TT.—l9i.
1916. NEW ZEALAND.
NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. REPORT OF LIEUT.-COLONEL THE HON. R. HEATON RHODES, T.D., M.P.. COMMANDING THE CANTERBURY MOUNTED RIFLES BRIGADE, ON HIS MISSION TO THE NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN MALTA, MUDROS, GALLIPOLI, AND EGYPT, AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT.
Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by fjcave.
Sir, — Parliament Buildings, Wellington, 11th May, 1916. On the 31st August, 1915, I was officially informed by yon that I had been appointed by the Government to proceed to Egypt, Malta., Gallipoli," and, if necessary, to England, to inquire into and report upon various matters, which you mentioned, concerning our Expeditionary Force. 1 accordingly left New Zealand on the 2nd September, and disembarked at Port Said on the 6th October, immediately beginning my work, with the inspection of our No. 1 Stationary Hospital which had been established there. From Port, Said I proceeded to .Alexandria, where, excepting for an occasional visit to Cairo to report myself to General Sir John Maxwell, G.O.C. the Forces in Egypt, and to confer with Surgeon-General Ford, D.M.S., Egypt, I remained until the 19th October, when I left by transport for Mudros, in the Island of Lemnos. During my stay at Alexandria I was fully occupied visiting hospitals, convalescent homes, and camps where our men were located, inquiring into postal matters and the distribution of gift goods, and conferring with the military authorities. At Mudros, where I arrived on the 23rd October, I was met by General Sir Alexander Godley, who hud come down specially from Anzac to meet me, and with him inspected our Infantry and Mounted Brigades, which were resting there after the August operations. I also visited hospitals and camps on the island. On the 26th idem, with General Godley, I left by destroyer for Anzac, expecting our troops to return from Mudros to the peninsula in a day or two. Their return being delayed, I took the opportunity of visiting Helles and going over the ground where our Infantry Brigade had fought in May. I also visited the trenches at Sulva and Anzac, and all positions where our Artillery were stationed. After the return of the troops I spent some days visiting the Infantry in the trenches and the Mounted in camp at Bauchop's Hill. I left Anzac by ferry-boat for Mudros on the 16th November, calling at Sulva on the way, and Mudros by transport for Alexandria on the 24th idem. While waiting at Mudros for the transport to leave I spent as much time as possible in paying further visits to the hospitals and camps where New-Zcalanders were located, but for some days, owing to a storm that was raging, I was unable to go ashore. I arrived at Alexandria on the 27th November, and stayed there until the Bth December, when I left for Cairo. On the 23rd December I embarked on the P. and O. " Nagoya " at Port Said for Malta, but the vessel did not sail until two days later. Arriving at Malta on the 28th December, I stayed there until the 12th January, visiting New Zealand sick and wounded in twenty-seven hospitals, convalescent homes, and camps. I also visited the adjoining Island of Gozo, where there were a few of our convalescents. On the latter date I embarked by the P. and O. " Kaisr-i-TTind " for Port. Said, where I arrived on the 15th and proceeded at once to Cairo. I remained at Cairo until the 19th March, when T left, for Ismailia with the intention of seeing as much as possible of our troops in their stations on the canal, but, as the boat I had booked my passage by was timed to sail on the evening of the following day, I regret that it was not possible for me to pay other than a hurried visit to the Ist Infantry Brigade and the Rifle Brigade on the 19th, and on the following day to visit our Mounted, men, who were in the trenches some ten or twelve miles east of the canal. On the way there T had the pleasure of seeing the Rifle Brigade cross the, canal. They marched well,
I—H. 19b.
EL—l9b
2
looked smart and in every way fit for service. Of the other troops that I met, both Mounted and Infantry, all appeared in good heart, and were anxious to proceed to France, to which country it was then rumoured they were to be despatched. It had been my intention to spend a week or two in the canal zone, but illness prevented me from doing so. I embarked on the P. and 0. " Kashgar " on the night of the 20th March, and left on the following day. Arriving at Adelaide on the 16th April, I proceeded at once by train to Melbourne and Sydney to catch the s.s. " Moeraki," which left, the latter port for New Zealand on .the 20th. reaching Wellington on the 24th idem. While in Melbourne I called, at your request, at the Headquarters of the Commonwealth Defence Forces, and obtained the information you desired with reference to the training and the health of recruits, treatment of soldiers on discharge, o>,c. This information I forwarded to yon immediately on my arrival in the Dominion. Having already sent you from time to time communications, some confidential, on nearly all the matters mentioned in your letter of instructions of the 31st August. 1915, it will not be necessary for me to deal at, length with those matters. I will now refer seriatim to the paragraphs of the letter : — (1.) " Casualty-lists and the information sent to New Zealand about the sick and the wounded. Uniformity in hospital reports, which should give the fullest information possible." The reports of all deaths in hospitals, of men wounded or killed in action, and of the missing, are cabled to the Defence Department from the New Zealand Records Section of the 3rd Echelon. General Headquarters, Alexandria. I might here say that as a result of my investigations I am of the opinion that this office is most, efficiently managed by Major N. FitzHerbert. BrigadierGeneral T. E. O'Leary, D.A.G., of the 3rd Echelon, spoke to me in the highest terms of Major FitzHerbert and his staff and of the way in which the office was conducted. All admissions of sick and wounded to hospitals are cabled to the Defence Department by the hospitals, which also cable the names of those who have been placed on or taken off the dangerous list, and every Saturday all hospitals cable the names of all patients on the dangerous list/ I should here mention that representatives of the Red Cross Society meet hospital ships, and sometimes cable relatives and friends of sick and wounded men immediately, The men themselves also do this occasionally. It thus happens that information is sometimes received in the Dominion before there has been time to supply it through official channels. Up to the time of mv visit every admission, however slight the sickness, was cabled to New Zealand. Considering this unnecessary I made representations Io you by cablegram on the sth February last, suggesting that the question of cabling should in every case be left:, to the discretion of the Chief Medical Officer, which you approved of on the 16th idem. To show that it was desirable, not only to save relatives and friends unnecessary anxiety but also to save expense, that admissions for such, trifling ailments as influenza, headache, sprained ankle, football bruises, &c, should not be cabled, I have only to mention, that the cost of cabling the admissions to our No. 2 General Hospital at Cairo alone from the 21st to the 29th January last amounted to £180. Unfortunately, during the early operations at Gallipoli, and even during those of August, inaccurate reports were at times received by the 3rd Echelon from the units at the front. For instance, a unit, would report a, man as "wounded " and, a few days later, as "missing." In one case a New-Zealander reported as "killed in action" was subsequently reported from Malta as being in hospital. Another, posted as " missing," was later found to be acting as orderly to an Imperial, officer. Mistakes such as these must be attributed to the difficulty of obtaining accurate information from the units, the members of which were then fighting for their own lives. I am sure they did everything possible to report casualties correctly, but, mistakes were unavoidable owing to stress of action and the difficulties of communication. (2.) " The accommodation and general treatment of New-Zealanders in hospitals and convalescent hom.es, including the possible aggregation of New-Zealanders in one or more hospitals under New Zealand medical, officers and nurses." As I reported to you by cablegram, T satisfied myself thai New-Zealauders in hospitals. convalescent homes, and convalescent, camps were well treated and had little cause for complaint. Beginning with No. 1 Stationary Hospital at Port Said on the day I arrived in Egypt, the 6th October, I found it well equipped and well managed, the only objections being to the site, which was low-Tying, and to the drainage, which was not satisfactory. Arrangements had, however, been made to have the institution connected with the town sewers. As you are aware, this hospital had received orders, by direction of the General Officer Commanding, to proceed to a destination unknown, as a temporary measure. 1 interviewed Surgeon-General Ford, D.M.S. of the Forces in Egypt, with regard to its destination, and urged, with the concurrence of General Godley, with whom T had conferred on the subject, that il be sent to Mudros, in order that it might be available for our patients from Gallipoli. I was subsequently informed by General Ford that this could not be conveniently arranged, as the hospital was urgently wanted elsewhere, but that it, would be relieved later by another hospital. Its destination proved to be Salonika, and the history of the torpedoing of the transport "Marquette," in which the hospital travelled, is well known to all. I may say that I strongly disapproved of nurses being carried by transport, and it is some satisfaction to know that no more are to be so carried. Shortly before my departure from Egypt the hospital returned there from Salonika, and remained in a mobile state so as to be, ready to accompany the division to France.
3
H.—l9b
From Port Said I proceeded to Alexandria, and, accompanied by Chaplain Alfred Greene. I immediately commenced visiting the hospitals, convalescent homes, and convalescent camps in which New Zealand sick and wounded were located. Some of the hospitals where New-Zealanders were dangerously ill I visited several times. In only one of the sixteen institutions visited by me in the Alexandria district did I receive a complaint about treatment, and that was in a convalescenl home, where some of our men desired that they receive more money per week than was allowed to convalescents by the Army Regulations. On the 19th October 1 left Alexandria by transport for Mudros, where I visited as many Xcw Zealand patients in hospitals and convalescent camps, both before my departure to and after my return from Gallipoli, as circumstances would permit:. Had I not been weather-bound on a, transport for three days 1 would have been able to see all our patients on the Island of Lenities. The hospitals there, which were conducted by British, Canadian, and Australian medical officers and nurses, had many difficulties to contend with, and consequently the men were not so com foil able as those ill hospital in Egypt. Some of the medical officers mentioned to me that I hey were at, times short of necessary supplies, and I made representations on the subject Io Ihe authorities. However, shortly after my return to Egypt 1 was aware of the evacuation and of the withdrawal of our patients from Lemnos. A I Gallipoli the difficulties were very great, but the sick and the wounded were removed from the clearing-stations as quickly as circumstances permitted. Fearing congestion and consequent delays in getting the sick and the wounded away, as happened at the time of the landing and during the fighting in August, I made inquiries as to the hospital ships to be provided in the event of further large operations taking place at Gallipoli, and I subsequently learned that ample provision was made in this respect at the evacuation. In Cairo I was chiefly concerned with our No. 2 General Hospital at Pout de Koubbeh, there being few New-Zealanders in other Cairo hospitals. This was originally an Egyptian Army hospital. No rent was being paid for the building, but an arrangement was made to pay the salary of the officer in charge, Major Byam, on the understanding that he would act as Registrar of the hospital. Before leaving I arranged with General Ford that, as for the future we would require only a small hospital in Egypt, this payment was to cease, and that if the Egyptian authorities desired again to take over the building he would provide another building suitable for our smaller requirements. Although I spent many days in this hospital no complaints were made to me. I found it well staffed and well conducted. Extra comforts were being provided for the patients by ladies of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John, who had a small kitchen on the premises, where they were providing approximately one thousand dishes weekly. To further this very worthy object I handed Miss Thorn, who was in charge of the kitchen, £100 of the £1,000 forwarded to me by the Canterbury Branch of the St. John Ambulance Association to provide extra delicacies for our sick, and wounded. I found about seventeen New Zealand patients in the Military Infectious Diseases Hospital at Shoubra, Cairo, where they appeared to be well cared for. Dr. Agnes Bennett, of Wellington, and several of the New Zealand nurses that went from Australia, were on the staff, and their services were much appreciated by the officer in charge of the hospital. As I have already informed you, our patients in Egypt were, with I he exception of those in the Infectious Diseases Hospital, being aggregated in our No. 2 General Hospital at Pont de Koubbeh. Arrangements had been made, on Colonel Parkes's suggestion, for the establishment of a small auxiliary hospital in Alexandria to receive those patients from Gallipoli that were not fit to undertake the train journey to Cairo, but after the evacuation these arrangements were cancelled, and an auxiliary hospital of two hundred beds was established at Ismailia, on. the canal, to be worked in conjunction with No. 2 Hospital. Regarding our medical services, I found when 1 arrived in Egypt that there