Soldiers' News

Bob Anderson sends news of the many other boys he sees in the Base Hospital at Bari. Peter Mitchell has been seen there and also Wilf Watson and Gordon Stuckey, who was reported wounded lately.

The following is an extract from a letter from Gnr. R. J. Larkin, which will be of more interest to older students but does show that V.U.C. lives even in the Middle East:—

"We had a jolly good trip over — Brian Vickerman and Thaddy McCarty (both reverted to sergeant's rank) were together with Norm Russell, some of Wellington's legal fraternity who travelled in much the same luxurious state as I did. In Maadi we were welcomed by Jim Garbett and Cam Wylie—both captains in administrative jobs. Bart Cahill, who preceded us, is a corporal (reverted from his Territorial commission) and feeling rather like Rip Van Winkle as he'd been held back for courses on intelligence work, courts-martial and so on—he has had so many briefs as defending counsel that he farmed one cut on me—a sure sign of desperation! I need hardly add that my victim was given 90 days even after I'd said all I properly could on his behalf plus a terrible lot more that any self-respecting S.M. would consider proper!

"Here at advanced base I've met Harry Arndt and Sandford of the Cricket Club. Harry is legal sergeant and Sandy is a W.O. in the Archives Section, as is also Doug Edwards. Dick Connell, who just recently was again gazetted after dropping his pip to come over here, had Harry, Doug and Sandy along for a brew in his tent when he knew I was here—very thoughtful of him as it's difficult to see everybody you'd like for long enough to exchange news. It was a great experience to hear how Doug Edwards met a chap looking like a cook until he found it was Lt.-Col. J. L. MacDuff, M.C., and how Dick Simpson as a G3 at Div. H.Q. was working out a problem relating to the mule transport of a battalion and how well John White and Dick Wild were doing, and Dennis Blundell.

From other parts of the world we hear that Bruce Mason, after a week in the Soviet Union between convoys, is now taking a course in Japanese in Britain for a liaison officer job.

Note.—We are still keen to receive excerpts or letters from any student overseas. Letters written to individuals are our main source of information.