SOLDIERS' LETTERS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2498, 26 June 1915, Page 6

SOLDIERS' LETTERS

AUCKLAND PRIVATE'S STORY A TALE OF COOD COMRADES. HEROIC RED CROSS MEN. Private B. Smith, of Auckland, writing to his mother concerning tho fighting at Sari Bair, says:— "When we reached the beach tho Australians had driven the enemy over the first ridge and back on to tho second. The loth Company got into tho firing line about noon. My platoon became separated from the rest, and wo found ourselves in a gully. It was simply a perfect hell down there with shrapnel bursting and the bullets alj most as thick as hail. First you heard ' a shell coino screcching through the air, then bang—bang, and lead and iron pellets would go whizzing round everywliure. The Turkish riflemen also kept up an incessant fire, in fact, tliore was never a moment that there was not a continual whizzing in the air overhead, and tlio man who stood up, or even sat up, was courting disaster. At that particular point we reckoned the odds about ten to one against us. I don't know whether I succceded in shooting anv of the brutes. You see, they wero well entrenched, and the hillside simply covered with thick scrub about two feot high. All you had to aim at was a swaying bush or a quickly disappearing fez. Once five of us let bang at ono and tie same time at a German officer. An Australian officer called our attention to him, and he seemed to be wounded in the arm. Who got him I don't know, but he went down and out. After a while we began to find we could not make good, and wo had to retreat, slowly at first, then, to be candid, wo were chased. They got our range with their big guns, and the officers wouldn't let us stay. Perhaps it was just as well, for it was murder, so we made quick time back for tho best part of a mile. Then wo wero reinforced, and commenced to advance again. "For tliree hours 1 was in tho thick of it, and wo advanced half a mile. Then tlic.y got mo. It was like getting a smack from a 501b. sledgehammer. I reckoned I'd better look after myself while I had the strength to do it, so 1 gave my ammunition to the fellow alongside me and took off my equipment and started to crawl two or three miles back to the beach. I hadn't got far before I discovered that I'd been foolish enough to think I could make the journey without my water bottle. I lost a lot of blood and got a horrible notion that I might be foolish enough to faint, but I didn't.

"After I had covered a hundred yards or so I be<»an to feel pretty bad; then an Australian spotted me. He wriggled over to where I was aaid told me to lie down while he tied up my wounds. Then he soused his handkerchief from his water bottle and spread it over my face. It was a scorching hot day, and what he did for me revived mo tremendously. I lost so ir.ucli blood, though, that I did not seem to make further progress, so he got stretcher bearers to come for me, real heroes. "My word, what a mistaken idea some people have about the Bed Cross boys 1 Do you know, I'd always thought they wore inclined to be cold-footed or something. I know better now. Those two Australian stretcher bearers couldn't do enough for mo. They had me on the stretcher and were off with me before I had time to think. I begged them to tie down and. wait until there was a lull in the firing, particularly as wo had already learned that the "Turks had no respect for the Red Cross men, but they said, 'No, you're shot and we've got to get you back as soon as possible; besides, we'ro too busy to wait." "How they got back with me I don't know, for bullets whizzed all round us, and frequently' they went zip-zip-zip over my prostrate body and between those two game chaps. They were completely fagged by the time they got me to the beach, but they would scarcely wait for a spoil. They were off again in no time for more wounded men. They were game, those fellows, real game— firedat all the time and never a chance of hitting back or making cover. Like the rest of us, they're game." ' ON THE SCROLL OF FAME. NOT ONE MAN EXCITED. "Although 1 say it myself, the Australians and New Zealanders havo made, at an enormous oxpense, a name for themselves that will last for over and a day/' writes l'riavte Russell Trotter, 6th Hauraki Company, from the Indian General Hospital, San Stefano. ' "I'was in the firing-line only six hours, and then received a small wound in the neck. If it had not bled so much I would have been there yet. But long before tho six hours were up, as far as T could see, there were only one or two of our company whowere still not wounded or killed. All the while that I was there I never saw one man who was excited or the least bit frightened, although wo were clamouring for a position, and were open to the enemy's tire. Eventually reinforcements arrived, and took up a fairly good position, ana ever since, as far as wo hear, they have been doing good work." WESTLANDER IN BATTLE. BAYONETING THE SNIPERS. Private J. Mettrick, writing from Mena House to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mettrick, of Blackball, Grey River, West Coast, under date May 3, says:— "I suppose you know by this we had a go at the Turks at Gallipoli on April 25. Wo left Alexandria on April 9, and landed at Lemnos Island on tho 14th. This island, which belongs toGreece, we left on April 24, and sailed for a place on Gallipoli. The Australians landed at daybreak, and then the lighting started. We landed at about it). 45. and the Turks shelled us like blazes. We lost a couple in landing. In landing we had to jump into the water waist deep. The Turks had wires laid under tho water, and the funny part was some of us tripped over thorn and went under. This was a good thing, for it cooled our nerves a bit. and ive were none the worse for it. All tho time shrapnel was bursting over us. and bullets whistling all round us. Wo had to climb a big hill which the Turks bad trenched. After driving tho Turks, out wo got into their trenches and bullets were whistling from every quarter. Anyhow, we went on up steeu hills and doivn and over gullies. Tho enemy's shells gave us blazes. Wo lost a lot of men, but kept moving forward, and gained the top of a ridgo, when we found we were in a tight corner. "The order came to charge. This was right into our hands. You should havo seen tile Turks run. It is surprising what one call] do under the magic order, 'Charge!' Wc got down again, and then a hail of more shells and bullets, but we held our own against numbers, I suppose, of four to ono. When in Hie Sine tiring Jack Dove was shot through the ley. I was lixing him up alter our company had retired and the bally Turks were <,u iw again. We got Jack under cover and had to get back. Alter firing about live minutes we charged again. It is n nice sensation to have blond running down your aim. Tho Turks would noi I'aee the haven 't. Our principal difficulty llieu was in dealing with snipers. Where we lnur;lit itsis scrub about, five feet high, nutlets kept whizzing ahout us from the sniper. 1 *. Wo could not see them, and when «e did gnl nil tlifiu tltey wnultl throw im their aims aad 'Oil, mister, \vo_

