IN FRANCE.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7709, 18 April 1916, Page 1

IN FRANCE.

AT THE BRITISH BASE. “ SPIRIT PLUS BRAINS.” A neutral observer thus describes a visit to British General Headquarters in France in a message published in the “Sydney Morning Herald,” dated 30th March : —Endless rooms, hundreds of busy clerks, both men and women, scores of filing cabinets, each filled with thousands of cards neatly indexed, messengers hurrying to and fro, their hands full of pink, blue, white, or green slips; through the window warehouse upon warehouse, factory upon factory, railroad yards, round-houses, continual shunting of long trains of freight cars, and a never-ending procession of great motor lorries, all blending into a huge industrial city. One of Britain's army supply bases, somewhere in France. Here is the heart of the wonderful war machine which England, with the aid of her loyal colonies, has built up in little more than a year—built up with the utmost care and thoroughness in spite of incalculable difficulties, but it has been built, and there it is complete, a monument to the same spirit which has put millions of British subjects into the firing lines. Nobody could look on at the workings of this organisation and accuse England of being slow. The marvel is, how it possibly could have been done in so short a time. The Germans have been “out-Germaned” when it comes to thoroughness and efficiency. And now, after so many months' preparation, the power has been installed which is designed to help in pushing the gigantic British steam roller over German opposition.

When I say that the Germans have been beaten at their own game I mean that the British have all the power and organisation which the enemy has, plus facilities for obtaining certain supplies not available to Germany. There is no shortage of rubber or wheat, flour or sugar, at British bases. There is no shortage of anything, and, more than that, there are millions of pounds' worth of reserve supplies, which are never touched, and are only held against emergency. Into and out of this maze of storehouses trains come and go as clockwork. Hitches are things of the past. The loading crews, train hands, and men who man the motor-lorries at the railhead near the lines work as a unit of a splendid, well-oiled machine. It is in this branch of the service that the Australian Motor Transport Division shines. Day' after day mammoth trucks, operated and manned by hoys from overseas, grind their way from platforms at rail-head laden with food, clothing, ammunition, to keep “Tommy” going. PRAISE FOR AUSTRALIANS.

“Australians are the best of the lot on the lorries,” an officer told me today. “They have a remarkable capacity for hard work, and seem to possess excellent julgment where it is required in dealing with problems that arise frequently. They have the qualities which are going to win this war —courage, judgment, and ability.” Watching them at work brought home the truth of the statement.

They go about everything systematically. “Team work” stands out above all else. I timed the despatching of some of their lorries from the receiving station. There would be less than a minute’s difference between the time consumed by one machine and another, even when there was considerable variance in the nature of the supplies handled. A shell-swept road has no terrors for them. They jolt through deep ruts and shell holes with the same equanimity that they would roll over an asphalt pavement, and physically they have no superiors in the British Army. Certainly the Australians are popular with the commandants of the supply departments. The colonials have made a deep impression on the people at Headquarters. Up in the trenches the Canadians are among the most aggressive fighters now on the lines. They are never satisfied to lie idle in their shelters. If the Germans show a disposition to do so the Canadians pester them with hand grenades and choice rhetoric until they are stung into action. Looking on as a rank outsider and a neutral it is impossible to feel that the war is any way near an end. In any branch of the services the British preparations are going forward at top speed on a tremendous scale. Hospital facilities are being multiplied, also various establishments are specialising*. All injuries of a like nature go to one place for treatment. Evidently the authorities do not expect to close their hospitals for a long time, for they have made elaborate preparations and conduct them ou what in civilian terms would he called a “paying basis.” Every possible step has been taken to economise, and in some instances expensive apparatus has been installed with the expectation that it will pay for itself in money saved; for example, in one hospital there is a complete tinsmith’s shop running in full blast. There empty biscuit tins are re-made into tin plates, pans, and drinking cups. Even tlm solder is melted down and used a second time. In fact, the commandant told me they were able to make all the utensils needed and still had enough material left to supply other bases. A few months ago I had an opportunity of seeing what German efficiency was like. I was much impressed, but my tour of the British base and lines in France made a ten times greater impression. There is spirit plus the brains, and I am convinced that spirit is what will give the Allies their long-sought advantage.