CLOSE CALLS AT THE FRONT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2645, 16 December 1915, Page 5

CLOSE CALLS AT THE FRONT

-9 Corporal M. H. Kearney,. an.lmperia] Army Reservist, who recently returned to his home at Petone, after-completing twelve months of active service in iiurope, stated in an interview . .that • upon rejoining his regiment, the 2nd battalion, King's Shropshire Infantry, they were immediately ordered to Rouen, then to Yprcs. . Twenty r four hours after their arrival they were in the thick .of it, and ho then for tho nrst time was introduced - k> the gas used by the enemy'.'. Corporal Kearney compares the symptoms of one enveloped to that of a dog suffering from dis. . temper, until gradually air becomes a blank, as the victim inhales more of it. On two occasions he was among a number similarly attacked, and at Clmp-pelle-Armentieres an enemy shell burst on an embankment, burying, with debris, a sergeant-major and Tiimself for half an hour. Later, his haversack was riddled with fifteen bullets from a machine-guii,' and on one occasion, whilst looking through a periscope, a sniper Sent a bullet through a corner of the instrument, just missing his head. , Corporal Kearney spoko highly-of-tho gas helmet for use among the deadly fumes, but asserted tihat the respirators used were unsuccessful. Ho brought with him several interesting mementos of his term at the front, including some German ammunition. Corporal Kearney, although he had many hair-breadth ,