GOING HOME ON LEAVE.

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

GOING HOME ON LEAVE.

ON BOARD THE BLIGHTY BOAT.

pW;HAT HE MAY AND WHAT HE MAY NOT TAKE HOME.

LONDON, Nov. 15. .‘.■Djlieors commanding units will rentier before noon of the 22nd inst., a return showing the number of officers and other ranks who have not been on leave to England within 2) years, two years, eighteen" months —” and so forth.

That order raked the British army in France, and people wore uuea: tj-pc! who had been in ’he danger zone i4r 30 months without a Ik inlay.

A soldier proeee ling on leave has a hath, a change cf clothes, ana a medical certificate then all his little, worries are left behind Dm. He me ilea rry in his haversack “the unexpended portion of the day’s ration.” it is a comforting thought that this may" consist of the unexpended hind leg of an Australian rabbit. To this ho adds two days’ rations, and if on friendly terms with the quarter bloke" his life will be one of gorgeous luxury. He draws all the money he can squeeze out of the pay clerk, and skirmishes round over night to add to it, if any way can he found of doing so.

Next he must dress for the journey, taking his rifle and leaving the ammunition. wearing his full equipment, and prepared to swear that he smuggles no letters, tobacco, matches or German weapons. . He may cany German helmets, mess tins, buttons, binoculars, etc.: hut may not carry a shell case, bomb, field gun, dugout cr any wire, entanglements. To these he adds haversack, mess tin, water bottle, steel helmet and gas mask, a total load sufficient to break the hea.it of a mule, but by no means of a British soldier on leave. He will not believe in liberty until he gets his warrant. And then he is in a state of abject fear Jest death or the C.O. should, swindle him out ct his Blighty leave. What is Blighty? - The word is a Hindoo attempt to pronounce Britain ; it comes from the Indian army, and stands for all tilings lovely and sacred on this earth. It is so near that southern England can hear the bombardments in France, yet is it very far to the soldier going on lea. c. Fritz has a nasty habit of thro ••- ing shells as near as he can to redhead. and sending to heaven men ■••• ■> o want to go home. For my part., would not patronise that unhealthy depot, but begged a t-wenty-mile title on a motor lorry, and found a stcu. -n which had merely been bombed cteasionallv by aircraft, where toe R.T.O. in charge seemed a trine peevish. He said bombs were so untioy. Thence the leave train crawled icr five mortal hours passing to arg-'e with pointsmen, to survey- the scenery, or bandv- chaff with peace:ol wayside Tommies. There is noc-.t.y on earth so peaceful as that "a.wte Tommy in rest camp maxing pen i<> conversation with Trench nappe:-, or petting a French baby, or preienc.- g lie cannot perceive the fruit in a : T-e orchard. Tommv- salutes tue leave train, yellowing “Oh., you Blighties; ami the folk on board complain that they were young when their iur.err.i cortege started for the base. Being verv late at base, the o&wjJ call up the'closed hotels the troops march off to a barn called the rm billet, and nothing more transpires acid re morning. . . ’ / The quays are lined boats, hospital ships and transport-, and four or five or these a re loaomg for the morning convoy. Our -.at lias a soar deck for the officers, a troop deck for- other ranks, 2a,v* passengers or so most densely pac-r,-U, all very complacent, a gorgeous meulev of color. There are ladies, nurre~. workers of the church army, concert parties, and women soldier? wno form a rapidly growing army ioi -- - u work outside the danger area. There is one civilian witn a reai silk hat. frock c-oat ana lifebelt. has grey mutton chop whiskers, an office manner, a silk timbre da. and austere grey eyes, and one feels ior him acutely, because he svmpton of any packet- or sand’-mems for lunch. He is surrounded bi ottieers of many armies: British, ino-cm. American. French. Belgian. Ailsn ian Canadian. New Zealand. South African; the general with three reus of medal ribbons, the reptile sti tern, and every rank between, r.u arms of every service, the navy. A few have white armlets, newly appointed as O.C- troops on boaia. i w iutant and orderly dog tor the ict-a°-e, and as the ships clear these orocr the rest of us to put on lirebe.ts. Then seamen swing the boats ORE* board, and we may not sit on the ceiled ropes. Outside tne o,d seaport the destroyers tahe pest round tlieir" convoy. Are there an v German submarines about? In three years, and despue the many millions of passengers, tin onlv soldiers whose lives have seen lost as the result of enemy action amino- channel transit, have been be. Pj wounded men in Hospital s.npdeliberately torpedoed by L-boats.