"NEW CHUM” IN CAMP

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17329, 18 November 1916, Page 6

"NEW CHUM” IN CAMP

FITTING OCT THE RECRUIT.' FROM CIVILIAN TO SOLDIER. [F.hom Och Oorrtcspondbnt.] WELLINGTON, November 17.. “ Are we downhearted ? No !” It was a squad of recruit® for th© Twentythirds entering Trent ham camp on a miserably wet morning, cheerfully determined to make the best of the strange experiences which lay ahead. Groups of old hands gave them a mild cheer, and sometimes by way of‘witticism, replied to the cry of u Are we downhearted?” “You jolly well will bo!” Had the newcomers hoard the advice given to their own officers by the permanent staff the night before they would have been even more confident that there were to he no regrets. Officers of a new draft are told to be particularly careful to loqk after their men during these trying first days. ‘ ‘ Work for your men for the first fortnight,” said an old officer to a group of subalterns, “and you can get them to do anything for you.”_ The recruit arrives willing to do his very best, but puzzled by the complete change from civilian conditions.. It is a time when he might be forgiven for a period of down-heartedness, but around him he finds friendly faces, and. a profusion of “tips” about doubtful points. If some of the hints are “ legpullers.” well, that is the wav one pays his footing in this new and fine freemasonry. William Bloggs may, on the advice of an old hand, be induced to demand a set of bachelors’ buttons from the officer who issues him his first kit, hut when that functionary, keeping a straight face, asks if he has yet been paid—it is his first hour in camp —adding that they are four-and-six apiece, Bloggs may tumble to the joke, or do as one Taranaki Bloggs did this week, stalk out declaring that regulations or no regulations, he won’t pay so much good money for a. blessed hit of metal to keep his trousers up! The first thing on arrival in camp is a parade to the quartermaster’s store for a wash basin, plate, knife, fork, mug and spoon—“ all warranted silver ” assures the officer, by way .of showing the newcomers that he is not such a terrible.martinet as the quartermaster is sometimes pictured. With their tin utensils bundled awkwardly under their overcoats, the .men walk off to the clothing store Lined up m fours, or as near lines as the non-coms, can persuade them to be, they wait their turn to walk through the store and get fitted for a number of articles of clothing. With hundreds of men to deal with in a day, there has to he. a system, or it would newer be done m daylight, so the “raw material ” gets its first military lecturetie. “Untie your boots!” orders an officer, who goes on to tell the men that they will get a chance of being fitted for hoots inside, and they had better have an easy fit, because they are +o wear thick woollen socks. And then, • listening, William Bloggs learns that when he is asked for his name inside, he must turn it roundabout-face, saying “ Bloggs, William.” This is puzzling to William, but if be saw the celerity of the fitting process, and the forms to be filled in. ho would realise that nil the instructions are needed, and designed to help Bloggs.

, Inside the store sits a non-commis-sioned officer at a table. He bos to rhock the articles issued and at this table the recruit, stands when he has made a tour of the store. He has been intercepted at various points by sclcliers, 'who fit. him with an overcoat, a hat, and boots, so that he arrives at the table a curious figuro, clad in civilian suit, military great-coat, puggaree surmounting his bowler, and a pair of boots .ml tin mug clutched in bis hands. There is a waterproof sheet on the floor—the store at this point reeks with the smell of tbo fresh rubber—and into this handy receptacle a couple of stores orderlies pitch woollen underclothing, socks, towel, denims, shirt, and things which are not close fits, but can be “sized up” by the experts when they see tbo prospective nearer. Bloggs is told that this is his pile and he gladly relieves himself of the odds and ends. There are smiles on the faces of the orderlies, for now comes the comedy of . the hurried business, 'flic officer at the ta.bl.e has been putting through scores of outfits all day, and he is economical of words, and very brisk. So lie draws Bloggs’s attention to the pile, directs him to note carefully what it contains, so that he may “ sign ” for the articles. “You will now receive,” drones the officer in a rapid monotone, without a perceptible, pause between words: “Jacket-greateoat-puggaree .- palliasse - kit bag - blankets three-boots-drawers two, shirts, working two-shirts, .under, two-suit denimsocks three pairs-jersey-housewife-knife-fork-plat e-spoon-mug-towels 1 two waterproof sheet, one— — Sign here, son!” ... “ Got ’em all?” queries one of the Orderlies with a grin, for he knows that Bloggs, who has desperately tried to follow the rigmarole, has been hopelessly outpaced by the chanting officer. However, he grins back at the orderlies. signs the receipt, and rolls up the bulky bundle in the waterproof sheet. Just outside the store are groups of friends who have been through thesame bewildering experiences. They have the help of their non-commis-sioned officers to stow the. goods in the beautifully white new kit-bag, and are advised to put the palliasses on top, for a trip to the forago store, where one: bale of straw is divided among eight men, is next, on the programme. Having made up the bed on which he is to lio for the next few mouths. Bloggs is escorted back to his hutment, and then transformed into the soldier, denim clad. His uniform will be banded to him a. week latev, by which time he will bare taken well to heart the advice to select a loose fit. for camp life, regular and good fare, cause thin men to put on weight—as much as two stone in a fortnight Camp Commandant. Potter avers—so he allows rojom for development. Curiously enough, -the tooth-brush is not. issued until” the uniform is taken. There is a third visit to the store after training is completed, when the finished nnlitarv product gets shoes, braces, cholera belt, sea-kit and other useful articles for the voyage. . . It will be well imagined that Bloggs is not able to cheek the issue of clothing effectively, but two of his own noil-com missioned officers who have been through the process, and know what he must get. are told off to watch the issue and check it, on the men’s behalf There are rarely any mistakes, though Bloggs is sure to lip amused at what the. military consider a good lit in denims, and he may question their eve for general effect in handing him a bine denim jacket with fawn-tinted khaki trousers “ to match.” However, thi s is the working suit, and is not for public occasions. One must not overlook the tlioroughne.ss of the system in the check it places on the. proper issue of articles There is no waste. Under the stores method, controlled by the Hon Arthur Myers, Minister of Supplies and Munitions, cverv receipt card signed by the soldier is filed as a record of wliat. has been done with the stores sent out from headquarters, and careful stocktaking enables the authorities to keep account of the distribution as well as the stocks

still in hand. The baying and examination system has been explained in a recent article. . While watching the issue, your correspondent frequently nicked up articles from the soldier's bundle, and saw on all the imprint of the expert who had scrutinised them and stamped a tell-tale number on the goods. • They .are all of the best quality, and the taxpayer has not had his money extravagantly spent in their purchase. Coining back .to our hero, he has been taken on a tour of the camp by his non-commissioned officers, who are directed to show' him the institutes, headquarters, the ranges and all other points of interest. They try to make him feel at home straight away, and the process seems quite successful, for never did a cheerier lot of healthy men fo into camp'than these men of the Venty-thirds. . Bloggs finishes the evening in his hutment, the sergeant seeing that he makes his bed in the regulation comfortable way. He will start goose-stepping in the morning.