THE "RED FED" COMPANY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16547, 22 November 1915, Page 3

THE "RED FED" COMPANY.

11 1 ■ In the Tunnelling Company which is at present in camp in Auckland undergoing training preparatory to leaving for the front

in France, there is a very large number of trade unionists. It is interesting 1 to note that there are 11 men who held positions as secretaries of trades unions, and at least 40 who acted as committee men on similar bodies. The company has already earned a name for itself as the " Red Feds," but, judging by the keen spirit displayed by them in their training operations, they aro fully determined to do their "bit" at the front. As one of the company .states, who is on a brief farewell visit to Dunedin, most of tho tunnellers are miners who have been brought up in a hard school, and have learnt to fight their own battles. Some of them are magnificent specimens of humanity, and if it comes to a matter of hand-to-hand fighting they should give a fine account of themselves. As a matter of fact, it is humorously related that a few of them are already getting their hands in by having more or less friendly bouts with the bare knuckles to adjust any little differences that may occur in camp. One of them relates that he is fully convinced that they will prove that the pick is mightier than tho sword.