SOLDIERS' WAR TROPHIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 67, 13 December 1918, Page 8

SOLDIERS' WAR TROPHIES

« A REMARKABLE COLLECTION. Many war trophies have been brought to New Zealand from the several battlefields of France, Belgium, and Gallipoli, but one of the most interesting and unique collections is in the possession of Burn brothers, of Petone. Colonels Hughes and Potter having inspected this large collection were simply astonished, it being freely expressed that it ought tn form the neuchts of a Dominion exhibition. Three of the Burn brothers have been to the front—William, Tom, and Robert—the eldest, now Captain It. Burn, achieving fame. Educated at Fort Street Model School, .Sydney, Captain Burn joined Kitchener's Army when war broke out ua a private. He was with tho British section of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Egypt in 1914. Later he was transferred to the motor transport dopnrjment and. promoted sergeant-ma-jor. Ho invented a gun and was sent Home to the War Office to perfect tho same, being promoted lieutenant, Munitions Department, Whitehall. He is now in charge of the aeroplane factory at Hemlon, and is engaged on important aeroplane invention Amongst the collection of trophies in the possession of the Burn brothers are the following:—The Burn patent discharger for firing grenades, and a message carrier used by all the Allies. The Burn time aud percussion fuse, used by the Allies. The Mills bomb. The Burn constant angle grenade gun, weight 1631b., range 600 yds. Pieces of the Gotha Zeppelin brought down in London. A Turkish cricket ball bomb. French rifle grenade used at the first and second Battles of Verdun. Parts of Zeppelin LH2 brought down at Cufl'ly by Robinson, V.C. German Hantine money off tho Emden. Mummies from the Egyptian tombs, and a large collection of Egyptian carving. Also the original order issued by General lan Hamillon before, attempting to land on the Gallipoli Peninsula. General Hamilton's order read as follows :— "Force Order. (Special). "General Headquarters, "April 2[, 1915. "Soldiers of Franco and of Ihe King,— "Before us lies an adventure unprecedented in modern war. Together with our comrades of the Fleet we. are about to force a landing upon an open beach, in face, of positions which have been vaunled by our enemies as impregnable. The landing will bo niado good, by the help of God and the Navy; the positions will bo stormed, and the war brought one step nearer to a glorious close. " 'Remember,' said Lord Kitchener when bidding adieu to your commander, 'remember, once you set Foot upon the Gallipoli Peninsula you must tight the thing through to a finish.' '"('he whole world will be watching our progress. Let us prove ourselves worthy of the great feat of arms entrusted to us. "Lan Hamilton, "General."