TARANAKI CHAMPION CHOPPER.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 March 1918, Page 7

TARANAKI CHAMPION CHOPPER.

EXPERIENCES AT THE FROM". Writing to liis father, Jit. R. E. •Shewry, of Taliora, Privato J, E. (Ned) Shewry, who went over with the 12ths, states that he and Private Sam Kennedy (world's champion sawyer) gave an exhibition of chopping and sawing at the Lowry Y.M.C.A. hut at the base in France on December 22. Describing the event Shewry states that there were over 1000 in attendance, including many officers and two generals. The wood was poplar, which. was rather soft, and he states: "If we had our own tools wo would have surprised the English and French spectators." The tools used were not those to which they were accustomed, and he wished two axehcads sent from New Zealand. In a bis competition held a while back, in which all the Empire was represented, Australia scored one, Canada one and New Zealand three wins. The final axeman's championship was between Shewry and Butler, of the French Forestrv Department, and Sliewry carried it off. Britain is working big forests in France, and Shewry had been offered a permanent job working in the forests but would not take it. Writing of this he states he and Dave (his brother) talked it over before Mesaines, and they agreed to consider it after the battle, which tlicy did not want, to miss. But here Dave made the supreme sacrifice. "Since then," Neil continues, "I have not taken much interest in anything, and although offered other jobs and promotions I have 110 desire to be anywhere than the firing line. There seems to be a great attraction which draws ode back to where a lot remains to be done. I have seen lots going hack to England and New Zealand unfit, arid I can honestly sav Ido not envy them. I have no wish I to return fit and well until the war is over," He mentioned quite a lot of Taranaki men. The three Clelands. of Kaponga, G, Frank (Te \>era) and W.vatt (Whangamomona) had just called to sec him, and M. and H. Gallagher had seen him the night before, as they were going to the front trench in the morning Jack TTurtnell. Tom Benbow. Mat Becic. Charley and .Tack Hanson, Bob Anderson (all bushmen) had been killed. The Shewry boys have been noted for (heir axemnnship, R. A. winning the big handicap at the Auckland exhibition. While on final leave Ned/won. the world's championship ati Ormondville, H.B. The name, .Private Perrv, mentioned ps chopping with Private Sam Kennedy in a paragraph in our last issue must I have been meant for Shewry.