A WILD TIME.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13373, 6 May 1914, Page 6

A WILD TIME.

SEVERE TEST FOR THE

TERRITORIALS,

MANY TENTS BLOWN DOWN,

•Tlio Wellington Post's -correspondent at i. the Takapau camp telegraphed on SundaY : — >

Saturday, 2nd May, will long live m the memories of those who participated m the 1914 Territorial encampment at Takapau, as one of the most boisterous, wet, cold, and generally mo3t uncomfortable days they ever experienced. It was, to use a colloquialism, "a regular snorter." The worst of the previous miserable days which characterised the encampment — and they were unfortunately m the majority — was nothing, to it. The elements while they were about it evidently determined to let themselves go, and, so far- as Territorial camps are concerned, put up something m the nature of a record, much to the disgust of the 6000 men under canvas. Towards 9 o'clock, after the troops breakfasted, the whole of the regiments, with the exception of the 7th Ruahines and the Field Artillery Brigade, were inarched out to the various training grounds around the camp to do a solid day's drill. The sky was threatening', and the. troops all took the precaution of wearing their great coat 3. They pre sented a line sight as they marched out, regiment after regiment, both mounted and on foot, m column formation, four men abreast. The remaining troops left m camp spent the time m squaring up their tents and lines. COLONEL CHAYTOR'S TENT QOES. Shortly before 11 o'clock the elements commenced to disport themselves once more; and upon thig occasion m real earnest. A' strong southerly wind, accompanied by a heavy driving rain, set m and eommpneed to play havoc with the tents. The first tent to go during the day was that of Colonel Chaytor, officer commanding the Wellington dis trict, who is m charge of tho camp. The Young Men's Christian Association's large social marquee was the next to be toppled over, while over m the mounted brigade'^ encampment, on the other side of the field, several lurge marquees and men's tents were levelled to thl> ground. Tho orderlies and others m camp were employed at intervals m strengthening tho fastenings of oth«r large marquees which were threatened. No further disasters occurred m the tented area during the niorniiyr, and at half-past 12 the whole of tho regiments which had gone out for the day- -the men' had tlu»ir lunches with thorn — commenced to return. The last nf tin* men got back to camp by 1.30, most of them more or less wet' through about the legs. Further training' operations for tho day were abandoned, the men remaining under canvas. STORM AT ITvS HETC.HT. It was well that this course was adopted, for the afternoon had not advanced very far before the wind developed into a full gale, and the leaking heavens commenced to clash the water down m still greater volume upon the already soaked ground. The Church of England's large marquee went over, and the iSaJvation Army's pavilion wa* threatened with a, similar f a te, fcutwaar

saved from it temporarily by a- number of men who went to the" rescue, lending a hand t«> .tauten the ropes. The force of the wind ultimately proved too much for it. and it was also laid low. PREPARE FOR A HAD NIGHT. A little later the paymaster's tent at headquarters succumbed to circumstances «nd collapsed, and many of the papers' were- Jost, being carried away by the wind. Tho gusts of wind which came up grew heavier still, causing tents flap about and .display alarming symptoms of being about to topple over. With the repetition of the heavier gusts hundreds of men emerged from their tents with maJlets.'and prepared for a bad night by hammering 1 m their tent pegsi go that it. would take .the force, of nothing less than a, cyclone to pull them out. Some further tents which had rot been fastened down so securely as the others joined the lone; record "of those which had been placed hors do combat by the wind, but they were soon placed . m position again, by willing hands Avhich weru always ready" to* assist men m distress. About the middle of, the afternoon the weather liecame so bad tli.it it was found necessary to shift the whole of the horses from tho Mounted Brigade s lines to tho shelter of the first trees on the north-east side ot the encampment area.

"GOD SAVE THE KING." I licler the distressing circumstances. mo«t of the men displayed the best of smrts and good feeling. * They spent the afternoon, when not attending to their tent« and necessary camp duties, m singing the latest ix.tmlav airs and patriotic Knngs. and m playinij card* ft r 7 n I! 10 s(h line* om» ' c «'nt full of men was he,-ird sincinjr"G'ifi Navo the King." Th» incident is wort". quoting as 'snowing the spirit displayed by some of the men under the most adverse circumstances. ,