PERSONAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 92, 15 November 1916, Page 5

PERSONAL.

Mr Dave Graham, of Broadway, Stratford, left by this morning’s train for Wellington. Mr T. I. Laniason is at present on a business visit to Wanganui, having left Stratford yesterday. Mr Mark James, who recently underwent an operation for appendicitis at Hie New Plypiouth hospital returned home yesterday, being now in better health. Private letters received by a late mail state that the Rev. Wilfrid A. Butler, at one time Vicar of Stratford, is now in charge of Petworth, Sussex, his sister Miss Florence M. Butler, being with him. * Mr S. H. James, who returned from a week’s trip to Wellington by the mail last night, had throughout excellent weather until the borders of Taranaki were reached. When in Wellington Mr James saw his son leave for,“the front. \k Mr T. D. Sullivan (Borough Engineer) has received n letter from Sir Thomas Mackenzie, the High Commissioner, stating that his son, Tom, pvho was severely wounded, in the thigh whilst in action, is progressing favourably at the Walton on Thames Military Hospital.

Writing just after the splendid work of the New Zealanders on the West, Dr. A. Dillon Carbery refers feelingly to Dr. Martin’s death. He also speaks of how well the New Zealanders acquitted themselves. In one of the main dressing stations Dr. Carbery met Leslie Curtis, of Stratford, who was tvounded in the chest, but “seemed quite happy." The Medical Service to which Dr. barbery is attached, has had very special messages of congratulation from Headquarters as to grand work both in picking up wounded and in dressing their wounds. When he wrote on September 26th, the genial doctor was in the midst of fighting, and “tired, but very cheerful.’’

“Somewhere in France” is the present address of Corporal Len Sheahan, second son of Mr and Mrs J. Sheahan, Stratford, after long sendee, dating from the departure of the Main Expeditionary Force for Egypt. For ten months no word reached his parents of his whereabouts, but he was in a machine-gun section at Suez and experienced active service against the Turks in the attack on the Canal. This was the reason he did not get to Gallipoli, but afterwards came the transfer to France. Writing to his brother, Tom, who was badly shaken in the lauding at Gallipoli, from the above address dated September 20, Corporal Sheahan says be considers be was fortunate in having been chosen for observation work, which provided an excellent opportunity of seeing things. At the date of writing, they had just come out of action at —, where they had been for about three months, and were thou on their way to a place where there was a good deal more doing. Ho had had some close calls; one in particular, when he was under German shell fire for half an hour, the only shelter bing a shell hole, h 0 was not likely to forget for quite a while. Corporal Sheahan says lie would have had a trip to London before, hut all leave had been stopped on account of the “big push.” I am never ill or unhappy, ’ h© concludes, “hut I do go a hit crook when I miss my letters from home.