WITH THE CAMEL CORPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23037, 14 May 1938, Page 4 (Supplement)

WITH THE CAMEL CORPS

New Zealand Units

By C.H,

IN writing a history of the New Zealand companies with the Camel Corps, Major John Robertson is doing a service to a littleknown unit of the Expeditionary Force and to their countrymen who have hitherto had no opportunity of reading about this valuable and picturesque campaign. It is true that the New Zealand representation was confined to two companies, but how many people are aware that this Dominion ever had a Camel Company 1 "With tho Cameliers in Palestine" is a history of the Imperial Camel Corps from the beginning of 1917 until the signing of the Armistice, by which time the New Zealand companies had reverted to their * original status of Mounted Rifles. Mr. Robertson, who was .aii inspector of schools in civil lite, served in the ranks during those two years, and then received record promo-

tion to the rank of major in order to take charge of the educational classes for his bcctiou of the forces. Touches of Humour As can be expected from this author, the history is carefully and diligently compiled, seasoned with humour from the ranks, and given an added interest from the fact that tho entire action took place in the Holy Land. This interest was shared by tho troops, and Major Robertson records that he often came across groups of a dozen men reading some story from the Bible which had taken place on the ground they then occupied. Camels arc interesting but peculiar beasts. "Arabs say that at tho Creation, when tho beasts of the earth were formed, there were left over a lot of remnants out of which was made a camel, and the parts are not hard to identify.' The head of a sheep was • placed on the neck of a giraffe, which ■was attached to the body of a cow, and the neck bent itself in shame at being put to such a use. The tail of an ass was appended, and the whole set on the legs of a horse, which ended in tho pads of a clog, on each of which is set the claws of an ostrich, and the monstrosity, evidently being considered a failure, was banished to live in tho desert where no other quadruped could exist; and where its solitary existence gave it 'the hump.' " / Enormous Loads Nevertheless the troops grew to appreciate their strange mounts which "■could carry such enormous loads and could subsist for long periods without water, so that a moment's notice "the whole brigade could go off into the 'blue' for five days without any communication with or assistance from its base."

Major Robertson gives detailed accounts of the chief engagements of tho campaign, the ruses to deceive the enerav and the usual failure of headquarters to use and transmit information so diligently obtained. He has accomplished a workmanlike task, and the printing and general appearance of the book is a credit to its New Zealand publishers.

"With the Cameliers in Palestine," by John Robertson, (A. H. and A. W. Reed).