With the Expeditionary Forces.

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume XIV, Issue 713, 28 January 1919, Page 3

With the Expeditionary Forces.

Corporal R Scatter,-- who has been appointed Building Instructor to the Education Department m France, writing to his biother, Mr W. Scatter, from Fontaine-au-pire, iv an interesting letter, says : " Have you heard that the New Zealand Divisiou is going into Germany as au amy of occupation ? Life here is; rather interesting just at present. These poor unfortunate French people are beginning to come back to their homes, ami I can tell you it's a sorry home-coming for most of them. They were made prisoners of war m lUI4, and have been living principally on black bread And water sinoe then. Some of the older people have died on the way back, aud according tonne of our doctors, more than half the kiddies will die this winter if they don't get more nourishing food than the.y are getting at the present time. In spite of all their troubled they are wonderfully cheerful. Now that Fritz is away, everything is " ties bon." Many of them have not heard of tlieir men folk since 15)14, and don't know whether they are alive or dead. ; The sights ono sees are not without their i humorous side. I met an old lady coming ; down the street one Sunday with a chair minus a log. Why she should "fake it inprefureneo to the many wholo .ones available is more than I can " compree.'"' Perhaps she was honest and only wanted her own. I mut some hundreds of Tommies and French soldiers last time "1 was at Cambrai. They had beeii prisoners of war m Germany, and were on thoir way back. It wasn't hard to guess they had been m Jerry's hands. It is uncertain what the Military intend to dn with our Division, but. it is rumoured that we aro to demobilise on the Rhine. When wo return from Blighty, our Division will be m Germany. I wonder what route we. will takov'r The whole business is rather humiliating for Fritz. Wo do see life, don't wo? Sometimes we need a candle to help us, though.