Arrangements made for Accommodation in the United Kingdom

On the arrival of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in England the question of the area of concentration and of our employment was uncertain, because all our arrangements to go to Colchester had to be abandoned owing to the German advance along the Belgian coast, and the vulnerability of the barracks to an air attack.

As you will remember, the War Department had allotted to us a provisional area which split up the whole force and gave them a garrison role on the East Coast, which would have made our training very difficult. I had reported this to the New Zealand Government and, with your approval, had insisted upon concentrating the force to enable us to be able to carry out collective training. After certain negotiations we were allotted a series of tented camps in the Aldershot area, and these, I am glad to report, have turned out as well as possible. We have been bombed only twice, and the administrative arrangements have been quite good. Being close to Aldershot we have had access to the School of Cookery and I am glad to say that the standard of housekeeping within the units has been brought up to a good level.

I have been to the Forestry Company at Crowborough and have looked into their difficulties and, with a certain amount of assistance, they will now be in a much better position to ensure that their men are properly fed.

So far we have not had any chance to organise games for the men. We have been training night and day to fit them for their part in the battle should the Germans decide to attack Great Britain.