The Dominion SATURDAY, JUNE, 19, 1015.. OUR CHEERFUL HEROES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2492, 19 June 1915, Page 4

The Dominion SATURDAY, JUNE, 19, 1015.. OUR CHEERFUL HEROES

The letters written by soldiers at the front to their friends and relatives at home have quite a unicjuo interest. The graphic descriptive power revealed in the epistles of Tommy Atkins was one of the surprises of the war. A new type of literature seemed to spring into existence before our very eyes. Those New Zealanders who have felt its charm and vivacity will turn with eager interest to the perusal of tho descriptions of life 011 the battlefield which aro now coming from our own mqn who are fighting Turks and Germans in thq Gallipoli Peninsula. As we read the extracts which have been published in The Dominion from a number of these letters, our hearts fill with pride and sympathy.' They throw a ilood.of light on the nature of tho lighting, and give us many a thrilling glimpse of tho spirit in which our own men are facing their great task. The soldiers tell their own story, and they tell it remarkably well. There is no straining after effect. Tho lottors are natural, free, and frank; hilt they are also wonderfully vivid, and reveal a capacity fur picturesque narrative which is quite surprising. Humour and pathos are mingled, but it is all so natural that one reads without any feeling of incongruity. The men do not brag about tho deeds they are doing. They describe the most heroic acts iu tlwv most matter-of-fact way, and seem quite unconscious of their own heroism, i The idea that they are helpiug to I make history 011 a grand settle does not seem to occur to them. Of ! course, they arc well aware, that Uifiv ars iilti,vltiß uii imjipi-iiiHi, jiin'K Li*, tba ««. they, know that

the issues involved are tremendous; but they appear to look upon tho campaign mainly as a great adventure, wliich in spite of all its perils and hardships, they would not have missed for anything. They feel that they aro participating in events that onlv happen once in a _ lifetime. They experience the exhilaration of living dangerously, which provides a fascinating contrast to the old routine of ordinary life in times of peace. _ One writer gives emphatic expression to this thought in his declaration that "one day of real exciting life is better than a century of monotony." Sow keen they are about their work—and' how cheerful! The wounded do not grumble about their physical Buffering. Their 1 complaint is against the "hard luck" which is dopriving them of the opportunities of sharing in the adventures of their more fortunate comrades. One of them bewails the fact that he was "only in the firing-line for about two hours before being bowled over." The main anxiety of those who are in the hospitals is to be made fit to fight once more. "I think I am just about' healed," writes one of them, "and ought soon to be well enough to get into it again." Another concludes his letter with the hope that by the time it reaches its destination he will be "back at it again." This is the true fighting spirit. It is tho stuff of which heroes are made. One plucky private, who "got in front of a bullet," to quote his own words, cheerfully assures his sister that his wound is healing fine, and be is hoping to go back into the firingline in order "to do a bit more to wipe off this little score." Theso expressive "asides" are very instructive. They enable us to sco the war through the eyes of the soldiers themselves. The more formal records of the campaign can only give the broad outlines of the picture. It is these direct personal touches that help us;to fill in tho details. Tho Empire is just beginning to realise the fact that great deeds of heroism, equal to any of thoso recorded in our history books, are happening almost every day in this war. _ Our soldiers in Flanders and Ga-llipoli have shown that they are just as courageous as the men who rought at Agincourt, at Blenheim, at Waterloo, or in the Crimea. The glory of the men who took part in the Charge of the Light Brigade will never fade, but some of tho achievements of the New_ Zealand and Australian troops will also be remem-' bered as long as our race and Empire endure. Can the records of military history show anything that surpasses in bravery and devotion to duty the following incident, described by an Australian private? On Monday night they (the Turks) shifted two of their big guns to our la ft, and enfiladed us. They fairly blew it to pieces all day long. About 4 o'clock on Tuesday the enemy, 500 strong, charged our trench. We wore also under a very heavy shrapnel lire., Wo passed the word along that none of us was to b? taken alive, but to die fighting. They will not forget in a hurry the withering fire we poured into them as they crept up the gully. They were so crowded that tho rear ones could noither fire nor advance, mid wo heaped them up liko rabbits in front of tho trench. But they got nil but one of us, including our officers. It was pitiful to see tho bravo cliups falling one after another, until there were only four -of us left standing. Two of them almost immediately fellto rise no more. I was just congratulating myself 011 being one of two to escape unhurt when fragments of one of thoir shells got me in both hands and ou tho shoulder. For fully twenty minutes there was only one man on his feet, and then reinforcements arrived. But wo had done our duty—held our position and driven off all attacks. There wero only about CO in our trench, but I think wo accounted for fully 3(10 Turks.' This is not an isolated occurrcnco. English, Scottish, and Irish soldiers arc fighting with the same magnificent valour. The Canadians have covered themselves with glory, and the Australians and New Zealanders have proved to the world that they arc endowed with their full share of courage and endurance. Feats of tlw most- audacious valour are being performed by men who a few months ago were doing the ordinary work of the world in our factories and shops and offices,.or on our farms and sheep-runs. After a. few months' ia t-iif. fU'iiPf jw IMymv# pona into the thick at tha conflict...,

and in resourcefulness, dash, bravery, and clogged fighting spirit I hey have shown their fitness to light alongside the most experienced professional soldiers. The glowing words of praise which Mr. BaIFOUR recently spoke concerning the doings of the British troops in Flanders givo apt expression to tho sentiments which wc in New Zealand feel regarding the men who have left our shores to risk their lives for ns. Mit. Balfour's words aro worth quoting: "I havo liad tho opportunity of going to tho front (ho said). It is Hard to i»ut into words even, for oneself the marvellous courage, endurance, cheerfulness, and wonderful heroism which is now being shown by our men. Measured by every proud lest of. war, iye know that heroism stands out under splendid illumination. We hoar of battalions losing a proportion of their numbers which would havo been thought impossible in provious wars, but what wo cannot do, aud whut is impossible to do, is to leave these generalities, leave tho statistical views of war, and try and follow tho infinite courage and heroism of the _ man who does not know whether his ,sido is winning or losing, who does not know whether tho next moment may not see him killed or wounded, hut who only knows ho lias got a job before him which lie has to do at all risks and does it. Our gratitude should not only go to those distinguished soldiers whoso names will go down to history, but also to those unnumbered and nameless heroes upon whom depends tho efficiency of everything ive do in tho country." Mr. Balfour's reference to the "unnumbered and nameless heroes" will appeal to all hearts. "'Rilled in action"! That is all that tho casualty lists tell us of tho men who hiive given their lives for thencountry. But we know that every one of them died at his post like a soldier doing bis duty. And how bright and cheerful these men are who are looking death straight in the face every day. They never seem to lose their sense of humour even amid the most tragic surroundings. They realise that they are orowding the sensations of an average lifetime into a few months, and seem genuinely Borry for their friends at home, engaged in the dull routine of daily toil. A sergeant in the Wessex Royal Engineers, who has seen sights that "baffle description, 1 ' tells his parents that they need not worry about him in the least. "This is the real life for me," he says. The same joy /of battle is felt by a London soldier, who "went right through tho Neuve Chapelle battle," and had some thrilling experiences. "I am in the best of health, and feeling very fit," ho writes. '"This life must suit me, for I have an appetite like a lion." Men who fight in this spirit are unconquerable.'