FROM FRANCE

NZ Truth, Issue 605, 20 January 1917, Page 4

FROM FRANCE

A Sergeant's Complaint

And the Official Reply

Thus "Soldier" (Somewhere m Franco) : Just a. lino or two to let you know of a complaint of every n.c.o. serving In Prance. It Is this: In the reinforcements which' Join us up now arq officers who wore civilians when we left Now Zealand, Yheno aro the men who are going to bd our leaders. When I landed In Egypt about twelvo months ago as a sergeant we all had to revert to the ranks, ao that wo would have no unfair advantage over Main Body men. but now that the 16th and 17th .Reinforcements aro hero they havo only to ln.so one hi ripe, nnrl In some cases thi.s mukos. them Bo.niot to men who have put In six mouths In Prance. "When a sergeant COMES OVER FROM FRANCE wounded, and goes ilnnlly to Kilns camp, he Ik "bossed" about by «<M*gt.nutjors arid qimrtormiuurrs who. !/j Home on.swt, have never honrd a nun •.•,»- off. We out In France 'appreciate ;i "Truth" writer's rrnmrlis, who that a lot of n.co.'n who wait for t!u<ir commltisionH with the ]sth or lOih aro m the hope that tho war will bo ovi-r before they get out horo. In my company thorn Ik v ouurtcr-iniuticr noted for tho (netful way he handle hla .nu-n; a man who at nil times rumjnandu the respect duo to hl« rank. He will not get his* commission hi-cau*w> ho has no influence. Lieut. Downi» s»n-w---art l« away back to Now /.euland. Ht> was a brav«* and courteous oillccr. who will roadily admit Jiow harfihly treated the old n.c.o.'s am aa' regards promotion. I suppose when wo xuffor the tormentM of hell In i\ wintor c-ani-paign dodsinj? monnunwcrforji, aerial torpedoes, rlflu K'''nade:j and bji.s. and up to our eyes m muck and wutor, some oillce boy who went m with th<j 20th Heinforcement n.c.o.'s and came away with tho 2r>the, will bo our oincer. THE OFFICIAL REPLY. "Truth" it'fened thiH matur to thn Defence Department, and Cul<mo! <siliJjon. Chief <>r thf Uisiinral .Staff, hr»n forwarded the following reply; "WUh r'-fTf-nc.- to tho nttarMifMl U>\\vr. The t.i.l condttinim rr.spi.i«tj»iK n«»ii f !'ii:*(' - .mcd oiUoor.i uf u u j:\- 0 jK-diliiJiUivy i i-'orw roltni|uihitln,r th<-ii y.inU on arrival n« the ha«.> v.-^r.. tJsai all. without oxot-ptioa, would rorri m \ho, r«nk of prlvato. T»n»ti' < -usj'Ut </>».•* Ji.tw rincu \n-<tn :Ut<!<<J at th.. «^;j»r*'H;i ri-uuoHt of tht» uuthorHick ot iln« fr.mt, Th«> c«ndlllon» now «<xlntlnK nro th.v on arih'ttl at tho ba«p, ;i JI mui.couijnl»;<lofM>d oflJcora rev«,»rt odo !'!<'t> only m rank." '