KITCHENER'S ARMY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume L, Issue 14700, 3 September 1915, Page 5

KITCHENER'S ARMY.

NOW “ SOMEWHERE ” READY FOR ACTION. Press Association.—Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, September 2. Importance' is attached to a hurriedly called Cabinet meeting attended by Lord Kitchener and all leading members.' Rumour portends that,.something will happen on the western front before long. Soldiers are becoming scarce in London. Hundreds of tho'usands daily for past months have been- moving, off somewhere. It is known that the British front in France lias been lengthened, but to what extent is unknown.

2,500,000 READY.

QUICK RECRUITING OF THE LAST 300,000 STRANGE WAR GRAFT ‘ BEING BUILT. The London correspondent of the New York World, writing recently, declared that over two and a half millions,of Kitchener’s Army are massed for sailing with all their attendant organisation of transport, artillery, siege' trains,- engineer corps, aircraft service, motor car equipment, machine-gun companies, while their food and other spare equipment has been stored in Franco long ahead of their arrival. , The force at present operating and in reserve in France is over 750,000, made up of regulars and Territorials, whose losses are being automatically made good. They have fought gallantly and are fine soldiers, but unless every expectation is falsified Kitchener’s Army represents the most splendid ; ■ fighting force, physically and morally, that England has ever put in the field. , The only trouble that the War Office has experienced is that the Territorials and reserve regulars who are-" being* kept for home defence are discontented at not being sent to the front, .and are constantly petitioning to bo granted that honour. - ■ Everything that has occurred lately has intensified the resolve of this country to pursue the war at all costs to a successful issue. It is particularly noteworthy how' the demand for conscription, for war and work, has been submerged., Mr Llovd George even f ailetj to carry either Parliament or the country' with ■him-on that. cry. The truth -: is- that reople are proud of the success of voluntary effort in recruiting more forces than can be readily equipped; and they won’t bo eor-rced into saddling themselves needlessly with compulsion; The recruiting of the last 31)0,000 men for whom Kitchener called lias been more rapid and satisfactory ‘ in' every way than any since the first i’calt,' for lien at the outbreak of the war. It is felt that all the military resources . of, the nation can be secured by a call for voluntary service as occasion aHses, and ■■onsequently the- consoriptionists who wished to “Prussianise” Great Britain are fighting a lost cause. A very complete system ofTiome decree has been adopted, and nowisks are being: taken in the with any attempted German invasion. It , s still believed'that Germany will at’ernpt an invasionj the Ocod’Sibti' for which the' British Grand: Fleet—largely augmented in all classes, of ships since the outbreak of war—has been waiting all these months amid “the northern mists” and elsewhere. ; 1

VICTORIA CROSS HEROES

SOME GALLANT DEEDS. Received September 3, 8 a,m. LONDON, September 2. Five more Victoria Crosses have been Warded as under:— " ' Major Wheeler, of the Seventh Hariina Lancers. He twice led a squadron in a lance charge on the Turkish posiions at Shaiba, and was killed on the 13th April vlien far ahead of-his men ind riding single-handed straight for he Turkish standards. Captain O’Sullivan, of the First In■iskilling Fusiliers. At south-west Krihia, on the night of the Ist July, when t was essential that a portion of a lost reneh should bo regained. O’Sullivan, dthough not belonging to the troops at hat point, volunteered to. dead the >omb-tlirowers, and, in order ..-.to throw ;-ombs with greater effect, got up on the aranot, where ho was completely cxosed to Turkish fire. Finally, he was rounded, but his inspiring example enblod the party to recapture the trench. Sergeant Somers, of tire Ist liiniskilling '■’usiliora. Ou the night of July 1, in he sruthern zone at Gallipoli, when some British troops retired from a sap. owing *o bombing. Sergeant Somers remained -done until the' party brought up bombs. s omer3 then climbed a Turkish trench and bombed the Turks with great- effect. 1 arir Somers advanced in the open and Veld back the enemy by throwing bom.br on their flank until a barricade’was es■ablithed. Throughout.. he ran to and .■'•om the trenches obtaining fresh supplies of bombs. His great gallantry and ioolness was -largely instrumental in recapturing a portion of our lost trench. Lieutenant Bichfort, of the, Ist Scots Guards, for bravery on August 3, between Cambrin and La Basse, A German trench mortar-bomb landed near a working party, and Bichfort might easily ■ Nave slipped round the corner. into-per-'eot safety. Instead, he shouted to’th" „ P .,, “Look out!”, ran to the bomb and hurled it over the parapet. It exploded immediately. It was a splendid combination of presence of mind and courage, and saved many lives. • Second I iciucnant James, of, the 4th Worcestershire*. On July 25th, in the "'iithorn zone at CalHnoli. When a pmof a regiment was checked owing L o all the officers heina- killed or wound'd, James, who belonged +o a heiglibcur- ; iit unit, gathered a body of men and vd t’-em forward under heavy shell and •:fle fire. He then returned and organ-* o-d a scend party, putting, fresh . li f e into the attack.’ James, ou July 3. headed a bomb-throwers’ attaet- on a Turkish -mmu-ication ffench. When "n'-avly all v-'re wounded he remained a’one, and ■tent hack the enemy single-handed until a harrier was built behind him, and the trench secured. Throughout he was ex•io ed to a murderous fire.. ’REFERENCE TO SOLDIERSReceived September. 3, 8.50 a.m. MELBOURNE September 3. Tlie, Public Service Bill, ’ giving preference to returned soldiers, paaaedralLfltagps in the, House. :