting was arranged on one of the troopships, and General Birdwood addressed .'ISOO men. A printed copy of the address w.tv distributed to every member of the force, together with the text of Lord Kitchener V message to the Expeditionary Poire 111 August, 1014. PLAY THE GAME. GIiXKKAI, BIRD WOOD'S ADDRESS. General Birdwood urged the Anzaes to live up to their ideal, and then proceeded: "You have made yourselves a national reputation as good fighters, which ha> earned you the esteem of the comrade- alongside of whom you will soon he 'lighting. You have two important qualities—the fighting spirit and training; but a third quality (discipline) is essential to success, aud is the greatest of ilie three. Without it the best lighting troops in the world would fail to achieve success. You will be faced with temptations in France, because you will probably be billeted in denselypopulated villages. Drink will, I fear, ho obtainable. The villages will be mostly full of women and children, whose fathers, husbands and brothers are lighting for the country against thfr I'omnioii enemy. I have not the slightest doubt you will respect the women, because you know how repugnant the idea of an otl'cnce against a defenceless woman is to every Australian and New Braland"!-.

"Against drink I wish particularly to u 'arn y»u. I implore you to take hold of ,voiir«dvo>, and in case of every man absolutely make tip his mind to deterInilie for himself that he will not give **. v thereto, remembering that the Wiiour nt Australia or New Zealand is iu his keeping. Vou know I am refer'■"'ts In a very small proportion. The jjreat majority don't want such a warnUI S!- I earnestly beg them to do all in their power to look after their com'ndt's not having the same strength of ""ml. Remember, a few black sheep '"in g!v,■ ; t bad name to the whole flock. u- make up our minds that the Ausjfslinii and New Zealand Forces are go"'C to prove themselves second to none » 'liwipliiu', as they have already done. r ' u ' lv k > hard lighting is concerned. to tiiis, boys. You know you are ''•ipaiile of it, a n d if you do it you will te ' Ur « to Australia and New Zealand "fter peace and victory with an unsullied reputation which will go down 0| time iu vour home.''

THE MEN CONFIDENT. "JUKE A HOLE SOMEWHERE." LONDON, May 9. A member of the SeconTl Division, Siting tu Lnii,lon, says the division is t( ®fi'lent that it will make a hole some*»cre when it gets loose. The name Anzac'' has been retained for the AusJ «»sian army, and General Birclwood's J uartw s we officially called " Anzac