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[Page 33]
be no doubt the troops behaved disgracefully, at least those that went ashore. Drink was of course the chief attraction, and as much of that obtained was evidently of not the best brand, in a little while many went mad. Some tore through the streets stark naked, women were mauled, and such was the conduct generally that the name of Australia will I am afraid be ruined for a long time. This is a great pity, and I cannot help feeling how much to blame the recruiting officers have been. I remember when I joined the and later, the number of men who were obviously undesirables and yet who were passed into the forces. Men of the lowest type some of these, whose nature was so obvious, that I cannot understand their admittance. Many of these later became discharged, or as often happened when rejected from one unit, became transferred to others. Some deserted, but there are still many unfortunately in our ranks, and it is always this minority that is at the bottom of our trouble, for the great