THE GISBORNE SAVAGES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4070, 26 October 1915, Page 6

THE GISBORNE SAVAGES.

LIFE AT MAY MORN CAMP

INTERESTING COMPARISON WITH CAMP AT LIVERPOOL.

APPEAL FOR A FEW ADDED COMFORTS.

Life in May Morn Camp near Trentham is happily described and contrasted with Liverpool (N.S.W.) camp l>y Private Percy Fromm in a letter to this journal. We have practically settled down to our training, and the boys so far seem to rather like it, and treat it like a big picnic. We were first of all put into Trcntham Camp to bo fitted out, and Trentham as a camp knocks Liverpool Camp. Sydney, into a cocked hat. The meals, both at Trentham and our new camp—May Morn —leave nothing to complain about. The stew in the morning is as good as any we could get at home, and the meat and vegetables at night are excellent.' Of course wo don’t'get flowers on the tables, and cut glass and silverwa; e, but tlie serving up is scrupulously clean, and if one tent happens to get served a short ration, a complaint to the orderly officer at meal times, and the mess orderly is despatched for another supply. When I visited Liverpool Camp on my trip to Sydney, 1 noticed that a large percentage of the men had their meals at the canteen and restaurant, which didn’t, in my opinion, say much for the'cook-house there. There are plenty of amusements at Trentham. There arc about six large huts erected by different religious denominations in which the men can write letters, sing, play billiards, draughts and all sorts of games in addition to which there is a billiard saloW with seven tables, and the whole of these amusement places are packed at night. In contrast to .Liverpool. all of the men in Trentham live m huts, electrically lighted, and fitted with shelves and tables, and are well ventilated. The sanitary arrangements are perfect; a big force of men being detailed specially to look after that department. A splendid bathing arrangement is in operation, two big bath-houses, each containing 100 shower baths, being particularly well patronised after work in the evening, both hot an cold showers being available. We arrived in our new camp on Saturday morning, and spent the day at fatigue duty. The camp grounds were littered with stones, both big and sipall, but when 2.500 of us boys had got to work you wouldn’t know the place. We had a beautifully fine day, and since we left Gisborne our chaps have been pretty badly sunburnt, and red noses and peeling'faccs is now the order of the day. All us boys who enlisted together have been put in the one tent, and we are like a big family. The following are in our tent, which we have christened “The Gisborne Savages”: Rob Pyoroft. Jack McConnell, Raul Dudson, Jimmie Rodger, Gordon Witty, Harry Fraser, Rob Hyphen-Downie, Paddy Morel I, George Hart, Percy Fromm, and Bob Andrew. Jimmie Rodger being fairly small has been appointed in charge of the tent, end gives orders that nobody takes any notice of. We have inaugurated a fund, each man contributing, and we buy such delicacies as sauce, pepper, salt, tinned fruits and meats for dinner. We are not served with- meat for dinner, Hut, as we have all caught* big appetites down here, we supplement the bill-of-fare as above. By the way, if the people up there would like to make the hearts of us chaps rejoice, consignments of cake, and anything mentioned above would be heartily welcome. We were sent out yesterday for the first day of our training, and all day wo were kept right turning, left turning and goose-stepping (a : -ow exorcise), and saluting. To those who have been through it all before, it got a bit monotonous, but it’s all for the one cause. To-day our platoon was put on fatigue l duty ; carrying stones. Any man seen carrying what was thought to be a bit too much was loudly cheered, and greeted with: “Another candidate for stripes,” -or “Say mate, you’ll break your arm,” etc. So you see one has no need to hurst one’s boiler at this game. Yesterday and today we had a lot of rain, and the grounds got cut up very badly. The camp was very muddy, but a few hours’.sunshine does it up wonderfully. We have a splendid set of officers in charge of our company, and Lieutenant Ferriday, our platoon commander, is an exceptionally decent officer, and goes to no end of trouble to see that we are comfortable. Our camp adjutant is Captain Bishop, who used to be Sergeant-Major. stationed at Gisborne. ' Poor Bob Downie lias bad a' crook run again. His knee was as good as gold till last evening, when, after a long day’s march lie was cleaning his boots outside the tent when he twisted it, and I’m afraid pretty bad'.v. Ho paraded at the doctor’s tent, and was ordered to lay up, and he had a quiet day in his tent, but bis knee, getting no better, he was ordered to the hospital and Witty, Mrrell and)l took liim over and the doctor took charge, and I believe lie has to go to the Trentham Hospital to-morrow. The doctor at present thinks lie will be all right with short rest..