CHAPTER IXToC
WORK AT THE BASE
At various centres in France are established Bases, where all the necessary supplies and ammunition are landed, and thence transported to the various Units in the Field. To cope with this vast system of distribution an army of men is employed. It will help the reader to form an estimate of the labour involved in this enormous undertaking if I briefly refer to the various branches of the British Expeditionary Force which are specially engaged in ministering to the Force as a whole.
(1) Army Service Corps.—These are men drilled and practised in supply and transport. They are ubiquitous, and without them it would be impossible to maintain the operations in hand.
(2) Army Ordnance Department.—The men of this section are skilled in the manipulation of ammunition, and in the tabulation and distribution of a hundred and one articles of equipment. It is a striking object lesson to make a tour of inspection of this important Department of the Army. It would be interesting to know how many hundreds of thousands of miles of barbed wire have passed through the hands of the A.O. during the war. Everything from a screw to a howitzer comes within their attention. As to the supply of guns and ammunition I am, of course, forbidden to say anything, excepting to share with my fellow-countrymen the greatest satisfaction that the grave difficulty noticeable earlier in the war has to so large an extent been overcome.
(3) Army Medical Stores.—Here again we have another striking object lesson in the wonders of detail. Everything required by Hospitals, Field Ambulances, Casualty Clearing Stations is herein stored and ready to be dispatched in response to the indents which are daily pouring in; the requirements of the R.A.M.C., from a surgical bandage to an operating table—to say nothing of drugs—must be ready for use. This involves the most careful attention on the part of the staff, which is, of course, composed of picked men.
(4) Railway Engineers.—In each Base will be found one or more companies of Sappers, who are responsible for the maintenance of telegraphic and telephonic communications, within the area of the Base; and also the construction and upkeep of military railway lines and buildings.
(5) Sanitary Department.—In Bases where permanent Garrisons are stationed (in some instances amounting to many thousands) much care must be exercised with regard to the ordinary hygienic conditions of life; and under highly qualified officers the most careful supervision is exercised in this respect.
(6) Army Post Office.—The correspondence of the Expeditionary Force is enormous, and involves a large staff in keeping 'Tommy' well posted with news from home. The efficiency of this important adjunct to our Army is as highly valued as it is admirably carried out.
(7) Army Bakers.—The men composing this Unit are of course selected from a particular calling. Their work is beyond all praise. In one Base with which I was more particularly connected during the latter part of my service abroad, no less than 220,000 two and a half pound loaves are baked daily. This represents bread rations for 440,000 men. The labour involved in such a vast production is very great. Weekday and Sunday alike the Army Bakers are grandly proceeding with their monotonous but most necessary work. So complete is the system employed in the making and distributing of 'the staff of life' that no Unit, however far distant, receives bread older than four days. A French General of high position, lately visiting one such Bakery, expressed his unbounded admiration at the system employed, saying that in the French Army bread fifteen days old is very usually met with.
(8) Army Service Corps Labourers.—These men are specially enlisted from stevedores, dock labourers, etc. Their work consists, in the main, of unloading vessels, and shipping supplies on to trains.
(9) Remounts and Veterinary Department.—It would rejoice the hearts of all lovers of dumb animals to visit these great repositories of whole, sick and injured horses. The saving in horse flesh represented by these carefully administered camps is of the utmost value to the Army as a whole, for although motor transport is playing so important a part, horses are a necessity in many phases of Army work.
(10) Military Police.—Under the Assistant Provost Marshal, a military Base is controlled by a staff of picked men, who do their work most admirably. Their duties are varied; they have the oversight of the conduct of the men, and are most particular in regard to the appearance of men in public. Woe be to the man who is not properly dressed as he passes under the lynx-eye of one of these military custodians of the peace. Such supervision is not even altogether uncalled for among the officers of the new Army; one has been much struck with the slovenly, and at times grotesque, appearance of men who have suddenly assumed the position of officers and gentlemen. The somewhat apt epigram which is current to-day, is not wholly unmerited, "Temporary officers are expected to behave as temporary gentlemen."
(11) Convalescent Camps.—On men leaving hospitals, prior to their rejoining their Units at the Front, they are usually placed in Convalescent Camps, or in what are called Base Details. Here they are employed in various light duties until such times as they are fit for more active service.
It was at a Base comprising a Garrison of such Units as I have mentioned that I spent the greater part of my closing months of service in the Army. I was not attached to any hospital, but had placed in my care the greater part of what I may call the active men. The work was of the most interesting description, and following as it did a strenuous experience with the fighting forces, I am enabled, in consequence, to form a fairly sound judgment on the work of the British Expeditionary Force as a whole.
