A NARROW ESCAPE.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1915, Page 5

A NARROW ESCAPE.

AX KX-XKW PLYMOUTH BOY'S OHDKAL A iiarnnv e.seiipe frcm death hy the liubet, and then a narrow escape' from death at the hands of a prowling Turk, vas the experience of Corporal J. !{. Sullivan, South Canterbury Infantrv, formerly a school teacher at New Plymouth and subsequently a Methodic Minister at Timaru. Relating in Wellington, after the arrival of the Willoehni. how he cnnie by his wound, Corporal Sullivan said that he landed at tho front at 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 22, an.l at 1,1(1 p.m. he got a bullet through the corner of his mouth. It went down hii throat, and was extracted from the buck of his collarbone. Corporal Sullivan ha* almost lost the use of his voice as tit.! result of his wound, and it was only in n husky whisper that he could tell' hi* story. He had been without the use of his voice since April 25, and does not know whether he will ever regain control' of it, hut hopes that an operation will set it right. "The bullet knocked me unconscious, and 1 don't know how long 1 was there. Then an Australian tied me up, and I rested under a shrub and went to sleep. When I woke up a Turk was at my feet, and I •shammed' dead. He cut the laceH of my boots with a long knife, and macfc oil' with my boots. No doubt he would have killed me had he thought I was alive. One Turk drove a bayonet through the tunic of one of our regiment, but his pockets were 90 full that the bayonet only grazed his chest. He 'shammed' dead just as I did, and that is how he escaped. We didnt realise the danger at the start of the fighting. I think the shrapnel caused the most worry, because of thf. uncertainty as to where they were bursting. It was a feeling of suspense, coupled with one of real humor at tho start;' that w.is before the bullets did serious business.

"The conduct of tho boys was wondcr■fuf.' The plateau which we held was icovercd with thick scrub, and exposed to ; u- strong artillery, fire. We could scarcely see anything twelre yards in front of us, so, acting on the orders of an Australian brigadier, we simply clung like limpets to our position. The orders given us were: 'No advance; no retirement. Hold the ridge at all' eosts.' We did thin until we hadn't a man left to hold it any longer. The stretcher-bearers particularly deserve every credit and honor for their work. It is a pity honor is not measured in V.C's, for every stretcherbearer deserved one."

Corporal Sullivan was asked why he left the ranks of the ministry to join the combatant ranks of the New Zealand Forces. He replied: "In a fight for righteousness, every man has some share snrclv, hence I was anxious to do my bit."'