was no Principal Medical Officer to our Expeditionary Force. I therefore discussed the question of the appointment of one with Surgeon-General Babtie, V.C., P.D.M.S., Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, and also with Surgeon-General Ford. As a result of these discussions I cabled to General Godley, advising him to appoint Colonel Parkes as D.D.M.S., which was accordingly done. Colonel Parkes will, as head of our medical services, be able to exercise a general supervision, and to recommend promotion from one unit to another. In addition In his administrative duties it was arranged that for the time being he was to retain his position as Superintendent of No. 2 Hospital. At Malta there were no less than twenty-seven hospitals and convalescent homes and camps, all of which I visited. Several of the hospitals had over one thousand beds. There was little fault to find with any of these institutions, either hospitals or camps. In one hospital I received a complaint, which was apparently a genuine one, and which I did my best to have, rectified. At a convalescent camp also there was ground for complaint, and after making representations to those in charge I had the gratification of receiving a letter of thanks from a high official for what I had done. I can only hope that causes for complaint no longer remain. General Lord Methuen, Governor of Malta, who takes a keen interest in military hospital work, showed me every courtesy and attention, and invited me to accompany him on his visits to a number of the hospitals and camps. On these visits I noticed that he evinced the greatest concern for the welfare of outpatients. I desire further to say that Chaplain Tobin, who represented the Dominion at Malta, was doing exceedingly good work among our patients, nor did he hesitate to point out to the authorities where he thought improvements could be effected. I visited Lady Godley's Convalescent, Home at Alexandria a number of times, and found it to be excellently managed' and a very great boon to our convalescent soldiers. For a time Lady Godley also had a home for convalescent New Zealand officers in a comfortable house which had been onerously placed at her disposal by Mr. G. B. Alderson, a resident of Alexandria. In
H.—l9b
4
passing, I may say that this gentleman also placed his residence and houseboat at Aboukir at the disposal of the authorities as a convalescent home for Army nurses. On my visit to the latter institution 1 found about twenty New Zealand nurses there, including live or six who had been in the " Marquette " disaster. The winter weather in Alexandria proving wet and damp, and this being detrimental to the recovery of patients, Lady Godley deemed it advisable to remove her home to Helouan, situated about fourteen miles from Cairo. The climate being dry, and hot sulphur baths being available there, Helouan was recommended as a most suitable winter place for convalescents, particularly for those suffering from rheumatism and kindred ailments. Lady Godley had also a small home for convalescent soldiers at Zeitouu, which I visited on several occasions, and heard no complaints. In Miss Nicholls, a trained nurse with wide experience in Egyptian hospitals, Lady Godley had a most capable Matron of her institutions. "Aotea" Convalescent Home, at Heliopolis, situated close to the Zeitoun Camp, was also excellently equiped and managed, the Matron being Sister M. A. Earley, late of the Wellington Hospital, who had a capable and enthusiastic staff. This institution was generously provided by Wanganui, Rangitikei, and Wairarapa residents. The idea was, I understand, conceived by three Wanganui ladies, Misses M. MacDonell, M. Maedonald, and M. Duncan. After doing duty at. " Aotea " for some time Miss MacDonell accepted the position of Matron of the Empire Nurses' Convalescent Home at Zeitoun, which had been established largely through the efforts of Mrs. A. de Castro, of Wellington, for the comfort and convenience of Army nursing sisters. In opening the Home on the 25th February last General Sir John Maxwell, G.O.C. (Egypt), paid a personal tribute to the committee and especially to Mrs. de Castro, who, I may say, had charge of the Empire Soldiers Cafe in the Esbekieh Gardens, which was a great boon to all soldiers. (3.) " The comfort of the sick and the wounded." I have already mentioned the kitchen established by ladies of the Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John in our No. 2 General Hospital at Pout de Koubbeh. I found similar kitchens in other hospitals in Egypt. To Lady Carnarvon and Lady Godley is due the credit of initiating this scheme and bringing ladies out from England to give practical effect to it. In October last the Canterbury Branch of the St. John Ambulance Association cabled me £1,000 to provide extra delicacies for our sick and wounded. I held the matter in abeyance until I had completed my visits to the hospitals, and then allocated the amount as follows: £500 to the New Zealand No. 2 General Hospital; £100 to the Reel Cross kitchen at that hospital; and £200 each to Lady Godley's and the " Aotea " Convalescent. Homes. From each of the institutions 1 received an acknowledgment expressing appreciation oi" the thoughtful and generous action of the association. I found that our sick and wounded were regularly visited by ladies from New Zealand and elsewhere. Other ladies also visited our hospital regularly for the purpose of mending soldiers' garments and doing other useful work. There was also a ladies' organization to take convalescents to places of interest in and around Cairo. The devotion of these ladies to the care of our sick and wounded and their unceasing efforts to render help were beyond all praise, and I was pleased to note that their good work was much appreciated by the men. In the early stages of the war the small British community in Egypt, which included Australians and New-Zealanders temporarily resident there, were most kind in visiting and distributing gifts in the hospitals in which our sick and wounded were accommodated. From the first we had a very efficient organization for dealing with our own people, which was held up as an example to others. Chaplain Greene made a practice of boarding every hospital ship on its arrival at Alexandria. Red Cross ladies also met the hospital ships, giving those patients that were going to Cairo comforts for use on the train journey. Chaplains Angus McDonald and Greene visited the sick and the wounded immediately on their arrival in hospital to find out and supply what they required in the matter of necessary articles. This scheme for supplying free articles was the outcome of the insistence of yourself and General Godley that everything possible should be done for the comfort of the men. At Cairo similar duties were being performed by Chaplain McDonald, who, until his health gave way, worked most devotedly amongst wounded and sick .New-Zealanders wherever located in or near Cairo. Chaplain McDonald also undertook the duty of visiting our patients in the hospital for venereal cases, where his good advice had most beneficial effects. Just before leaving Egypt for Gallipoli, Colonel Esson, by direction of General Godley, arranged with Colonel A. 11. Russell, Colonel Batchelor, and Chaplain McDonald to make any disbursements they might consider necessary to provide additional comforts for our sick in Cairo or wounded that might arrive later. Colonel Charters and Chaplain Greene were empowered to act similarly at the advanced base in Alexandria. When it was found that large numbers of wounded were being diverted to Malta, Chaplain Tobin was sent there to watch their interests, a duty he performed with great success. These arrangements were communicated to New Zealand, and the Government not only confirmed what had been done, but cabled large sums of money to assist, and intimated that more cash was available whenever it was needed. These moneys, and others remitted later from New Zealand from time to time, were administered by the committees at Cairo and Alexandria, for whom they were held in trust by the Staff Paymaster, Major Hutchen, who acted as honorary treasurer. This was the beginning of a good working system. New Zealand was easily first in the field, and set an example which was followed later by others.
5
H.—l9b
To New Zealand must also be given the credit of having established a system whereby our patients could requisition for any additional comforts they might desire, the cost being debited against their pay. They were allowed to spend up to 3s. a week on articles approved by the hospital authorities, the Chaplains sending round orderlies to ascertain their requirements and to purchase the articles for them. These were in addition to articles such as the following, regularly supplied as free gifts by the Chaplains —viz.. razors, shaving-brushes, shaving-soap, strops, pocket looking-glasses, writing-pads, pencils, cigarettes, tobacco, tooth-brushes, toothpowder, combs, &c. Even watches were occasionally supplied by the Chaplains to those that, had lost, theirs. Early in December I was questioned by the General then in command of the Alexandria district about this system, which was commonly known as the "chit" system, and which he expressed his intention of adopting for the benefit of the British troops. At Christmas hospitals and convalescent homes vied with each other in their efforts to give the men as happy a time as possible by decorating the wards and distributing extra delicacies and gifts. In Malta we were not allowed to distribute Christmas gifts to our patients, although at the last moment Australia was permitted to distribute gifts to theirs, as it was found that they had actually been shipped to the island. Before leaving, however, 1 arranged with the British Red Cross Society that if we had patients on the island next Christmas our representative was to have the same right as Australia had to distribute gifts Although they did not receive Christmas gifts from New Zealand, which many had been looking for, our sick and wounded received suitable, presents from the British Red Cross Society, which organization controlled the distribution of all gifts to sick and wounded in Malta. Before leaving Malta I also arranged with the authorities that our Chaplain was to be allowed to distribute extra comforts to our patients there, the only stipulation made by the authorities being that the gifts would first have to be placed in the Red Cross store, and then be drawn upon as required by our Chaplain. This concession was, however, subsequently modified. Of the convalescent camps in Malta. I desire to refer specially to All Saints' Camp, the Commandant of which was Major Burton Mabin, of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. His management, I satisfied myself, was most efficient, and the camp was, 1 believe, looked upon by the authorities as a model one. in Egypt I found that, our hospitals were being well supplied by the different branches of the Red Cross Society in New Zealand. Methods of packing varied, and occasionally no lists of the contents of cases were supplied. For the most part the goods were just what were required, and arrived in. excellent order. At times there might have been a superabundance of one article and a shortage of others, but any shortage was quickly made up by subsequent shipments. Some goods arrived addressed to our No. 1 and others to No. 2 Hospital. The distribution of hospital and Red Cross stores is done at the base under the direction of the New Zealand Director of Medical Services. If these hospitals are moved to England or France, as seems likely, it is possible that clothing, &c, of a warmer nature may be required; but no doubt your Department will be advised of their requirements by the medical officers in charge. You will also have the advice of Mr. Bernard Tripp, who, 1 understand, recently left the Dominion to act on behalf of the New Zealand Red Cross Society. 1 know how hard the ladies of the Dominion have been working to add to the comfort of our sick and wounded. 1 know also that their efforts have not been in vain. The hospital authorities are exceedingly grateful to them for the supplies they have forwarded through the Red Cross and other organizations. My visits to the hospitals and camps enabled me to inform many relatives and friends of members of our Force, who had communicated with me, how patients were progressing, and to carry personal messages to and from them. I was also able to obtain from comrades much information of personal interest to relatives of the fallen. This branch of my work, which occupied no small part of my time, afforded me much satisfaction in that I was able to supplement information supplied officially. Altogether, I paid upwards of one hundred and twenty visits to our sick and wounded and convalescents in Alexandria, Cairo, Mudros, Gallipoli, and Malta, and everywhere I went 1 heard nothing but good about our men from medical officers, nurses, and others. The following is a list of the hospitals, convalescent homes, and convalescent camps I visited : — Alexandria : Greek Hospital (in which a certain number of beds were reserved for the military); No. 21 General, Ras-el-Tin; Lady Godley's Convalescent Home; Lady Godley's Convalescent Home for Officers; Australian Convalescent Home, Ras-el-Tin; Egyptian General Hospital; Annex to Deaconesses' Hospital; No. 19 General (Deaconesses') Hospital; No. 15 (Abbassia School) Hospital; Glymenopoule Hospital (administered by Egyptian Public Health Department); British Red Cross Convalescent Hospital; Bombay Presidency Hospital (formerly St. Stephen's Casino); Indian General Hospital (now used for Indians only); No. 17 General Hospital (Victoria College); Montazah Convalescent Home; Nurses' Rest Home, Aboukir. Cairo: New Zealand No. 2 General Hospital, Pont do Koubbeh ; " Aotea " Convalescent Home, Heliopolis; Lady Godley's Convalescent Home, Zeitoun; Lady Godley's Convalescent Home, Helouan; Shoubra Infectious Diseases Hospital; British Red Cross Hospital, Gezireh. Port Said : New Zealand No. 1 Stationary Hospital. Mudros: Australian No. 2 Stationary Hospital; Australian No. 3 General Hospital; Convalescent Depot; No. 18 General Hospital (British); No. 3 Canadian Hospital. Gallipoli: Australian Hospital, under Walker's Ridge; various Clearing Stations from Anzac to Bauchop's Hill; British Hospital, Helles, near Lancashire Landing.
