THE WINGED NAVY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4768, 16 January 1918, Page 5

THE WINGED NAVY.

SUCCESSFUL RAID ON EXCEL DUMP. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received Jan. 15. S p.m.s LONDON. January IL The. Admiralty reports : Yesterday at noon our aircraft bombed the Engel dump. Bursts were observed on sheds and diiecthits. All our machines returned. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FUNK. I cannot help thinking (writes a soldier in the London Morning Post) that too much has appeared: in the Press about danger from air raids and not enough on the psychology of funk. Fear in air raids is largely attributable to the false sense of values aud to suggestion. A little common-sense. combined with an appreciation of the comparative casualties in London from bombs and from street accidents should put the former right, but the latter can. be dealt with only when the more intelligent- members of the public can be persuaded that it is the duty of each and everyone to cultivate a robust me'ntMl attitude towards danger, and to impose it. as far as lies in their power, on others. People should inform themselves as shortly and unemotionally as possible bow best to avoid unnecessary danger. But the precautionary frame of mind should be a practical one and not made an excuse for unedifying chatter on dangers and horrors. Having once posted themselves, people! should avoid all talk of danger and cultivate the robust mental attitude. For those}to whom this is not natural the strengthening influence o'f robust minds should be sought. This discussion of the dangers anj horrors of air raids is a form o'f intensive cultivation of funk. . - To see how true this is one has only to consider the case of ghosts and ghost stories. Those of ns who heartily disbelieve in ghosts can be made extremely uncomfortable by the process of sitting in .the dary telling and hearing ghost stories. On the other hand, trained troops face the most terrible dangers without undue emotion, even the first time. I attribute this to the cultivation, during their training, of a Spartan frame of mindl All through the subject of danger is' taboo. References to it are couched m facetious language, and each man obeying an instinct of noblesse oblige refuses to admit to others or to himself that lie is more seared than Ids neighbour. It is this which strengthens and upholds these men. The main thing is to distract peopleinterest in the proceedings is. excellent, and a sense of humour is seldom so deeply buried as to be inaccessible. ‘

A good instance of this is a ridiculous little scheme I found of great value in France. When new men wde going out on patrol I usually took thorn out for the first -time mvse]f. Creeping along in the dark on hands and knees in No Man’s. Land is as cold-blooded a game as 1 have ever come across. I knew from my own experience that each of them saw a Boclio in every bush, .and one could almost hear the men’s hearts beating. After a bit I would stop and, pointing to a clump of thistles, would ask them in a sepulchral whisper- if they could see those Germans just ahead. Their hearts would . almost , stop beating as they inquired if they really wero Germans. “Let’s throw a lump of mud and see,” heaving a clod in that direction. The reaction from this seemingly little performance had! the most successful results, and the reawakened sense of lmmour enabled them to go on with lightened hearts and a new and bolder view of things. The hitman race is -very* inutative. Each looks around and takes his cue from those about him. So it is up to all of us to conduct ourselves-in times of danger that those around us shall gain comfort and courage from our presence and to beware lest some carelessly spoken remark may have tlie effect’ of further scaring our flabbied neighbours.