MILITARY ATHLETES

Otago Witness, Issue 3249, 21 June 1916, Page 56

MILITARY ATHLETES

SPORTS MEETING AT HORNCHURCH. (From Our Own CoaHESPONDENT.) LONDON, May 4. Over 2000 persons attended wWic "sports meeting of the New Zealand Expeditionary b'oroe, wJhiafe was held at Hornchurch last week. Most of the company naturally wortkhaki, but the Hornchurch people of both saxes turned up in large numbers and lent liberal support to a very successful meeting. In the 100 Yards Race, Sapper Burns (the wing three-quarter) just beat Private Darby after a desperately close finish. Darby, it may be mentioned, competed iu the Servi«« Sports at .Heme Hill on C4ood Friday. ftcceiving /J, yards, ho finished third in 4ie 100. and won the 200 oil the 15-yard mark. Ho and Burns also put in strong running in the Half-mile Relay, and as a result tneir company (D) proved victorious. Sergeant Muir. the Rugby captain,

cantered away with the Sergeants' 200 Yards Handicap. He was scratch, and headed the field before 100 yards had been covered. Staff-sergeant Majors Woodhcad and Stone were responsible tor the general direction 01 the proceed m..:;, and oth< r- who worked hard to ensure success were Major Dawson, Captain A. G. Price, Lieutenant M'Pherson (judges), Captain libera and Lieutenant Raeata (starters), and Staff-sor-geant-majors Gray, Carver, and Whittaker (whips). The depot band provided the music, and the afternoon was favoured with lovely weather. DETAILS. 100 Yards.- Sapper Burns 1, Private Darby 2. Darby took the lead at once, but the finishing spurt of Burns just enabled him to win b.y inches. No time was taken. Relay Race. Halt a mile. —D Company 1, A. Company 2. Won easily by 12 yards. The winning team included Burns and Darby. Boot Race—Private Darby 1, PrivateCapl.'n 2. Competitors ran 50 .yards, and then had to sort out from sack.-: their boots, lace them, and return to the starting post. Long Jump.—Corporal 'lhompson, 17ft 7in. 1; Private Hanson, 16ft Bin, 2. (;i -:>. -._; the G-:eas. Pal: Yr \ ;'■ C-,> lin 1, Private Church 2. Caplin d:d best but could not roach the top of the pole, upon which was pinned a £l note. Mop Fighting.—Private Smith 1, Private Richardson 2. Tilting the Bucket.—Privates Pacha and Fuller 1, Privates Caplin and Climo 2. There was a big entry. Roars of laughter greeted the efforts oi those whose thrust upset the bucket. Alarm Race. —Hut 2a (Auckland) winners. In this event teams were in tents, presumably asleep. At the bugle call they rose, dressed, picked up arms, doubled across the ground for 50 yards, then knelt and lired off blank ammunition. Hut 2a won on general smartness and quickness. Bun, Ginger Beer, and Cigarette Race. — Trooper Aslirig 1, Willis 2. Competitors had first to cat a bun suspended by a string without the use of hands, run 30 yards and drink a bottle of gingerbcer, run a further 50 yards to pick up a cigarette, and return to the starting post. The efforts to eat the bun caused much amusement.

Steeplechase. One mile and three-quar-ters. —Private Proctor 1, Private Griffiths 2 The course included a turn on the road. Proctor took an early lead, and won by 40 yards. Griffiths ran barefooted.

v.C. Race. —Private Climo 1, Private Caplin 2. Competitors were required to run 50 yards, pick up a comrade, and return with him to the starting post. Won well.

Driving Contest. —Trooper Asling and Private M'Kenzie 1, Corporal O'Brien and Private Mowat 2. The man acting as a horse was blindfolded, strings were attached to him, and lie was driven by a companion over an obstacle course, the driver shouting advice when obstructions were met.

220 Yards Handicap, for Sergeants.—Sergeant Muir (scratch) 1, Sergeant Atkinson 2. Muir, who conceded 10 yards to most of his opponents, won easily b.y 15 yards. The winner is the captain of the New Zealand Rugby football team.

100 Yards Officers' Race—. First heat: Captain Harston 1, Lieutenant M'Pherson 2. Won by five yards. Second heat: Lieutenant Bright 1, Lieutenant Wigley 2. Won by two yards. Final: Harston 1, M'Pherson 2. Won by three yards. Ladies' Race'.—Miss Lines 1, Miss Loggatt 2. Band Race. —Bugler Burns 1, Bugler Des Forges 2. There is musical talent, too, among our men, and presently a fiong is to- bo published. Its composer is Sergeant Charles Stuart Parnoll (N.Z. Tunnelling Company), •tho writer of the words is Sapper J. E. Cullen (N.Z. Tunnelling Company), and when it was first heard at an Anzac tea given by Mrs Fink at York House, Kensington, the singer was Sergeant Pollard (also of the N.Z.E.F.). There is a rousing chorus, and enthusiasm ran high, as it also did when the song was sung at another tea for wounded soldiers given by the Lyceum Club.