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A WAR INCIDENT

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—l' read with interest Mr. Louis 13. Deventer's brief letter in l to-day's (.Saturday) issue, and while I in no way whatever disagree with the sentiments lie expressed, I thin!; it might ho interesting if fuller facts were given in connection with'the incident he mentioned. Your correspondent, in referring to the terrible difficulties experiencedafter the New ZealandErs' attack on Bellevue SpAr. on October 12 1917, commonly called the l'asscheiula'ele engagement—in removing wounded from the advanced posts to back areas,- wrote of the disinterested services of 400 Tommies of the Duke of Wellington's Own, in assisting us with stretcher-bearing.' Tour correspondent has my : hearty concurrence in the kindly memory lie recalls., and may all such incidents live.with' us so long as memory lasts.

But the services our own men gave the Tommies c:i ! that occasion must not bo forgotten, for, if ever men reached to heights-of glory, New Zealanders did on that sad occasion. And my apology for writing is that too little is known in New Zealand o£ her sons' war doings. It is known that they fought with honour at Gallipoli, llessines, the Somme, Passchendaele, etc. etci, though even then one sometimes meets good-natured incredulity at' the exceptionally high praise that has been given them; but of tho part they played in the daily unrecounted burden of the war, the part that wore down the moral- and frayed the phj-sique, little has been told. ! Yot no division in the British Army, 1m it Scottish, Imperial Guards, Welsh, Londoners, Irish, can bliow a record of moro constant or valuable service, on worse fronts, with fewer back-area respites than the New Zealand Division. But I digress. AVlien tho New Zealand two brigades— tho 2nd (Canterbury and Otago), and the 3rd (the N.Z.E.B.j— took over the line on -October 10 from Imperial troops for the "hop over," they found their R.A.P.'s full of Tommy wounded, most of whom had been out four days. 1' need not describe that scene. Our men were detailed to carry as many out as they could to clear the decks for our own probable casualties. One brigade, the "Dinks," had been on continuous fatiguing night stunts—cable-burying and tho digging of gun emplacements— for many nights, for which they received corps and army thanks, and they had' como straight up into "shock" action therefrom. The 2nd Brigade had also had a wearing experience. To carry ono wounded man back meant eight 'men' at least to a stretcher, and sometimes more, and a day for one trip. As many of tho wounded as possible were cleared away. Our doctors, [ meanwhile, had the care of these men upon them. \ After the bitter fight on the next day, tho 12th, which was one of the most -trying on the spirit and endurance in history, tho plight that faced tho doctors and the regimental commanders Was appalling—literally thousands of mutilated men, and for' many no shelter. But they, did not waste time wringing their hands. IVhon morning dawned on the'l3th—tho night had been spent by tho exhausted troops in mud in a cold driving sleet—the various headquarters sent out a call for volunteers to do stretcher-bearing. The response was characteristic. It was a test of spirit that men are rarely called to face. . Assistance was given by our battalions in reserve, by the N.Z.F.A., regimental bands, A.S.C., and all available sources were called upon bv General Russell. It was a slow, terrible process that backward journey, waistdeep most of the way, in mud, shells and shrapnel bursting constantly around, rain and cold wind searching the bones. They set'out in the early morning, and in the wild evening, dead weary, hungry, voiceless manv of them from fatigue, they returned—to be told, in some c-ases, that they must lie ready in half-an-hour to go lip again to the front lino for the night's vigil. And nothing worse would come from them but a muttered curse. This experience went on for two days, and help was given by the 1-Hst Battalion (Imperial). One by one. in dogged effort, the wounded w;ent back, and the job was done. On th£ evening of the 1-lth. when tho two brigades obtained their welcomo relief, every New Zealand and every Tommy wounded had been removed to stations in the rear. ~ , . These are onlv jiaro facts—historic facts. Tho details must, lfait for a future occasion. I am sure your correspondent will not mind me having-add-ed them to his own statement.—l am, etc. H. T. B. DREW (late of C.1.E.).

Tho independent motion picture exhibitors of New Zealand arc holding a meeting in No. 1 Conmiitleo Room at the Town Hall, on Wednesday, at 8 p.m., to fr.rm an association for the protection and furtherance of their industry. Such associations in Australia, England, and other countries are said to have accomplished great results for tho exhibitors in fighting monopolies and in other mutters which alTect their welfare. From the promises of support which have been received by the committee a large attendance is anticipated.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19191013.2.70

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 15, 13 October 1919, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
839

A WAR INCIDENT Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 15, 13 October 1919, Page 6

A WAR INCIDENT Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 15, 13 October 1919, Page 6

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