FOR THE SOLDIERS AT CODFORD.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 883, 8 December 1916, Page 4

FOR THE SOLDIERS AT CODFORD.

A NEW ZEALAND CHRISTMAS. I Miss Clara Rogers, a New Zealand i Volunteer Sister, now in England, ; writes from London on September 28:— "I ain in London, and finding plenty iof work to do. Canteens are the order J of the day, ami it is hard to get su(E- ---; cient helpers. The Y.M.C.A. Commis- ■■ sioners from New Zealand offered us i the sole charge and management of a hut down in Codford. and took ns down :to view the laud. The result was that we at once decided it was where we : were needed, so Tuesday we leave London to take up our work there. This hut is 150 ft by 30ft, to be furnished according to our own taste and made as comfortable as possible, for the hnts in j Salisbury Plains are the only places | where the boys can find amusement or I break the monotonv of camp life. I When I tell you that Codford No. 11 hut is five miles from the station, which : is 100 miles from London and 15 miles ■! from Sling Camp, on the other side of j the Plain, you will know that it is fair!ly isolated*. It is in the centre of a I convalescent camp and officers' quari ters, and a short way from a field bos- | pital, and is where we are to make ■ "home" for the boys. "We have written to several asking for Christmas gifts for these hoys who have been in the firing line, and as soon !as they are well enough will return j again to the front. We want to give them j a New Zealand Christmas away from ! New Zealand, and so are asking for socks, mittens, handkerchiefs, gloves, j mufflers, cigarettes, pipes, and all such I things. Any soldier would rather have ! a present from home than money or something bought here. We are asking ■ the senders to put a message in each 'gift, with their name and address, so | that the receiver can acknowledge it. | Small parcels could be sent to me, caro | of Mr Hislop, Y.M.C.A. Headquarters, Tottenham Road, London. lie will \ forward anything. That is to remaia our postal address, and send all letters ! now via 'Frisco.'' In connection with this letter, a ccu- ; cert is being arranged in Wellington for December 16, of which Miss MeGill lis hon. secretary. All proceeds will bo j devoted to a fund called the "Codford i Convalescent Camp Fund," and will be 1 used to help provide a proper New Zea- ! land Christmas for the New Zealanders I mentioned in Miss Rogers's letter. It I is suggested that somethingsimilarmight jbe done in Christchurch. Who will tako the matter in hand? At the No. 11 Hut mentioned there are several iSistcrs besides Miss Rogers, 'including Miss Ada Ballantyne (WaI nganui) and Miss Dora Murch | (Haw-era).