RECRUITS NEEDED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23545, 4 January 1940, Page 9

RECRUITS NEEDED

THE SECOND ECHELON APPEAL IN STREETS STEADY ENLISTMENTS Appealing for recruits for the second echelon, members of the Army staff in two vans equipped with loud-speakers were engaged yesterday in Queen Street and also at the Domain gates as the crowds passed through to see the parade of troops for overseas service. The direct result was not richly productive, 17 recruits being secured in the morning and about the same number in the afternoon,, but the street campaign bad its value in contributing toward the recruiting atmosphere, and it will bo persisted in this week. As could be expected, enlistments at the Drill Hall in Rutland Street received a fillip, there being a steady stream of applicants for service for a good part of the day, while the medical examiners had a busy time. Many Keen Applicants Some of those who enlisted had deferred action until the holidays were ovfcr, but it was apparent yesterday that the sight of the troops on the march and the general spirit of the occasion had drawn many to the Drill Hall. Numbers had obviously come from their places of occupation to offer their services, and sometimes had not bothered to don a coat, remove an apron or even to wash off the grime of their calling. They came in haste and they left with every appearance of satisfaction. Such signs as "Do your duty: enlist now" and martial airs or invitations to enlist drew crowds round the recruiting vans in the streets. Those men who signed up in this way generally left among feminine expressions of approval, for it was noticeable, more particularly in the morning, that the majority of the spectators round the vans were women. A Little Pleasantry "Sorry girls, we can't accept you," called a recruiting sergeant. "The men get the first turn for once." A young man accepted the invitation. Some applications were declined. They came from men obviously too old for service. One grey-haired veteran, eager and smiling, came forward with a protesting wife on his arm. She need not have worried. The sergeant smiled and shook his head. "Now perhaps that'll satisfy you," she was heard to say to her husband. It is intended that the recruiting vans will carry on in the luncheon hours and between G and G p.m. today and to-morrow.

MARCHING SONGS PREFERENCE OF TROOPS OLD AIRS FAVOURED FEW MODERN TUNES HEARD "Boomps -a - Daisy" and similar modern airs seem to have acquired little currency among the troops of the Second New Zealand Division as marching songs. As the men swung along through the subway on to the railway platform at the end of their march through the city yesterday they burst into full-throated chorus, and their songs were very largely those of the last war. It was a rousing scene as the troops marched out on to the platforms singing lustily and showing no sign of fatigue after their parade and march. Many had acquired flags en route and had stuck them in the ends of their rifles, and there was an air of informality greater than during the public portion of' the march. "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" still seemed to hold pride of plhce among marching songs. Some units sang farewell to Hopuhopu or Papakura instead of Piccadilly, and there were other amendments from the original. "Keep the Home Fires Burning," "Pack Up Your Troubles," some of the many versions of "John Brown's Body" and "There's a Long, Long Trail" show no diminution in popularity among the New Zealand soldiers of to-day. Other songs chosen by the various units were "All Good Pals and Jolly Good Company," "We're Here Because We're Here" and "Landlord Have You Any Good Wine." Among the few comparatively "modern" airs were "The Lambeth' Walk" and "Show Me the Way to Go Home." RUSH FOR TICKETS SPECIAL VISITORS' TRAINS PAPAKURA AND HOPUHOPU The biggest train to carry visitors to the Papakura camp left Auckland at 2.15 yesterday afternoon, when 1280 tickets were sold to relatives and friends of the men in camp. The special train contained 16 cars, and other visitors travelled on the suburban train which left at the same time. Five ticket windows had to be opened at tlie station to cope with the rush, and difficulty was experienced in finding sufficient change for those buying tickets. About 200 tickets, were also sold to visitors travelling to the camp at Hopuhopu on a special train which left Auckland station at 1.25 p.m. These visitors left on their return journey at 5.30, about an hour after they had arrived.