THE AUSTRALIAN FORCES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 7, 9 January 1915, Page 4

THE AUSTRALIAN FORCES

PHYSIQUE OF THE MEN COMPARISON WITH BRITISH TROOPS. The physical standard of the men in the Australian Expeditionary Forces is exceptionally high (says the Melbourne Ago of 26th December). Testimony to this eftect was given yesterday by an officer at the barracks who has seen the men as they came in for examination. At present no statistical returns are available from the Defence Department, but tables are being prepared, and when ready will be of very great interest. They will enable a comparison to be made between the physique of men from the different States, and will, generally, give a very interesting glimpse of Australian manhood "in. the raw," as it were. It will probably be found that the Queenslanders chow the greatest average height. Further, an officer 6tated yesterday that there Was little doubt that the second contingent will show a better physical average than t the first. The fact will come as ho surprise to those who witnessed the recent march through the city streets. The men of the 44th Infantry Brigade are drawn largely from the country districts, and are big-boned and brawny soldiers for the most part. The first contingent was drawn largely from city dwellers. Yet, though the latter were probably smaller on the average than the men from the stations and the back-blocks, there is no doubt that they will compare very favourably with the British troops, with the French, and even with the Russians. The British line regiments are very largely composed of short, stockily-built riien. The minimum height for tKe infantry and army service corps is sft 2in, and a very large number of the men do not exceed a height of sft sm, though gymnastics, the admirable physical training of the army, and years of drill, make them muscularly formidable and fill out their chests. The Guard regiments are, of course, recruited from a different standard of men, and are probahly as bi^ as the biggest of the German or Prussian picked men. In the Same way, the British Territorials are not, taking an average, of very imposing physique. There are big men among them, of course, and certain picked regiments— the London Scottish, Artists t and H.A.C. — would be hard to beat. But the ordinary battalions, such as are now in Egypt encamped with the Australians, will almost certainly find, 'themselves surpassed in eoneraJ physique by the men from Australia. The French troops, too, aro only of medium height, averaging slightly lees than the British, while the Russians, commonly thought to be giants, are .often quite small mon, the average height of a. number of their infantry battalions being no more than sft 4in. In company with these men, the Australians should make a fine showing. Anyone who has seen them at bathing parado, or in the medioal examination room, will be aware of the muscular build of most of the men. The Australian is commonly supposed to be wiry and lean. But the men in the Expeditionary Force are largely men of big muscles, and athletic build— a fact which a loOse tunic very Often conceals. Already the troops have mado a good impression in Egypt. When they get on to the Continent it is oortain that they will be the beet advertisement for the healthiness of their native land.