TRENTHAM TO-DAY

Grey River Argus, 17 January 1941, Page 2

TRENTHAM TO-DAY

THE SOLDIER’S CLOTHING. MEDICAL AND RECREATIONAL SERVICES'. (By Chas. E. Wheeler.) The Expeditioary Force training camp at Trentham was described in a recent article which discussed in reminiscent vein the difference between conditions in the last war and those of to-day, with its brighter camp surroundings and improved dietary But there are other things in respect to which the Army has made advances. Not only must the soldier be well fed, but he has to be comfortably clothed and accommodated, and given facilities for enjoying leisure after the day’s training. Reveille at 6 a.m. is a bright awakening. Trentham’s permanent camp band is out at the bugle call to make the round of the principal roads playing march music in crisp style. The band is a valuable feature m camp life. Each training unit has its services twice a week to brighten tne route marches or other activities, and it turns out every morning at 10.30 for the changing of the guard. Breakfast is served at 7 a.m., training commences at 8.30 and goes on till noon, when there is an interval ot one and a-half hours for a light lunch and a spell. The hard work of the day ends at 4.30 and dinner is i served at 5.30. •Compared with to-day, the men of the last war were overcrowded in the hutments. Sixty had to be accommodated in the space now taken by 46, and the sixty had to eat as well as sleep in these places. The stretcher beds to-day are in groups of two, with a window between each group. A modern innovation is the light wooden partition between each set of I stretchers. It swings back during the I-day, and is brought out between the beds at night as a protective measure in case of colds or other infection. The soldier does his own washing in laundries provided with hot water, wringers and—the veteran will smile at this! —electric ' ’ons. Training camps have not yet risen to the heights of luxury represented by baths, but are many places pvhere hot and cold showers can be enjoyed. Trentham had something iof the sort in the old days, but one took his chance of temperature and the water supply generally, because all the showers came on simultaneously and went oil when someone in authority thought we had enough. (To-day this is under individual control.

CLOTHING AND BOOTS. Uniforms in the last war were at least a sensible advance upon the ancient days when the soldier had to make himself attractive but uncomfortable in a skin-tight dress ornamented with pipeclay and polished brass. To-day’s battle dress is another advance. It is easily kept neat and is not tight-fitting. This uniform is of New Zealand khaki serge and the soldier also has a working uniform of khaki drill. In footwear it would be difficult to improve on “Bill Massey's Boots’’ of the old days. Probably our former Prime Minister’ had as little to do with Army boots as the Minister of Marine, but many things were labelled with his name. If the cheese issued for dry rations happened to be hard or unpalatable, it was called “Bill Massey’s” in derisive terms, with a lurid adjective. But “Bill Massey’s Boots” were in high favour, and in this respect at least, the Prime Minister received compliments. New Zealand manufacturers to-day are turning out a splendid boot with sewn soles and pliable uppers. Some makes are more comfortable than others, though the soldier has to take

a chance on this. Training is hard on boots and these heavy ones with heel and’ toe-plates, rarely go for longer than six weeks without need for repair. The men are encouraged to take their worn bools to the central repair shop which has modern machinery and a staff of nine skilled tradesmen whose weekly average is about 500 pairs. They did over 3,000 repairs for the men of the Fust Echelon. Woollens, also made in New Zealand, are of liner texture than those of the last war, but the three pairs of socks issued to each man are, a's before comfortable and thick, suitable for the heavy boots.

SICKNESS RECORDS EXAMINED. As the result of long experience the Army has to make allowance for a daily wastage due to sickness, and this is three men per thousand. A commanding officer would regard such a' temporary loss as normal, but Trentham’s sick wastage comes out better, at two men per thousand. Epidemics of measles and influenza, coinciding with similar outbreaks in the civilian population have caused fluctuations, but the figure quoted is what usually prevails. In the camp hospital are fifty beds. There are six fully trained nurses assisted by medical orderlies? and the hospital cooks are women. A series of hospital admission records was handed to the writer foi 1 examination, and this gave an opportunity of checking up on the health results of the camp diet. _ So the causes of admission to hospital were looked over carefully for evidences cf dietetic troubles. A mid-winter weekly return showed “nil” from this cause,' and also disclosed the reassuring fact that total admissions for Ino period had been 34, or less than one per thousand men then in camp. Dietetic trouble hardly appeared — there was a recent week with two cases. . Parents will be interested in what happens to a man who feels “off colour.” Each training unit has its own medical officer. If the soldier is unable to face the day’s duties, he goes to his Regimental Aid Post if he is I able to get out of bed, otherwise his | condition is reported, and a visit from I the medical officer follows. At the 1 Regimental Aid Post, the soldier’s condition is investigated and if the illness is mild, h e is given medicine, ordered light diet, and excused from duty. But the medical officer may consider him a hospital case, e.nd he goes back to his sleeping quarters to await an ambulance. Men who are running a temperature must not pai ade for medical examination—a sensible precaution wihch the old hands at Trentham would have appreciated in their time.

FOR LEISURE HOURS. Unofficial organisations did line service for the soldiers of the Great War, and to-day’s activities are much the same with the facilities more ex tensive, supplemented by a spacious wet canteen which seats 300 men, and has a “no shouting” rule. The social centres at Trentham are numerous the Y.M.C.A.. the Salvation Army, Church Army, Catholic and Everyman’s Hut (conducted by the Brethren) all provide for letter writing, reading, recreation and social enjoyment. Give the soldier a place in which to gather, a piano too, and he can make his own fun. However, there are experienced officers in charge of.' these attractive places who organise things well, and it is characteristic of their broad outlook on life that the ten billiard tables in the big Y.M.C.A. are available on Sundays, when a two hour programme is arranged in the main hall. It includes pictures (one religious film) a short reading from the Scriptures, and a talk from the padre, usually of under ten minutes’ duration. Then the

men see more pictures, something humorous this time. Padres are provided with comfortable little private rooms at these social centres in camp, and the soldier who desires a quiet talk with these chaplains so well selected for then special job, find opportunities. Bible classes and meetings for men who prefer a more devotional atmosphere than that of the crowded, lively meetings in the main halls are not overlooked. The library service at Trentham has been particularly well organised in a central building. One of Wellington’s best known librarians who retired from service prior to the war, comes back into hard work as a sergeant in charge of the Central Camp Library with its 4,500 books and a reading room stocked with a complete selection of New Zealand . daily newspapers (thanks to the generosity of their proprietors). There have been as many as 1,400 soldiers in this commodious library at one time. While fiction is the popular diet, the librarian caters carefully for more serious tastes, and calls on the Country Library Service when special books are wanted. The development of mechanisation in the Army is reflected in the technical section of the library where the soldier may also study military manuals. One js constantly' seeing radio sets during inspection of the men's hutments, and when this was mentioned to the Camp Commandant he stated that there are 255 radio points in use.