BACK FROM GALLIPOLI.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 February 1916, Page 3

BACK FROM GALLIPOLI.

A CHAT WITH SERGT. PEHIMANA. During the course of a chat with a I'atca Press representative Sergt. Pehimana, who has just returned from Gallipoli, said he had been wounded in three places in tlic memorable charge on August S last, when the late Colonel Malone and so many brave men were killed. Two of the wounds, one in the thigh and one in the chest, were from shrapnel, and one, about two inches above his right elbow, was from a rifle bullet. The shrapnel bullet in the chest would probably have —-nvp<l fatal but for the belt pouch, which stopped its force. The wound in the right arm was the most serious, as it had destroyed the nerves and rendered his right arm practically useless, all power being lost in three of the fingers. Sergt. Peliimana speaks in the most grateful terms of the treatment he had received at the hands of the British medical authorities, who had spared no effort to restore the use of the arm. He had been taken to a specialist in Cairo, a French doctor, who had tried electric treament, but without much success. The nurses, Sergt. Pehimana said, were" most kind; in fact, the men would never speak of them as nurses, but as "sisters."

Asked what impressed him most, Sergt. Pehimana said it was the wonderful organisation of the British Army. H c could best describe it by saying that it seemed that all that had to be done was to touch a lever, and the whole machinery was instantly set in motion. The Native Contingent, he explained, spent three months in Malta doing garrison duty, and at one time feared they would not be sent to the front. They declared they would just as soon return home if they were not allowed to fight, so shortly afterwards they were given their desire and sent to Gallipoli. Sergt. Pehimana was modestly reticent about his work in the memorable charge up the steep slope of Hill 971. The Maoris, he declared, were irresistible. They knew no fear and charged to the top of the liiil, which they held until relieved by a portion of Kitchener's Army, who subsequently, through lack of reinforcements, were compelled to retire. Prior to the charge, the Maoris danced a war haka m deadly earnest, and to their amazement this was taken up by the rest of the New Zealanders making a weird and wonderful spectacle. The Turks he spoke of as fair fighters. They never fired at the hospital ships, which were always within range of the Turkish guns, the shells going over and beyond them all the time. "Barges of wounded were considered fair marks, and were fired upon from time to time by the Turks. The noise of the guns was terrific, but one soon got used to it.

Speaking of reinforcements, Sergt. Pehimana said it would not be possible to concentrate a much larger force than tliey had in Gallipoli, owing to the formation of the country, and to the fact Ithat, practically the' whole of the Peninsula was under shell fire from the Turks.

The Navy, he declared, had been of wonderful assistance to them, the lightdraught, eurioiwly-shaped monitors with their big guns being particularly useful. Turning to the humorous side of the war, he said what had pleased the Tommies most was a grand haka danced hv the Maoris at Zeitoun Camp before General Godley and a lot of English people to inspect the camp. The Maoris were practically naked, and had been specially "tatooed'' with paint for the occasion. The Tommies and the British visitors had never seen such a sight in their lives, and cheered and cheered again.

The Turks, Sergt. Pehimana said, in build and features were not unlike the Maoris. During his time in hospital lie had met several and had tried to pick up their language, bub it was a very difficult task. He would have liked to have seen the war out, but was glad to be back amongst his people once again.