IN EAST AFRICA.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 64, 15 March 1916, Page 6

IN EAST AFRICA.

NEW ZEALANDER'S LIFE. FIGHTING 1 IN DRY COUNTRY. An aecount of some recent fighting in British East Africa has been received from a former second mate of the Government steamer Tutanekai, Donald McLeay, now a member of the 25th Royal Fusiliers. He says: "I went out with a patrol on December 23 and Boxing Day. We were lying on a trail, waiting for the enemy to cross. They dodged us t-hat night, and we started off to follow them the next day—on a biscuit and our emergency ration—through waterless country. We found one of their water caches that afternoon, and evidently frightened them away, as they returned to attack us, but we had some very good Indian troops with us, and managed to drive them off. It's a weird experience fighting in t-he pitch dark in the bush, just firing at the flashes, but it's good fun so long as one doesn't get hit. I returned to camp yesterday, after marching 100 miles, so am enjoying a well-earned rest. We only slept in blankets four nights, as we had to leave our kits behind, so that the porters could travel light and keep up with us with water.

"It's all native transport. They] carry from 401 b to (501 b on their -heads, and can march for days like that. We have to take a lot of them with us 'on sufari,'• and they are a- blessed nuisance in a fight, us they dive for the bush when the first shot is fired, and there are usually a few of them shot, either by us or the enemy, but they are never missed, as we have got thousands of them. It has been a very tame Christmas and New Year. We had a ration of rum given to us when we got back, and the rest of the chaps that were in camp got one bottle of beer for Christmas, and one held over for the New Year. I haven't got my Christmas one yet, but I am hoping to get both together. We got quite a lot of presents from people in England and India —cigarettes, Christmas . puddings, etc. —so we haven't done so badly.''