THE PHILOMEL MEN

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2423, 31 March 1915, Page 6

THE PHILOMEL MEN

BRAVERY AND SANG PROID IN THEIR FIRST ACTION STORM'S OF HEROISM. A. stirring story has come to hand recarding the officers and men of tlio N.Z. ship Philomel, which was recently in acLicm against the Turks. It is still inadvisable, to mention the locality in which operations took place, but Ihe whole story from beginning to end is one of bravery and resource, such as New Zealanders may well be proud of. lien were landed from tile cruiser at for the purpose of discovering what was being done with a large number of uuck animals. There were in this landing parly only some seventeen officers and man, and very soon they found themselves surrounded by a party of from 80 to 100 of the enemy. , They had to fight their way through this greatly superior i'orce, and this they did with the ship's guns supporting them, the retreat being cairied out with the utmost- sang froid and in most trying conditions. Indeed, quite a number of the casualties occurred through men exposing themselves in order to assist the wounded until darkness should come to their further aid. Lieutenant F. Miliar, ivho was in command of the landing party, carried out his duties with great'coolness and'ability. Lieutenant P. Gordon, R.N.V.R., is also specially mentioned for devotion to duty, and for saving a' wounded man, and Petty-Officer Geo. H. flollanb.y for groat coolness under fire r.nd devotion to duly. It was largely owing to liis cooThess and unconcern that the men came through the trying ordeal so well. A.B. F. Gardiner is mentioned for assisting to carry a badly wounded man, under h'eavy fire. A.B.' A. T. Deihou, the first man wounded—oncs in the arm and once in the knee—had his rifle smashed, and continued to do his best until he came to the ship. A.B. VVni. Staiibnry was killed. He assisted Lieutenant Pirie Gordon and A.B. F. Gardiner to carry out a wounded man-,under heavy fire, and on Hearing the nioutif of a river went to procure further assistance. He was killed whilst returniiiß the iesciie of his wounded comrade. A.B. Bruce S. Beagloy continued to use the Maxim gun in. the cutter with the utmost coolness for tha whole two hours, though ho had no. cover ana was under heavy fire, as was shown by tlie ninny bullet holes in the cutter and big splashes during the action. Indeed, his escape unbounded was marvellous. Lieutenant Pirie Gordon is specially mentioned, because lie, assisti. -i, Gardiner and Stanbnrv, carried a badly-wounded man on his back during the whole retreat, under heavy fire. . What is perfiaps the most moving inoicT-nt of the whole operation relate*) to the wounding and the rescue of A.B. John T. Moreton. He was left in tho cutter but subsequently endeavoured to to I low his comrades ashore. He was wounded before reaching them, and subsequently he was found to be missln "' landing party did not discover the fact until after they W lefc the shore. It pears thai he had been shot whilst i milling across an open field, and he was subsequently located under the ship's searchlight. J lie men on the ship under the bright light saw him moving once or twice, so they knew he was not dead. Immediately a volunteer search party set oft in the dark with a view to rescuing him. The volunteers were 1 Lieutenant. J. Keilv, R X.R. Chief P.O. George Phillips, A.B. William H. Payne, A.B. I'red. J, Bradley, A.B. Robert J. Sherlock, First-class SLolser James Ferine, Stoker John 'J'lionipson, R.N.R., Volunteer Seaman Jivmes P. Guthrie, K./l. Force, also the whaler's crew and Volunteer V conian Signalman Valentine Atkinson ami Signalman Rolancl Dumtord. Under covor of the darkness, this party set out in search of the wounded man. After two attempts and four hours on shore in the locality of the enemy they brought bim in dangerously wounded, without any casualty. Unfortunately he died two clays later. Our men inflicted considerable loss upon the enemy, and the lesson taught them is said to havfl had a very noticeable effect upon the Turkish authorities. In confirmation if fhe coolness of the men, it is noted as a remarkable fact that, only two rifles were lost, the one shattered by a bullet and the one belonging to -Moreton, who was mortally wounded.