MR HUGHES WITH THE ANZACS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3249, 21 June 1916, Page 47

MR HUGHES WITH THE ANZACS.

TALK TO THE SOLDIERS. Cabling from " Somewhere in France," on Juno 4-, the special representative of the Sydney Sun sent, the following message-: Mr Hughes spent several cheery, useful days at tho front, crowned with a visit to the Anzac hues, where the appearance of the Prime Minister was the cause of stirring scenes amongst homesick but happy Australians. Lord Kitchener, General Sit Douglas Haig, and General Jotfro placed ears, trains, and officers at the disposal o' Mr Hughes and Mr BTsher, enabling them, with a party of four Australians, to gain an ideal view of the immense battlefield, seeing all the o.rms of tho army at work, includ ing the vast, military organisation from the base to the firing trenches. The party commenced their tour on May 31 with an inspection of a great sea base, where all the stores for that section of th> British army, which includes Australians. are larded and passed on to the troops. V\o saw shops capable of making ail manner of repairs from boots to guns; a bakery turning out a quarter of a million loaves dan'v wherein the Australian Bakery Corps works ; huge depots containing soldiers' needs, from a buckle to gumooo-ts, and a remount depot housing several thousand horses which are regaining their condition. Motoring to general headquarters, Mr Hughes stopped at Lady Dudley's Hospital, chatting with several hundred wounded Australians. Mr Hughes and Mr Fisher spent tho night a 1 General Sir Douglas Haig's chateau, where life is simple but strenuous. General Haig conversed with the party at length, deeply impressing Mr Hughes 'as a strong, soldierly leader, with a thorough understanding of the situation. AT HEADQUARTERS. Headquarters ties m a lovely wooded district anno, a field now cultivated with wonderful precision by woman, oid men, and children. Indeed, the whole-hearted manner in which ail the population has thrown iteeii int-: the work for its country was the domiXU...J impression left on Mr Hughes's mind. France is obdurately unmoved. Children pluck flower.-., while their mothers toil in the field within areas that are frequently shelled. Another lasting impression was given by the British regiments on the march, bytransport columns, despatch riders, and other crowded evidences oi the British armies through which Mr Hughes motored to the Anzao headquarters. Whatever impression of decay Mr Hughes may have gained in England was dissipated by the sight of the stocKy, bronzed, enduring British soldiers here, where many hundreds of thousands oi Britain's sons now occupy' a largo section of Prance. Mr Hug-ties spent two days with the Australians two days which were crowded with incidents. General Birdwood and the General Staffs of divisions arranged the most complete possible inspection, a large part of which was necessarily on fields and roads frequently shelled by the Germans. it was feared that, through an indiscreet paragraph pu-blished in a London newspaper, tho Germans might have learned oi Mr Hughes's visit, but., happily, both days were unusuailv quiet. Mr Hughes was not subjected to a worse ordeal than sniping in the trenches, though shells could always be expected. Mr Hughes was a somewhat incongruous figure in a sac suit, leggings, and felt hat. Our aeroplanes overhead buzzed ceaselessly, while the German balloons marked the places where enemy observers were at work. One of the strangest sights of the day was an Anzac balloon, which broke awav from its moorings and drifted into the 'German lines. Tho observers descended by parachute. Another misadventure caused 0r... of our battleplanes to descend in the German hues under a heavy fire, which buckled up the plane. FAMOUS AUSTRALIAN BRIGADE. Mr Hughes met a famous Australian brigade under inspiring conditions. it was arranged in a shell-torn field in tbe form of a square. Mr Hughes and Mi Eisner reeo '-'lised many oici friends amongst tbe men"in the ranks, including Private Johnson, ex-member ior Clare, whom they picked out ill the back line. General Birowood allowed Mr Hughes to break the ranks, shake hands, and converse with the logislator-wldior. Mr Hughes was moved by tho sight of the splendid Australian soldiery standing. finely disciplined, their 1. rs gh:i - emg -/•■: t ■ am '.o i s,: ea mutely telling oi thoughts of the distant home'aroused by the Prime Minister's visit. Mr Hughes briefly addressed the men from a wagon, expressing Australia's appreciation of what they had done and were doing, and keen hopes for what they would do. ° Australian soldiers bore comparison with any of any age. Our army knew that there could be no peace until we had Germany. '-. eomproin se would be infinitely more destructive —even fatal—to civilisition than if wo had declined to enter the war. " Ho continm d : "No pen. of the has done better than Australia in tin mattor of enlistments. Xo troops have pro\ed themselves Hirer than the Australians to uo battle for liberty. Wheher the war is longer short, we have got to see it through. The message- 1 have to convey from your countrymen and kinsmen is _ thai wo are 1 very proud of you and confident in you.

Wo will endeavour to see that everything in the way oi assistance is given to you and all necessary equipment. Also, that you will receive every attention, care, and assistance on your return. The Australian people will clo as much for the Australian soldiers as tile soldiers are doing lor thorn." There was a ste.vly silence in the ranks, which remained unbroken until Mr Hughes called for cheers tor Australia and General Bird wood. The rest of the clay was devoted to visiting the bomb and bayonet instruction schools. At the former Mr Hughes witnessed a mock attack upon the trenches by a bombing party under cover of smoke clouds. At the latter the display included a full-throated bayonet attack, stopping two yards from where Mr Hughes, Mr Fisher, and General Birdwood sat. The party dined and slept at General Birdwood's chateau, where General Sir Herbert Plumer called and conversed with Mr Hughes. The opportunity was taken to decide many administrative matters. The party spent next morning in tho front-line trenches, walking along two miles of the outermost front. At several points they were within 100 yards of the Germans. The party examined the Gorman positions through periscopes, and was much impressed by the apparent lifclcssness of the German lines, all hough some destroyed trenches on our side showed where the German guns had been active. The Australians have several times been under heavy fire. The method followed; by the Germans is to turn a considerable number of guns on to a small area, in what the men call a strafe. As on Gallipoli, our men are gradually gaining the ascendancy, and their steady behaviour under shell-fire has been a noticeable feature of our occupation. The senior officers speak specially of the splendid sight of the artillery and munition wagons repeatedly bringing up new supplies alone; the road, literally swept with shrapnel and although those iti the lead were falling like rain, the men sat on tho limbers with folded arms, not noticing tho lire. Tho excellent health, cheery, happy, and fearless appearance of the Australians impressed the whole of the party. LOSSES NOT LIGHT. Mr Hughes spoke to numerous soldiers, andt received many affectionate messages for the men's homes. He declared this was the most stirring moment of his life. '• Although our losses have not been light," said Mr Hughes, "the men take all things philosophically, repeatedly saying it is all the more for us to get back when we move."' The men exhibit childlike faith in General Birdwood. The latest story, fully believed throughout the trenches, is that Birdwood offered to take Lille., swearing- that tho Anzacs can do tho job. Mi' Hughes addressed two other bodies of Australians and inspected various units. Ho motored to the French headquarters and saw General Jofiro. then went to Paris and saw President Poincare and M. Clomente (Minister for Commerce), and M. Briand (Premier and Minister for Foreign Affairs).