A MARKER HIT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1379, 4 March 1912, Page 4

A MARKER HIT.

ACCIDENT AT TRENTHAM. . NO DOCTOR IN CAMP. Something of a sensation wns caused otl the riilo range nl Trenlham nn Saturday morning by iin accident: which occurred in the markers' trench, when Gunner Watkins, of the Royal Now Zealand Artillery Depot at Wellington—ho hails from Itangiora, down south—was hit at the buck uf the right shoulder by what was thought to be the nick*! shell of . a ricochet bullet, while exposing a service target in the trench at; (lie Collins Kango. There has never been an accident at any previous meeting at Trenthnui—a happy circumstance which probably had something to do with the excitement which, posset-sod tho camp wheu the news spread.

How it Happened. Watkins was attending to what is termed the second division of tho trench during the "Moving Target" match, his duty being to hoist a polo target at unexpected points along tho length of his boat. The trench itself is like a long, deep, and narrow alloy-way, with a high parapet at. the back—the sido nearest the rang*—close to which the markers are supposed, to stand, with their backs to it, lacing tho target posts. Watkins was dodging quickly from one part of his bent to another, hoisting his .target for tho men in the mound 300 yards away, nnd to work with greater ease he ccmo forward from tho parapet and stood closo to the target posts when exposing tho figure, standing sidevnys, his right shoulder to tho parapet. Kiflcman J. Hums, of the Karori Club, was then firing, and one of his shots, flying low, ricocheted from the top of the parapet. Something, the nickel shell of n bullet, or a splinter of stone or wood, spun into the trench and tore its way into tho fleshy part of Wntkins's shoulder, inflicting a wound about two inches long. Walkins is about 6ft. 2in, tall, and to this fact he probably owed his escapo from injury to his head. As it happened, the wound was not very serious, and he was ablo to walk to his quarters in the Artillery lines, and lie down, to wait for the doctor. There was no doctor in camp at (ho time, but Captain Merriolees, of tho CtU Regiment (Tauranga), and formerly of Johnsonvillc, who is a chemist by profession, happened to be present as a competitor, and his services were requisitioned for first aid. Ho inclined to the opinion that tho wound was caused by a bulletshell from a ricochet. In tho meantime u doctor wris telephoned for, and in a short spaco of time Dr. Kemp, resident practitioner in the Upper Hutt district, was on the spot, and attended to tho injury. Watkins was then sent into town for further treatment. Ho will bo incapacitated from duty for somo days.

Is The Trench Safe? Some of the markers who were questioned on tho subject hinted that the trench nt tho Collins Range was unsafe to work in, and was not very popular with the markers on that account. It was suggested that the absence of an overhead mantel, similar to thoso abovo the trenches on tho Secldon and Somniervillo Eanges, exposes the ineu to possible injury from ricocheting bullets, splinters, and so on. This suggestion was placed before Colonel Collins (Chief Executive Officer of the D.R.A.) and Lieutenant-Colonel Hughes (Chief Kango Officer) by a representative of Tun Dominion, and both officer? scouted the idea. "Tho range," said Colonel Collins, "was inspected before tho meeting, and tho parapet of the trench was raised at ono point where it had worn, away. From all points of view that trench is absolutely safe. Tho man could not liavo been hit had he been standing iu tho proper place. Standing ius he was when ho was hit, an overhead mantel could not nave shielded him. These, mantels are only used on the longdistance ranges—the Somniervillo and Seddon ]?angcsr~to protect the markers from possible injury from bullets coming in at a Jiigh. trajectory in a long-range match, hi the shorter ranges Mio bullets fly straigJit, or nearly so, and there can be no possible danger from bullets then. That is why the Collins Range, which is used for short-distanco events, is not provided with a mantel. Thcro is no need for one. The markers themselves did not like the overhead mantels, but they are necessary for the long-distance ranges." It may be mentioned hero that the trench is in charge of an officer who ia responsible for the observance of all rules provided for the efficient and safe working of tho trench.

No Doctor. There was no doctor in camp when the accident happened. Tiliis point was raised during the conrso of the interview with Colonel Collins. It appeared that there wns no provision for a resident medical officer. "We have always been fortunate in having amongst our competitors a medical officer—Dr. M'Knight—-but ho is not with us this year. Colonel Pnrdy visits the camp overy morning, but it so happened on this occasion that ho was detained at the Hutt by a surgical case." The speaker added that tho expense, of providing for the attendance of a resident doctor in camp was beyond tho means of tho association. The Colonel added that a. board of in* quiry, consisting of Captains Sandle, K.N.Z.A. (president), and Captains Gran* and I'innis, New Zenland Staff Corps (members), was appointed to report upon the occurrence. Evidence v:as taken, and a sealed report forwarded to general headquarters. O'olonel Collins stated that the doctor examined Wntkins, and could find no evidence that the wound had been caused by a bullet. This is partly in conflict with the theories of the markers, and of Captain Merrielees (who rendered first aid), which attributed the wound, not to a bullet, but to tho nickel shell of a bullet. The wound was Iwf) inches long, and its vicinity was marked by bruises. Furl her, the missile, whatever it was, tore a jagged holo through the marker's tunic and undergarments, aud although wood splinters, small pobblcs, and fragments of stone liad been known to be struck with such force that they have gono clean through the target, anil in some cases boon embedded in tho wood of the post, tho appearance of the w.ound, it was agreed by somo of those who saw the injury, was "consistent witih the theory that tho'wouiid had been inflicted by n, splintered shell cast from a ricocheting bullet. Tho occurrence has occasioned some iineasincEs among the men from the fact that a similar accident, with more scrioiu results, requiring the immediate attendance of expert hands, might happen any (lay, and in tho absence of a resident medical man whose services could be available at once, have a tragic ending. In big-gun shooting no firing can commence unless a doctor is present, and a similar regulation, it is stated, applies to mu* ketry.