AN HISTORIC GUN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3124, 30 June 1917, Page 3

AN HISTORIC GUN

t S S m T 0 lime aKC> (ho Jr 'Vor nrr. ■I. J. Luko) received tho following loiter irom lieutenant-Colonel H. Hart, Officer Coinmandniff Ist Battiilion, Wolliiifrton Inrantry:— "Dear Sir,-On behalf of this battalion I wish to present to the citizens of Wcllington a Japanese (rencli mortar ; , s « souvenir of the Gallipoli eainr>nisn. This Tiiortar was nswl by (ho battalion for many weeks at 'Tho .Apex/ and was ono ol tho very few mortars used iu tlialcampawn, and, as far as I kiion-, it is tho only ono brought away from Gtilnpoli. It was beinj fired until late, in tho afternoon of tho final day of the evHciiation. and at dusk was carried to the beach by the mortar team' a. task of great difficulty under tho circumstances then exist, mjr. I his type, of,mortar is not now used by our forces." To this letter the Jluym- has replied to Moiitcnanl-riolonel Tfart:— "Dear Sir,—ln reply f 0 vour letter of MaTch 10 last ro the presentation of a Japanese trench iiiorUir used at Gallipoli to tho city of Wellington, I desiro to express my eincero thanks and those of tho City Council also for your offer, which the citizens will much' appreciate. I shall be glad to bo advised in due course regarding- the arrival, of tho mortar in New Zealand. Perhaps it rould be arranged to 'bo delivered at Wollingtoii." Tii the emirso of conversation (he Mayor thought it would be. interesting to have a sniive-nir of the notable Gallipoli campaign, whw-o our boys fought so bravely and so many of them died, and ho hopes that the gun wilt bo placed iu one of ;ho city reserves with a suitable inscription to indicat" its historic value.