WITH THE Y.M.C.A.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXXV, Issue LXXXV, 17 December 1917, Page 4

WITH THE V.M.C.A.

—— _ _ APPRECIATION OF SOLDIERS. Two Hawera boys are now specially concerned in V.M.C.A. work close to the front trenches "Somewhere in France." Mr Con Strack, recently "gassed" from shells, has charge of a hutment, and Mr Arthur Foden, lately wounded, is assisting in the same hutment. A correspondent to the Chronicles of IS.Z.E.F. says: "I have seen a man in the V.M.C.A. hut on the side of a heavily shelled road handing out free tea and biscuits to fatigue parties, with only one layer of- sandbags between him and—the future. A few weeks ago a party of us left a strong ! post, having been wet through, covered with mud, sleepless and foodless for 6b hours, and we had a long walk ahead of us. In this connection you can imagine how our spirits revived when we passed a V.M.C.A. hutment ana got free chocolate, tea and biscuits. The hour was 2 a.m. There is no need to say what the boys think of the V.M.C.A., is there ?" Mr Con Strack says: "This was our ole ; wo used to have, three rows of sandbags on top and some earth over this, but the enemy shells (three gas ones) knocked them off, and wo had no time to put more on. I am glad to have Arthur Foden with me We are going 'at top.' It was very cheering recently to have -had the approbation of a high military officer (the Adjutani*-General> on our work- but better even than that is tho pleasure of helping our bravo comrades, and receiving the smile of grateful boys as the, noroos tramp on with a 'Good ho, iNow Zealand,' 'Good ho, V.M.CA 1"