OH THE RED CROSS TRAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16021, 13 September 1915, Page 4

OH THE RED CROSS TRAIN.

MEMORABLE JOURNEY.

SERIES OF WELCOMES.

MAIN TRUNK SCENES.

STRIKING HOSPITALITY.

The warmth of the welcome accorded to ! them in Wellington greatly gratified the returned soldiers. Nevertheless the Auckland section of the men were totally unprepared for the continuous demonstra- ' tions which marked the progress of their ' home-coming on the Red Cross train from i Wellington. At every station en route j they were met by the townspeople, who simply lavished hospitality upon them, and in other ways displayed their ardent appreciation. The hospital train left the Southern centre at about 7.45 p.m. There were then 101 invalided soldiers and a large number of their next of kin on board. So great were the demands for accommodation by these family parties that 10 coaches, including a hospital car and ; sleeper, a dining-car and the guard's van lhad to bo provided. The staff in charge consisted of Surgeon-Captain H. M. Goldstein, Lieutenant A. 0. Bishop, railway transport officer. Sergeant-Major W. Morns, and for the care of the invalids, Sister Hood, of Wellington. Ten of the returned men detrained at Palmerston North, Feilding, and Levin. Of the remaining 91 the Waikato district claimed eight, and the remainder came on to Auckland, the hospital and convalescent home cases being taken from Penrose to Newmarket in the hospital car and sleeper in a separate train, and from the latter station being conveyed to the district hospital. Any delusion that the night was to prove restful for the passengers by the Red Cross train was soon dispelled. At Paekakariki, Otaki, and Levin, and at each non-stop station in between there were crowds of cheering citizens. When the train did draw to a standstill at a olatform it was at once besieged. Pies, sandwiches, and cakes were thrust through the open windows, pails of steaming tea and coffee were carried into each coach, cigarettes and chocolates rained upon every khaki Ji*T>> an d animated questioners stood in thickly-clustered groups round every soldier who would talk. Prom Palmerston Northwards. Palmerston North was reached at 11.45 p.m. Residents in thousands from the town itself and the districts out beyond swarmed up and down the entire length of the platform, bands plaved, and there was a babel of tongues. Scores of ladies invaded the train and implored the already well-fed soldiers to dispose of their generous refreshments. Mingling with the crowd on the station were many of the troops from the adjacent camps. These men eagerly questioned the returning soldiers, whose scars and wounds told of experience in war. Thev were given much useful information. " Don't hold the Turk too cheap if yon meet him," was one piece of advice to the novices in real battles. "He is game enough except when yon go at him with the bayonet. You'll be all right if you like run and excitement." And more of the same sort. Storms of cheers burst out as the train departed. An exactly similar welcome with more pies and pastry, and hot drinks, to say nothing of fruit and sweetmeats, awaited the invalided travellers at Feilding half-an-hour after midnight. Taihape Residents' All-night Sitting.

The entire population of Taihape and ! a number from the back country- there I seemed to have sacrificed all thoughts of bed. No one had retired at 3.15 a.m. That was the time at which the Red Cross train stopped there. Men, women, and children, having banished sleep as an impermissible luxury on so great an occasion, filled the platform. They cooperated in cheering and feeding the soldiers. They chatted to them and crossexamined them, and tender-hearted women wept at the sight of bandaged limbs. As the train sped on into the growing light of the approaching dawn there were still little groups at wayside stations, whose cheers could be faintly heard in the rumble of the wheels, and whose waving hands and smiling faces could be dimly discerned like white blurs—gone like a flash as the train swept Dast. Throughout the whole" of the journey on Sunday the wayside scenes of the night before were repeated. Wherever the train stopped the residents of the particular localities were on the platforms in hundreds or in thousands, according to the size of the population. Flowers picked from choice beds in carefully-tended gardens were showered upon *the war-sea-soned troops. Little children flushed with the pleasure and excitement of .handing these sweet souvenirs to their big fighting brothers. And many a man who received such a token from child fingers kissed it before he placed it in hie button-hole or cap. The Demonstration at Frankton. One of the largest of the series of enthusiastic demonstrations was made by the people of Hamilton and Frankton, and their respective Mayors and councillors, when the hospital train reached Frankton Junction at 11.45 a.m. The crowd broke all bounds, literally surrounded the train, boarded it and swarmed through it from end to end. Everyone had some delicacy to proffer to the men in khaki. The* only regret of the latter was that they could not possibly assimilate all the delectable morsels they were urged to accept. Some of them declared they had not eaten so much in a given time in their lives before. It was some time ere the invaders would let the train away and then they did so reluctantly. Here, as at every other station on the long journey, the welcome was tempered by tears. It was quite a common thing to see women and girls cry without restraint when the tensity of their excitement broke with the moving of the train. Greetings In the Suburbs. As «the day advanced and the journey's end came nearer the scenes of welcome— never palling by repetitionseemed to grow in fervour. Not a station between Frankton and Auckland but bore its assemblage of grateful people. And so the Red Cross train came into the suburbs. A specially warm demonstration took place, for instance, at Otahuhu where nearly the whole of the residents had ; turned out. Again were heard the strains of a band, the fire brigade formed a guard of honour, the Mayor and members of the council tendered formal greetings and thanks, and triumphantly two Otahuhu invalids were led away to their homes. As the train threaded its way through the nearer suburbs, paddocks, gardens and back-yards were peopled bv wavers of handkerchiefs, who cheered lustily, And ] in this fashion the now weary travellers at length came to their home city where the greatest demonstration of the day was in store for themMAJOR STUCKEY'S FATE. NO DEFINITE INFORMATION. CONFLICTING STATEMENTS. Inquiries made among the returned soldiers did not throw any more light upon I the mystery surrounding the fate of Major Stuckey. Private Thorburn, of Waihi. said it. was generally believed among his comrades that the major had been wounded and sent to Malta. Private N. Matheson, of the Waikato Infantry, said he could find half-a-dozen men on the ship, each of whom would tell a different story about the major. The only story that seemed to be at all substantiated was that Major Stuckey had died of wounds at Malta, but Private Matheson said that one of the New Zealand nurses in l-.-vpt had made most careful inquiries, and she had not been able to prove the story correct. Further, adds Private Matheson, he had been in the Malta Hosnital for some time himself, and had heard nothing of Major i Stuckey there, j