NEW ZEALANDERS IN ACTION

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1916, Page 7

NEW ZEALANDERS IN ACTION

BRAVERY ON THE BATTLEFIELD. REWARDS FOR VALOR AND DEVOTION TO DUTY. (From Malcolm Ross, Official War Correspondent with N.Z. Forces). War Correspondents' Camp, November 27. The rewards for bravery and devotion to duty granted to the New Zoalanders in connection with the last big battles will no doubt—together with brief accounts of the deeds that won them—have long ere this been cabled to New Zealand. Some time ago I sent an account of how the New Zealand Force gained its first V.C., and in other articles I have referred, to other brave deeds that have won distinction. Since then I have obtained reliable particulars of other deeds that have shed renown on the forces from the Dominiou, and purpose mentioning them in detail in this letter. Jn the division it must not be forgotten that several honors have also fallen to our friends of the Fourth Australian Brigade, who have been figliing side by side with us for so many months.

In the stirring days of early August —from tlio Oth to the 9th, inclusivethere was much difficult work for the medical men to do, and not infrequently it had to be done under fire. Even the casualty clearing station had its dose of shot and shell for weeks, even months, at a time. Tt was not purposely shelled; but, tucked away as it was under the brow of a little hill near a provision depot on the flat that the Turks aimed at, it came in for its share, or more than its share, of what was going. The stretcher-bearers, coming to it day by night with their heavy burdens, did noble work. Amongst those whose efforts undoubtedly assisted in the saving of many lives was Captain B. S. Finn, dental surgeon of the New Zealand Medical Corps. With unceasing zeal and energy, and without rest from | the night of August 6 to !), he was indefatigable in improvising means and I assisting in the evacuation of the wounded from the dressing station at the mouth of the Chnilak Dere to the clearing station at No. 2 Post, and thence to the boats at a little improvised pier on the ss/ndy beach . For a time the boats coming in for the wounded were played on by a Turk's [machine-gun the Turks evidently j thought they were carrying back troops —and finally the pier gave way altogether, some of the wounded being precipitated into the water. From that on they had to he carried down the winding sap, or along the beach road by night, to another and a safer pier. For the work he did on that occasion Captain Finn received the D.S.O. He was nearly all the time under fire, and on one day the dressing station at the Chailalc Dere was heavily shelled for about an hour, many of the assistants and wounded being hit. It was largely owing to his efforts that these wounded were got to a place of greater safety. The Canterbury Battalion, which in the night attack on Chunuk Bair. for a time, lost their direction in consequence of uncertain guiding, came mider heavy fire. The night being dark, and the country rugged and involved, it was indeed surprising that our men did not get into more serious trouble than they did. On August 7 Sergeant A. A. Atkins, of the Canterbury Battalion, while the men were going up a gully under heavy fire, promptly rushed a Turkish position with his section, wresting it from the enemy, and held it. For this he received the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

Captain R. Eastwood, who will be well remembered in Xew Zealand as a popular member of the staff at Government House, and who has for some time been on the Brigade Staff here, led and guided the advance of the -Ith Australian Infantry Brigade, which is included in the N\Z. and A. Division, on the night of August 6-7, into enemy territory up the Aghyl Dere, having at his disposal Major Overton (Canterbury) and a small party of Greek guides. The position was one of extreme danger, as may still be seen from the number of graves that dot the Dere. A dere. by the. way, is a valley with a stream in it, but during the whole of the eununer and autumn months these Peninsula gullies are waterless. On either side were low scrub-covered hills with higher hills ahead, from which £h e Turkish machineguns fired and the Turkish snipers shot at our advancing columns. Captain Eastwood displayed great .courage and .much resource. Eventually, so hot was the lire and so difficult the ground, that the whole column came to a standstill. Captain Kastwosd, however, busied himself, and succeeded in reorganising the defence and putting fresh impetus into it. For his bravery, resource and energetic action he has received the Military Cross. It was during this advance that the plucky Major Overton was killed. He had done some difficult and dangerous reconnoitring before the advance, and his death was regretted by all who knew him. Tie was buried oil a little flat under the olive trees near the head of the gully. The other day, in company with Colonel Rhodes, I went searching for the. grave and endeavored to get a photograph of it; but after crawling for a little way through the bushes we found we were under the gaze of the Turkish snipers on a commanding ridge a few hundred yards in front, and we were hailed back.

