(Director-General of Transportation)
The soldier of today is infinitely better equipped and cared for than was the soldier of 1914, a factor that throws a big load on transport. Let us follow a soldier's career through and you will gain an idea of what I mean. Multiply by the number of soldiers in our Army, and you will perhaps be able to form an idea of the size of the transport problem. Let us call our subject Mr. T. Atkins, of Accrington, a young man, 22-years-old, who receives his calling-up notice. He presents himself at the appointed place, goes ju at one end as a civilian and comes out at the other end as Pte. T. Atkins, completely clothed in military garb, and fully equipped.
The raw materials for the clothing and equipment have had to be conveyed to the factory, and after manufacture taken to the appointed place to be ready at the moment they are required. Pte, Atkins is then conveyed to a depot, or posted to a unit, p&s-sibly at some considerable distance, whence he travels on a ticket that has been given him in exchange for a warrant he was handed at his reporting place. Arrived at his unit, he finds perhaps that a new hutted camp has been built for him, complete even with recreational facilities; that his daily feeding has been looked after, that ammunition has come from somewhere for his musketry instruction, and that one or other of the military services has anticipated his every need.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.