VISITOR FROM ENGLAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21396, 20 October 1934, Page 22

VISITOR FROM ENGLAND

WAR WORK IN SOUTH AFRICA GREAT LOVER OF ANIMALS • An interesting visitor to Auckland at present is Mrs. Ramsay-Rae, of England, who did a considerable amount for the New Zealand . and Australian soldiers in Durban, South Africa, during the years of the war. Unable to travel to England when war broke out, Mrs. Ramsay-Rae joined a committee of women in Durban, who had decided to do what they could for the soldiers there. Huts, a camp, a temporary hospital and a convalescent home were established, and .'here the Australian and New Zealand soldiers were looked after and entertained. Fresh food was provided for them and games, cards and other entertainments were arranged. " I have cut up thousands of sandwiches for the soldiers, who, very tired of bully beef and endless stews, were most appreciative of the fresh food we provided for them," Mrs. Ramsay-Rae said in an interview yesterday. The visitor was president of the Blue Cross Fund in South Africa, a work which she organised and which eventually spread to all the large centres. She is the proud possessor of two porsonal letters from the late Queen Alexandra, whose love of animals was well known, in which she referred to Mrs. Ramsay-Rao's work in this direction. Later when she went to London Mrs. Ramsay-Rae was invited to meet Queen Alexandra, when tbey spoke for a considerable time on the subject in which they were both so keenly interested. Mrs. Ramsay-Rae referred in glowing terms to the big military school for the training of dogs for war work established on the Western Front. These » dogs saved the lives of thousands or men," Mrs. Ramsay-RaA said. They were trained to go across the battlefields after a big battle, carrying packs of red cross equipment. When they came to a wounded soldier they removed his hat and returned with it full of water. They left what red cross equipment the wounded man could make use of until help came and then returned to th© base vyith th© soldier s badge, so that the man in need of help was identified." This is Mrs. Ramsay-Rae's second visit to the Dominion, and although not ■.at present in the best of health, she is determined to see as much of it as she ; can, ' her previous visit here having jnade a deep impression upon her. I