WAR NOTES

Taihape Daily Times, 12 October 1917, Page 2

WAR NOTES

A CLOSE CALL. i i A PALMERSTONIAN'S EXPERI- | ENCES. —— ! Some remarkable experiences were ! related by Corporal E. A. C. Sowry, a returned soldier, to a "Standard" rep- j resentative. j Corporal Sowry who enlisted with the Pahiatua section of the 15th Reinforcements, and who is a nephew of I Mrs R. A. Noedl, of Palmerston N., ! stated that at the Battle of Messines, | in June last, IS men volunteered to ! carry water across the German front line, whilst the platoon held the position. As it was midsummer water ] was urgently needed by the troops, and it was necessary to cross a strip j of "No Man's Land" (under fire) in j order to achieve that object. Of the 18 who made the attempt, 15 were ! kj]lt.d and three wounded, two of the \ hitter being Corporal Sowry and isrightmcre, cf Wellington. / To the last-named soldier Corporal Sowry gave great praise, in fact ho said he owed his life to the care and attention given him by Private Blight more. Corporal Sowry was shot' by a sniper at close range, the bullet actually boring through the skull. Private Brightrnore in assisting his fallen comrade, was caught in the legs j by flying shrapnel, but had so bandaged his patient's wounds by then that Sowry was able to attend to him. Lieut. Lawson found them at about 1 o'clock the next morning, the two having lain there for about nine hours. Obtaining the assistance of two stretcher-bearers, the wounded men were,taken away (still under heavy lire) to safety. For twenty days Corporal Sowry's life hung in the balance in France, from whence eventually he was removed to Walton-on-Thamc s Hospital. After his operation he was carried out for dead, but the skill care and attention of the staff revived the tiny spark of life, I and after about three weeks at the latter hospital, he commenced to ral-

iy. It was at this institution that Corporal Sowry met Nurse Martin, a sister to the late Dr. Martin, so wellknown in the Manawatu district, he spoke in glowing terms cf this lady's attention. He also admitted that it was certainly a miracle, after what he had been through and his life having been despaired of, that he should have returned able to relate his story. The remarkable x recovery made by Ccrporal Sowry gives some idea of the skill that is to be found in the military. hospitals, and reflects the highest credit upon these institutions. In this instance, of course, as was stated by Corporal Sowry, had he not been attended to by Private Brightmore soon after he was wounded, it i s probable that by the time he reached the hospital he would have been beyond their skill.