PALESTINE CAMPAIGN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17529, 12 July 1917, Page 3

PALESTINE CAMPAIGN.

A FIELD SECRETARY’S EXPERIENCES.

COMFORTS IN THE DESERT. The last mail front tho epst brings to hand an in tores ting report front Mr Frank K. Wilkinson, of Dunedin, who is • now one of the field secretaries of the Young Men’s Christian Association, serving with tho New Zealand Expeditionary Forces in Egypt and Palestine Mr Wilkinson's letter gives «. vivid idea of hotv greatly the association's canteen work is needed, and how very keenly it is appreciated by the men in their time of need. “The last three months,” writes Mr Wilkinson, *'* I’to been following the railway out cast-, and this is tho seventh camp I’ve been in since 1 left M . Leaving M—— about, January 18, .1 was at M (i.) for a bare fortnight before 1 was moved on to open up at A (II.). Thero for a fortnight and then to A (1). in the same camp. Another fortnight and on t-o S.Z., and in little more than a fortnight on to R. When I got. to K.Y. 1 found that thero was a chance to get right through to the railhead. At midnight we decided to go on, and by midday tho following day all. ar-

rangements wore made, and Parry and 1 (wit’n a dozen others to help) were unloading the first two truckloads of stores, while Vclvin temporarily took charge of the pjaco at K.Y. opening just that morning. ‘‘.l shall never forget that Easter time. We arrived at midday. By 6 p.m. t)io marquee was up, and all the stores under cover. Some more stores, and six orderlies arrived about 8 p.m. By 0.30 the following morning (Good Friday) we had opened tiio canteen. J lie crowd was terrific, lien were waiting for six or even eight hours to be served. One man at the head of the queue refused 5s for his place. Imagine 'as many men as your city has inhabitants who have been living on the simplest- of army rations for weeks —and then the chance of a change. Men waited through lunch hour, and through dinner hour. Behind the

counter the men worked wit.li a will. At S pun. we hud to close. But the men would not go away. Could yo l a wonder? Then word arrived of another tmclc—and no fatigue party was available Willingly every, man offered his services not only to unload' the truck, but.to carry its contents across to the tent'. Fortunately foi' them, it was chiefly ' bulky tables and forms, for they finished it in one journey, and then tlier- fell in again and we finished serving them. As midnight two heavily .laden trucks arrived, and Parry, Griffiths, three orderlies and myself were busy, till 4 am. A dim light was; beginning to slimy ni the east- when wc turned in. . At ten o’clock a fatigue i party of thirty-six Indian troons ar-

. i ivecl to erect the large recreation ntav- • qucc. 90ft by 30ft. 'Net one of them ! knew anything about.it, and not one of “ them could speak n word of English, lit desperation 1 offered any man' who could comp and speak Hindustani 10s. The following day a. man who could do so approached me to know what I wanted. In four hours we had the marquee up vand equipped, and the piano playing. At 10.30 p.m. 150 men arrived after four hours on the train, as thirsty as the desert can make one. We fixed them up with tea. and the following morning (Easter Sunday), utilised them for unloading and carrying across two truckloads of stores. The rest of that- first week is one chaotic memory of hustle. The previous record of takings in a Y.M.C.A. canteen was 1 £2OOO ill a week. In two days we took £liso, and in the first seven days we took about £5150. Then tho other canteens arrived, and the strain was over. “When tho fighting started we found a real opportunity in feeding the men .‘is they arrived at the casualty clearImg station. Cocoa or lime-juice, bisjcuits -and cigarettes were the principal lines distributed. You can have no idea how grateful the boys were. A number of secretaries took it in turns day and night while the rush lasted. One man who had lain out- for three, days without food or drink said fts I was feeding him, ‘I was dreaming yesterday that someone was giving mo something to eat and drink.’ The splendid endurance of the wo'auded and their dauntless cheerfulness defies description. A Scotch hoy of about- nineteen was smiling cheerfully as I. passed round some cigarettes and sweets.

‘How are you, Jock?’ ‘Fine,’ ho replied. He looked a bundlo of bandages, so T queried, ‘ How many did you stop?’ ‘.Eleven,’ was his still cheerful , reply, * but most of them aren’t very serious.’ Another man I discovered who was looking through a ward for his sergeant, who ho had heard was there. He chatted away quite cheerfully about the different men in his platoon. Only incidentally did if come out that ho had lost his eye just that morning, by a bullet wound. At 5 a.m. one moni-

ing I overheard part of tho .conversation between ‘two men just in from the firing line waiting to have their wounds dressed. They were discussing tho value of anastigmatie camera lenses. “The spirit- in which our help was accepted by tho casualty clearing station staff can be gauged by the following letter which came to hand a few days ago:—‘The secretary Y.M.C.A. Dear sir,—l wish to take this opportunity of thanking you and the other gentleman of vour association on behalf of myself and the wounded for the very great assistance which you have, rendered during the two actions about and in ministering to the wounded has been most- valuable, and I hare appreciated very much the devotion of your workers in this good cause. I. was myself a- witness of their untiring energy both day and night, and I am sure t am faithfully recording the sentiments of the wounded, my staff and myself, in expressing our united thanks for all you have done. —I atn. etc., R. J. Coliiil. Lieutenant-Colonel R.A.M.C. 0.0. —tfi Casualty Clearing Station.’ “At present we are some'miles back from the firing* line, but nevertheless within range of the big guns. The other morning some fragment® of shell spread to within the area of our tent ropes, and the morning before a bomb had been dropped about three hundred yards away. One of the secretaries daily takes the camel loads of stores up to the troops for free distribution, but: a. large number of them are able to send in occasionally for what they want. So far as our water supply, will permit, wo run free hot cocoa to the men coming to the tents. The recreation tent is'crowded every night to overflowing. Last night wo had a ventriloquist and his doll, to-night an impromptu concert. to-morrow night the mid-week

service,' and on Thursday an elocutional recital bv a Roman Catholic padre. By Friday I hope we shall have the kinenm. We have started two or three Bible classes, but their members have moved ‘ further up.’ ■ Last- night we had about-'twenty, to-night about; sixteen for half an hours Bible study and prayer in the devotional tent. This is the best part of the whole job. There is plenty of dust-, and swarms of flics, but nevertheless the game is still good. Haro had several air raids lately and have had to reduce tenting to one marquee and one tent, but pictures tonight- and .Mother’s Day on • Sunday nevertheless. 5 ’