WOUNDED STRATFORDIAN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 34, 9 October 1915, Page 5

WOUNDED STRATFORDIAN.

LETTER FROM TOM SHEAHAN. Private T. Sliealian. writing from Ist Southern General Hospital. Stourbridge. England, under date August 29. gives his parents (Mr and Mrs .3. Sliealian, Stratford) their first information as to the nature of the wounds received by their son. Waiting has proved an anxious time for them. and. naturally,' they are now much relieved to hear the facts, and also to know frenn the letter that their sou is well on the road to convalescence. "Tom" writes a cheery letter about his movements at the time he was wounded and his long stay in hospital, and judging from this and the photos of his surroundings, there is no doubt he has been a prime favourite with the nurses and staff, as well as with brother patients. With "C" Company of the Wellington Battalion. Private Sheahan landed on Gallipoli Peninsula on Monday, 2oth April, and though practically under fire from the first, it was not until the following day that they were called on to undergo the real thing. Here is the story iu his own words : We were taken away to the left along the beach, and then had an awfully steep climb up to the actual firing line. One had to he really fit to do that climb, and then be. ready to dO his bit when you readied the top. The young chap directly' in front of myself was killed outright just before we reached our final position. He was a Wanganui boy. Private Bannerman. One has no time to feel sorry at such a time, but it is now when one thinks of the good times spent together, although he was not a mate of mine. When we arrived at the final position, we began to dig ourselves in against shrapnel, at the same- time keeping up a fire on the Turks, who were on a hill facing us. As the weather was awfully hot, we took off our equipment to be more comfortable while digging, and just as 1 was about to pick my equipment up. i stopped one! A bullet entered just over my right shoulder, and came out again after striking the bone about seven inches down my hack, leaving two clean holes at entrance and exit. As it is no good anyone staying in the firing line if he is wounded, I started to get out of it. and it is only now that 1 realise what a. risk I. took by walking away where shrapnel and bullets were simply thick; I had gone about one hundred yards back when a shrapnel burst somewhere in the vicinity, and I stopped another! This time a big piece of lead entered my left side (how it missed my arm is more than 1 can tell) travelling across my back and lodging about two inches from the other -wound. This last smack almost finished me. and although 1 had three ribs broken, which had a lot to do with my heiiig almost out of breath, as well as having the left lung affected. I managed to retain consciousness. Fortunately f was not very far off the trench in which the Red Cross or some of them were working, so T was fixed up straight away, dressed, and taken down on a stretcher (what an awful ride) to the dressing station : there f was given a drink and a sleeping draught. Will Eyeriss, who used to work at Masters, and Son, was one of the two, that brought me down on the stretcher. They did great work, and they deserve much more praise than they shall ever get. From the beach we were taken out to a temporary hospital ship, and from there to a Union Castle boat "Galicia." which brought us back to Alexandria! From the boat we were taken by motor ambulance to Victoria College, which has been converted into a hospital. There were 1-500 patients in the building. After being there for a fortnight, and having my wounds dressed once daily, the doctor decided to open the wounds in my shoulder so as to be able to clean it-properly, as threads of my coat and jersey were drawn through, and he could not get at them properly. Another week in Alexandria and then I Avas sent home to England. Landed at Southampton after a lovelv trip on the 28th May, and reached Ist Southern General Hospital. Birmingham, at 11,30 p.m. after a six-hour ride in hospital train. On the 30th day of May, 1 was X-rayed,. and this is what was found: oth. 6th, and 7th ribs fractured, and the left lung or chest was impaired. As the doctor at first thought my lung would clear up without interfering, he decided to leave it take its own course, but alas, niy temperature would not keep down, so of course they started t>> explore. I am not certain you know what that means. Well, they slick a needle syringe ahout two inches into one's side. It is very nice, I don't think! Alter exploring four times they decided to operate. On July sth; I had the bullet (or shrapnel) extracted, and four days later they operated on my left side. . . '..■ Now the packing is out, and the wound is almost healed up. I get about in a carriage (three-wheeled chair), but will not be allowed to walk for a day or two yet. As the Ist Southern General Hospital has been kept full of patients since the war began, they are opening branches out in the country a bit. and to one of these 1 was fortunate enough to have been sent. It lis lovely mid fresh, and it is just what! I want now-fresh air. At first I did tim like leaving the Ist Southern General Hospital. a s it was like a ) home; I had such a good time there."