HE GOT THERE

Hokitika Guardian, 9 June 1928, Page 4

HE GOT THERE

GENUINE WAR ROMANCE. Away hack in 191-1 a youth, 17 years of age, Eric H. Battershill, living in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay, got into trouble with the authorities. He was endeavouring to become a wireless expert, and had erected a plant at his home. It was a most elaborate affair, capable of sending and receiving longdistance messages, hut he made the mistake of not registering it. Tlie authorities located the plant, and young Battershill was subsequently charged at the court in Hastings with having established a plant for the purpose of receiving communications by wireless telegraphy without having obtained the consent of the PostmasterGeneral of New Zealand. He promised not to use the appartns again, and was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. Since that time Battershill’s experiences have been of a thrilling and varied naturo in many parts of the world, and for the first time in 15 years he trod the soil of his native land when he stepped ashore from the Aorangi at Auckland recently. v He lias changed his name to Erie Dare, for a reason which he gave to a “ Star” representative when he told of his exploits, which seem like a romance.

“ Dead keen to enlist.” “ When war broke out 1 was dead keen to enlist somewhere in the electrical branch of the Expeditionary Forces, but they-told me I was too young,” said the adventurer. “I made repeated application without result, and there was considerable difficulty with the Internal Affajrs Department, too, over that wireless stunt of mine. T think they thought T was endeavouring to communicate with the enemy or something. But 1 was not. Anyway, my chance came to get away. The hospital ship Mnheno was about to leave New Zealand, so ] went aboard and joined as a oonl-trimffier.

“ When the ship arrived at Albany, I deserted. I had a pretty thin time of it, but managed to get along by taking odd jobs at motor work. The Australians were mobilising their motor transport for the front and they took me with them. 1 studied hard at electricity and wireless and was fourteen months in France altogether without getting a scratch. Australian flying men were needed, and I was lucky enough to get into the No. 1 Australian Flying Squadron, and had nine months off and on over the German lines, and some of my experiences were most thrilling.

TIE CHANGES FITS NAME. “ When we landed in England I took the opportunity of going to work in the big electrical works winch were turning out jobs for the War Office,” tho adventurer continued. “By this means experience which could not have been got otherwise was gained. In 1920 1 came hack to Australia, and on the boat a brother flying officer and I used to play in the jazz hand and do theatrical stunts. When we arrived in Australia we found that the electrical business was not to good, so we both decided to make a living, if we could, in tho theatrical line. My name, Battershill, was not a suitable one for the purpose in view, so 1 went under the stage business name of Dare, and my pal took tho stage, name of Leslie. We (lid well. Our first engagement was at the Wentworth in Sydney, and next our hand appeared at Dixioland. We also played and acted on the honchos. This was only a means to an end, however, so I turned it in. 'IAKES UP RADIO WORK.

“Just about this time radio broadcasting was becoming a popular institution. 1 was interested, of course, ahd took up the editorship of tho 1 Wireless Daily,’ the first paper of its kind in Australia. There came a slump in the radio business, so I hopped off to Queensland' and joined up with a motor firm there. Things improved and I married a Queensland gill. “Two and a-half years ago I came down from the north to Sydney, where I got a job with the electrical and radio firm of Philips Lamps, where I am manager of the sales promotion department, and I’m still known as Erie Dare. You see, I’ve had to stick in the name because I was so well known by it,” tho visitor added.

-..r Dare went on to say that ho was also in charge of the technical research branch of his company’s radio department. Their station is known as PCJJ, and the company was the first in Australia to relay, on a short wave, a London programme. It was again relayed through 2BL, Sydney, to New Zealand and elsewhere in the Southern Pacific.

“ Well, it’s good to be back,” lie said in answer to a question, “and it’s better to come back after having made a success of tilings. It will ho fine going home to Hastings to see old pals.”