STIRRING TIMES RECALLED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 216, 12 March 1914, Page 6

STIRRING TIMES RECALLED.

CRIMEAN VETERAN'S DEATH. The late Captain E. F. Hemingway, who died last Thursday at Auckland, had a long and interesting military career. He was born at Dewsbury, Yorkshire, in 18-23, and at an early age obtained a commission. After stall' service at Home and in Malta, lie was sent to the Crimea, where- he came in contact with Field-Marshal Sir Evelyn Wood and Lord Wolseley. On unc occasion lie -carried Sir Evelyn Wood out of action when lie was wounded, and nursed him, as.well as Lord Wolseley, for some time. . His diary makes frequent reference to "Cordon of the Engineers," who was afterwards the hero of Khartoum. 'Among other engagements he. was pre sent at the attack on the Kedan. DAYS OE HARDSHIP. Many stories of the grim hardships of liie Crimea wen- told by the late veteran, among them being the following: An officer, who afterwards became famous, was forced tbrough lack of clothing to use whatever he could find, and on <uie occasion, when he was dressed in an ancient French cavalry uniform, a private failed to salute li'im. He 'demanded a reason, and the private replied that he "would not salute a French)-." The private was fortunate in escaping si court-martial. NEW ZEALAND SERVICE. After the Crimea, Captain Hemingway came to New Zealand and served in Tarn naki in 18(15 and 1800 as chief commissariat officer under General Chute. The late soldier had an interesting experience while stationed at I'atea. With a small escort he had to march to Wanganui through country tli.lt was infested by hostile native's. To the surprise of the forces he reached the river I own without having- a sftigle brush with the enemy. It afterwards transpired that when the force passed through a wooded gully in the vicinity of Kai Iwi, a large number of Maoris lay in ambush ready to a,ttack it, but they were restrained from doing so by a native who some time before had been given food by the captain, when he was starving. FRANCO-GERMAN WAR. Captain Hemingway was a resident in France during the Franco-derman war, and watched it as a non-combatant. On one occasion, when the Hermans were marching on the town where he was living, he hastily made a Union Jack and Hew it on the building. When he returned the flag was still intact and the house had not been looted. This flag is still in existence. On another occasion he fell into the hands of the Prussians, and had some difficulty in proving that lie was not an antagonist. Upon his retirement he lived for a time in England and then came to New Zealand, settling in Auckland, where he had resided ever since. lie was a veryold Mason, and was the lirst master of the New Plymouth lodge in lStio. lie was also one of the original members -of the Empire Veterans' Association.