Lance-Corporal H, B. Skinner, of the Otago Battalion, earned his D.C.M. by currying an important message from Clmmik Bair on the afternoon of August 9. Tie came under heavy lire and was wounded; but lie nevertheless succeeded in delivering' liis message. Many daring deeds were performed on the slopes of Chuhuk Bair in those days of severe strain, and ninny a man lies buried—numbers are still nnburied—in the fire-swept zone, men whose gallantry must remain for ever unrecorded. Private C. "R. Barker was one of those who came through. He belongs to the Wellington Battalion, and has received a D.C.M. for carrying water and ammunition to the firing-line on Cluunik Bair on the afternoon of August S. That was at a time when water and ammunition—the one was as important as the other—were worth almost their weight in gold. H e also guided the Loyal North Lanes, to Chuiiuk Bair, and on his return brought out a wounded man. Two Distinguished Conduct Medals were earned by gunners of the N.Z.F.A. One of the recipients—Gunner J. R?jikin —belongs to the 4th Howitzer Ba-ttery. •He was on duy as telephonist on August 0, while the battery was bombarding Lone Pine, just before the brilliant and brave attack bjr the Australians,

who earned n<> fewer than seven Victoria Crosses. Rankin went out, without request, under heavy and continuous fire, and relaid another wire over a broken section, thus enabling the bat|tery commander to resume control within half an hour after the communication had been broken. Gunner J. Hill, of the 2nd Battery, N.J5.F.A., got his D.C.M. for the way in which he, a gunner, took charge of No. ] gun and kept it in action between August 8 and. 12, in spite of casualties and troubles with equipment. All the time his gun was under a cross-fire from two machineguns and also from rifle fire.

Two bombardiers—Fitters D, C. Tnglia | and J. P. Thompson, of the 2nd Battery, N.Z.F.A.—also earned their D.C.M. They displayed conspicuous ability and gallantry in stripping, repairing and keeping in action. Between August S and 12, the guns of the battery. At one time no fewer than three of the guns were out of action from machinegun bullets, breaks and damage to equipment. These artificers not only managed to get them into action again, but kept them going. Major J. T. Standisl), N.Z.F.A., who has distinguished himself on several occasions, has been awarded the D.S.O. During the operations that resulted in the taking of the Turkish trenches on Hill CO towards the end of August he personally controlled the fire of a very exposed section of guns that were daringly pushed out on the left flank to assist the assault. During August 27 and 23 he, displaying much ability and great galantry, stuck to his work of observation from a station in the infantry trenches, being frequently, for lengthy periods, under heavy fire. On the 28th his guns,were shelled by high explosive. One gun was put out of action and a fire started round a pit containing high explosive shells belonging to his own battery. On receipt of this information he at once left his observing station, hurried down to the batter}', a nd saw to the putting out of the fire. Second - Lieutenant R. McPherson, N.Z.F.A., gained a Military Cross for his bravery in connection with the extinction of the above-mentioned fire. After one small explosion ly.d already taken place, he went into the pit and continued his efforts in putting out the fire.

Corporal C. J. K. Edwards, of the New Zealand Artillery, was awarded the D.C.M. in connection with the same incident, as was also Fitter N. Clark. They carried water to put out the fire while the gun section was being heavily and accurately shelled.

Trooper B. S. O'Connor, of the Canterbury Mounted Bides, earned his D.C.M. for gallantry and devotion in returning to his regiment after being slightly wounded while in the Aghvl Dere on August 22. While the 19th Australian Battalion was being heavily shelled, O'Connor entered the sheliswept zone and brought In two wounded men. He then went out a third time and helped a wounded officer to a place of comparative safety. These nets of gallantry were quite outside the duty upon which he was at the time engaged.

Sapper A. L. Caselherg. of the Signal Troop attached to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles, was awarded the D.C.M. for gallant conduct. He wont out under heavy fire and guided troops that had become detached and were endeavoring to join their company in a forward trench on the night of August 22. This he did six or seven timet. Trooper H. Pidgeon, of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles, during the operations at Hill (10 on August 21, displayed great bravery, and, although wounded, he refused to retire until wounded a second time. He also rescued a wounded man under heavy fire.