li. -19b
6
Malta: All Saints' Eospital: St. David's Hospital; St. Paul's Hospital; All Saints' Convalescent Camp; St. George's Hospital; St. Ignatius's Hospital (formerly St. Julian's); Hamrun Hospital for officers; Imtarfa Hospital; St. Patrick's Hospital; St. Andrew's Eospital; St. Andrew's Hospital for officers; Gottonera Hospital: Ricasoli Eospital; Floriana Hospital; Baviere Hospital; Verdala Convalescent Home for Officers; Blue Sisters' Hospital; Valletta Eospital; St. Elimo Eospital; Manoel (Fort) Hospital; Q-hain Tuffieha Convalescent Camp-; Dragonara Convalescent Home for Officers; Tigne Hospital; Spinola Hospital; Fbrrest Hospital: St. John's Hospital; Convalescent Camp on the Island of 6020. (4.) "The receiving through the Government of gift goods and stores for soldiers; the treatment of lln goods mi arrival, and their distribution." On arriving in Egypt 1 found that we had a store on a wharf at Alexandria whore goods were received, sorted, and repacked, this being- necessary as most of the cases contained gifts addressed to men in nearly every unit in the Force. 1 have alread) advised yon thai if the donors do not desire to send gifts in bulk for general distribution to our troops, the gifts should be addressed, if possible, to regiments or to units no smaller than a company or a squadron. In all rases gifts addressed to individuals should be sent by post. As (lie Imperial authorities required the store on the wharf a gilt-store was established in Cairo, a very suitable building being allotted to us for the purpose. On, being appointed to the command of the base, Colonel Esson, C.M.G., reorganized the system of gifts-distribution, and appointed Chaplain Greene to lake charge of all gift goods. As a precautionary measure it was decided to send gifts to the front only when there was an opportunity of placing them in charge of one of our own officers, and Chaplain Greene made a special trip to Almlros with eight hundred eases of Christmas gill goods. In order to save time in resulting gifts on their arrival at the base I recommended to you the establishment of a central depot in Wellington where gifts could be properly packed 111 cases ol* a suitable size and weight. I was pleased to note that you had published the information I sent you about the packing of gift goods, and also my cablegram of the 9th December giving (he size of eases suitable fur (he conditions at Gallipoli-; what would be suitable for France, I, of course, have no knowledge. After his appointment as officer in charge of gifts, Chaplain Greene met every ship at Suez, and superintended the unloading of !;ii'i goods and their subsequent distribution to the men in their stations at the canal. I took it upon myself to have eatables, such as cakes, and other perishable goods arriving in Egypt for men who were known to be in hospital in England forwarded to their comrades at the front. It has since been proved that this was the right, course to lake, as many of these- goods would, I learned, not have stood the journey to England, and would tints have been wasted. 1 had previously given similar instructions with regard to the disposal of perishable goods addressed to dead and missing men. (0.) ''Funds sent through Government channels for the comfort of the sick and lln wounded, including the receiving, distribution, and regular accounting for the same." 1 found that these funds were administered by the Commandant at Headquarters (Egypt 1 of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and the Staff Paymaster, in conjunction with a committee consisting of the Deputy Director of Medical Services, N.Z.E.F., the senior .Mounted and the senior Dismounted Regimental Officer on the station, Chaplain Greene, and the Matrons of the New Zealand convalescent homes. Chaplains Greene, McDonald, Tobin, Thornton, Garner, and Uurridge all acted as distributing agents. They were supplied with cash by the honorary treasured?, Io whom receipted invoices were handed and by whom proper accounts were kept. All receipts and disbursements in connection with these funds are embodied in (he Imprest Account of the Staff Paymaster to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. This account is subject to the usual examination in the Treasury and the Audit in New Zealand, to which receipted vouchers for all expenditure are submitted til short intervals, together with a certificate by the manager of the bank with whom the Force does business giving the credit balance. The account is subject to the scrutiny and examination required by the Public Revenues Act and Treasury Regulations. On being received at Defence Headquarters in the Dominion all vouchers for expenditure out of the funds are referred To the Department of internal Affairs for approval. This money was expended in purchasing fruit, special articles of clothing', and the comforts mentioned under paragraph (3); indeed, anything considered necessary by the hospital staff or visiting Chaplains was almost invariably authorized by the committees. The cheajjest and best method of remitting money for the benefit of our sick and wounded is through the Defence Department, Wellington. (6.) "The. funds and gift goods sent through other sources than the Government." In all cases where funds and gift goods are handed to the General Fund and Gifts Section by individuals with the request that- they be devoted to a specific object every endeavour is made to give effect to the wishes of the donors. Funds and goods arc frequently sent to hospitals and convalescent homes, and are, I tun sure, made good use of by the recipients, (lifts sent for the benefit of individuals are either delivered to them personally or are disposed of on their order, but in this connection I would refer you to my remarks on paragraph (4).
H.—l9b
7
(7.) "The, return of the sick and the wounded to Ncto Zealand; the selection of the men to be returned, and, especially the sending of due notice to the Defence Department as to the number being returned and the nature of their wounds." The Cairo Board for returning men consists of Colonel Parkes, D.D.M.8., and two senior medical officers selected by him; but at Alexandria and Malta, where the number of NewZealamlers is now small, the eases are dealt, with locally. Embarkation lists are always cabled. (8.) " Tin outfits and clothing of wounded soldiers." Men leaving the New Zealand General Hospital and the base at Cairo are plentifully supplied with uniforms and clothing, and are in every way well equipped for the home voyage. At other hospilals regular issues are made, and a medical embarkation, officer is always in attendance at Suez to rectify shortages. Both of our hospital ships carry heavy Red Cross supplies, and the Quartermasters on transports have supplies of uniforms and ordnance clothing. Mr. Norman Brookes, head of the Red Cross Society of Australia in Egypt, informed me that they prepared a kit for each man, which was served out to him after he had been allotted his quarters on hospital ship or transport, and that a receipt was taken from the officer in charge for every kit. (9.) " Information, giving particulars of death, burial, and place of interment of men who have diid in battle or from other causes, with the view of supplying such informal inn to their relatives." As stated in paragraph (1), reports of all men killed in action, of.deaths in hospital, also reports of the wounded and the missing, are cabled to your Department from the New Zealand Records Office at Alexandria. Having received, before leaving the Dominion, many inquiries from anxious relatives and friends of men reported as missing, T did my best immediately cut arrival in Egypt to clear up the mystery surrounding these eases. After making the fullest possible inquiries it, was with regret that T cabled you on the 9th October to the effect, that there was little prospect of finding any of the missing men. It was hoped that of the large number so posted manjr would be found to be prisoners of war, but this proved to be a vain hone, as up to the 7th December the names of only twenty-two New-Zealanders wore on the lists of prisoners of war supplied by the Foreign Consuls at Constantinople. T understand that you published the lists as they came to hand from time to time. Since the evacuation Courts of Inquiry have been held by the different units in the hope of clearing up the outstanding cases, in most of which the decision lias been "Missing: believed to be dead." One had only (o visit, Gallipoli to appreciate the difficulties of the units in arriving at decisions in such cases, and to understand why no more definite pionouncement than this could be given. Wherever possible'particulars of the death, the burial, and the place of interment of deceased soldiers are sent on forms A.F.BIOS and A.F.2090,\. Metal crosses are being erected on the trraves of those buried in Egypt, and until these are erected broad concrete blocks are placed at the head of each grave, as is shown in the accompanying photograph. T arranged with the Commandant at, the base to have protographs taken of the graves of our men that had fallen as soon as the crosses were in position, and to send the photographs to the next-of-kin. Plans of the cemeteries are in the custody of the military officials having charge of the cemeteries, and T satisfied myself that there would be no difficulty in identifying the graves. At Malta, owing to land being limited, the cemeteries are small, and except in the Case of officers three men are buried in each grave. New-Zealanders were thus sometimes buried with British and Australian comrades. Notwithstanding this, I had arranged with the authorities in Malta that a separate memorial was Io mark the burial-place of each of our men that had died there. After my return to Egypt, however, I was informed by Chaplain Tobin that the authorities had decided that the graves were to be left as they are at; present, but that in a year or two hence the stone slabs sealing the graves were to be removed, the graves mounded up and planted with flowers, and the question of suitable memorials considered. This, of course, will Involve a different form of memorial, probably one memorial for each grave in which three burials havetaken place, as was suggested by His Excellency the Governor, Lord Methuen, when T discussed the matter with him.. At Gallipoli T found that many of the solitary graves which are to be met with throughout the Anzac area, as well as those in cemeteries, had been marked by comrades of the fallen soldiers with inscribed wooden crosses, and in some cases with sandstone boulders. There is a danger. however, in the event of the scrub catching fire, of the wooden crosses being destroyed ; but in all cases the Chaplains, T think, kept records of the graves, and also made plans of the positions. as desired by me on the occasion of my visit to the peninsula. T attach photographs of two cemeteries showing memorials already erected —one of a general cemetery in Shrapnel Cully, and the other of graves of New-Zealanders on Plugge's Plateau. Anzac. T also attach plans which I made of two small cemeteries at Gallipoli. Plan No. 1 shows the graves of New-Zealanders. with one or two exceptions, while about half of the graves shown in No. 2 are also of New-Zealanders. In Mudros East Cemetery the majority of the graves had already been marked by wooden crosses, ami on the 6th November, when my secretary, Mr. Crow, visited il, he made a record of all the graves of New-Zealanders on which crosses had been placed. As you will see from the record, New-Zealanders are in two instances buried in the same graves with comrades from other parts of (lie Empire, but in most cases they are buried in separate graves. This was a combined British and French military cemetery, and was exceptionally well kept.
H.—l9b
8
I will presently submit to you a memorandum referring to a scheme for the care of the graves of Australian and New Zealand soldiers buried at Anzac, and generally for the beautifying of the whole of the Anzac zone. This scheme was placed before me by Mr. Walter Draper, F.L.S., Director of the Egyptian Government Gardens at the Delta Barrage. His proposals appear to me somewhat extensive, as, in addition to the necessary tracks and the beautifying of the graves, they include rather elaborate flower-borders at the sides of the tracks. Mr. Draper had, of course! not visited Gallipoli. I am sure if he had done so he would have come to the conclusion that the place, apart from the immediate neighbournood of the graves, should be kept as much as possible in a state of nature. In addition to the Anzac zone, we also have an interest in Helles, where our Infantry Brigade lost so heavily during the month of May, 1915. It is to be remembered also that it is not only New Zealand and Australia that are interested in Gallipoli, but also the British Isles, Newfoundland, and India, each of which has fallen soldiers there. (10.) " The procedure necessary to deal with moneys belonging to deceased soldiers when held in banks, dec, in Egypt, Malta, or elsewhere." Recoveries can be made on the receipt of the Commandant at Headquarters in Egypt, and are credited to deceased soldiers' accounts. A demand for recovery is made at once where itis known that a banking account exists. Arrangements have been made for the checking of deathcertificates with the ledgers in the leading Cairo and Alexandria banks. Wherever relatives have reason to believe that there is money to the credit of deceased soldiers they should let Headquarters, N.Z.E.F., Cairo, know by letter or by cablegram addressed " Zealandia, Cairo." Money coming to the Records Office in the effects of deceased soldiers is handed by that office to our Pay Department. (11.) " The recovering and, forwarding to New Zealand of the kits and, other belongings of deceased, soldiers." The kits and other belongings of deceased soldiers are forwarded to New Zealand without delay. Finding that the effects of men posted as " missing " were being held in Egypt indefinitely, I cabled you on the sth December the suggestion, which you approved of, that after men had been posted as missing for three months their effects be returned to the Dominion. (12.) "The mail and postal service, avid especially the alleged non-delivery or late delivery of mails and parcels." Soon after my arrival in Egypt I went into the question of our postal service, and found that the business of our advanced-base post-office was carried on in a portion of a shed on a wharf at the Alexandria Docks —an altogether unsuitable building, being small and inconveniently situated. Provision had, however, been made for the removal of the office to a spacious building in the centre of the city, which proved most suitable for the purpose. Those blaming our postal organization for non-delivery or late delivery of mail-matter fail to appreciate the difficulties attending all postal services at the beginning of the war. Lieutenant McCurdy, officer in charge of our advanced-base post-office, who had many difficulties to overcome, deserves credit for his general management and organization. Immediately on my arrival he represented to me that many of his staff had had no previous experience of postal work, the majority of them having been taken from the ranks of the men unfit for active service, known as the B class. This could not be helped when the postal service was initiated, as every available sound man was required in the firing-line. With the view of strengthening his staff and so improving its efficiency to cope with the enormously increased business, Lieutenant McCurdy represented to me that postal men belonging to other units should be attached to the staff. I accordingly made representations to General Godley on the matter, with satisfactory results. Early in October our postal staff comprised thirty of all ranks for the advanced-bast! office at Alexandria, three for each of the four field offices, and four for the stationary post-office at, Zeitoun, making a total of forty-six. The staff of the Alexandria office then consisted of fifteen postal and telegraph men, the remainder being made up of men from the following trades and professions : one accountant, one bricklayer, one bootmaker, three carpenters, three clerks, one labourer, one mining engineer, one sailmaker, one schoolmaster, one seaman, one tinsmith. When I left Egypt, towards the end of March our base post-office had an efficient staff of thirty-two, that being the establishment of an Army post-office, and four supernumeraries. At times, however, it was found necessary to take on others as supernumerary to the establishment, and owing to heavy work at Christmas the services of no less than nineteen extra men were required. Early this year the Imperial authorities ordered the removal of our base post-office to Suez, where a large building was in course of erection for the accommodation of the British, the Australian, and the New Zealand post-offices, but owing to the redistribution of our troops I cannot say whether the building will now be utilized by us as a, post-office. At, Gallipoli T found that the majority of those that had remained there since the first landing, such as men in the Artillery, had. received their letters and parcels regularly. Tn the case of men who had moved from station to station, from hospital to hospital, and from convalescent camp to convalescent, camp, delays and non-delivery of letters and parcels took place, 1 have already advised you that many mails were lost through the sinking of transports, the destruction of lighters at, Anzac, and the shelling of mule-trains. In order to facilitate the delivery of mail-matter a card system was adopted on the suggestion of Colonel Esson, and in accordance with section 102, paragraph 2, of the Field Service Regulations. Under this system officers and men detached from their units are required to send cards to the officer in charge of the base post-office notifying him of changes of address, and the units or places to which they desire their mail-matter to be sent.
