Soldier Papers Recalled.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18467, 19 May 1928, Page 19 (Supplement)

Soldier Papers Recalled.

Memories of Palestine. BIRDWOOD PRAISED THE KIA ORA COOEE. By Charles Barrett in the “ Herald ,” Melbourne.

U JT lAORA, C.OOEE.” That JX. is Ihe full title of the famous old paper that we “ ran” as official magazine of the Australian and New Zealand Forces in Egypt, Palestine, Salonica and Mesopotamia. But we called it “ Cooee ” for short. Thousands of copies were sent home by the troops, and, maybe, many sets have been preserved to keep green memories of the lighter side of war. Ten numbers, at three piastres (piastre equals 24d) were issued—and lately a perfect set of fhe “Cooee” was sold in Melbourne for £l2. But the price has dropped. In 1920.* £35 was given, for a set of ‘“Cooees” and “KiaOra Cooee News,” a little news bulletin that was issued free to Australians and New Zealanders in our theatre of war. My last job in Egypt was editing the “Cooee” and the “News,” and I’ve been glancing through a budget of letters from readers —not all complimentary 1 “Brass Hat” Complaint. We could please majorities, but not all our readers. A New Zealand officer —a high ranker- protested that, “brass hats” were not. treated with proper respect- by some of our contributors. In the editorial bivvy for a while there were anticipations of court martial proBut our “heads.” luckily, did not lack the sporting instinct, and the sense of humour. Still, editors in khaki qiust be careful. It. was cheering, after the rebuke from Moascar Base, to receive this letter from General Birdwood, dated from Headquarters in France: “Dear Editor, —You are indeed to be congratulated on such an excellent publication, which will be read with interest, by' people in Australia and New' Zealand, and our. boys here, who are naturally' always interested in the doings of thejr old comrades in Pales-

tine. I only wish we could be all together again, as in Egypt and Gallipoli.” N.Z. Praise. Then our generous contemporary', the editor of the “Chronicles of the N.Z.E.F.” wrote, praising an issue of the “Cooee,” as "t.ho best collection of stuff” he had seen in a troop magazine, and “reflecting the happy' Aussie nature.” Well—we were lucky. Our contributors included Major (“Banjo”) Paterson. “Trooper Bluegum” (the late Oliver Hogue), and other Australian authors, poets and artists. George Lambert did a wonderful cover design for one issue. And we discovered talent in the ranks from the Jordan Valley to Cairo. One of us, when copy -was scarce, went gleaning in “The Valley.” A successful quest, bulgulhe editor couldn’t get back in time ffer ‘our next issue”— because the Turks wouldn’t let him! lie was content to edit in a dug-out until strafing from across the Jordan slackened. Fin© Verse. .One of Trooper Bluegum's best “Cooee” poems was written in a hurry. I dived into his tent one. morning out Gaza way, and demanded copy, "Just moving out on a stunt.” said Oily Hogue. “But——'’ I rode off with a lijltle sheaf of verses. Some of our contributors wrote funny* paragraphs and sentimental poems under fire. Others were penned in safe “possies,” where the booming of the guns was only a surly kind of music. It’s good to read the old paper again, and to look at the pictures. No drawing in the “Cooee” was more popular than Dave Barker’s “Special Communique, 1940,” the original of which is among my' cherished souvenirs. An anthology' of verse from the “Kai Ora Cooee” would please any lover of Australian verse. Listen to

"Larric” - a poet who remained anonyBefore we close, before our glad relief, .Sighs, as it. turns at. last, the final leaf, And ends the book— Before old. dusty Past adds to liis sliel ves This great" adventure, written by ourselves Turn back and look. lUat.es that were ours, whose mateship was a creed. Inspiring ev’ry thought and word and deed, Ready with unstinting hand, to give A Joan-—or life itself, tliaf wc might Arid‘mates we lost. The last number of the “Cooee” is dated December 15, 1918. and “Finish” is the caption of a fine leading article, signed H. S. G. (Mr 11. S. GullcU, M.11.R., who was among our most valued contributors). “The ‘Cooee’ ends because the war ends,” lie wrote. “It has. with all its shortcomings, reflected the work ancj life and distinctive characters of the Australian and New Zealand fighting Sent Back Home. For ton months the little journal maintained an average circulation of 13,000 copies, and it was freely’ sent to all parts of the world. Collectors of soldiers’ papers have been anxious to secure complete files; odd copies arc not.so rare. But whoever possesses a set of “Cooee” should not part with it readily'. I believe that its value will increase with the years, beyond that it reached in 1920 Most interesting of all troop papers is that of one issue and one copy', produced in Palestine, by' some Camelliers, who were isolated under fierce strafing from the Turks, on a hill top overlooking the Jordan. Who owns it now? It was shown to me in Cairo—a few sheets of letter paper, creased and soiled, with “news” and wit and humour writ in indelible pencil. Then there were the, "Cgcolet,” a Camel Field Ambulance journal: the “Desert Dustbin, Imshi” (Camel Corps, of course), and others whose titles I forget.