BULLET CARRIED IN MAN’S BACK FOR THIRTEEN YEARS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3899, 26 January 1929, Page 2

BULLET CARRIED IN MAN’S BACK FOR THIRTEEN YEARS.

FOXTON RESIDENT’S EXPERIENCE, To have carried a bullet around in the muscles of his back for over thirteen years has been the experience of Mr. R. Jeffries, of Foxton. Last week Mr. Jeffries sustained an injury to his knee which necessitated hospital treatment and he entered the Palmerston North Hospital for attention. 'While there he mentioned to one of the surgeons that he was troubled at times with a sharp pricking sensation in the muscle of his back below his right shoulder. An inspection revealed the presence of an object which when removed was found to be a bullet. The missile which was about three inches long was shoiwn to our representative by Mr. Jeffries who stated that he received a bullet in the right shoulder .when on Gallipoli, during the Great War. It entered the upper portion of his right arm and travelled- down his back a short distance. He had received treatment for the wound on the beach from Drs. Neale and Baigent hut before the hospital .authorities had had time to give the wound proper attention he answered a call for volunteers among those in sick bay and returned to the trenches. He remained on the Peninsula until the evacuation when he went to Egypt and later to France where he received the Military Medal for bravery during the battle of the Somme and had the privilege of shaking hands with the King when being decorated. Questioned as to how long the bullet had been in his body, Mr. Jeffries said he did not think he would ever forget the day he got it. “Three of us got caught by a Turkish ,sniper,” he said'. “Offe young chap got a bullet through the head and went out, I got mine in the shoulder and the other chap stopped one in the leg. The two of us managed to get under cover however and make our way down to the beach. It happened on the King’s birthday, June 3rd, 1915. and I’ve been carrying it around ever since. It didn’t cause much trouble until quite recently when it started working out.”' Mr. Jeffries is a well-known local resident having- resided in the district for the greater part of his life. He was a member of the old Awahou football team many years ago and when war broke out enlisted and saw a, great deal of active service with the 10t'h Otago Regiment. He was wounded on several occasions and on returning to New Zealand came back to this district ■where he has been working ever since.