poor,' but the bayonet or tho butt of a rille always told a tale. "Well, wo had to keep this business going. About 5.30 p.m. 1 was shooting over the edge of a liill. Two Australians wero with me. Something lauded on the ground ahoad of us, and all 1 remembered was that the earth rose, and when 1 came to I realised that I must liavo rolled 150 feet down the slope. Ono of the Australians ]iad an arm blown off from tho elbow. I asked him where our niato was, and he pointed to picces of him. 1 was helped down to tho beach, and the enemy here shelled our sick and Red Cross. They fired at anyone or anything;, but, mind you, wo played them at their own game. Wo took many prisoners. "Officers who were in the retreat at Mons said tlio battle there was nothing to ours. I am not much hurt. I escaped without a hole in me, but when the shell exploded tlio force of the earth caught me in tho stomach and lower parts and bruised me a hit. I am knocking about and wanted to go back in a week- or a fortnight. The rest of us here are all desirous of getting back. Mind you, they gave us blazes, but wo would not. give in. My company was cut up in about four hours. One or two may bo still lighting, but tho rest were either killed or wounded. The Australians must be praised for tho wai thoy fought. It was a great sight to see tho battle —warships, mountain batteries, machine-guns, and rifles. It frequently occurred that men at the side of you fell, many with their heads blown to pieces. There have been some awful sights ono does not care to mention."

Major (tomporary lieutenant-colonel) John Edward Hume, officer commanding tho Auckland district, has been promoted lieutenant-colonel. Captain Noel Percy Adams, New Zealand Field Artillery, who has been acting as camp adjutant at Trentham for some months past, has been promoted major. Major (temporary lieutenant-colonel) Alfred do Bathe Brandon, nth (Wellington) Regiment, lias been retired with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and with permission to wear the prescribed uniform. The following is a list of unclaimed prizes in connection with the St. John Ambulance and Red Cross Stall (Mrs. Moorhouse) at tlio recent Carnival Bazaar. They may be obtained at Mrs. Moorhousc's residence, 134 Dixon Street, and prize-winners' should bring with them their tickots, so that no mistake may be madeßanjo, 11. J. Wallace, Wellington Road, liclbum; Doulton bowl, Miss Gilchrist, 67 Tmakori R-oad; satin cushion, N. A. Berry; tray, bronzo, ; Greek vase, ; Japanese plaque, ; bed spread, Miss Walter; 5 volumes Sir W. Scott, — Greevo; brass pipe rack, Mr. A. Veneal. There are in Angola some 200 odd Boer families, some of whom arrived in the territory about 40 years ago. Others left British South Africa for various reasons, mainly political, immediately after the Boer War, and settled in German South-West Africa, but eventually were glad to rid themselves of the German yoke, and trekked into Angola. Messrs. Dalgety and Co. told a 6tock sale at Levin on AVeilnesday next.