BRITAIN IN WAR-TIME

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14625, 1 February 1918, Page 3

BRITAIN IN WAR-TIME

SIDELIGHTS ON SLING

RED TAPE IN THE ARMY

A New Zealand .soldier writes from an English hospital as follows:—There is only one industry here in England, and that is the making of war. The minds of everybody and the hands of most men,' women, and evon cliidren are occupied, with war.

It is staggering whei: one first comes in contact, with this war spirit. When our reinforcements landed we were taken ashore in tenders. The tenders v ere. moored by men of 60 and upwards. At first it was amusing, but soon we felt the solemnroy of the fact that/this task of berthing was being performed by mer. wlo were old enough to be our grandfathers. Ashore, we formed up for entraining, and we got oxr next surprise. A convoy of wounded kad arrived from France. Ambulance after ambulance came up in quick succession, and was skilfully manoeuvred into position. Every driver was of the fair sex, and very fair members of the fair sex they were. Metaphorically we took off our hats.

Further alorg, ladies entertained "us to tea—without sugar—and buns. Girls in charge of refreshment barro\\\s were found at tie large stations; we saw girl carriage cleaners.- lady porters pushing heavy trucks, and lady ticketcollectors. We began to feel that we wern getting somewhere near that mysterious place called "tjie front" at last.

TRAINING METHODS AT SLING

We were soot introduced to the Sling method, it is short-, si:arp, and effective, but in the retrospect there is much that can be criticised. However, a Sling warrant officer took us m charge, unci when we rather c-lumsilv executed a manoeuvre which wo had not _ performed for ti:reo months, he told us sarcastically thai we were "no longer sheep." i think that statement "could oe questioned. Meantime joyful demors called out, "They'll shake, the tar out of you." Well, we did get it rather in the neck, because we were to be reviewed witr. the remainder of the brigade by the Duke of Connaught in three "days. The Sling non-commissioned officers ran us oft our feet. For two days we did about 18 hours' -work between reveille- and lights-out. We were drawit up on parade, right-dressed, inspected, and re-itspected, packs i.p. Yv'e were made to stand at attention for 10 minutes on end, we had to stand at ease, but motionless, for apparently interminable periods ad nauseam. And then came the review.

Miracles1 lad been wrought. Every man stood erect, motionless, soldierly, rai'.k on rank, line on line were as clearly defined as the lines in a geometrical drawing. It , was a s ight to make the most unemotional swell with pride. If only the mothers, fathers, wivesl, sweethearts, sisters, and all those who wait at home with straining hearts could see their splendid 1 soldier boys in review order as I have seen them they would well-nigh burst with pride. I am sure that no part of the Empire can show a finer stamp of physical manhood thar. is to be seen in any body of New Zealand troops.

TH^ NEW ZEALAND SYSTEM

There is something in the air here which makes all our men warlike. They put their backs into the business here. In New Zealand, tho majority are half-hearted. Mind you they learn a lot in New Zealand. The only pity is tt at so much time is wasted tnere in fatigues, guards and through a certain amour: t of muddling in the work programmes. Nevertheless, as far as soldierliness goes, troops leaving New Zealand are a poor specimen. Sling works the transformation. It could not do what it does in the time except for what the men are tavght in- New Zealand.

I think it is safe to say tlat, during the first three days the majority of the men are positively depressed. We soon get used to Sling, though, ai:d in a week are happy. The.work programmes are carried through witlout hitch, without delay. Meals, ample! m£, ' are ready to *the minute. rhoro are two complaints which may be made seriously about the Slinotrailing. Too much tleorv and too many petty restrictions. At the iront, tne prime essentials' are a hardy physiqxie.and the power to dig rapidly Personally I never handled a spade until I helped to dig in before Passchexdaele under shell-fire. There is not sufficient attention paid to the development of strengtb and endurance in the training. Hence when men are given a 10-mile march! b>olb up, scores1 fall out. A day carrying wounded knocks the reinforcement soldier right out, unless he is naturally powerful. J

THEORY AND PRACTICE. The duties of a corporal aro to work hke the men, lead his section in action and apportion their rations! The duties of a sergeant arc to see to tie needs of the platoon, generally instruct his section leaders as to their duties and apportion the respective section's rations; to the corporals. Any ordinarily intelligent experienced private can do. tho active service work of an N.C.O. if he be" given opportunity. B^J? P^ss the N.C.O.'s examination at-.Sling one must learn all sorts of theory, much of it appertaining to the sphere of a major, or ever a colonel and wten he gets to the front he does not know how to dig rapidly and has I not the stamina to do heavy fatigues'. The private soldier, indeed, is better off m the-latter respect, bub even-lie is hindered with theory. That's how we win tie war! Another way is to have saluting patrols three miles in the rear of the firing H no takir ; o- the names of men who fail to salute officers.

; Another important part of the train.mg and encouragement of the British soldier, especially the New Zealand' soldier, is to detail special police in London to see that tte man jiy;t back from the trenches does not put his hard in.his pocket or fail to salute the officer whose daily labours keep, him attached to the pay office or the records department. It is well known tl:at the soldier on leave in London mi.st be especially careful .about saluting when in the neighbourhood of staff offices, or he.n-.ny be arrested and his leave cancelled.

FEELINGS OF RESENTMENT.

There is a growing bitterness among the troops against the miserable insisterce on red tape punctiliousness and what seems like a determined effort \ to build up an officer caste and to de-. i stroy the democratic- spirit of the | armies. I am really serious in saying tbis, and. the New Zealand authorities seem to be the strongest and most conscientious supporters of the system. It has been stated in orders that founded- men able to salute will not be. excused any teglect to comply with the regulation. That means men with an arm in a sling, with woiyided hands or shoulders, in fact; any walking case. It has been insisted tt at it is only polite for soldiers to offer their seats in trains or trams to officers who may be standing. All this is in contradiction to the active service spirit and war conditions.

The red tape spirit seems- to seek to interfere with the. soldiers' leisure everywhere. In Sling, church parade is made so much a matter of drill ttat it takes up the whole morning, and destroys the character of the services. Thero is a New Zealand Club in Salisbury, but so little l^eave is granted New Zealand soldiers that the club exists'^ practically for Australians, the New "Zealanders being cor fined to a fire-mile radius.

An old soldier was tolling me yesterday of a guard of four men, which was appointed for ceremony's sake.in France. Its sole duties were to wall; about before ieadquarters and salute the colonel. When the guard was changed a band of aboutSO men played suitable selections, and the old gi:.ard marched away, led by "the band— four mer.! That-is the kind of-thing that is .going to >' make the army unpopular after'tl:o-war, and many who, no doi.bt, woxild have _ considered the army as a profession, will bo deterred.