TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 66, Issue 5602, 7 April 1943, Page 6

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

The following items are taken from the Wai pa Post of twenty-five years ago:

A French lady at present living in Auckland says that a custom prevalent in France is that of saluting soldiers woynded in the cause of their country. It is immaterial whether the soldier is known to the one paying the honour; he is saluted by the menfolk and accorded a bow by the women. She thought it was a nice courtesy to extend to those who have answered the call to arms for liberty.

Sir Douglas Haig reports that in spite of heavy enemy attacks the whole of our line on the Western Front is firmly held. In the neighbourhood of Festubert we advanced the line slightly, taking a few prisoners. There is heavy fighting between La Bassee and Ypres-Comines Canal.

At a meeting of the Te Awamutu Second Division League the position relating to pensions and the basis of allowances made to soldiers’ dependants was discussed and it was suggested that a telegram be sent to the member for the district urging that the allowances be increased to 6s per day for the wife and Is 6d per day for each child. This represented an increase almost doubling the rate being paid at that time.

Writing from Sling Camp to friends in Te Awamutu, a soldier says that the rations are cut down to the very minimum, bread and dripping forming a substantial part of the fare.