"HATS OFF!"

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1915, Page 4

"HATS OFF!"

. <m —- TO AUSTRALIAN INFANTk*. A V.C'S TRIBUTE. In ft letter written at Victoria College Hospital, Alexandria, on .June 17, Captain W. Hardliilih, V.C, <if l'ctone, stilted that ha was lowering from ■■ bin wounds, and reckoned on returning to the front Worf) .ru'i.l) tii»« elajiscd. "I got a pretty hard knock," he wrote, "but it is healing up wonderfully fust. I expect to be up and otlt any day now. I got a bullet throngh part of the Buck of my left hand, and then on through my chcßt on the left side just'below the collarbone. It w;as n, itmlght, cloiifi wound, und u few moiv werks should see reo ns fit as ever again. The hard has already 'hailed up, and. except f"t s\ thumb und forefinger being hard to bend, is Us good as ever. The wound through the chest is healing rapidly. And the doctors and nurses are very pleased With the rapid progress." '•This,is a big job," Ihe letter runs on, "The Australian* landed first, and the New Zealand Infantry supported them. We (the mounted men without horses) went nearly three weeks after. I was there nearly three weeks, and every day I used to wonder how ever men landed and took the position th"V did. ' It must have- been grand, and I am certain there has been nothing in this great war finer than the landing of the Australians at Oallipoli. Yes, any man should take his hat off to tho Australian Infantry. They can fight, and are afraid of nothing, as vou will see from the casualty lists. M'nd you,

T am saying nothing against the New Zcalanders, They tire grand, but I am referring only to the lamling. Mv word, I am proud of "the men I had with 'me, They are great, and there is nothing better anywhere. I am certain they will do well right through. It is grand to be amongst.them,, and to see tl)e real man nt heart. To see the way they bear their wounds is wonderful—not a word of complaint, and scarcely a groan. I was hit in the morning about •!> o'clock, and some were hit tho night before, and we could not.be taken into camp till after dark—nearly 9 carried on atretcheri over rough ground int,o a receiving hospital about 11 p.m. Eventually we landed up on tie hospltal ship at about 3 a.m. next day. I was not very bad, and did not suffer much pain, but what it must have been to some of the others ftod only knows. We were all dressed with lipid dressings, which everyone carried, and had plenty of water. The only thing that troubled mo was the sun, and, of course, tho day seemed a long one. Father (Captain) MoMenamin came to Alexandria on the hospital ship that I came on, and he used to come to see me every day. Be had a bad cold, and came on the ship for a change. I think he must have gqn« back, as I have not seen him for win* days."