Y.M.C.A. WAR WORK

Evening Star, Issue 16352, 19 February 1917, Page 6

Y.M.C.A. WAR WORK

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charge here. Tnis s-urvey generally coyer* what, was being done, nnd, considering our men had just removed into the area", von will agree that- splendid service is 'whirr rendered. From Gcccre.! Russell d«'.vtn\vnh wo heard nothing but admiration, u penally of the worn on the .Somiiie and on the return.

New Work Propped.—After a detail survey of the area, and consultation with Gcnesal Russell and M'Cowen .(organisms Y M. secretary for France). we decided to'cxter.l our work in the following directions: ■—(1) Additions of llOfi x 308 ft (portable but), at both —— and . These are ready nt Havre for transport, f.ud will soon .be erected. we trust. (2) New huts (2) at cross roads. some mile to mile and a-half uesrer the front than . These will serve brigade on active service in the front line. Titer spend six days in and six days out, a* a rule. The huLs will be ahead "of a raiiway line, over which is out of bounds. Nothing up to the present has been attempted here" (3) New hut in. divisional training school. Arrangements were made with ■■ H'dmcs for the removal of a stranded hut at /some. miles distant. This was being removed and re-erected before we left. We are also nin:in»a second stranded hut immediately, which will be re-erected -at cno of the points mentioned above. (4) Two new nuts in a rent camp; site not yet fixed. It appears that two brigades will always be on active service and another at rest. We have .arranged for these huts to be erected immediately the camn is fixed. They are to be sent up in sections from Havre. (5) Our most important development will be if ill nearer the line, where the huts cannot be erected. Oh November 6we were at . The rain was pouring down in torrants, and die mud was frightful. Fortunately, it was "changing day" in tho trenches, and wo met our cell trudging their way towards their billets. They were wot to the skin, but cheery withal. We were just proud of them bearing the fatigue of their work so uncomplainingly; but this fact was brought very forcibly before us and impressed upon us by the sight of these fellows: that, our biggest work must be done further up, helping thote who are bearing the brunt of the tight in discomfort. "Sorry you have had hj so bad for your visit, here." .aid one of our soldier friends. We were not. We were just delighted, to get a giimpso of what the lads are willing to bear for us in this awful struggle. It was our first sight of them trom the trenches, and as such mightily 'improved lis. We caw much worse renditions later on, in the ■ trenches -themselves. Hav had already Lad the vision, and wo backed him in his scheme of getting right up to the men at the front. You will be pleased to know that, we have already permission to u>a Lmv-e dug outs ttrajght at tiie changing station, and from that point, can touch every man going into the firing line. These will be, established at other" points as opportunity occurs, and from what I gathered from. O.C.s during our visits to other centres and" m other parts of the area, one© the value ot the advanced dug-out is understood wa si-all bo rushed. In vur advanced dug-outs, which Hay will personally supervise, ws shall have hot .-oeoa principally, with Hornek's malted milk, soups, etc., and cikes and biscuits. In one dug-out we ere arraugiii" reading and writing accommodation. One thousand volumes of books for trench libraries have been „ent, as have al=o six portable gramophones for trench work. Beneve me, all the extra comfort New Zealand has at its disposal should be eent to Hvx* men who are -'right up." We made -w-n inquiry regarding New Zeannd comfort* ■mv\ found (hat the men in the fighting area aie net getting them to am- extent. We could not find that more than one each of the handkerchief:; filled with comforts had reached them here, and then'just as thev were off to the. Somme. when extre. parcels added a further burden to their equipment. A.ter seeing the difficulty of transport ire cannot, wonder at this, and we came to th ; s deumie conclusion, which would be seconded by both ofncer.s and men, I am sure: that insinid of comforts being forwarded so large.y from New-Zealand, it would be much mora economical to send the money to the i.MO.A.. who rouid buy what was needed on the spot and diviribiiie. However, the difficulty of transport is a real one.. Tho railhead is some distance awav, and transport on the. roads is very difficult, as. indeed, you will imagine. The £I.OOO ' ner month we mentioned in our cables will nob nearly cover all we ought to spend on these forward dng-oiifs. (6) We also visited our Xr.w Zealand base. As vou know, tho New Zealand Y.Jtf.O.A. has no bui'ding in the Now Zealand linens here. There are a large number ot Y.M.s in the camp, which our men use. however. Wo. visited Colonel Banders, camp commandant, who has acree<t ■to us building the Lowry Hut there. " Wra shall endeavor to carry out all Mrs Lowrv's suggestions.

'i ho biggest thing we can do is to supply, as we ai\; arranging-, hot, drinks, literature, chocolates, sweets, colly cakes. biscuit?, cigarettes. nncl tobacco,* principally to' men in the trendies, but anywhere they are needed in the forward areas. We .have sent a preliminary stock ever of £I,OOO worth of good's, and Uieso should by now be to hand. It i e itndesiiible o end pars Is c cnji, ui o 1 n thi ; ost offi e wheiher ad (i" cd i idi n ilh o- to lone l sold p 1 hf- e iiii clb rfun til e 4hr"e or lour mor fas xo ip-ieh ho jut fte I~uiit \m i imd I uispoits ofepi tile imp wcekr to coma o lh"i the i ii hipmeut Its to hr irued aid fitrn Inn pjrt li ia 1 n mos fit- ll \ ili jn feto e mil * ke pirve mi"e if <oi to Bell ir if it s much octtei u to supply addi Jin' com ort» in bulk from hers