Chevrons For Overseas Service.

Some doubt exists, or seems to exist, among members of the A.I.F. and N.Z.E.F. serving in Egypt, Palestine, Salonica, etc., as to the number of chevrons they are entitled to wear.

If you embarked from Australia or New Zealand during 1914, you are entitled to wear one Red chevron (Red being for 1914 only); and every complete twelve 12 months service outside the Commonwealth or New Zealand entitles you to one additional Blue chevron.

If you embarked on or after January 1st., 1915, you are entitled to one Blue chevron on embarkation and one for each complete 12 months service outside Australia or New Zealand.

Therefore, a man embarking during 1914 is entitled, up to date, to one Red and three Blues, providing that he has not been returned home since his original embarkation in 1914, as any time spent in Australia or New Zealand, through wounds or sickness, etc. received or contracted whilst on active service, does not count as service overseas.

Time lost in hospital abroad, that is, outside the Commonwealth or New Zealand, is not deducted from a soldier's term of active service; but periods of absence without leave, in prison or detention, in hospital from sickness due to avoidable causes, or in captivity as a prisoner of war, will not be included when calculating the 12 months required to qualify for an additional chevron. These chevrons will not be worn on greatcoats. The wilful irregular wearing of them is punishable by Court Martial.

In olden times Jericho was known as the City of Palm Trees. Date palms (Phoenix dactyl if era) were very numerous then in Palestine, especially at Jericho and in the ravine of the Jordan around the Sea of Galilee: several towns were named from them. Josephus, the Jewish chronicler, says that Solomon once cultivated ''Balm of Gilead" on the plains of Jericho, a root of the tree having been given to him by the Queen of Sheba. A modern authority states that monks at Jericho consider that the Balanites Æeyptiaca is the true balm, and from its fruit prepare an oily gum.