CAMP IN CABARET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22400, 22 April 1936, Page 14

CAMP IN CABARET

REFUGE FROM RAIN AUCKLAND MOUNTED RIFLES TRAINING AT ROTORUA [by TELEOIUrH —SPECIAL REPORTER] ' ROTORUA, Tuesday For the first time in its long and glorious career the Auckland Mounted Rifles bivouacked last night in a cabaret. To be precise, the regiment, driven from its camp on the racecourse to the Ritz, is the Auckland (East Coast) Mounted Kifies, which, under a new regional division arrangement, represents partly the old Fourth and partly the old Third. Its commander, Lieut.Colonel J. C. E. Wyatt, was a corporal in tho Auckland Mounted Rifles, Main Body, and many of its officers served with the regiment in Gallipoli and Palestine. Before the grey dawn broke yesterday morning tho band played s with great gallantry "John Peel," according to custom. When "stables" were on came a deluge, which flooded most of the tents. Tho close turf preventing the water from escaping rapidly into the pumice below, tho troops transferred themselves to tho racecourse grandstand, and, after a splendid breakfast, sorted out wet and dampish belongings, meanwhile singing heartily choruses played by the indefatigable band. Old Spirit Prevails The old spirit that made the old brigade rather more buoyant than usual in times of discomfort prevailed. Braziers were got going to heat a marquee converted to the purpose of a drying room. Waterproof capes were issued and one hopeful sergeant of the war days was observed committing a "crime" by hanging out a suit of wet pyjamas on the signal wire. Some men pushed old triangular bayonets, now used as candlesticks, into the ground and helped tho drainage. During the afternoon the weather cleared and the squadrons did mounted drill, but because of the dampness of tho ground, on which the soldiers lie above ground sheets and paliasses, an arrangement was made to transfer the men to the cabaret for the night. The evening meal over, the lads sat in the dark grandstand waiting to move off to the town, filling in tho time with anything from a haka to a hornpipe or a hymn.

Then came another deluge. Officers at mess hardly realised that their dining tent was becoming a lagoon until they splashed to their feet for the King's toast. "Are you going aboard to-night, sir," asked a junior officer of a major. "Yes, tve sail for the Ilitz at seven," was the reply. "Pack Up Your Troubles"

Lightning provided a marvellous display against tho black heavens. Thunder rolled, but the cheerfulness improved with every minute. The heavens were still crashing when a voice outside the grandstand boomed, "Fall in, A squadron," and soon the boys were marching down the road to their new quarters, singing that wonderful old song, "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag." Rotorua was thus provided with dinner music of much greater significance than usual. Of course, the band went along, and tho only ones who did not get any fun out of the climatic misfortune were the men on horse picket. They went slopping up and down the lines more vigilant than usual, because of tho thunder and lightning. They are rather youthful troopers, but they know what a horso stampede can be. It is to the credit of the organisation that the regiment, having been well fed, was able to sleep in dry beds and in dry clothing and blankets. The troops, regarding the episode as a lark, were unaware of the quality of their spirit.