On leaving home on March 16 for a fresh spell of service, I proceeded, in obedience to orders received, and reported myself to Doctor Sims, the principal chaplain, and received from him my orders as to my allocation. On reaching my Base I was most cordially received by the Rev. E.G.F. McPherson, C.M.G. Senior Church of England Chaplain to the Forces. This officer, who ranks as Colonel, has had many years of distinguished service in the Army, and is universally respected. Prior to his taking up the position which he occupied when I reported to him, he was in the retreat from Mons and the battle of the Aisne. The regard evinced for him by all ranks is unbounded. On one occasion I was with him visiting padrÉs at the Front, when an officer pointing to him said, 'There goes the best loved man in the Army,' and I can well believe it. He is at the present time rendering very important service with the Southern Command, in the Salisbury training centre.
Allocated to me were the A.S.C., Army Ordnance, Mechanical Transport Base Regiment (employed on Guard duty), Firing parties at funerals, Escorts, etc., Military Police, Army Bakers, and A.S.C. Labourers.
My work at the Base necessarily differed largely from that at the Front. The men being stationed at one place it was possible to arrange a regular system of services; but these were at times exceedingly difficult to sustain, owing to the very heavy pressure of work with which the men had to cope; but notwithstanding such difficulties and discouragements, I have every reason to be thankful for the great opportunity which was afforded me.
It was my privilege to prepare men for Baptism, and on two occasions for Confirmation. This solemn rite of our Church was taken on the one occasion by Bishop Bury, and on the other by the Bishop of Birmingham; at each service admirable addresses were delivered.
The Bishop of Birmingham—an old Territorial officer—has taken the greatest interest in the work of the British Expeditionary Force, and is thoroughly conversant with the whole line at the Front.
It was a great pleasure to meet the Bishop of London, just before Easter, on his way to the firing line, where he received a wonderful welcome from all ranks.
Spiritual work among soldiers is very real and deep. I question whether there is any more difficult place for a man to endeavour to live up to his convictions than in the Army; and to the Christian soldier, one of the surest tests of the reality of his religious profession is the simple matter of saying his prayers in the barrack room or tent. If a man persistently does that, you may be sure there is something real in his profession.
I have already alluded to the deep impression created by the experience of being under fire. A somewhat remarkable instance in support of this condition of mind came under my notice a few weeks ago. The officer to whom it relates will, I am sure, pardon my introducing his experience to point my moral. He was standing with a brother officer amid the ruins of Ypres, when, realizing that the position was distinctly 'unhealthy' owing to the heavy shelling which had commenced, he suggested a withdrawal from the locality. They had walked but a short distance, when a high explosive shell burst behind them, and a piece of the casing whizzed between their heads. 'That was a near shave,' said one; 'let's go back and see where it fell.' It had fallen on the precise spot where they had been standing but a minute or so before. The result of the condition of mind produced by this remarkable 'let off' was a visit to the chaplain's office. On asking what I could do for him the officer replied, 'I hardly know, but I want your help. I have never been baptized, so I suppose I ought to be baptized and confirmed.' I pointed out to him that prior to the participation in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, he had to settle with himself his personal relationship with Christ. By the goodness of God I believe that point was clearly established in his mind, and it was my privilege to baptize him, and then present him for Confirmation at the hands of the Bishop of Birmingham.
This affords another illustration of the wonderful working of a man's mind who comes face to face with Eternity and the reality of God. Some men at home will possibly be inclined to sneer at such a condition of mind, but those of us who have been through it know full well the emptiness of such home-bred objections, which certainly do not hold amid the issues of life and death which are found at the Front.
I have met many friends at the Base, both among officers and men. It is a pleasing duty to record the gratitude I owe to those in command for their invariable courtesy to me, in the prosecution of my work, and the splendid personal support rendered to me. The personal influence of the officers goes far in securing the sympathy of the men.
I have never had more attentive congregations than those which have formed the various Church Parades and voluntary gatherings which fell to my lot to conduct whilst working at the Base.
On one occasion it fell to me to conduct a 'Quiet Day' for Chaplains, Hospital Nurses and Orderlies, and responsible though the work was, we felt it to be a great lift up, coming as it did amid the stress of a very arduous life.
I frequently had the experience of visiting the different sections of the Front, and on two occasions in particular gave addresses to gatherings of chaplains, drawn from various Divisions. Those were unique occasions, for one felt the tremendous responsibility of trying to help men engaged in such important work. I knew that I was addressing heroes without exception, men who were daily counting their lives cheap for Christ's sake.
