EXPERIENCES IN FRANCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXII, Issue LXXII, 11 July 1917, Page 8

EXPERIENCES IN FRANCE.

EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS OF

PRIVATE X

April 13—Well, we left the trenches ! some time ago to come out here for a spell, or rather to put in some training. The place when we left was, as usual, fairly rowdy, anything but an "old man's home." We marched for three clays, doing a fair distance each day. It was snowing the first day, and the mob looked great with their peaked caps covered with snow. We landed in this place at midnight, and in the morning the people had their mouths open. They had never seen New Zealanders or Australians before, and I suppose the felt hat made them wonder who we were. . . . Our work is very interesting, getting into action along the roads and paddocks with the guns. After drill, or tea at 4.30 p.m., we are free, and are allowed to go anywhere within a certain radius. . . .

There are times when a man curses this job, and then at times he is glad he is here. We see all sorts of troops from different countries, and hear their tales. The whole country is nothing but khaki and blue (French uniform). When I was up in the trenches I put in a lot of time with a Canadian, a fine fellow. He used to tell us all about Canada and their next-door neighbors, the "Yanks." # On the way down here we put in a night with the South Africans They told us all about South Africa and the. ways of the blacks. Of course every now and then wo hop in and tell them all about "God's Own." You will have some things to listen to when the mob get back. There arc things going on in this war that would astonish the world —things which I would not tel you in a'letter, not even if I was sure of it passing the censor. You in New Zealand know nothing of what is going on. Fritz knows a little, and that's why he is falling back all along the line.

May 2—We have been moving about a good bit lately, and it is a job to keep up with the correspondence. I am now away at school, having been here a week, and likely to be her© for another fortnight. Coming here, we had not gone far in the train before we saw hundreds of German prisoners, all with a pick and shovel. They always lean on their shovels and gape at the troops going to and fro. I suppose they were thinking how lucky they were to be "where they are." After a couple of hours 'ride, we pulled up at a fair sized city, and having three hours to spare we had a good look round. Iti was Sunday, and the French people wer.e as flash as Chows on bikes. After a few hours' train journey we arrived at some ports. English women were there; in canteens, etc. They came through the trains, selling cigarettes, cakes, chocolate, etc., and I can tell you that it was the first time since I landed in France that I have seen or spoken to English people. The French, kiddies kick about the trains a good deal. They are champion cadgers, and will even go so far as to offer up to five penny cakes of chocolate for a tin of bully b.eef. After an hour or so we landed at our last station. Got off the train, and walked about one and a half miles to the beach, where we were put under canvas. We hopped off next day with our training. Up till now we have been having things which we have had drummed into us before, but we are now coming to harder stuff, things which I have not learnt before. It reminds me of Egypt here, on the sand. There are cafes and estaminets right down on the beach. A man can sit there and watch hundreds of fishing boats out at sea to •say nothing of.destroyers. The Y.M.&A. have a hut here, and some great concerts are held there. I have just come back from the 'hut, after having a plate of sago and jelly with sauce for 2d. Bit l'ich, eh!

May 3—l here was a big crowd on the beach playing football last night. 1 ran into a clfap down there who, be fore the wan-, was a. stage artist. With a piano, he amused the mob for a couple of hours. Everybody is busy just now cleaning badges and buttons and get^ ting ready for parade in half an hour's time. Here, also, ther.e are troops from every part of the line. Some have just come from Vimy Ridge. One fellow from another part of the line was in the front line. Our bombardment had just started, and Fritz wa's sending up his te.U.b. rockets everywhere, when this follow received instructions to come out and come down here to school It does not matter where you are or what is happening the school goes on jusfe the same, Officers and all have to be here i and are taught by Tommy sergeant instructors I met a Tommy last night who asked if I was ever in the Australian Bight. I told him we came through it coming over. He asked me •the name of the shark that kicks about m it. I dropped to what he was getting a and said "Pelorus Jack." He said, "Thats him, and many a timfl have seen him there.." He did not know Sp «wva\ abou« Bi XK) miles a™yflwn viS-' „ le W? Were having our brigade m£ f ii * day! p.assed wifcholl*> seeing guns of all sizes being pulled about one Ihe country looked "bou," everything just starting to grow The hills looked like big carpefs, different kinds of "F, Pl^> ShOOt,in^ thi;° ngh- The "Id i'loggies' work m their fields from horning till dark. "Bonjeur, nWeu™ is all we get out of them.