EXPERIENCES IN FRANCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16040, 26 January 1918, Page 7

EXPERIENCES IN FRANCE.

THE STRETCHER-BEARERS. HEAVY CASUALTIES. A Dunedin stretcher-bearer, writing from France under date October U, gives a faint idea of the difficulties ot carrying out the wounded; ‘‘Since writing w© have been pretty busy, being through another stunt. We had to march from the place B , where we wore billeted last, and it took us very nearly a week. By the time we reached the viciuitj' where the stunt took place the boys were just about dead beat—sore feet were very prevalent. We passed through numerous towns on the way, but did not have much time to look through them. Our journey through was timed so that we only landed m one big town for the night, and it was crammed full of soldiers, and we did not have much of an opportunity of seeing it at its best. I would like to visit some of these places after the war just to see what they are liko. There are some beautiful-looking women in some of the towns we passed through. The biggest majority of them seem to have suffered loss through the war, all more -or less being dressed in black, but nevertheless the sombre dress does not belittle their appearance. iz does the heart good to look upon them, and one thinks of the other side of the war. NIGHT RAIDS BY GERMAN AEROPLANES. Well, we arrived just out-side the war area as regards guns, but not aeroplanes. We camped out in tents for the night, and expected to have a good night's rest after the long march, but it was not to be. It was a beautiful moonlight, night, and all hands were just about off to sleep when we heard old Fritz coming, the buzz of his engines being totally different from the Allies’. We were all waiting, full of expectation, and wore not disappointed. All of a. sudden the anti-aircraft guns opened out, trying to keep Fritz off, but Fritz seems to do just as lie likes at night, and he came over, dropped his bombs, and off again for another load. He ipaid us a good many visits that night, and did considerable damage to the town, and to the soldiers also. Of course you never hear about this part of the programme. It is not all the one-sided business yon read about in the papers, but we are winning nevertheless, no doubt about it. We did not get much rest that night, but put in all next day. which was Sunday, by the way. resting, and it was just ns well we, did, as we wore called out at half-past 10 that night for the scone of action. We started early Monday morning for the aid post, so as to get our hearings for the stunt. We arrived dead safe. A DESOLATE COUNTRY.

Of all the desolate places you over saw it. took some beating just reminded one of the destruction a- big bush fire loaves behind it, but worse. It is terrible—words fail me to describe it. It is nothing more or loss than awful. All that is left are tree stumps, shell holes—one continuous mass full of water and dead, more Germans than anyone else. You hear of them saying thp "rivers running with blood”—well, that is what these holes are full of. CONCRETE BASTIONS RESIST SHELL FIRE.

You have heard by now of the German pill boxes. Well, it was in one of these that we made our aid post for the first part of the stunt, but as soon as the stunt started, and the’boys hopped over, we followed them, collecting the wounded and carrying thorn out. It was some carry, too, nfibut two miles to the front relay post, up to your knees In mud and slush. As soon as the boys obtained their objective we moved up to another pill box. It was some construction. Two rooms 16ft square, solid concrete 12ft through facing the British front, Bft roof, and 6ft sides, but hardly so thick .facing the German front. It stood up to all the British bombardments, and Fritz put four direct hits on it while we wore there, and all that happened was the putting out of candles with the concussion.

As soon as the hoys hepped over the prisoners began to come in, and we made them carry down the wounded for a start, and real glad they scorned to be, carrying them down quite willingly with a smile on their faces, exorcising more care than we do ourselves in some cases. The New Zealanders took their objective, at what cost I do not know—you will know better in New Zealand by now. Most of the wounded wo put through were head wounds and machine gun bullets, the prevalence of hoad wounds being caused by the nature of the ground—shell holes, and as soft as putty. Well, we put in six days up the line in this stunt, and were real glad to get out of it. Just to show how sorry they were that we were going out, it rained like fury all the way, and we arrived out of the line as wet as shags, mud-nip to the eyes, and as cold as charity. We were taken to the clearing station, where we -received a good feed and nice cup of tea, and it was very much appreciated by ti e boys. W© slept there that night, and I can tell you I did sleep, the first good sleep for a week. We departed in the morning to one of the places v e stayed at on the way up, and are now camped in an old barn. ■ It is nob so bad either, any amount of straw to sleep on but very little convenience, having to climb up and' down steps every time we move. MEN FROM ALL THE WORLD.

We were not allowed to send any letters for a week before the stunt, so you will understand why you have not had a letter for a week or two. There is no doubt about where the war is. It was up at tlie place we were at. Talk about guns, thousands of them; tanks, 1 motor lorries, horses, mules, wagons, and all the latest infernal inventions of war; men, thousands upon thousands of them—Scotties, Tommies, Australians, New Zealanders, Indian cavalry, Chinamen, almost every nation in the world is represented in the allmoving concern. The stunt was no sooner over the ground gained than they got to work making roads, laying down railways, moving' up guns and ammunition. It is a marvellous concern past comprehension unless you-see it for yourself. I will shut up about the war now and endeavour to answer a letter that I received up tho line ■while the stunt was on. This just shows you that the minutest detail is looked after. I even got a small parcel of tobacco while up there, but would have been better pleased if it had been left down, the line, always so much extra to carry, and we have any amount ancK no flash hat and coat hooks to hang it on either. A CONTINUOUS LINE OF WOUNDED. October 18.—Just a few lines to let you know I am alive and well. _ Since writing last we have been, through^

another stunt, and you will have seen ere this reaches you what has happened td the New Zealanders. It was over practically the same ground as the last, only a bit further advanced. It rained practically all the time we wore in, and we •had a crook spin both as regards work ( and casualties. We were wet through from the time we started until the time we finished. The first night in Fritz put over gas, and we had our helmets on'lor about three hours. I am glad to say 1 missed being gassed, but a good many of our crowd were, somewhere about 20 out of 30 of our section. What with killed, wounded, gassed, trench feet, etc., I do not think there are many of the - left. We were right up in njnongst it, and what a carry. Five miles or more. Six men to a stretcher, over shell holes for a start and then down what was once a road. (You will have soon the name of this road in the papers many a time). It was mud or slush up to the knees all the way, and sometimes you dropped into a shell hole and it was much deeper, and then the boys would swear. The slush reminded me very much of Lower Rattray Street, only a thousand times worse. The ambulances (four) could not cope with the wounded, and different companies had to lend a hand. It was just .one continuous line of wounded being carried out. This could only be done in the daytime, working at night was out of the question, and some of the wounded wore out all night. God alone knows what they suffered. Half of the squad I was in cracked up with trench feet after two days, and pulled out. At the end of the filth day mine gave way, and I have landed in hospital in France. There is no use saying I was sorry, because I was not. I bad my feet fixed up (one of ray boots had to be cut off, by the way) and was sent straight to bed and had h shining sleep for a day or two. The next day was shifted down here by hospital tram, and must nave come some considerable distance, seeing that we travelled all night, arriving about 11 o’clock next morning. I don’t think there is much wrong with my feet, but I am stilt in bed and in no hurry to get up, for this would do me for the duration. White sheets, spring mattress, good'food, etc. “Tres bon mademoiselle.” That was the end of the stunt for me, and I have no desire to be in another liko it, and 1 can say the same for most of the New Zealanders.