FIGHTING THE BOLSHEVIKS.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16726, 8 January 1920, Page 6

FIGHTING THE BOLSHEVIKS.

NEW ZSAItANDEB'S EXPERIENCE One of the tieveral New Zealandcrs who fought on tlio Archangel front returned to Wellington two days ago. This was Trooper D. W. Banks, the 19-year-old son of Mr W. Banks, of Kiiiibolton. Being anxious to ecu scrvicw during the Great War, and finding that tho New Zealand authorities would not acccpt him on account of his youth, tho Kimbolton lad, after completing two years at Wanganui College, left Now Zealand in January, 1918, at tho ago of 17 years and tlireo months, with tho intention of enlisting in tho Imperial Forces. lie worked his passage Homo, and on axrival in London joined King Edward's Horse as a trooper. lie served on the Western Front for several months, and on an appeal being made volunteered for servico in Russia, lie served with tho British Expeditionary Forces on tho Archangel front for seven months, being attached to Carrol's Cavalry, and participated in sovoral small engagements against tho Bolsheviks. Ho took part in tho evaluation, returning to England on Septenil>er 20th, 1919. Late in tho year ■volunteers wore also asked for to servo under Denikin in Southern Russia at tho rat-o of £1 a dav, tho British Government paving 10s per day and tho Denikin Government 10s per day. •Trooper Banks volunteered for this, hut the Fchemo uecame a. "wash-out," owing to tho outcrv in England against conducting further oj»erations in Russia. Speaking to a "Post" reporter, Troo[>er Banks stated that tho members of the B.E.F. at Archangel wero distributed among tho Russian troops as officers and n.c.o.'s. Tho majority of the Russian troops, however, were Bolshevik sympnthiws, and could not be relied upon, whilo it wan estimated that of the Archangel population fully 7."j per rent, wero pro-Bolshevik \s the Bolsheviks on tho northern front would not fight, it was possible for the R.E.F. to havo advanced to Pctrojyad, but all the time its lines of communication would have been menaced by tho population in the rear, and t-.o nothing of nruch value could bo done