Volunteer Notes

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2109, 2 June 1898, Page 2

Volunteer Notes

The usual quarterly competition for the Thames Naval Company’s gold medal took place on Saturday, at the Parawai ratfgej the distances being 200 yds, 500yds, 600yds with five’shots at each. The winner turned upT inf Volunteer Grundy, who scored 80 points out of the possible 105. Volunteer Rose wis Second with 71 'points,, and VolnntSer Sutcliffe third with 57. This makes the sixth time Grundy has won the medal, so that should he succeed in winning it on another occasion, it will then become bis own property, for., the terms arc, that it musk be won five times in succession, or seven times at intervals. The weather .was anything but favorable for good shooting, so that Grundy’s score was a meritorious one.

The Rev Father Hacketfc, Chaplain of No. 2 0 R.V.C., gave & silver cup to be fired for on three dates, and the highest aggregates pa any two days to be declared tn&7 winner. The ranges 200, 300 and 500, five shots at each range. The cup was won by Col.-Sergeant Henry Murrell, with 118 points. Below we append the five highest scores for the three days : Col-Sergt. H. Murrell; 118; Prvt. D Weir, 115 j Prvt. C. Goldsworthy, 1041; Prvt. J. Sutherland, 104 j Sergt. J. Christmas, 97.

Here is a record of heroism that is none the less noble because it was displayed by a civilian, Surgeon Hugo. Lieutenant Ford was bleeding to death from a bullet in the artery. The fire ~~ was too hot to allow of lights being used. There was no cover of any sort. It was at the bottom of the cup. Nevertheless, the surgeon struck a match at the peril of his life and examined the wound. The match went out amidst a splutter of bullets, which kicked up the dust all around, but by its uncertain light he saw the nature of the injury. The officer had fainted from the loss of blood. Thedoctor seized the artery and as no other ligature was forthcoming ha remained under fire for three hours J holding a man’s life between his finger and thumb. At the end of three hours the surgeon, without relaxing his hold, carried the officer away. 7 His arm was for many hours paralysed r with cramp from the effects of t le ex- if* ertion of compressing the artery The spectacle of a doctor m action among soldiers, in equal danger and with equal courage, saving life where all others are taking it, allaying pain where all others are causing it, is one which must always seem glorious, whether to God or man. It is impossible to imagine any situation from which a human being might better leave this world, and embark on the hazards of the Unknown.