SIMPLY GLORIOUS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3988, 22 July 1915, Page 3

SIMPLY GLORIOUS.

AUSTRALIANS AS WARRIORS

THE COLONIALS OWN VERSION

r: Austrnlia ought to keep 100,000 men in the field to do her share. Up to now she lias not done it, much as she has given.” These sentences are contained in ai letter from her husband received by Airs McCay at Melbourne. Continuing, Colonel McCay expressed the hope that Australia bad awakened to the fact that the war was only begun, and that- its result was not yetcertain.

“We have had hideously heavy losses,” lie said, “but it was worth it, and Australia is now an honored name.”

He goes on to pay a high tribute to the spirit of the Australian soldier. In letters dated A fay 19th and 20th he said : ‘•'One. should be proud indeed of being an Australian. There are no finer or braver soldiers, in the whole wide world. If I wore not an Australian myself I would say there arc none as brave. The way, the cheerful, splendid wav. they face death and pain is simply glorious, and if no Australian ever fought again, April 25th, April 26th, and May Bth specially mark them as warriors. If only those at home will come, too, to take their share. Our casualties have been tremendous, but you should see their spirit, their eheorinoss. Last Saturday week (May Bth) I said in effect to them (my own brigade), ‘Come and die,’ and they came with a cheer and a laugh. When my men have to go into a veritable hell, as they did on April 25th, April 2Gth, and May Bth, I must lead them, not send "'•them. 1 suppose that in each of these days death just missed me a hundred times, but one lias no time to think of oneself, and the undoubted exultation of battle makes: one tool that death is a small thing for the time. 1 am very proud of ii’/ men. They are simply m.Hgirliccnt, and I am very proud to know that, they will go anywhere with me. I won tlieir confidence because I shared the risks with them.”