AT THE FRONT.

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 2601, 9 April 1915, Page 2

AT THE FRONT.

"EYE-WITNESS" DESCRIBES THE BASES.

SPLENDID ORGANISATION. London Times—Sydney Sun Services,

(Received April 9, 8 a.m.)

London, April 8.

The Press Bureau reports "EyeWitness 1 " description of the bases through winch tbe troops and material pass to the front.' The keynote of the handling of the vast amount of material is simplicity anl laboursaving. On their arrival the cargoes are stored in large s heds divided into sections, wherefrom oiie day's supplies for the troops depeudent on this base are collected daily in pens close to the railways, each pen containing the quantity to be consumed by the'army corps, or headquavters next day. The contents of the pens are loaded straight into tho train. The medical comforts aud petrol are kept separately ; the meat is retained in the rifrigerators on the steamers until they are empty, and the bread docs not pass through the sheds, but trucks containing these particular articles arc added to- the trains when tliev arc finally marshalled.

Tho hundreds of field ovens, baking 90 loaves, 1-Jlb weight, arc being gradually supplemented by steam travelling ovens capable of baking 4000 loaves a day.

An enormous staff is. required to cope with the increasing stream of material. At one place there are 1400 men working, lifie a gigantic beehive. Despite tho complexities, they arc regulated by a spirit of strictest order. When one remembers that the men so employed have never before been subject to mijitarv. discipline, but are accustomed to live in an atmosphere of trade disputes, the smooth working ou the field speaks wonders for the good spirit prevailing among all ranks.

At the main ordnance base 1700. men sleep in wooden berths construct, ed in tier s in a large warehouse.