THE SOLDIER'S FRIEND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16035, 29 September 1915, Page 9

THE SOLDIER'S FRIEND.

WORK OF CHAPLAINS.

SERVICES UNDER FJRE.

In the training camps in Australia the chaplains conducted services, helped at the concerts, and generally made themselves useful. On the .transports they did pretty much the same thing, but somehow we never seemed to know them, and they, in turn, knew very few of us by name, wrote Trooper "Bluegum" to the Sydney Morning Herald from Anzac on July 26. It was when we settled down in Egypt that we first began to know them, and" to appreciate their work. And since Cairo has the reputation of being the wickedest city in the world there was ample scope for the operations of the chaplains. When we went to Gallipoli we took an Irishman—Father Bergiti. He was a good sport, a good priest, brave as a lion, and gentle as a nurse with wounded soldiers. His only fault was that he always wanted to be right up in the firing line, for he dearly loved a "scrap"—being Irish. When the sth Light Horse Recn'ment had their fight near Gaba Tepe Father "Mike" was everywhere tending the wounded, and as a water carrier he rivalled Gumra Dint

Our chaplains since the memorable day of the landing have played their part manfully in the great game. Thev are in the trenches dav and night, talking with the men. writing letters home to their people, visiting the sick, and everv man in our brigade has been supplied with a neat little pocket Testament by a friend of the New South Walng .Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society. .And on Sundavs there are sen-ices in all the brigades —in the cullies or under the crests of the hills behind the firm" line. And sometimes we can't hear the singing because of the cannons' roar. There is not one solitary snot in Anzne absolutely safe f--nm the enemv's —rifle, big gun. or bomb— vet I have never heard of anv soldier being wounded at any of these services.