CHURCH ARMY WORK FOR OUR SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 28, 27 October 1917, Page 6

CHURCH ARMY WORK FOR OUR SOLDIERS

Sir,—Trooper I'. V. Whibley has been serving his King and country with the Sixth Reinforcements, and I am thankful to say has gone through his battles all right. At ono battle his horse was shot under him. He writes from Kautara:

"1 have been spending a mouth's holiday at Cairo and Port Said, staying at Aotea, tho New Zealand convalescent home, a splonuid placo, run privately by the Wai%amii and Wairarapa districts. You will get an idea of what a good place it is when I describe it as a 'home away from homo' in every senso of tlio word. To-day I am on my way baclc to rejoin my regiment, and I find I havo six hours to spare. It is very hot. I was wondering what to do, when I spied a Church Army hut, and hero I am, in a cool hut, whero a chap can jret a quiet road, havo refreshments, and find plenty of paper and envelopes to write to dear ones at home."

His. reaper was headed "Church Army Recreation Hut," on "activeservice with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force."

A mother of soldiers in Ormondvillo last week had two letters written in ono of our huts in Flanders, another showed me a letter from her son written on our paper from a' Church Army hut in Salonika.

Last weak I received a donation from a returned soldier who has resumed his position as school teacher, when he wrote, saying: "I havo no need of pamphlets to tell mo what a great work the Church is doing in l'rance and England."

I havo been circulating pamphlets and dodgers lately, to try and let people in A'ev Zealand know of the work tho Church Army is doing for our Army and rVavy, and for tho wives of soldiers and sailors, and also for Munition workers, by sotting up canteens and rest rooms, so that all those "Tommy Atkins" has left behind, or are working for him, caD IniTe suitable places for rest and comfort. Our work has not bsen, advertised till just lately in a small way by mo. I hope tJiat those who give so goneroualy to other organisations for war wort will give a share to tlio Church Army in future. What the "homo away from homo" at "Aotea" is to our soldieis in Egypt, so are the Chuich Army Soldiers' Homes in London to those on leave from Prance.

Lady Hnig, tlfe wife of our greatest General, opened the Buckingham Palace Soldiers' Hostel on March 27, 1017, for the Church Army, Since then its doors are open day and night for the soldiers of the King.- Thero are 600 beds in this great building, aleo 18 bathrooms, reading and smoking rooms. The canteen is run day and night by 200 of tho ladies of England, who volunteer to be on duty at nil hour* by relays of 50. Threo of tho largest" of our labour homes are converted into soldiers' hostels, at.Arlil lery Road, Westminster, 189 Jfarylobotio Road, and Great Peter Street. Will your readers kindlj let any of their soldier friends know of tlift welcome tho Church Army gives to all when pn leave in London at tho homes?—l am, etc. V. W. WfIIBLEY, Hon. Secy. Church Army in N.Z. The Vicarage,

Ormondville, H.B. P.S.—After having written the'above, a let+er arrived from Headquarters, dated August 21, containing, as an item, an Außtralian's remark to Canon Ross-Lewin:

"I cannot praise the Chuicli Armv too much, for it shoved their huts right into the shollfiro line, so that a man from the trenches could get some refreshment almost' directly ho left them, just when lie wanted it 'most." He then gave i' 2 to Captain Spencer in London, saying: "It is a very little, after all the great things you have done and are doing for us."— F.W.W.