THE "BLIGHTY" TRAIN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17535, 31 March 1919, Page 5

THE "BLIGHTY" TRAIN

By HILDA M. WWL

A Base Town in Franc* ! "Ohmy t I don't want -to die, , I want to go home." One heard them singing in t»b& tnnn»l before the engine snorted through at . a lazy pace, dragging its long lino of trucks. Cisually.it came to a standstill in thy station while a miscellaneous batch »f waiting khaki clambered into the traia. Willing hands pulled them up into ta« ' wagons with a** Come on, mate! You going home, too?" A string of \ them jumped out aati made a rush fo rcoffee and A slice *f bread at the free buffet. Every badge' represented a different corps or regiment ; the leave men were going to all corners of the Homeland. ■

Quick use was made of the 16 miiltttas stop. Queer-shaped tins Appeared; tttoa ran along the lines for water, jitnppscl tunics, stood their tins on the step of the wagon and splashed- soapsuds ov«r head and neck. While some BMng.Aad danced on the waggon floor around the brightly glowing fire pail in th« centre, of each wagon, others chopped wood, opened sardines, shaved, cleaned boots, whistling contentedly the while, . r*-;! wound puttees, polished buttons, <Wv'N# packed kit. • ♦ ft - ♦ ■~*'■■'.'■ The grey drizzling December afternoon, the long, weary, uncomfortab'e journey, could in no way quenoh the spirits of the Christmas and New Tear leave men crowded in the wagons. . Only a station in France could"pi**'"; duce the variety of onlookers on th* platform. " Wades'" were waiting fo> the boa.t train —bonny-looking girls wtyh; their trim suit-cases and travelling; rugs They* too, were bound for Borne. Groups of Belgians, British, Frenbh, ; and American soldiers jostled other as they waited at the office of the &.T.0., or questioned the "Red Cap." while t|t<* • inevitable Chinaman blinked at the spr:nkling of Portuguese and Italians. The men sitting on the floors and leasing at the doo.rways of the Blighty train surveyed nil these things with smiling ey*n. Nothing could ruffle their content. To them had come . tiEi^ir ; heart's desire—they were going home. <. Those completing their toilet scralnik led,aboard at the blowing of & nofn,v ■they waved hands, shouted Greeting^ , ftnd grave smiles to anyone and ereryone, as after three false alarms, t&Wtrain slowly pulled out. y And as they vanished into the tunnel again one heard predominant over all others the air that all France is humming: "The bells are ringing For me and my girl. . . **