CAME 3000 MILES

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20916, 22 September 1939, Page 2

CAME 3000 MILES

CHRISTCHURCH RECRUIT TRIP FRIOM CENTRAL QUEENSLAND (Special to* Times) CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday “Three thousand miles for a scrap,” was the way in which Mr Denis Ring described a trip from Central Queensland to join the special military force at Christchurch. Mr Ring claims the record for trips made to Christchurch by recruits enlisting in the special force. On a vast Australian sheep run, 850 miles inland from the Queensland coast, Mr Ring heard, late on, September 3, of the entry of Great Britain into the war and next morning, having disposed of his stock-in-trade as a musterer, he set off on horseback on a 3000-mile trip to enlist in his home town, Christchurch. A trip of 12 miles by horse brought him to Emmet. As no train was expected for a week, Mr Ring by walking, wool waggon, motor trucks, and taxi, reached Longreach. where he entrained on the 1500-mile journey to Sydney. There was a delay of two days for a boat at Sydney, but the Tasman was finally crossed. He made direct connections in transport, and he arrived at Christchurch on Tuesday mornmg, enlisted, and was passed by" the medical authorities yesterday, a" fortnight after leaving Queensland.