"COME ON RUAHINE!"
PLUCKY NEW ZEALANDER3. The following account of a raid on the enemy's trenches in ''Xo Man's Land" is written by .Private Fred Nation, a Marton soldier, who writes from "Somewhere in France," dated July 5, 1016. He says: In my last letter I hinted about a dangerous mission a few of us were training for. Well, now it is over, and I think those of us that came nut alive are unnatural. I don't think the censor will let me mention much about it, but it was hell. We raided the enemy trench at twelve o'clock one night, aud X don't want to be in any more till I pull myself together. Ours was to be the best of the lot, but owing to so many being carried on lately, ours was a failure. The Huns found out somehow that we were coming, and were waiting for us. The general gave us a lecture next day, and said it was not a failure from his point of view, as it showed what J.he men could do under fire. Oun Seregant-Major was right through Egypt, and saw all the fighting there, but he said afterwards that it was the hottest four hours he was ever in. I carried one chap down the mud ditch that we retired to, and when someone else took him from me I found he ft-as stone dead. We got 'back to our billet at daybreak. Just before we went we all blacked our faces, and when [ got home. I just fell straight on to my bed, and slept soundly till mid-day. I woke up just caked with mud and my face all black. My coat was one mass of blood and mud. Well, I won't tell you the worst, but if 1 get back I will tell you all. ■ One thing I would like to mention, and that is about our ofiicer. He was in charge of us, and when we got the order to rush he raced along irj front of us, with machine-gun fire all round him and bombs dropping everywhere, calling out: ''Come on, Ruahinc! Come'on, Ruahinc!" Why he never got hit I don't know. The next morning he came in while I was in bed, and said, "Is 'Nation here?" I sat up and said "Yes," and ho said he had thought he had seen me out there with half my head blown oil', because the fellow he saw had glasses oil. Three of any best mates were killed, named C'hisnall, King 'and Sergt. Wishaw. The last-named was one of the best fellows walked. To tell how game the fellows were, the chap I named first was being carried down the ditch, and 'he came to. A fellow was passing whom lie knew, and Cliisnall said to him-, "If I <rie, write home* and tell them." Then lie sat up on the stretcher and sang: "This is the Life for lie." If people at home saw that, in the paper they wouldn't believe it. I 'heard it myself, and so did a mate ot mine, besides others. He not only sang the song, hut all the time bullats and shells were flying about like hail. One fellow named Tvesidcr had either his little finger blown off, or else his hand badly wounded (I couldn't see in the dark; only saw the 'blood running down his arm), and I took off my field dressing to wrap it up. He said: "No, keep it for someone who is wounded 'badly." A little further down the ditcli I met Lieut. Sheldon lying against the bank, 'wounded in two places. I wanted to wrap 'him up, but he wouldn't hear of it. and told me to 'help the wounded and dead over to our own trench. No wonder the General, told them they were frame. An old •'ihoolmate of mine got wounded above the eye, and he wouldn t go back to our trench until lie knew the Sergeant-Major was all right, as they were mates. I am going to close now, as I feel done up and tired. Remember me to everyone.
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Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1916, Page 6
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690"COME ON RUAHINE!" Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1916, Page 6
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