THE CHURCH ARMY AND THE WAR.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 269, 30 October 1916, Page 7

THE CHURCH ARMY AND THE WAR.

[TO THI CDITOC. 1 Sir.—Dungavel House. Strathaven, the Lanarkshire seat of the Duke of Hamilton, is now being used by the Church Army for its war hospital of 100 beds. This hospital has been maintained bv the Chureh Army since the beginning of the war at the Chateau de Benouville, Caen. France, costing the Army £l5O per week, defrayed by special donations. so that work among the poor i not hindered although this patriotic tic addition is going on at the same time. The only one of their many social activities'at a standstill is the Mission Van work. There are 7( odd of these touring the country districts of the Motherland, their evangelist conductors are serving the Church Army and the nation in France or Egypt, either driving C.A. motor ambulances, or as having charge of recreation huts or tents. Sixty of these arc well up to the firing line, several having been damaged by shell fire, while another -'2 are in Egypt. At the request of the Admiralty ;he Rev. Prebendary Carlile, chief of the Church Army, has transferred our beds and st ait to Scotland to act as a naval aniliarv Hospital. A letter from the Admiral:— Iron Duk'-. 9th July. 1916. My Dear Prebendary Carlile. — . I hear that the Church Army hospital in France has been transferred to Scotland as a naval auxiliary hospital. 1 welcome its arrival very warmly, and feel sure that it will be the means of restoring to health and bringing comfort to many of our sick and wounded. We derive great benefit from the Church Army recreation huts at the naval bases, which are a very real comfort and blessing to the men of the Fleet.—Yours very sincerelv, '(Signed) J. JELLICOE. In addition “to the men of the Fleet” there are 100,000 sailors, mainly from trawlers crews—“tough old sea dogs.” The Government has taken over about 3000 of their trawlers, which help to guard our commerce against German submarines. That arm.v —or navy—of men is used to manipulate those huge steel nets which have become death traps to many a submarine and also assist the Navy in many other ways in its ceaseless watch over the trade routes of the Empire. We are hoping to assist these brave men again this wool season from our black wool fund. Last season we were enabled to endow two beds for 12 months at this hospital, costing £5O each for maintenance. The war, it is feared, will last another year. Those of our gallant Jack Tars and trawler men who may have to use our hospital will be cheered to find New Zealand names over these beds, reminding them that the Dominion is not only sending men and money and material with a lavish hand to help the Motherland in her hour cf need ; but has also a warm heart for those who are risking their lives at sea, enabling us still to be able to say: “Britannia Rules the IVaves.” The two beds set v.p by this £lOO last year were named respectively the “New Zealand” and the “Hawke’s Ray” beds, and we feel sure that they may be added to this season. and all kept going till, by “standing shoulder to shoulder” we have, by God’s help, put down this menace of German militaryism. Messrs. Williams and Kettle kindiv act as salesmen fox the Church Armv War Hospital Fufrt, and will gladly receive black or other wool or skins for sale on account of this patriotic and philanthropic organisation of the church, during this their sixth black wool season.—l am, etc., J. F. IV. WHIBLEY, Hon. Sec. Church Armv in N.Z. The Vicarage, Ormondville.