9
IL--19b
1 inquired as to how it happened that letters had in a few cases been erroneously returned direct to the senders marked "Deceased," "Killed in action," &c, and found that this had been done by officers and comrades instead of returning the letters to the post-office for verification. It is quite possible that a few letters so marked were returned through the office itself when it was short-staffed and had to rely upon the units for its information. Mistakes were also made in hospitals. In one case the High Commissioner sent the officer in charge of our records at Alexandria an enevelope endorsed on the back " Died in General Hospital, 7/9/15," ami signed by the Colonel in charge of Ihe hospital. The enevelope, which was handed to the High Commissioner by the addressee himself, is stamped on the front "Verified al Records Base M.E.F." —that is the British Army Records Office. On inquiring at the hospital the officer in charge of our records was informed (hat a mistake had been made, a man of the same name as the addressee having died about (he time the envelope was endorsed. The man responsible for the mistake was dismissed. I am glad to say that there is now a belter check, and that very few, if any, such unfortunate occurrences are likely to happen in the future. Another cause of non-delivery of mail-matter was that parcels were often incorrectly or badly addressed. In all the military post-offices I visited I found a large number of parcels without labels, flimsy labels or labels the gum of which had perished in the tropics having become detached. Many addresses, too, were destroyed owing to the contents of the parcels being of a liquid nature. 1 was glad to note that, subsequent to my cabling to you on the subject, New Zealand parcels were being much better packed, and that fewer perishable articles likely to get adrift were being sent. Causes for non-delivery and delay in the delivery of mail-matter are set forth in detail in a memorandum from Lieutenant McCurdy, attached hereto. Before leaving for Egypt I received from Mr. W. R. Morris, Secretary of the New Zealand I'osl and Telegraph Department, a number of valuable suggestions which experience had shown his officers i! was desirable to give effect to. In every ease these suggestions have been put into operation with very beneficial results to our Army postal service. At Malta, in the early stages of the operations, long delays took place in the delivery of correspondence. Later, however, the British Army Postal Service established there a "Wounded " Army Post-office, and when I visited the island late in December I found the delivery of correspondence to our men in the hospitals and the convalescent, camps to lie quite satisfactory, excepting that, owing to the infrequenoy of communication with the island, mails had often necessarily to be held a long time in Egypt, As regards- the procedure followed in the distribution of mail-matter in the uifi'erent, Army post-offices, I found that the Australian office sorted letters into battalions and sent them to the front twice, while the British office sent them once. On (he return to the latter office of undelivered letters they were kept for six weeks, at the end of which time, if the addressees could mil be found, the letters were sent to England. The procedure followed in the New Zealand office was to sort all letters alphabetically, to pick out those for men who were known not to be at the front, and then Io despatch by first transport the remainder arranged according to battalions. Consequently our sick and wounded in the hospitals and convalescent homes received their correspondence promptly, while British and Australian patients had to wait until theirs had been returned from the front. A system had been adopted before my departure from Egypt of listing all parcels and receiving a, receipt for (hem upon delivery. It was hoped that as a result of this precautionary measure fewer parcels would go astray. For a long time many were so badly packed that they had to be repacked at our base post-office before being sent on Io (he front, but our system of forwarding parcels in boxes from New Zealand now ensures (heir safe arrival at the base. I found that New Zealand was the only country to make this provision I'm- the safe transit of its parcels. On the occasion of my visit to the Parcels Branch of the Australian Base Post-office at Alexandria I hail ample evidence that our method was the best, for I found in that office many parcels that had been crushed to atoms, and even strong tins were flattened. 1 was informed that in some of their bags 50 per cent, of the contents were either damanged or destroyed. In the course of conversation with me in December the General Officer Commanding the Alexandria District bore testimony to the efficiency of our office, saying that it compared most favourably with the Army post-offices of other countries, and this is the opinion I formed as the result of my inquiries. In view of the growing business of our Army posl-offices and of the further distribution of our troops, I deemed it advisable (o recommend to you the appointment of a Director of New Zealand Army Postal Services, who should be a senior officer of good organizing ability. It would be his duty to supervise all our Army postal arrangements wherever our troops might be located ; and he would, of course, be attached to the Base Headquarters Staff of our Expeditionary Force. (13.) " Any other matters affecting the well-being, comfort, and health of New Zealand soldiers." From what T could learn our men must, in the early stages of the Gallipoli campaign, have suffered very hard fare, their rations consisting- then for the most part of biscuits and bully-beef; but when they returned to Anzac after two months' rest at Lemnos the catering was very much better. They then received, in addition to other rations, fresh bread and fresh meat three times a week, besides rice and a small quantity of preserved milk. The weather by that time had become comparatively cool, and I found that there was an urgent demand for oatmeal. General 0. N. Johnston, of Hie Artillery, who had been able to gel small supplies of oatmeal from the war-
2—H. 19b.
H.—l9b
10
ships, informed me that in consequence of these there had been a marked improvement in the health of his men. I therefore, on my return to Egypt towards the end of November, cabled to you for a supply of oatmeal, and you promptly informed me that you would ship 20 tons in the course of a few days, and that a further supply of 20 tons would follow by a January transport In addition to this, and in order to obtain, as 1 thought, an immediate supply, 1 cabled to the High Commissioner for £100 worth, to be shipped to the front to General Russell, commanding the New Zealand and Australian Division. In consequence of the evacuation, however, our troops had returned to Egypt before the latter arrived, and, as a matter of fact, the New Zealand supply was the first, to be received. I therefore had the London shipment distributed amongst, our hospitals and convalescent homes. A canteen was established at lmbros, to which regiments occasionally had opportunities to send for stores. Unfortunately it was apparently impossible to get sufficient provisions, as those that were obtained were quickly exhausted. The V.M.C.A. established a small store at Anzac, but being dependent on the canteen for its supplies it was - quickly sold out of anything it secured. Owing to the plague of flies and to other reasons, the difficulty of keeping the trenches at Gallipoli in a sanitary condition was very great, and it was necessary for all officers to be particularly alert. I found that our trenches were as well kept as those of others, and in Major Carbery we had an active sanitary officer, who seemed never satisfied that something better could not, be accomplished. Imperial Advisory Committee. —The Imperial authorities were also fully alive to the necessity for improving the sanitary conditions at the front, and particularly for safeguarding the health of the troops by a wider system of inoculation. They accordingly appointed an Advisory Committee for the Prevention of Epidemic Diseases in the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, consisting of Colonel W. Hunter, A.M.S., Colonel Balfour, Lieut.-Colonel G. S. Buchanan, R.A.M.C, of the London Board of Health, and Lieut.-Colonel L. S. Dudgeon, R.A.M.C, Pathologist and Bacteriologist of St. Thomas's Hospital, London, who were to advise Surgeon-General Babtie on all matters connected with sanitation and the general health of the troops. The members of the Commission visited all positions in, the Mediterranean, Gallipoli, Salonika, Malta, etc., and subsequently made a report. I had many interviews with them, and on my request they submitted to me, through General Babtie, a report dealing with the various questions I had placed before them. A copy of the report is attached. I. also attach copy of correspondence with you, the High Commissioner, and Colonel Dudgeon on the subject. Enteric. —ln connection with the Commissioners' remarks upon enteric amongst our troops, I would ask your perusal of the accompanying letter, dated 15th December, 1915, from Colonel Parkes, D.D.M.S., N.Z.E.F. From this you will learn that statistics from our No. 2 General Hospital at Pont de Koubbeh, Cairo, compared favourably with the statistics of No. 21 General Hospital at Alexandria, one of the largest hospitals in Egypt, the latter showing 65 per cent, of fatal enteric cases amongst British troops, and the former only 5 per cent, amongst ours. Vaccines. —As regards the statement, in the report that inoculations had been made with vaccine prepared from a culture obtained from a bone-abscess of some fourteen years' duration, 1 could not ascertain on what evidence this statement was made, but I assured the members of the Commission that they must have been misinformed in this respect. Since my return I have ascertained that no one but Major Hurley, the New Zealand Government Bacteriologist, was in a position to give evidence as to the histor}' of the culture from which a great part of the vaccine used was made, and he informs me that, the direct statement as to the origin of the culture, and the implied statement that, the strain was unsuitable for a vaccine, are both quite contrary to fact. The Commissioners appear to have been misled, or to have had confused evidence in regard to some other vaccine with evidence about the New Zealand vaccines. That the strain of typhoid bacillus was a suitable one to prepare a vaccine from is shown by the fact that vaccines made from it proved efficient in New Zealand during epidemics of typhoid, and according to the report alreadj' referred to of Colonel Parkes the vaccine compared favourably with vaccines used to inoculate other troops in the Mediterranean. The Commissioners were also mistaken in assuming that only one make of vaccine was used, for, as a matter of fact, two other makes besides the one referred to above were used. The Commissioners have also undoubtedly been misled by the return furnished by the New Zealand Records Office, as it includes, I am informed, under the name "enteric," not, only cases of typhoid, but also cases of parat}qihoid A. fever and paratyphoid B fever. Moreover, the report does not give the number of troops exposed to infection, which is an important point in such statistics. The vaccine supplied by the New Zealand vaccine station was anti-typhoid vaccine, and was intended to protect, or at least partially protect, against typhoid fever, but not against paratyphoid A fever nor against paratyphoid B fever. Colonel Parkes in his letter called attention to the necessity of using a combined vaccine when the three fevers are prevalent. I therefore lost no time in obtaining, through Colonel Dudgeon, cultures of the paratyphoid A bacillus and the paratyphoid B bacillus that had been isolated from cases in Egypt, and these were forwarded to the vaccine station in New Zealand. I have since been informed that the cultures were received in good condition, and were being used in the preparation of a combined vaccine. Venereal Diseases. —During my stay in Egypt I communicated with you confidentially on this subject, and informed you that General Maxwell, G.O.C. (Egypt), was having a confidential .report prepared, a copy of which, at my request, he promised to forward to you. This, I understand, you have now received. Since my return I have also forwarded you a further confidential memorandum on the subject. Young Men's Christum Association. —The work done by the V.M.C.A. in the camps deserves special mention. Wherever possible this association establishes marquees or other shelters for reading, writing, and wholesome amusement, and also places where light refreshments can be obtained.