A most interesting experience befell me on June 18. With a brother chaplain I was visiting in the neighbourhood of Ypres, when ascending a small hill from which one could survey the whole line of trenches, extending from Zonnebec to Ploegstreete, we passed by some reserve trenches in which were a considerable number of men, resting from their duties in the front line trenches. I had taken with me in the car a large number of packets of cigarettes, generously sent out by my parishioners, and on asking the lads if they wanted any, I speedily found myself at the head of a great following, like the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The men streamed after me in hundreds down to the lane some distance off, where the car was waiting. It did not take many minutes to hand out a big supply of smokes. While thus engaged, a sergeant made himself known to me as having heard me give an address down at the Base, and with considerable naÏvetÉ he said, 'Cannot you give us a talk here, sir?' Of course I could! and in less than five minutes there were hundreds of men most picturesquely grouped on the hillside. It was touching to see their faces as I spoke to them of 'the greatest thing in the world,' the Love of God in Christ Jesus; and as I built up my argument of the Divine love by means of the illustration of the love of home, many a clear eye glistened. As I closed, I pointed out to them the unique occasion of our meeting, June 18, 1915, therefore the centenary of the Battle of Waterloo. There we were actually on Belgian soil, almost within gun-sound of the celebrated battle-field itself. As we sang the National Anthem I felt that never had I heard it sung in so inspiriting a manner; and when I called for three cheers for the King, the Germans in their front line trenches,—which were certainly within earshot,—must have imagined an attack in force was about to take place. Such desultory gatherings go far to cheer a padrÉ's heart as he proceeds on the daily round and common task.
CHAPTER X
A CLOSING WORD
[Kindly written by Colonel E.G.F. Macpherson,
Senior Chaplain to the Forces (Church of England).]
The completion of Mr. Kennedy's account of his work at Boulogne was not finished ere he entered into his rest. As the senior under whom he served during the latter part of his term with the Expeditionary Force, I have been asked to add a few concluding remarks, relative to his labours from the period his own narrative ends.
Part of Mr. Kennedy's sphere of work lay just outside the Base at a certain place. Here was erected a camp of wooden huts, occupied by a considerable number of A.S.C. Dock Labourers. In this camp there was no building where the troops could pass a pleasant and innocent evening, nor was there a church within reasonable distance of the place. This, of course, was naturally a great disadvantage to any chaplain in his endeavours to get a hold upon the men. Mr. Kennedy felt the need; with him to think was to act.
He came to me and requested that I should write a letter to him, asking him (as he was going immediately on short leave to England) to do what he could to influence friends at home to supply what we both recognized was a crying need.
Although Mr. Kennedy was only away about a week, he returned with between two or three hundred pounds, to start the erection of a Hut for recreational and religious purposes.
The next thing to do was to obtain a suitable site, preferably in the midst of the camp.
Mr. Kennedy obtained the consent of the Base Commandant, and that of the officer commanding the camp; the latter especially rendering all the assistance in his power—particularly in obtaining for us the services of a competent architect.
Plans were drawn up and approved by me. It was found that the expenses of the Church Hut would be considerably more than was at first contemplated: £600, not £400 as we thought. Mr. Kennedy appealed once more to his friends and to the readers of certain religious papers. Pecuniary assistance flowed rapidly in, and we were soon assured of enough money to build a large and commodious Church Hut. There was to be a large hall, a coffee bar, kitchen, and some small rooms.
Mr. Kennedy, in spite of much other work in which he was engaged, found time to constantly trudge to and fro to the camp, watching, with zealous care, the erection of the Hut. No less keen and interested spectators were the A.S.C. men themselves, for it meant a great deal to them—somewhere to go to when work was done, somewhere to pass an hour or so.
Mr. Kennedy's idea was to supply wholesome refreshment, daily papers and magazines, and games to play. This during the week.
On Sundays the place was to be 'rigged,' as sailors call it, as a church. It was to be used also for Bible Classes and Instructions.
In wonderfully quick time the Hut was built, and duly opened. This latter event happened after I was called home on special duty.
Needless to say the Hut has been greatly used, both from a social and religious point of view; and has been directly and indirectly the means of much good being done. It is another monument to the life's work of a noble soul.
Printed in Great Britain by Butler & Tanner, Frome and London.
Typographical errors corrected in text:
Page 20: vessel replaced with vessels
Page 178: Amy replaced with Army
