HOW PADDY LARKIN DIED

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2812, 1 July 1916, Page 10

HOW PADDY LARKIN DIED

AN AVENGER OF GALLIPOLI. A writer in a London magazine tells a vivid story of liow I'addy Lnrkih, of Sydney, avenged his brother's death at Ga-llipoli:— A man had just been shot in the firstline trench at Anzac by a sniper. Private Roy Scotton, the sth Field Ambulance, A.1.F., had been hurried along with a stretcher to bear him away for burial. "Who is it?" asked one of the bearers as thej* picked up the soldier. Another Australian, his head bent to avoid hostile bullets, came hastening along the trench. "Who's down> this time?" he asked in turn. But there came no response from the bystanders. Some busied themselves with the breeches of their rifles; some, who had commenced a smoke, put aside their tobacco. The dead soldier's face had been covered ivitli a blanket. "Who is it?" asked the private once more, sick with' apprehension. He was a brave man, a man inured to campaign, 'ing of all kinds. For this was Paddy Larkin, of Sydney. Pulling aside the blanket covering the dead man's face lie gave a cry of horror. It was his own brother, Sergeant Larkin, JI.L.A. He bowed, his head reverently- for a moment over the cold, set features: then, snatching a rifle and bayonet from tlm •man nearest him, he scrambled quickly across the irench. Before anv man nresent suspected his intention. Paddy Larkin , was leapine towards the enemy to ayenße his brother's death. A storm of bullets opened on liini. ■ They lashed the' sand around him: thev tore into his clothes, into his body. Still lie went on. Over the wire entanglements, over the parapet he.len.pt, his bayonet thrusting savagely at the Turks. Yerv short and fierce was the fiirht, but Paddy Larkin died hanp.v. • His brother's death was avenged.