11
H.—l9b
I desire to mention particularly the good work of the V.M.C.A. in the Esbekieh Gardens in Cairo. There many hundreds of soldiers from all parts of the Empire congregated during the day and in the evening. 1 cannot do better than quote the following brief account, of that work supplied to me in March by Mr. J. L. Hay, the popular and hard-working representative in Egypt of the New Zealand V.M.C.A. :— " It is now some six mouths since the V.M.C.A. commenced its work for soldiers in the Esbekieh Gardens, Cairo. Beyond the work of the British Soldiers' Cafe, which is situated in the same gardens, nothing of any importance had up to that time been attempted to cope in any adequate manner wdth the urgent need of providing some suitable place for rest and amusement for the thousands of soldiers that daily frequented Cairo. Assisted by the military authorities and the Government, a piece of ground, about an acre in extent, in these public gardens was taken over by the V.M.C.A. On this there existed a skating-rink, refreshment-buffet, and a theatrical stage. These were made use of, and in addition a building large enough to provide every facility for reading, writing, games, &c, was erected. Adjoining this piece of ground was a restaurant, and arrangements were made with tho proprietor to supply lunches and dinners exclusively to soldiers at reduced rates. " Within a few weeks of its inception the Soldiers' Recreation Club, as it was named, soon became a very popular rendezvous for soldiers when on leave in Cairo. The strategic position of the gardens, light in the heart of the city, combined with delightful surroundings, no doubt accounted for the club's popularity. Here the soldiers were away from the somewhat objectionable Native element so apparent in the streets of Cairo, and this, together with the coolness and the comfort the club provided, was in itself a source of much attraction, Besides doing everything to make the club comfortable for the men, however, one of the main objects was to provide some form of amusement every night—something to be a counteracting agency to the evils that exist in Cairo, as perhaps in no other city. To this end concerts, athletic events, movingpicture shows, lectures, &c, were arranged, the aim being to have some form of amusement running every night of the week. In some measure success has been obtained in this direction, and large numbers of soldiers are to be found nightly at. the club interested in whatever is going on. Skates for linking may be had at low rates, and the rink is used largely for skating events, such as hockey, racing, &o, Admission is always entirely free, and every endeavour is made to make the men feel that the club is their own. The latest papers and magazines are always available, and upwards of thirty thousand letters are written every week. The men are cared for spiritually, bright attractive services being held every Sunday. " Some three months ago an important innovation took place. Hitherto the refresh-ment-buffet had been under the control of a private company, but on the arrival of a number of lady volunteer helpers from England and New Zealand a rearrangement was effected, and now the men are served with refreshments that are handled exclusively by ladies. That the men appreciate the change is evidenced by the remarkable development of this department, necessitating extensive alterations and additions. It is estimated that on an ordinary Saturday over seven thousand men are served with refreshments. The ladies give their services gladly and freely, and the men are loud in their praises of what they are doing for them. " At the present, moment hot baths are being installed, and extra buildings are being erected to make things as comfortable as possible for the approaching summer. " Every assistance has been given by military and civic authorities alike to make the club a success, and whenever they have been approached their hearty co-operation has been forthcoming." On the arrival of the New Zealand lady volunteer helpers referred to by Mr. flay, two of their number interviewed me and informed me that so far they had met with no success in their efforts to obtain work in hospitals or other institutions established in the interests of the sick and Ihe wounded, but that they had been offered employment in the V.M..C.A. canteen in the Esbekieh Gardens, Having heard from the authorities that there was little prospect of employment in military hospitals for women other than trained nurses, and there being also many (rained nurses out of employment in Egypt, I strongly advised tho deputation to accept the offer of the V.M.C.A. This they did, entering into their work whole-heartedly, and being cordially welcomed tiot only by New Zealand soldiers, but by soldiers from all. other parts of the Empire. I heard nothing but appreciation of their work. Chaplains. With regard to the organization of Chaplains, I found on inquiry that Chaplain l.uxford had acted as Senior Chaplain, but, that after he was wounded no one had been appointed in his stead. After consultation with Colonels Esson and Charters, I was of the opinion that it would be desirable not to appoint a chaplain of any denomination to have control of the others, but that the Commandant at the Base Headquarters should organize the service and allot the Chaplains to where they were wanted. On the occasion of my visit to Gallipoli only two of our Chaplains were then left on duty there. These two were doing excellent work, as the others that had left owing to illness and wounds had done, but finding tho strain on them to be very great I advised the Commandant to make frequent changes, and to give each Chaplain in turn a chance of doing duty at the front. At Mudros the hospitals in which our men were located had no New Zealand Chaplain attached to them. I therefore arranged for Chaplain Ross, who was available but who was about to
12
H.—l9b
relieve Chaplain Burridge, of our No, 1 Hospital, to be sent to Mudros instead of to Salonika. At the same time 1 forwarded a request to the authorities at Salonika that a Chaplain be appointed to attend to the requirements of the hospital until Chaplain Burridge, who was on the " Marquette" when she was torpedoed, was sufficiently recovered to enable him to return. While on the subject, of Chaplains I desire to say that I was greatly impressed with their work both in the field and in the hospitals. Owing to the distances separating the many hospitals and convalescent homes in (he Alexandria district, in which New Zealand patients were located —some of them being in the country —it was found necessary that Chaplain Greene should have the exclusive use of a motor-car to facilitate his visits to those institutions; and later, when he was placed in charge of our gifts store at Cairo, the work in connection with the distribution of gifts also necessitated his having the use of a car. The one (hat he had been using had done good service, but the time had almost arrived when it should lie scrapped. I therefore ordered a new car for him from England for his sole use. This arrived shortly before I left. Nurses. I received many expressions of appreciation with regard to the qualifications of New Zealand sisters, and it was evident thai all those despatched from this country had received a thorough (.raining and were well qualified to carry out the duties imposed upon them. Of the las( contingent of one hundred nurses sent from New Zealand at the request of the Imperial authorities some seven or eight were at the time of my departure still staying at the Seiniramis Hotel, a large building on the banks of the Nile which had been taken over by the military authorities for the accommodation of unemployed nurses from Great Britain and the overseas Dominions. Some of the contingent hail found work in the Anglo-American Hospital, a private institution in Cairo, in which a certain number of beds were reserved for the military ; while others were employed in a new British hospital which had just been established at Abbassia, Cairo. As you are aware, the fifty that, arrived by the hospital ship " Marama " were sent to England. In the course of my visits to the hospitals I received suggestions from a number of British nurses that for a change they be sent to New Zealand in charge of patients on returning Iran sports, ami that New Zealand nurses be sent on hospital ships going to England. I saw Miss Oram, the Matron-in-Chief, Q. A .1.M.N.5., about this matter, and she pointed out thai there would be difficulties in regard to pay, but, that in some cases the authorities had been able to send our nurses to England in hospital ships. I submit the proposal io you for consideration. In my letter to you of the Bth December last I mentioned that all Home nurses were designated "Sisters," and that it was a lowering of the status of ours to designate them "Staff nurses," these being in a lower grade in Ha- scale of the R.A.M.C. I understand, you subsequently approved of the designation " Sister " being applied to all New Zealand Army Service nurses. Field Ambulances. Colonel Parkes urged that the greatest, care be exercised in the selection and the training of men for our Field Ambulances, and that if there was not sufficient time Io train them in New Zealand they should be trained on the way to the front. Of eighty men sent by one ship, only ten had, he said, received any training. I understand, however, that Ambulance recruits arcnow receiving a thorough training at Awapuni. Dental Services. New Zealand was the only country to organize a dental service at (he beginning of the Gallipoli campaign, and received kudos from the authorities for having done so. Owing, however, to the demand for dentists by other units than our own, our dentists became very scattered, and, although not giving all the attention that could have been desired Io New Zealand troops, they were rendering great assistance to the general cause. Before leaving I discussed the matter fully with Colonel Parkes, who was then drawing up a scheme of organization. This, J understand, he has since submited to you. Following our lead, Australia has now established a dental service. Orders ok Pay. An officer of our Force represented (o me that thousands of pounds were being remitted through the Anglo-Egyptian Bank and other agencies to soldiers in Egypt by friends who had received orders on their pay, and that such money was in most cases squandered by the recipients. I do not suggest that orders on pay should be abolished but that, if possible, there should be greater supervision of the purposes for which orders are given. As fraudulent, cablegrams asking for money are known to have been sent to relatives of our men, I suggest that, as long as our troops remain in Egypt, all remittances, both from the Department and from private individuals, be sent through the Paymaster. Soldiers' Christmas Messages. 1 interviewed the Superintendent of the Eastern Telegraph Company, Cairo, about establishing code words for soldiers' Christmas greetings to New Zealand, but, owing to (lie near approach of Christmas and the delays that, would have taken place in communicating with London and New Zealand, 1 found that it was too late to make a satisfactory arrangement last year. There will, however, be ample time before next Christmas to consider the matter if it is thought, advisable to follow it up.
H.—l9b
13
ShbbpskiM Waistcoats. Of the sheepskin waistcoats sent from the Dominion for the use of our troops last winter, I have to state that approximately 5,000 waistcoats, the contents of 106 bales, were issued to the men that were at Mitdros, 150 were sent to Salonika for distribution to the staff of No. 1 Stationary Hospital, and 10(1 were, on the suggestion of the D.D.M.S., issued to our motor and transport drivers during a spell of cold weather. In view of the evacuation General Godley informed me that a further issue of these waistcoats would not be necessary last winter. After conferring by cablegram with you on the subject., and being satisfied by a leather expert that (hey could be safely Stored, I arranged thai the balance of about 11,000 were to be stored al our Bast- Depot Cairo, until such time as they were required. As a precautionary measure it was thought advis able to open up the bales and to treat each waistcoat, and before T left Egypt (he Oommandanl informed, me that arrangements had been made to do this. Motor Ambulances. Motor ambulances belonging to our Expeditionary Force were doing general service for the Red Cross Society in Alexandria, Cairo, and Port Said, and were highly appreciated. Before going to Malta 1 ascertained that some of our motor ambulances were being used there, and 1 subsequently ascertained that live had, by order of the military authorities in Malta, been taken off a transport which called there on ils way to Egypt from England, These ambulances were, I was informed, the most useful on the island, and had arrived at a critical time when many sick and wounded were being landed from Gallipoli. 1 communicated with General Godley on the matter, and it was arranged thai they should remain at Malta until they were required by our Field Ambulances. As they had no distinguishing mark except small brass plates inscribed with the names of the donors, I gave instructions thai they were to have the same mark as all our other ambulances namely, " New Zealand Expeditionary Force " and a \-n\ cross. Colonel Parkes found il necessary later to send to Malta for these ambulances, three of which I saw in our garage at Cairo. Stokes. Owing to tin- inferior quality of some of the jam supplied Io the troops the suggestion was made to me that shipments of the best brands of New Zealand jam would be very acceptable to our men. Such shipments should be sent in tins of the size of condensed-milk tins, and packed in bound cases showing the names and the addresses of the senders. Regular shipments of New Zealand condensed milk, potatoes, ami apples would be acceptable, also oatmeal during the winter months. These, however, could now only be sent as gifts, not as supplies, the Imperial authorities having, before I left Egypt, taken over the control of all supplies. Catering was therefore to rest, with them for the future. While on the subject of stores I desire to refer to our Stores Supply Depot al Zeiloun. which was under the control of Captain May. formerly of the Electrical Branch of the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Department; who joined our Force in London. Everything in the depot appeared Io be satisfactory. In method and orderliness it bore more comparison with the French depots I saw at Helles and Lenmos than with any others that came under my observation. Captain May informed me that of the supplies received from New Zealand In- had found only one brand of jam and one of butter unsatisfactory. He had made representations to your Department on the subject. This is the only complaint 1 heard about the quality of the food supplied to outtroops, except one with regard to a certain brand of tinned meat. This meat, however, was mil supplied by New Zealand. Military Bands. It is desirable that each brigade should have a band. That attached to the First Infantry Brigade was quartered at Anzac with (he reserve battalion in Chailak Dero when the battalion was holding the lines at tin- apex, and its playing in the evenings was greatly appreciated by the men. Regimental Funds. A Brigadier-Cetieral represented Io me that, while some, battalions had left New Zealand well supplied with regimental funds, others had come away with little or nothing. Another Brigadier-General stated that units like the Artillery, the Engineers, and the A.S.C. were frequently overlooked by people sending gift goods and money to units. I found that all Commanding Officers had, wherever possible, established regimental funds from which (he men could draw to obtain any extras they desired, or accessories for games and sports. Since my return to jI io Dominion I have ascertained that provision has been made for regimental funds for all units. AVAR (IORBESPONDBNTS. During my stay at Gallipoli I found thai the life of war correspondents was a particularlyarduous and dangerous one. At all times they ran the risk, in the trenches and behind them, of being hit by shells or stray bullets, and during She early operations and up to the end of August their risks were undoubtedly great. I found, too, that all had suffered from one or other of the prevailing illnesses. Though suffering severely from illness, our official correspondent, Mr. Malcolm Ross, in spite of doctors' advice (hat he should leave Gallipoli, pluckily remained there watching the evacuation operations for ten days. His three articles on the evacuation, which I was privileged to read before their despatch Io the Dominion, give a graphic and detailed account of those memorable operations. Mr. Ross had an exceptional opportunity of observing the final movements, for, when the other correspondents were ordered to the war ships, he was sent to a hospital ship, which lay closer to the shore than the former. He had thus a, better general view up and down the coast.
