FIELD-GLASSES FOR THE ARMY

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 28, 1 February 1917, Page 7

FIELD-GLASSES FOR THE ARMY

PUBLIC GENEROSITY. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT ) LONDON, 19th December. One of the last acts of Lord Roberts was to make a world-wide appeal for field glasses, for the use of troops at the front. In two years over 26,000 of these have .been received, without reckoning those which .were collected -in Australia, in the. Malay States, and other distantcountries,- and all were issued in due course to local forces on the different fronts. The instruments received have comprised every type, and have been.! ■classified and issued according to the needs of different units, and Lady Roberts, daughter of the late FieJd Marshal, writes: "Particularly useful have been the fine prismatic glasses sent, which have been allocated to artillery and machine-gun units, according to their power; large mounted telescopes for batteries ; deer-stalking telescopes for gunners and snipers, and good oldfashioned non-prismatic racing glasses for detection of the nationality of aircraft, locating snipers, signalling by disc, collecting wounded, and musketry instruction. I am indeed grateful for the way in which my father's appeal has been met. British people all over the world have given their best, recognising that, in spite of the fact that their glasses are on loan, and that the organisation for their return has been arranged, the chances of loss are many, and that- they may never get their glasses back. When I think of the enormous numbers of good glasses sent it may seem ungracious to asli for more, but the demand is still great. Every good glass (except opera-glasses), and every telescope {except toys) is wanted ' for the service of the country." The address to which glasses should be sent is: Lady Boberts's Field Glass Fund, National Service League, 72, Victoria-street, S.W.

Rifleman Harold Bell, of Ashburton, who has been in an officers' training camp at Oxford, England, for about four months, has received a commission as second lieutenant. Lieutenant Bell joined the Second Battalion of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade about 18 months ago, served for a time in Egypt, and thereafter in the trenches in France, and from the ranks he was ordered to proceed to England for training as an officer.

Sapper Percy Leonard Keys, son of Mr. H. B. Keys, of Dunedin; has been awarded .the Military Medal for gallantry in France. Sapper Keys fought through the Gallipoli campaign, and left with the New Zealaudcrs for France, where he has been ever since. Mr. Keys has two other sons on active -service, ~ — ■ "