NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3985, 19 July 1915, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS.

GA LLAXTRY PRAISED. LETTER FROM GENERAL BIRDWOOD. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 16. Praise is . bestowed noon the NewZealanders by General Birdwcod in a letter to the Hon. Jainotf Allen. Minister- for Defence, dated loth May. “You will have seen details of the landing at Gallipoli Peninsula,” he reports. “The Australian division was leading on this occasion, so naturally they came in for most of the worn. • But the New Zealanders immediately foPowed in support and they came m for an equally hot time. lam exceedingly sorry ahout Colonel Stewart s death as he was a gallant officer and was doing well. Another officer was wounded in the wrist and refused to band over his duties and I hear he has now been wounded again. A\ ithout spring the ground we. had to figtHoyer it. It is impossible to realise the w ork that- was done by. our troops. “M'e are. I think, in for a great deal more fighting. But whatever our future mav be nothing can dotrac from the achievement of the Australians and New Zealanders so far. 1 have just received a letter from a hmh authority who writes:— “ ‘The achievement on Galiipoii will he quoted as long as, history lasts.' ■'\t present wo have three stops mfar-'" ns —a perfect Gibraltar of a position known as the Kilid Bahr plateau which commands the Narrows anc whicir lias its ffmks thoroughly protect i'd on either side by. the Dar : dandles. So you will realise to some ! extent what the difficulties are before us. The Turks are no mean fighters and as the Sultan of Egypt saul to me m bidding me good-bye : “ • \\\ must be prepared to meet here the flower of the Turkish Army.' “At the beginning of the month i had' to send off thedNew Zealand Infantry Brigade and an Australian Infantry Brigde temporarily to help tin forces further south. Both these brigades are still down there and I am delighted to’ think that they will’ he rejoining me again almost immediately. 1 hear that both haye been doing splendid service there, but I fear they Have lost heavily so that they can only return m depleted numbers. . “Fortunately von have always snob excellent reinforcements from Zealand that we feel this lossless than wo otherwise would. The Ist and 2nd reinforcements we have with us. amt T hope the .3rd will arrive immediately from Egypt. I need hardly say that those von have sent meet with our. approval both in physique and training. We are most thankful for them and. look forward to welcoming the 4th towards the end of the month. Of the Maoris, General Bmluood. writes that he had suggested they should join him and if that was approved the Minister .could rest assured he would do hm best to take any special care lie could of them. VALUE OF REINFORCEMENTS. Writing to General Robin under date of 30th May, General Godlev, .officer commanding the New Zealand Expeditionary Force states:— 1 expect vou are glad that the Samoan reliefs have taken place. I nope you will send all of them coming here simplv as ordinary reinforcements The Minister writes to me that then was an idea of sending another mounted brigade. This would, ol course., he quite useless and what we want is a perpetual stream of reinforcements (we cannot have too many) instead m another fresh unit.” _____