ARCTIC TO CASPIAN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17335, 25 November 1916, Page 6

ARCTIC TO CASPIAN.

BRITISH UNIT IX RUSSIA. Further particulars of the work of the British armoured car squadrons now operating with the Grand Duke's army have been received by Renter's Agency. The history of the work of this complete and fully-armed British unit, when permitted to be told, will show a record of endurance and tchoerfulness in adversity worthy of any section of British arms. Organised and commanded by Commander Oliver Locker-Lampson, M.P., the unit consists of a large number of powerful armoured cars and complete equipment. Its hundreds of officers and men include individuals not only from the United Kingdom but from practically all the dominions. ■ From the very, outset the unit encountered even greater hardships than their leader led them to expect. Their journey to the White Sea was through some of the heaviest gales experienced even in that region, and they reached it only to find that, owing to the ice, they were forced to spond a winter in tho Arctic. Nothing daunted, with splendid courage they set to work to prepare for the activities of spring. Then they were able to land their guns, cars, and equipment; and they have sinco crossed European Russia, being welcomed on all sides by the Russian people with the greatest enthusiasm. Several of tho officers and men have been decorated by the Czar for their work in the Arctic; and at last, having crossed the Caucasian Mountains in their cars, they are now operating against the Turks, whom they have routed on more than one occasion during the past few weeks, in a country presenting appalling difficulties. Letters just received from Vladikavkaz contain some further derails of the. experiences rff the unit. "While in tho Arctic the British did not content themselves with merely keeping fit and" undergoing ceaseless training: they performed work of a. most 1 varied character, including the manufacture of sledges, and also rendered great assistance to the Russians on the Kola peninsula. They did valuable, salvage work, and the credit of saving one ship .with a cargo worth £250,000 was in ro small measure clue to their efforts, it is interesting to note that,during the whole' of their stay in the Arctic officers and men alike, abstained from every kind of alcoholic drink, and in spite ofithe hardships endured the only illness was one unimportant attack if influenza. While on the Kola peninsula, the unit also carried out important work in guarding German prisoners and in transporting material for the Russians overjand by sleighs. Another party was occupied for a couple of months in assisting "the Russians to complete a section of the new railway connecting Kola with Petrograd. Towards the end of their sojourn in the Arctic firewood ran out, and all had to subsist on black bread and biscuits. MAROONED IN THE ARCTIC. At ihe end of May preparations wore vnndo for the departure of the unit from tho Kola, peninsula, and eventually, after experiencing "heavy gales and intense cold, the force reached Archangel. Tho weather during the embarkation operations at Alexandrovsk was the worst known oven in that region for forty years. A boat containing one party broke up; and had to be abandoned, its occupants having to camp amid ihe snow cliffs of the Kola Gulf. Some nf the party were oxposed for twenty-four hours until rescued by a British trawler.

From Archangel the squadrons proceeded in a train of forty-seven carriages on their long journey to Vladikavkaz, meeting everywhere, with an unprecedented welcome. On tho arrival of the force at Vladikavkaz, the Grand T);iko sent a telegram of Melcome, which said:—"With my whole heart I welcome the arrival of the armoured car detachment, from England, tho great Ally of pur glorious armies. As the Hetman in command of the Cossack armies of the Caucasus I. greet them." When the last letter left Vladikavkaz, arrangements were being made for the cars on their arrival from the .Arctic to proceed by road over .the mountains, while the men were getting themselves accustomed to the change from Arctic cold to considerable beat.