A RETURNED TAIHAPE LAD.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 5, 7 January 1916, Page 4

A RETURNED TAIHAPE LAD.

HERBERT G. GARRATT,

GOES THROUGH THRILLING EXPERIENCES.

STILL LOOKS WELL AND

CHEERFUL

Last evening a Taihape boy, Herbert G. Garratt, who was wounded at Gallipoli, returned home by the express from Wellington and was greeted at the station by a number of friends. He is very well known in the district, being a son of Mr. T. A. Garratt, chemist, of Taihape. He left New Zealand with the Main Expeditionary Force as a trooper in the 4th Waikato Company, Auckland Mounted Kc-giment. He entered the trenches in. Gallipoli early in May and was through all the fighting until the Sth August, on which day he was wounded in the ankle, during Cm big fighting at Suyla Bay. He had a trying time 5 of it that day, as shortly after he was wounded bullets fell all round him, one going through the leg of his trousers and another through the fleshy part of his arm. This happened on Hill 971, and he realised that unless he managed to get under cover he would not have much chance. Crawling on his hands and knees he managed to get over the side of the hill. While in the- act of doing this he met a “Tommy,;” and they entered into conversation, and, as they were exchanging experiences, a bullet struck and killed the Britisher. Two men carried Trooper Garratt down to the landing, a couple of miles away, and -lie boarded one of the transports, the last for three days. ' In this he was lucky, as many wounded were left lying in the blazing sun for three days, owung to no transports being available.

The wounded were taken to Alexandria, where Trooper Garratt va s admitted to hospital. His wound turned septic, and in September it was found necessary to amputate the leg between the knee and ankle. The wound has not yet Heeled and he will for the time being remain an out-pa-tient of the local hospital. He' returned to New Zealand by the hosp?tal ship Maheno, and speaks highly of the treatment received at hospital in Alexandria.

Although he 1 lias had such a tiding experience, he looks well and is vei> bright and cheerful.