H.—l9b
14
Surprise was expressed that articles by Captain Bean, the Australian Official War Correspondent, were sometimes received here before those of our own correspondent. This was owing to the system adopted by Australia of having its correspondent's articles telegraphed to Melbourne from Fremantle. I thought it advisable to communicate with you on the subject, and you at once gave permission for Mr. Ross to cable any news of important engagements or events. Prominence had for some considerable time been given to the operations of the Commonwealth Forces by an arrangement made by the Australian Government to have duplicates of the articles by Captain Bean, sent to their High Commissioner for publication in London newspapers. To my- suggestion that a similar arrangement be made for the publication in London of our correspondent's articles you at once agreed. In this connection 1 desire to remark that no correspwondent could be present at all engagements extending over a wide front. Correspondents have therefore-to help one another. For instance, Mr. Ross would get from Captain Bean information with regard to what took place in the Australian lines, and would reciprocate by supplying Captain Bean with information about the operations of the New-Zealanders, as at Hill 60, where Mr. Ross was the only war correspondent present. Under this reciprocal arrangement wider publicity is given to the general operations. As regards censorship of war correspondents' articles, 1 learned that, if any discrimination existed, it was certainly in favour of New Zealand, on account of its distance from the theatre of operations. The policy of censorship is laid down in printed regulations. Mention of names, except in very special circumstances, is not permitted. Historical Matter. I received a cablegram from you on the loth October as follows : — " Would be glad if you would communicate with Mr. Malcolm Ross with a view to securing his co-operation in our endeavour to obtain a collection of historical material, such as trophies, newspapers printed on transport and in camp, photographs and sketches, autographs of principal military and naval officers, home-made utensils illustrating the ingenuity of troops, and geological specimens of soils and rocks in which the trenches, Ac, are excavated." On the sth December I wrote you as follows from Alexandria: — " Your cablegram of the 15th October with reference to a collection of historical matter, &c, reached me shortly before I left for Anzac. While there I discussed the cablegram with General Godley, also with Genera] G. N. Johnston, R.F.A., and Mr. M. Ross, our Official War Correspondent, and left copies of it with them. " Mr, Ross undertook to do what he could in the matter of collecting newspapers printed on transports and in camps, and has himself taken numerous photographs at the front. I would not care to put our correspondent to the task of collecting the autographs of senior military and naval officers, as these officers do not care to be bothered in that way at a time like this. Moreover, war correspondents have at all times to walk warily. " I did not see any home-made utensils illustrating the ingenuity of troops that would be worth bringing back to New Zealand. These generally consisted of kerosenetins and oil-drums fitted into clay banks as cooking-stoves. "As to geological specimens of soils and rocks, I think these could be more easily collected after the war is over, the trouble at present being to get them packed and despatched. The same difficulty applies to shells and shell-cases. I may say that, General Johnston, R.F.A., had made a collection of artillery shells, which he intended to send to the Wellington Museum, but which were taken away by some one else. I have, however, asked him to collect some more and to send them to you. Perhaps if you sent him a note it would still further stimulate his interest. The time fuses, marked with Turkish figures, appear to me most interesting trophies. These are generally brought home by the finders —in fact, I saw men running to get fuses when shells were bursting." * I might, add that while I was at Helles Colonel (now Brigadier-General) G. S. Richardson promised to send you some interesting war souvenirs, but it is probable that owing to the evacuation he was unable to give effect to the promise. Message from His Majesty the King. I was privileged to meet Field-Marshal Lord Kitchener at Gallipoli in November, when he was good enough to make me the bearer to the people of New Zealand of a message which His Majesty the King had entrusted him with for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. This message I cabled to you on the first opportunity. It was subsequently embodied in the following Special Army Corps Order issued by General Birdwood : — " 25th November, 1915. "Lord Kitchener has desired me to convey to the Australian and New Zealand. Army Corps a message with which he was specially entrusted by the King to bring to our Army Corps. "His Majesty commanded Lord Kitchener to express his. high appreciation of the gallant and unflinching conduct of our men through fighting which has been as hard as any yet seen during the war, and His Majesty wishes to express his complete confidence in the determination and fighting qualities of our men to assist in carrying this war to an entirely successful termination.
15
H.—l9b
" Lord Kitchener has ordered me to express to all the very great pleasure it gave him to have the opportunity, which he considers a privilege, of visiting ' Anzac ' to see for himself some of the wonderfully good work which has been done by the officers and men of our Army Corps, as it was not until he had himself seen the positions we had captured and held that he was able fully to realize the magnitude of the work which had been accomplished. Lord Kitchener much regretted that time did not permit of his seeing the whole corps, but he was very pleased to see a considerable proportion of officers and men, and to find all in such good heart, and so confidently imbued with that grand spirit which has carried them through all their trials and many dangerous feats of arms, a spirit which he is quite confident they will maintain to the end, until they have taken their full sha.re in completely overthrowing our enemies. " Boys, we may all well be proud to receive such messages, and it is up to all of us to live up to them and prove their truth. " W. R. BIRDWOOD." I desire to take this opportunity of saying that during my frequent visits to their lines with Generals Birdwood and Godley and others I was extremely pleased to note the firm friendship that existed between the soldiers of Australia and New Zealand, and the admiration expressed by each of the fighting qualities of the other. There is no doubt that a lasting bond of friendship between Commonwealth and Dominion has been forged by the difficulties and the dangers which the heroes of Anzac shared in common. When bidding me farewell at Mudros General Birdwood desired me to convey to you his appreciation of the services rendered by New-Zealanders in the Army Corps commanded by him, and to tell you that he would gladly welcome as many more such men as New Zealand could send. I consider it, an honour to have been entrusted by the Government, with a mission to Forces that have made such a name for themselves, and if I have been of service in promoting their comfort and well-being T am amply repaid for any little sacrifice I may have made. Conclusion. As already stated, I had intended to spend a week or two with our men in their new stations at the canal, but unfortunately illness laid me up for a month in Cairo and prevented me from spending more than one day with them on my way to Port Said to catch the boat by which I had booked my passage. Before taking my final departure from Cairo I cabled you that I was prepared to prolong my stay in Egypt, to proceed to England, or to return to New Zealand at once, and, later on, if the Government thought my services would be of further use to the Dominion, to proceed to England at my own, expense. To this you replied, that the Government thought it advisable for me to return to New Zealand, and, later, to revist Egypt and proceed to England if necessary. This I am still prepared to do if the Government so desires. I cannot conclude this report without expressing my cordial thanks to the naval and the military authorities in Egypt, Mudros, Gallipoli, and Malta, and particularly to General Godley, for affording me every facility in the furtherance of my mission. To my Private Secretary, Mr. W. Crow, who accompanied me to all places that you directed me to visit, including Gallipoli, I desire to ex-press my great appreciation of the able assistance he rendered me in my work, and subsequently in the preparation of this report. At all times, and sometimes under trying circumstances, he never spared himself in his endeavour to further my mission. I must also place on record my obligation for the efficient services, since my return to the Dominion, of Miss V. A. Mills, of the Prime Minister's Office, as shorthand-writer and typiste, in connection with the preparation of the report and other work incidental to the mission. I have, &c, R. Hkaton Rhodes, Lieut.-Colonel. The Hon. the Minister of Defence, Wellington.
16
H.—l9b
APPENDIX.
PLANS OF CEMETERIES AT ANZAC AND AT No. 2 OUTPOST, SHOWING GRAVES OF NEW-ZEALANDERS.
1. Lance-Corporal S. E. Aroher, C.V.C. .. .. Killed in action .. .. 22/6/15. 2. Sergeant C. I-'. D. Pox, C.V.C. .. .. • ■ • • 12/6/15. 3. Sergt.-Major F. H. Norris. K.li.C. .. .. .. .. .. 22/8/15. 4. Trooper C.R.Taylor .. .. .. "• • •■ •• 12/6/15. 5. .. Cyril Knight .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2/6/15. (i. ~ W. P. Harding, 10th M.R. .. Died of wounds .. .. 111/5/15. 7. ~ Cecil T. Wilde .. .. .. .. .. •■ •• 19/6/15. S. ~ W. 'lavender .. .. .. .. •• •■ ■■ 27/6/15. 9. ~ Arthur Hannah, 3rd A.M.11, Killed in action .. .. 1/7/15. pi. ~ L. M. Leaman, C.y.C. .. .. ~ ■■ ■■ 14/7/15, 11. ~ ,1". Johnston, Bth M.R. .. .. „ .. .. 30/5/15, 12. „ G. bow. C.V.C. .. .. „ •• •• 28/5/15. 1.-i. ~ P. Hunter, C.V.C. .. .. „ ■■ ■• 26/6/15) 14. .. J. Thompson, 3rd A.M.R .. „ .. •• 18/5/15. 15, Marked out with stones like the others in the enclosure, but had beon partly covered, no doubt when sap widened, and the wooden cross either removed or covered Up. |(i. (Outside wire enclosure). W. B. Trives, N.Z.R., died of wounds. 12/8/15".
A. I. Scout R. J. Oottingham, 3rd A.M.R. Killed in action, 2/7/15. 2. Trooper G: P. Brady, O.M.R. Killed. 1/7/15. 3. „ G. Swanson, O.M.R. Killed, 25/6/1 5. 4. ~ R. H. Barton, O.M'.R. Killed in action, 16/6/15. 5. ~ W. Luoni, O.M.R. Killed in action, 14/6/15. 6. ~ E. IX McLennan, O.M.R. Killed, 12/6/15. 7. ~ V. J. Christopher, O.M.R. Killed, 31/5/15. 8. ~ B. E. Snow, O.M.R. Killed, 6/5/15. 9. .. P. MoGlashan, O.M.R. Killed in action, 30/5/15. B. I. (No name.) 2. Sapper W. E. Clarke. D.S.C.. N.Z.E. Killed whilst assisting the wounded. 3. (No name.) 4. 5. (Mitchell.) 6. Trooper J. E. Hntchins. O.M.R. Died, 3/8/15. 7. (Gee.) 8. Trooper S. Sullivan, O.M.R. Killed, 25/7/15. 9 ~ R. 0. Bradshaw, O.M.R. Killed in action, I(i/7/l5. II). ~ B. Grant Ussher, O.M.R. Killed, 5/7/15. 11. ~ W. R. Ryle, O.M.R, Killed in action, 6/8/15.
H.—l9b
Part of Chatby Military Cemetery, Alexandria, showing concrete blocks used to mark Graves until permanent Memorials are erected.
A General Cemetery in Shrapnel Gully, Anzac.
Face p. 76.]
Graves of New-Zealanders on Plugge's Plateau, Anzac.
17
H.—l9b
COPIES OF INSCRIPTION'S ON THE CROSSES ON GRAVES OF NEW-ZEALANDERS BURIED IN THE COMBINED BRITISH AND FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY AT EAST MUDROS, IN THE ISLAND OF LEMNOS. tN MEMORY OP IN MEMORY OP L/Cpl. 12/30 Bigwood Copl. 1526 l!. Eli.is 3rd Rgt. Auckland Batt. N.Z.E.F. N.Z.M.R. died , Died 21.7.15. 23.4.15. Sapper 1/780 Mathias E. Tangney N.Z.F. Engrs. Bth N.Z.R. Died 7.1.15. Died 21.7.15. 2202 Pte. A. H. Edchngton Pte. 6/217 A. Doigk Ist Auckland Inft. Batt. N.Z.F. Died about 19 or 20 Aug. Died 10.7.15. S"t. 11669 H. Feeney Pte. 9/65 A. Mom, N.Z.M.R. N.Z.M.F. Pte. 4/373 Bateman, N.Z.E. Died 27.7,15. ' Died 30.7.15. Pte, 6/1562 H. Henderson Pte. 2/2129 T. Sutherland, N.Z.R. N.Z.M.F. Died 16.7.15. Pte. Payton, 9th Wore. Reg. Died 2.8.15. I'ti-. 8/2267 J. Fowler, N.Z.M.F. Pte. 1004 C. Davis Died 27.7.15. 3rd W.F.L. Pte. 11. Selwyn Pte. 12/208 C. Osborne N.Z.F. N.Z.R. Died 10.8.15. and Pic 6/1543 T. Clow Tr. 11/103 G. McLean N.Z.M.F. N.Z.M.R, Died 15.7.15. Died 13.8.15. Tr. 10/1061 R, Parkinson Ti-. 10/1561. Leonard N.Z.M.R, N.Z.M.R. Died 23.7.15. Tr, Ballantine N.Z.M.R, Pte. 10/1267 W. Takes Died 14.8.15. N.Z.R. Died 10.7.15. Note. —Crosses have yet to be placed over many of the graves in this cemetery. It will be seen that, there' are some obvious inaccuracies in these inscriptions, such as " N.Z.M.F." instead of " N Z M.R.," eve.
NON-DELIVERY AND DELAY IN DELIVERY OF MAIL-MATTER, Memorandum by Lieutenant MoCurdy, Officer in Charge ok the New Zealand Advanced Base Army Post-office, Alexandria. New Zealand Advanced Base Army Post-office, Alexandria, 16th November, 1915. Memorandum for Lieut.-Colonel the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes. In reply to your memo, of the Bth instant, 1 have to make the following report with regard to the non-delivery and delay in the delivery of mail-matter for members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force:— • Letters. (a.) Failure of men to advise this office of their detachment from unit in accordance with section 102, paragraph 2, Field Service Regulations, Part II (attached). (li.) Transfers from hospital to hospital. (<\) Delay in Malta before delivery. Thousands of letters were sent to Malta, and apparently the delay in delivery was so great that men had often been invalided to England or discharged from hospital before the letters were sorted. Numbers of letters were returned from Malta marked " Not known," and the men subsequently wrote and asked for them to be sent back. Colonel Esson's case was one. Mattel's have now improved since the establishment of a " Wounded " Army Post-office at Malta by the British Army Postal Service, and regular lists are furnished from that office showing the men admitted to hospital, invalided to England, and returned to the base. (d.) Lists are not furnished by base depots (except the advanced base) as required by section 102, paragraph 4, Field Service Regulations, Part II (attached). I have communicated with the Record Officer in London regarding the omission on the part of the Weymouth Depot,
3—H. 19b.
