ABLE QUARTERMASTER

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22762, 10 November 1945, Page 8

ABLE QUARTERMASTER

LONG RANGE DESERT GROUP FORMER HAMILTON RESIDENT A tribute to the ability of Captain D. Barrett, M.8.E., as quartermaster to the Long Range Desert Group is paid by Captain W. B. Kennedy Shaw, Intelligence Corps, in his book, “Long Range Desert Group.” Captain Barrett was formerly a clerk in the Court at Hamilton, and is now rehabilitation officer at Napier. Besides being awarded the M. he was twice mentioned in despatches. Captain Shaw writes:—“Perhaps we rather took our ‘Q’ problems for granted. We were always the bestled unit in the Middle East; we were never really short of essential supplies; the mail used to turn up, often soaked in petrol or dieselline, but it arrived, and we seldom considered how all this happened. That was due to the thoughtful planning of Prendergast (Lieut.-Colonel G. L. Prendergast, D. 5.0., officer commanding the Long Range Desert Group), to the Heavy (Transport) Section; and even more to ‘Shorty’ the Prince of Quartermasters, and Bevan his S.Q.M.S. “ ‘Shorty’ was Barrett, New Zealander, nearly 40, a lawyer in peace time (actually he was a clerk in the Court)., in the first party of 2nd N. F. to reach Egypt, a foundation member of the L.R.D.G., who left us to go through the fighting in Greece in his ‘Div. Cav.’ and then returned to be Quartermaster in the autumn of 1941, and in February, 1943, just to keep himself from idleness,"' took on the job of Adjutant as well. Heavy Responsibilities “The responsibilities of the L.R.D.G. Quartermaster were heavy and it was distance that gave them weight. Where the Quartermaster of an ordinary unit had to think in days, ‘Shorty’ had to think in weeks or months. Where we had to go 30 miles, ‘Shorty’ had to go 300 ‘Shorty’ was unrivalled in his ability to extract what we needed from reluctant supply officers. If he had persuaded the Navy to give him two minesweepers for use in the sand sea I would not have been surprised. “Perhaps, like all good quartermasters, his methods of acquiring things were not aways orthodox, but unlike many of them he never forgot what should be written in all their hearts, that it is more blessed to give than to receive.” A copy of “Long Range Desert Group” is in the Hamilton Library.

George Robey, the famous London comedian, relates in his amusing reminiscences that he smoked his first cigarette when he was 14, and enjoyed it so much that he annexed one of his father’s pipes “and had a go at that.” He sums up that experience in two words—“Oh my!” He left tobacco severely alone after that for a long time. Then he tried again, “and ever since has preferred a pipe to any other way of smoking.” Well, there’s nothing like a pipe—unless it’s a cigarette. But make sure your tobacco’s right. It should be pure, have flavour and aroma, and be as free as possible from nicotine. So those who smoke “toasted” can’t go far wrong! For it’s wonderfully pure, there’s next to no nicotine in it, because it’s toasted, consequently harmless. And as for flavour and bouquet, Where can you find its eoual? Six brands only of the genuine toasted: Cut Plug No. 10 Bullshead). Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog), Cavendish. Riverhead Gold, Desert Gold and Pocket Edition. They vary in strength, but the quality's the same—unapproachable.