DESERT WINTER

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 107, 1 November 1941, Page 8

DESERT WINTER

COMFORTS FOR TROOPS

SOME SUGGESTIONS

WARM CLOTHING

(Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.)

WESTERN DESERT, October 29. Prospects for spending at least part of the winter here emphasise the types of comforts New Zealand soldiers will most appreciate in the next few months. Firstly, our experience last year taught us that the winter is far more clearly defined here than in the base camps near Cairo. In December and January it is not uncommon for the temperature to drop to freezing point, especially when cold winds

blow across the escarpments,

Troops will often need air the warm extra clothing they possess when travelling in vehicles or spending nights in the open during manoeuvres or actual operations. Mufflers, mittens, and pullovers in excess of the Army issue clothing are good investments, and can be stored in the base kits when the warm weather comes around again. Another safe bet fdr friends and relatives on the home front is parcels containing tinned food, drink, and tobacco. ■

While additional foodstuffs are not absolute necessaries and at present can be bought at canteens here, many soldiers like to have a reserve of extras for iise when on the move. This applies particularly to men travelling in ;or within reach of first-line transport, for almost every truck carries a primus stove and, tucker-box shocked with pooled contents of parcels from home. Milk, cbffee preparations, , tinned tongues, vegetables, sausages, soup, fruit for special occasions, oysters, and whitebait are examples of useful gifts.

.Incidentally, a tip for, letter-writers is to enclose a ninepenny stamp in each mail as a strong hint-for the soldier friend to reply promptly.