PERILS OF THE Y.M.C.A.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13982, 19 November 1917, Page 8

PERILS OF THE Y.M.C.A.

i ■- i . "SLIGHT' ARTILLERY ACTIVITY t( *„ t NEAR." , PKEBISTENT EiSEM ATTENDS. THE BED TRIANGLE UNDER FIRE A v The deadly peril which the Y.M CA. workeis dose up to tho trenches hai e to face is nnde clear m a descriptive article recently published in "The Ited Triangle" "The wood was being heavil) shelled," savs tho writer, "a large calibio shell diopped iust out side the superintendent's dugout, to do do further damage than All tho place with evil-smelling smoke nml.to tlpw more clouds of earth on top of the dugout. But the small hut where cocoa was provided did not escape so lightly. A ' whiz-bang •' penetrated the wall of sandbags, and in exploding blew out tho front walk. The' men who were seated round the boiler-lire miraculously escaped beiug hit, and shortly afterwards they were grinding out tunes on the gramophone in the next, dugout to the accompaniment of shells exploding farther off in the wood. Another change of brigade brought new men; who had a more startling experience in the work at this place. The quiet evening' was, unlike a hundred other evenings in that place, suddenly broken up by a deafening explosion, and a cloud of black smoke and earth was seen. The men were rushing every- , where for cover; the cry of 'Stretcher bearer, stretcher bearer; Y. M. hit' was heard. Visitors during a short interval ' in the shelling, saw that the,front of the dugout was smashed up completely. An inquiry through the broken doorway brought tlie reply that all the men inside were safe. Noxt door, however, just outside the "co-oa hi'l" two men were lying with Y.M.O.A. mug's bj their side, they weiv beyond aid. It made one wonder whether it was worth while carrying on the work in such a place, but the commanding officer do ' sired ns to continue. A soldier who was on the spot at the time of the shelliiiswas asked his opinion on the subject. •He replied, "The Y.M.'s lieen a godsend to.us chaps up here; T don't know what we should have done without it," So the place was repaired ami'work was resumed. The men ylio were -helping there rejoiced oyer the change which called them away from such scenes—for a'short lime, at least. Other men came, am! the "strafing" was un-

known to all except the Y.M.C.A. man. However, the worst was not over; the Boelic knew the place too well to refrain from turning his guns on it again. -Some men ingeniously explained the^ severe shelling at tliis spot liy the theory (that an enemy aerial photograph had been taken of the dug-out with its big'.euaniel Y.M.C.A. sign looking heavenward, and' that they shelled it under theumprcssion that it was a Red Cross position. One Sunday evening the "Y.M. Man" returning a little later than usual found a sad change at the dug-out. The men who served there,were not standing behind the little doorway-counter with a smile of greetinir or a tale nf exhausted supplies. The'"Queen Mary" dug-out, immune so long, had been hit at last. The four men were all injured, and the doctor and chaplain were attending to their injuries. Two were badly .'crushed, but as they lay on the stretchers on the trolley, they smiled at the prospect of getting td "Blighty." The N.C.O. in charge was badly hurt. But, sad to relate, it was to be the last journey "down the line,"' for .one of • the men, for he died at the. dressing station that night.

The stock had to be cleared out. The 8.5.M., who provided a few men to help, promised to find a uew home for a box of fine kittens found among the stores. The goods were put in the superintendent's dug-out, and two days later a Y.M.C.A, was opened there with the help of new men. It is worthy of note that the O.C. put a large party of men to work on the new place to make it proof, by means of sandbags and concrete, against heavy shell.

The wrecked "Queen Mary" dug-out is now used as a centre for distributing free cocoa at night—the chimney of the boiler being struck through the shell-hole. As many as 750 cups have beeu given away there on a single night,. '■ ■ .

The setting up of the canteen in the new position necessitated the removal of the superintendent's billet to the neighbouring village. Here two houses are kept open day and night'for officers andmen.'But even this was not to. escape attention from the enemy. A week later activity began. For two nights the land and roads around were heavily shelled. The third night the shells were falling rather'close, so the men went down to the cellar. A few minutes after there was' a deafening explosion, followed by darkness, stifling dust and smoke, and the groans of one of,the men, The shell had burst in the rooms above and pieces had come through the /sandbagging above and caught poor W., who was sitting,on the steps of'the,cellar. -As soon .as a light could •be got he received attention andwas taken to the dressing station near aHiand.ißut all in vain; he would never rerve again in thci Y,M'.C.A.j where for the last fortnight at this place, and for three months-at ft neighbouring Y.M. C.A. he had performed such, willing servic?.. On'that,night, only "the old soldier',' went back fo stay ,at the

* ' -f i\l I YMOA. He refused to leave, 'though the be locked with comparu tnc »aWtj, ', v , i These aie some of tho Jesuits of the usent '/slight «nitillery nitiviQ." Luekilv, two of om dugouts \n\t not born totalled One is, 300 jaids fiom tho Gentian lined, and it has been oi great s nice during the v inter months in piouding; hot loloi for nfukuig parties going back to tamp jOK'tal miles MA},'"