STOOD TO HIS GUNS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3989, 23 July 1915, Page 5

STOOD TO HIS GUNS.

GALLANT FRENCH NAVAL GUNNERS. A STORY FROM THE DARDANELLES. TURRET CREW SLOWLY SUFFOCATED. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, July 21. Rear-Admiral Do Gorcy states that during the heaviest engagements at tlie Dardanelles a French battleship simultaneously engaged three of the Namazieh forts and! xvell-eoncealed batteries. At the height of the action the firecontrol. oflicer was notified of a defect in the apparatus for expelling vitiated air from the forward turret, containing two guns. This- meant that the gun crew might slowly be suffocated, but it was difficult at the decisive moment to abandon the use of the guns, so the order was given to keep up* iirip£. Gradually the action of the turret was observed to he slowing down. One by one the gun crew were falling suffocated', poisoned by gases. Eventually only the officer and a gunner were left. These loaded'and laid the guns and fired; then the officer fell. The gunner, after the hist shot, fainted, leaving the broach open. The control officer was informed that the turret wus’ out of action. The other turrets imperturbably maintained, their fire for half an hour later, when a British division relieved the .shift, and the forts were silenced .

THE TRENTHAM ENQUIRY. YESTF.RDA Y’S PROCEEDINGS. COLONEL PURDY GIVES EVIDENCE. CPEESS ASSOCIATION TELEGIIA.M.) WELLINGTON, July 22. The principal witness examined before the Treutham Cairn) Commission to-day was Colour*! James Robert Purdy, of the New Zealand .Medical Corps, director of medical services, who said that in August 19U his appointment east ou him the responsibility for all details in connection with the ‘whole of the military forces in New Zealand, whether under training or not, including equipment, the appointment of medical officers, and general supervision of hospital campsSix doctors were appointed, and . witness proceeded to give the qualifications of the first men appointed. His Honor remarked that he did not think it concerned the Commission much what happened m Ootouer. Colonel Purdy:: But it has been alleged publicly in the press that we appointed men who knew nouimg about sanitation.

•His Honor: Then in that case it is important. Colonel Purdy said lie had never been in a position to reply to thencharges. He had not a great choice, hut the men appointed were all excellent, and had proved good men since they went to the front. They were Dr s‘. Alclllipot. Sinclair, Simpson. Widdowson. ~ Harvey and Abbott. Some of them had previous military experience. W lieu he took charge he laid out the camp and supervised ile- arrangenu nts personally and with the medical others. Cnloiil Purdy said the health of the camp was remarkably good and a a—cord for the world. He thought theie had been only two deaths attributed to the camp in a pencil of eight months, putting through nearly twenty thousand men. Prom October U) id Jailuar •10 there had only been six deaths. There was not a single death i-i the second reinforcement camp. From the number of deaths he claimed that for eight mouths the camp hid been the healthiest in the world, certainly in New Zealand. Of seven deaths onlv two were from disease. His Honor: But it is not so much a matter of deaths. What trouble did you have with sickness f Witness: Very little.

In the course of funnier examination Colonel Purdv stated that one of the sick men had died of acute phthisis. . Dr Martin: He had been admitted into the armv with tuberculosis.' Colonel Purdy: Probably we have had several eases admitted with incipient tuberculosis. The Chairman: The examination is not too thorough sometimes?. Colonel Purdy: Oh yes it is. He said this case followed on meas-

ll The Solicitor-General asked if a man who had died on ono of the transports was an orderly in the Berhamporo Hospital. ..I Sergt. Yallup. of the Ambulance Corps, was questioned in regard to this man and stated that the deceased was not- an orderly at the hospital during the time witness was tlieie from June Ito 11. . . . , Colonel Purdy, continuing, stated that the man died on June 12 and had boon concealing his condition in order to got away. In regard to the reported overcrowding of Berhamporo Hospital, the greatest number of patients in the institution on one day was ].() | —on June 2. The overcrowding was not as serious as it looked because many of the men wore not ill. Am April 11 ho rang up the Health Department asking for their help to find a. building to accommodate measles cases. They.didn’t give him any help, but said “he could do it himself very well.” Ho lincl mentioned Bothaul pore. On June 2 when overcrowdiuiv had occurred at Berhamporo the medical staff established five marquees in the camp. Up to Juno 7he was in sole charge of the Borhanipoie Hospital and up to June 20 he was m sole charge of the medical treatment. No one had died who had any connection with the Berlmnipore institution. Up to Jime 10 there was no daily medical inspection there, but civilian doctors were called in when required. The City Engineer (Mr W. H. Morton) had helped him in the arrangements at Berhamporo and the city did everything possible. ~ DR. VALENTINE’S POSITION. Tn answer to the Solicitor-General Colonel Purdy said that Dr. (CoL) Valentino commenced to. exercise ms duties as Director of (Military Hospitals practically from Juno 6. 'Phe Solicitor-General: : In what way did that affect your position as director of medical services? . Colonel Purdy: Practically not at' all. '• . Do you mean you have the same functions now as before Col. Valentino’s appointment ?—Minus tho camp. As a matter of fact, tho- arrangement that is now in existence is practically an arrangement that I made in 1911. Then am I to understand that you have no longer charge of tho Irentlinm camp?—Nothing to do with the Trentliam camp at all. Have you anything to do with any of the hospitals ?—No, except indirCC Tho arrangement, he explained, laid down that the director of military hospitals should make all arrangements for the sick at Trcntham camp, also all arrangements for hospitals and convalescent homes, for tho sanitation of the camp, for the charge of the camp hospital" provision of accommodation for sick outside Ire nth am camp, and arrangements for accommodation in hospitals, and homes for sick on arrival from abroad. Does- not that mean, tho SolicitorGeneral asked, that you have no longer any responsibility in regard a iios- ’ pita Is* or sick men ?—That is so. The Commission adjourned till tomorrow. ... ... .. . : . -