H.—l9b
18
Newspapers. Those for the front, suffer no delay whatever. Unlike the letters, newspapers are sent forward to units without those for the sick, and the wounded being first extracted, consequently those for men in hospitals, &c, are delayed until they are received back from the regiments. As a set-off to this, almost the, whole of the gift newspapers are distributed among the hospitals through the Chaplains. Parcels. Very little delay occurs with regard to parcels since the inauguration of the Suez route. Previously they took from two and a half to three months to arrive here, and then had to be distributed. They are treated in the same manner as letters, &c. —viz., are checked with the address cards before going forward. Those for men who have been wounded between the date of the despatch of the mail and its receipt at the front are returned to the Base A.P.0., together with those to men who are away from their unit and have failed to advise this offioe of their address. Many are readdressed to hospitals, the addresses having been received in the meantime The loss of parcels is due to the bad packing, and I have made a recommendation to the G.P.0., Wellington, to advise senders of parcels to wrap them in canvas or calico and sew them up. Another reason is that many parcels have only a tie-on label, or are only addressed in one place. As mail-matter for Gallipoli is transhipped several times, and has to be packed on the backs of men and mules to the trenches, the addresses are often worn off or become detached. Many parcels arc packed only in brown paper. Cakes packed thus usually arrive back from the front in crumbs. Other articles are found loose in the bags. Some hundreds of parcels are re-wrapped in this office weekly, and it, is quite possible that articles belonging to one parcel are often wrapped up in another, as there is no way of identifying the contents where more than one broken parcel is found in a bag. A. British Post Office Official Circular of the, 26th ultimo gives regulations which have been adopted in Egypt for parcels for Gallipoli. If similar instructions were issued in New Zealand the complaints with regard to parcels would be reduced. I). McCurdy, Lieutenant, Assistant Director, N.Z.A.P.S. Field Service Regulations, Part 11. Section 102, paragraph 2. " Officers and men who are detached from their unit will send a card to the Officer in Charge, Base Post-office, notifying the unit or place to which their correspondence is to be sent. In doing so they should write their names in block letters. Such cards may be sent free of charge." Section 102, paragraph 4. " Commanders of base depots and the officer in charge of the A.G.s office at: tho base will do all in their power to enable the military post to deliver correspondence direct to addressees, by furnishing the base post-office with lists of men detached from their unit or service, in hospital, non-effective, or sent home." Note.—The extract from the British Post Office Circular referred to in the foregoing memorandum was embodied in the New Zealand G.P.O. Poster No. 47, dated the 22nd December, 1915.
HEALTH OF THE NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. Observations nY the Advisory Committee for the Prevention of Epidemic Diseases in the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, together with Correspondence thereon; also Correspondence relative to Vaccines. Dear Sir, — New Zealand Base Depot, Alexandria, Bth December, 1915. I am enclosing a report from a committee sent out to advise General Babtie, V.C., on sanitary and other matters. The Commissioners have visited Helles, Anzac, and Suvla, and Salonika, and have gone out of their way to write a, special report at my request. I was not quite sure how to frame my questions, so 1 made them somewhat general, as I thought it was well that Dr. Valintine and other HeaUh Officers should know what: they have to say with regard to sanitary measures and methods. Yesterday Colonel Dudgeon accompanied me on a visit to Major Ferguson, who is in charge of the laboratory at No. 21 General Hospital, I went there at, the suggestion of Colonel Beach, A.D.M.S., to discuss the question of vaccines for our troops. I am informed that ten thousand doses have already been forwarded to New Zealand, and that: Mi. Hurley, Government Bacteriologist, naturally wishes to have the cultures in New Zealand, so that he can prepare vaccines himself. As Colonel Dudgeon is leaving for England shortly, and has offered to do anything he can for us there, I have asked him to confer with our High Commissioner and the authorities at Millbank, where the vaccines are prepared. A copy of my letter to the High Commissioner, which I enclose, will explain the matter fully. Speaking to thos<. members of the Committee who visited our trenches at the Apex, they expressed themselves as well satisfied with the sanitary arrangements, and personally I can vouch for their comparing more than favourably with some of those I saw at Helles. In Major Carbery, Sanitary Officer to the division, we have a very capable and energetic officer. Yours faithfully, R. Heaton Rhodes, Colonel the Hon, J. Allen, Minister of Defence, Wellington, New Zealand,
19
H.—l9b
From the Advisory Committee for Prevention of Epidemic Diseases, M.E.F., to SurgeonGeneral Babtie, V.C., P.D.M.S., M.E.F. Sir, — In respect of the request of Lieut.-Colonel Rhodes, representing the New Zealand Government, the committee beg to forward the following observations :— (1.) With regard to the regulations and sanitary methods which might lie followed during their course of training in New Zealand —likely to be of use to the troops at the front —the committee consider that the importance of sanitary measures and methods cannot, he too strongly impressed upon the medical officers in charge of all. units and fully discussed among themselves and among soldiers of all ranks and units. (2.) It should be impressed on all ollicers commanding all combatant units that at the front neglect, of necessary measures of field sanitation leads to much preventable illness, with loss of efficiency and diminution of the fighting-strength of the unit, and that primarily it rests with each officer commanding to see that such measures are adopted in his command. On occupying ground the officer commanding will have to see that the best available provision is made for safe water-supply, for latrines, for incineration of refuse, prevention of flies, lice, <fee, He must also remember that successful sanitation in war depends not only on provision of apparatus and issue of orders, but on minute and daily attention to details and constant inspection and supervision. He should also realize that the ground which he vacates may be used by others, and that it is of first importance to leave it in a satisfactory condition. In these matters the O.C. should rely for expert advice on the medical officer with his unit', on the divisional Medical Staff, including any specialized sanitary officer with the division, and, where the troops are in areas to which permanent sanitary officers (with sanitary sections) are allotted, he should look to and conform to the advice of those officers. Representations made to officers commanding units by the Medical Staff on any matter affecting the health of the troops should have immediate attention, and offences against sanitary discipline must be looked for, reported, and adequately dealt with. These general principles should be adopted to the utmost extent possible in course of home training, so that all ranks may become accustomed to this part of their duties. The sanitary squads told off by the several units should be carefully selected with a view to efficiency, and nothing should be said or done to minimize the military value of their work. 3. Medical officers generally should remember that the preventive part of their duties may often be more important than the curative. All medical officers likely to go to the front should carefully study a good text-book of military hygiene, and in particular the sections relating to field sanitation in Part II of the R.A.M.C. Manual of Training or the small Army Handbook on field sanitation. Much useful practical information is also contained in the small book " Sanitation in War," by Major Lelan (London : J. A. Churchill, 1.915). All medical officers should, inter alia, obtain practical knowledge of—The construction and working of simple forms of refuse-destructors; the chlorination of water and the use of Horrocks's test-boxes; improvisation of disinfectors for lice (construction and use of barrel disinfectors); improvisation of bathing and washing facilities; construction of deep-trench latrines covered by fly- and dust-proof boxes (no special pattern need be insisted upon : for illustrations see Havard's Military Hygiene, 2nd edition, 1914) and of urine-pits; the matters to be looked into in the course of daily inspection of camp-lines, including cookhouses, latrines, &c, and action to be taken to prevent Hies and fouling of soil; 'inspection of food and rations, especially as cooked and issued; special supervision over the health of company cooks; the life-history and habits of the common fly. The importance of attention to these matters is daily shown at the front, and they can readily be learnt during training. To this end the arrangement of short courses and demonstrations to medical officers in New Zealand might be considered. The Principal Medical Officer in the Public Health Department of New Zealand could no doubt give valuable assistance in this matter. It is very desirable that, defective teeth should be seen to during the course of training, and possible causes of pyorrhoea removed. Men having plates should, whenever this is possible, provide themselves with spare plates. 5. With regard to Colonel Rhodes's second head, the precautious to safeguard the troops against enteric, dysentery, and other diseases, and to other matters of food and clothing in relation thereto, these include a wide number and variety of measures which the committee have dealt with in their various reports. It will perhaps suffice here to refer in some detail to the question of anti-typhoid inoculation, in regard to which the position of New Zealand Forces is somewhat exceptional, and quite briefly to certain of the other matters in common to all the troops, which have appeared to be related to the prevalence of intestinal infections (typhoid, paratyphoid, diarrhoea, dysentery, &c.) on the peninsula. 6. Anti-typhoid Inoculation. —In one of our earliest inquiries (Report on Cairo, 10th August, 1915) we were struck by the severe type of enteric fever found amongst the cases that have been inoculated in New Zealand. We were informed that, these inoculations had been made with a vaccine prepared from a culture obtained from a bone-abscess of some fourteen years' duration — i.e., an enfeebled strain of organization —and had,given rise to little or no reaction. We therefore recommended that it would be a wise precaution to reinoculate the New Zealand troops with a stronger vaccine such as that issued to the Home Army. In a report on camps in Alexandria, sth October, it was again noted in connection with certain camps (Sidi Bishr and Zahriah) where there had been a considerable increased incidence
H.—l9b
20
of enteric eases, that a relatively large proportion of Hie cases of typhoid had occurred amongst the New Zealand troops. We found that the exceptional prevalence and severity of enteric amongst New Zealand troops was fully realized also in the hospitals at Mudros. Returns have been kindly furnished us, at our request, by the Records Office of the New Zealand Forces relating Io the incidence of enteric amongst (heir troops. These show (hat no fewer than 453 cases of enteric fever had been reported to have occurred among the New Zealand troops in Egypt, Mudros. and on the peninsula since their arrival in Egypt early in the year. The proportion to strength as compared Io that in British Forces cannot here be given, but there is no doubt that the New Zealand incidence has been quite exceptionally heavy. Moreover, the enteric cases in question have shown an exceptional case-mortality—viz., !)•"> cases out of 453 cases, or a fatality of 20-."i per cent. This i'atility-rate may be compared with one of 65 per cent, for the cases of enteric in No. 21 Genera] Hospital. Alexandria, in which large numbers of enteric cases from British forces generally have been received. It may be noted, though the figures are small, thai among 240 New-Zealanders who hail joined from England and been inoculated there only three had developed enteric fever. We therefore strongly recommend (hat all troops coming from New Zealand should be inoculated before leaving or on (heir passage to Egypt with an Army strain of anti-typhoid vaccine. As regards the troops already out, we understand that inoculations have- been or are beingcarried ottt among the Now Zealand troops now in rest camps in Mudros. I( would be as well if the exact position in connection with this reinoculation could be ascertained, so that any gaps in the scheme for general reinoculation could be tilled in as soon as opportunity permits. At present the vaccine issued by (he Army is. we believe, solely an anti-typhoid vaccine. Should it be decided to issue a vaccine prepared against paratyphoid Wvvr as well as against typhoid, we think that the double protection should be given to all troops hitherto tin inoculated or inoculated only with (he New Zealand strain. 7. The diseases most prevalent on the peninsula, (including Anzac) at the present time are those due to infections of intestinal origin (dysentery, enterica, diarrhoea, <fee). The bulk of the dysentery hitherto has been amoebic, the enterica cases have included a material portion of paratyphoid fever. The diarrhoea cases, when not incipient or mild dysentery or enterica, areattributable to a variety of infections. Any of the ordinary causes of spread of diseases of this group may operate at the front and have Io be dealt with by suitable precautions (see in particular those referred to in section ■'! above), and by the 1 supply of necessary wood and other material for latrines and other sanitary requirements. Those against Hies have been of special importance: under winter-conditions and with greater rainfall special can will be needed in regard to water-supplies. In different reports the committee have drawn attention to oilier conditions contributing to the maintenance or prevalence of diseases of this group. These include (he monotony of diet, need for ample supplies of bread, oatmeal, and other non-meat foods, and absence of sufficient canteens at which adjuncts, relishes, Ac, can be obtained— e.g., Worcester sauce, canned fruit, vinegar. They understand that action has been taken in some of these matters since their inquiries were made. The effect of dust, both as a mechanical irritant lo the intestine and as a vehicle of infection, has also been discussed in their reports. Other important questions affecting the resist!ng-power of the men are their employment on heavy fatigues in the gullies and beaches and the need for resting the troops. The committee has on health grounds strongly supported the introduction of the rest-camps off the peninsula. They considered it important that during this rest period means should be taken to provide real recreation and entertainment for the men, and so increase (heir power of recuperation, Any action which the New Zealand authorities could take to supplement the Army arrangements at rest camps (on lines previously agreed with the Army authorities) should be very useful. On the medical side it is important that medical officers should realize the importance of treating the diarrhoea and other intestinal disturbances thoroughly and at the earliest opportunity, with a view to prevent the development of dysentery. As dysentery is believed not to be common in New Zealand, reference may here be made to a useful account of this disease in " Manson's Tropical Diseases" (sth edition, L 915), which includes reference to the Emetine treatment essential for amoebic dysentery. The committee oonsider that pyorrhoea due to defective teeth has had an important concern with the prevalence of diarrhoea (refer to paragraph -'i above). 8. Diseases specially associated with exposure lo chill and cold had not become prevalent at the time of the committee's visits to the peninsula. It was understood that various steps were being taken to provide for clothing suitable for winter-conditions and for (he protection of dugouts, rest camps, &c, from the weather to the extent that military considerations allowed. No doubt Lieut.-Colonel Rhodes, in his visits to Mudros and the peninsula, will have ascertained the present condition of this important matter so far as it affects New Zealand troops. We have, Ac, W. Hunter, Colonel, A.M.S. G. S. Buchanan, Lieut.-Colonel, R.A.M.C. L. S. Dudgeon, Lieut.-Colonel, R.A.M.C. Alexandria, 30th October, 1915.
