BELGIANS IN RUSSIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16129, 18 January 1916, Page 7

BELGIANS IN RUSSIA.

1000 IN THE FIRING LINE. MOTORISTS AND AVIATORS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRES3 ASSOCIATION.] Wellington*, Monday. A Wellington boy who is an engineer in the mercantile trade writes that his steamer arrived in Archangel late in October with nearly 1000 Belgian soldiers from Brest. The voyage was risky, as it was believed Swedish vessels, with German officers aboard, had been dropping mines about; in fact, the day before they left on the return voyage, two vessels were blown up in the White. Sea, and 12 lives lost. Thousands of people watched their departure from Brest, and the Belgians were given a great send-off. Some of them had been fighting since the beginning of the war, and were going to help Russia with armed motor-cars, and as motor-cyclists and aviators. The steamer carried a cargo of machines ready for use. The Belgians left for Petrograd three days after arrival, and were escorted to the train by great crowds. Captain Scott's Antarctic ship Discovery arrive! on October 29, to load a cargo of alcohol for the French Government. The writer mentions that while he was there the thermometer only read 14deg in the sun. Ice formed every day, and wa* broken up by ice-breakers, yet it would be months before the sea was frozen solid.