H.—l9b
21
Sir,— New Zealand General Hospital, I'mit de Eoubbeh, Cairo. 15th December, 1915. Subject: Entene Fever. I have perused the advance copy of the report issued by lhe Advisory Committee on Infectious Diseases, especially with reference to enteric fever in the Dardanelles and Egypt, 'the allusion to the disease among New-Zealanders indicates an unusual mortality of 20"5 per cent., and it is suggested that the anti-typhoid vaccine in use in New Zealand does not afford a sufficient protection as compared with that used for the British troops, It is only fair to state that as far as (his hospital is concerned the records show that among New Zealand soldiers x\w number of cases of enteric fever discharged or transferred from sth December. 1914, to I Ith December, 1915, to be 176. Tin- office return for llth December, 1915, shows the number of cases of enteric, including para-typhoid, remaining in hospital to be 1,05. Assuming, then, the total of cases to date to be 295, the mortality from enteric is 5 per cent. The total deaths from enteric—viz., fourteen —include live cases complicated by wounds. The very large proportion of cases is of the para-typhoid group, which is steadily increasing as compared with ordinary enteric, and is not influenced by the vaccine used in New Zealand. Notwithstanding this the mortality is only 5 per cent., which may be regarded as comparing favourably with the hospital mentioned in the report, No. 21 Hospital at Alexandria, where the mortality from enteric among British troops is mentioned as 6"5 per cent. It is obvious, then, that the maximum amount of protection will be secured by the use of a combined vaccine to combat not only enteric but also the para-typhoids A and B. W. 11. Parkes, Lieut.-Colonel, N.Z.M.C., Colonel the lion, li, 11. Rhodes, M.P. O.C. N.Z. General Hospital. Erom Colonel William Hunter, A.M.S., Advisory Committee for Epidemic Diseases, to Major FitzHerbert, <>.('.. New Zealand Records Section, Siit, — Savoy Hotel, Alexandria, 29th October, 1915. 1 desire to express to you my best thanks for the enteric returns of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force which you kindly sent to my colleague, Lieut,-Colonel Buchanan, of the Advisory Committee. The returns give us the information asked for in the fullest and clearest form, and must have cost your clerical staff a great deal of labour to put together. They are of special interest to the committee, as we have from the outset been particularly interested in the incidence of enteric in the New Zealand Forces. They also, incidentally, bear striking testimony to the strain put upon your brave Purees by the heroic and self-sacrificing efforts they have made throughout. I remain, &C, William Hunter, Colonel, A.M.S.
New Zealand Base Depot, Agricultural Hall, Gezireh, Cairo, Dear Sir, — 7th December, 1915. I enclose herewith oopy of a letter addressed by me to Lieut .-Colonel Dudgeon, R.A.M.C, on the matter of vaccines and vaccine cultures for the inoculation of our troops before leaving New Zealand. As you are no doubt aware, our troops have had to be reinoculated against typhoid after their arrival in this country, the vaccine in use in New Zealand not having proved efficacious. You may also be aware that 10,000 doses have been forwarded to New Zealand —at least, so I have been informed by Colonel Beach, A.D.M.S., Alexandria. Colonel Dudgeon is one of the members of a commission or advisory committee to inspect and report on the sanitary methods adopted by our troops in the Mediterranean. They have inspected trenches at Helles, Anzac, Suvla, and Salonika, and forwarded their report to General Babtie, P.D.M.S. .Colonel Dudgeon is leaving for England in a few days, and has offered to do anything he can for me with reference to the procuring of vaccines. I understand the War Office is now having prepared a vaccine known as tetravaooine for inoculation in one dose as a safeguard against typhoid, paratyphoid, and cholera. As you will see by my letter, I have suggested that you should confer with him and the Millbank authorities as to the advisability ol sending out doses already mixed, or whether we should semi to the Government Bacteoriologist, Wellington, cultures so that he can prepare the vaccines and mix them himself. Should you desire any information with reference to tctravaccine you will find an article mi the subject in the British Medical journal, 2863. of 13th November, page 711. Yours faithfully, R. Heaton Rhodes. The lion. Thomas Mackenzie, E.R.G.S., High Commissioner for New Zealand, Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, London S.AV. „ ■■ ... 1
H.—l9b,
22
Dear Sir, — Savoy Palace Hotel, Alexandria, 7th December, 1915. Taking advantage of your kind offer to do anything you can for me in England in connection with our Expeditionary Force, I shall be glad if you will, -make it convenient to meet the Hon. Thomas Mackenzie, High Commissioner for ( New Zealand, Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, S.W., whom I have informed of your approaching visit, and arrange with him as to whether it is advisable to supply New Zealand with vaccines for the treatment of typhoid, paratyphoid, and cholera, already mixed for injection in one dose as used by the War Office; or whether it would not be equally satisfactory to forward to the Government Bacteriologist, Wellington, New Zealand, cultures so that he could prepare the vaccines and mix them himself according to the formula set out in the British Medical journal, of the 13th November. I am writing to Mr-. Mackenzie on this matter, knowing that lie will be glad to confer with you on any matter that concerns the health of our troops. He will, of course, arrange for the payment of any expenses the authorities at Millbank might be put to in this connection. Again expressing my thanks to you for undertaking this commission on behalf of the New Zealand Government, anil for the report you and your colleagues furnished to Surgeon-General Babtie, V.C., in reply to my inquiries of the advisory committee made through him, I am, &0., R, Heaton Rhodes, Lieut,-Colonel, Representing the New Zealand Government. Lieut.-Colonel L. S. Dudgeon, R.A.M.C, Member of the Advisory Committee for the Prevention of Epidemic Diseases, Alexandria. Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, London S.W., Dear Sir, — 13th January, 1916. T duly received your letter of the 7th ultimo, and fully concur in the importance of the matter of suitable vaccine for inoculation against typhoid and paratyphoid. Lieut.-Colonel Dudgeon called at my request, and we went fully into the matter, with the result that 1 despatched a. cable to the Government on the 31st December, of which I enclose it copy. No reply has yet been received. As Lieut.-Colonel Dudgeon's experiences on Asiatic diseases will no doubt be valuable, it is proposed that he be appointed to the consulting staff of the New Zealand Military Hospital at Walton. This is now receiving attention. 1 am, (fee, Titos. Mackenzie. Lieut.-Colonel R, Heaton Rhodes, New Zealand Base Depot. Agricultural Hall, Gezireh, Cairo, Egypt.
Extract from Carle-Gram sent to the Dominion Government by the High Commissioner, cor New Zealand on the 31st December, 1915. Colonel Rhodes reports that typhoid vaccine employed for inoculation of our troops before leaving New Zealand has not been efficacious. The disease has been of a severer type than amongst the Imperial troops, and the mortality has been considerably higher—in fact, more than double. War Office now recommends that all troops should be inoculated against typhoid and paratyphoid owing to prevalence later disease in Egypt, Mudros, and Gallipoli. It is recommended that none of our troops be inoculated with the vaccine prepared in New Zealand. War Office has now decided to supply for use from Ist January, 1916, a combined typhoid and paratyphoid vaccine which can be sent to you immediately, and also some to meet transports at Colombo. Telegraph instructions immediately.
Slit,— War Office, London S.W., 26th December, 1915. 1 am commanded by the Army Counoil to inform you that it. has been decided to substitute a mixed typhoid and paratyphoid vaccine for the anti-typhoid vaccine at present in use. The new vaccine will be taken into use from the Ist January, 1916, and all stocks of the old anti-typhoid vaccine in hand on that date should be wasted. • In the event, of a man having received the first dose of the old anti-typhoid vaccine within ten days prior to the Ist January. 1916, the second inoculation should be given with the new mixed typhoid and paratyphoid vaccine ten days after the first inoculation. The mixed typhoid and paratyphoid vaccine will he stored at the Royal Army Medical College, and can be obtained on requisition from the Office.)' in Charge, Vaccine Department, Royal Army Medical College, Grosvenor Road, London S.W. The requisition should state clearly for how many men vaccine is required. Full printed instructions for its use will accompany each consignment. In this connection I am to draw your attention to the fact that in every case where it is possible the two-dose system should be carried out, as the protection afforded by this system is considerably greater than when the one large dose is used. A record of each inoculation will be made on the inside right-hand cover of Army Book 64 (Soldiers' Pay-book) as follows :—
23
H.—l9b
Two-dose System. TAB — —g —■ The dates on which the first and second inoculations were given and initials of the medical officer or officers carrying out the operation should be entered thus — T.A.B. 1/1/16. H.B. 2 10/1/16. H.B. One-dose System. T.A.B. . Tho date on wdiich the single inoculation of one co. was given and the initials of the medical officer should be entered thus : — T.A.B. —j 1/1/16. H.B. Your attention is also drawn to War Office letter '24/ General Number/4344 (A.M.D.2), dated the 12th November, 1915. . ■ I am, &c, R, H. Brade. The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Commands at, Home. The General Officers Commanding Districts at Home.
Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, London S.W., Dear Sir,— 13th January, 1916. • Since writing letter No. 178 of this date the following cablegram has come to hand from New Zealand, viz. : " Please send typhoid vaccine for 2,700 men 9th Reinforcements arriving Suez February Bth, typhoid vaccine for 2,700 men Trentham Rifles arriving Albany, Australia, February 14th"; and I am endeavouring to arrange for all the vaccine to be supplied and shipped in time to reach Suez before the Bth February, probably by s.s. "Malwa." It is obviously impossible to ship any from London to reach Albany by the 14th February. I am, &c, Thos. Mackenzie. Lieut,-Colonel R. Heaton Rhodes, New Zealand Base Depot, Agricultural Hall, Gezireh, Cairo, Egypt.
Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, London S.W., Dear Sir,— 18th January, 1916. In continuation of my letter, No. 272, of the 13th instant, I have pleasure to inform you that arrangements have now been made with the War Office for the supply of the vaccine required under the Government cable I'm- the 2,700 men of the 9th Reinforcements and 2,700 men of the Trentham Rifles now on the way, and this is being despatched by them to-day per parcelpost addressed to the Medical Officer, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Cairo, Egypt, An advice of this is being sent by the same mail to Headquarters for their information. I am, &c, Thos. Mackenzie. Lieut.-Colonel R. Heaton Rhodes, New Zealand Base Depot, Agricultural Hall, Gezireh, Cairo, Egypt.
Approximate Coat of Paper. —Preparation, not given; printing (1,00(1 copies), £20.
Authority : MARCOS F. Makks', Government Printer, Wellington.—1010.
Price !)d.]
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/AJHR1916-I.2.2.5.24/1
Bibliographic details
NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. REPORT OF LIEUT.-COLONEL THE HON. R. HEATON RHODES, T.D., M.P.. COMMANDING THE CANTERBURY MOUNTED RIFLES BRIGADE, ON HIS MISSION TO THE NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN MALTA, MUDROS, GALLIPOLI, AND EGYPT, AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT., Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1916 Session I, H-19b
Word Count
20,039NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. REPORT OF LIEUT.-COLONEL THE HON. R. HEATON RHODES, T.D., M.P.. COMMANDING THE CANTERBURY MOUNTED RIFLES BRIGADE, ON HIS MISSION TO THE NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN MALTA, MUDROS, GALLIPOLI, AND EGYPT, AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT. Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1916 Session I, H-19b
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in