THE KID FROM TIMARU.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 May 1918, Page 3

THE KID FROM TIMARU.

["A sunny-faced youngster from Timaru—be was always cracking up his little town—fought like a tiger. He's in hospital now, but will be heard of again."—Extract from soldier's letter]. The boys aboard the transport were busy talking "fight," We'd just begun our journey, said "Goodbye" to Farewell light, Some were skitin' awful of the deeds they meant to do, When lie butted in promiskus with— I'm Kidd, from Timaru." His years were twenty; wavin' hair above two steel-grey eyes, A laughing face—you know the sort—the smile that makes smiles rise; At first we barely noticed him until again he drew Attention, by repealin' his—"l'm Kidd, from Timaru." Oh! Timaru—that tiny town—he'd got it on the brain, We'd start to talk of many things but ho stuck to one refrain; We hoped we might see London, p'raps Berlin, and Paris, too; And then lie calmly asked us, if we'd been in Timaru, And he'd a girl in Timaru—a girl with Irish eyes—"A genuine oil paintin'"; guessed she'd tumbled from the skies; He referred to her as "scrumptious"— was satisfied he knew That her eyes were fixed on Egypt, though she lived in Timaru.

Egypt! Well, we got there, to its endless sand and sun, Then drilling, always drilling—a case of never done; Sand and sand, fierce burning sand, our red-hot curses drew, And Kidd admitted Egypt had more sand than Tiniaru. Then came the news that we could get a chance to win our spurs, To play the game and show our breed was not a breed of curs. To were ordered off to Gaba to face the Turkish crew, We yelled "New Zealand will be there," —Kidd said "And Timaru." A rousin' cheer, that split the sky, went boundiu' through the air; We vow'd when we struck Gaba they'd know that we were there. We swore for King and Country, our very best to do, Kidd swore for King and country, tut added—Timaru. The world knows how we played the game on Gaba Tepe's shore, How ploughin' through the gates of Hell, the brunt of fire we bore, Blood-painted sand proclaimed the doom of comrades giood and true; But bullets somehow seemed to miss , young Kidd from Timaru.

We faced "Loosed Hell" as scrunching o'er the sand we scaled the <liff, While Turkish snipers' rifles mowed men down at every whiff; No fellows stopped to count the eost as up the bank we flew, And level with the foremost ran young Kidd from Timaru. Old Abdul under cover was as cunnin' as a rat; As yet we'd done no shootin'—saw nothin' to shoot at, Till a Turkey popped his head up; that head he ne'er withdrew, For a rifle pinged, the sergeant said, "Turk's head for Timaru " And when the fight was over, and each had done his part, And felt a man and soldier, with aching eye and heart, I searched among the wounded for the fellows that I knew, I turned one over on the sand—'twas Kidd from Timaru. He'd carried in his Captain, almost dying, through the wrack Of smoke and fire of battle; but just as he'd got back, vA Turkish sniper "pink'd'' him, but the ' bullet (jjvent clean through, And when he's well they'll hear again from Kidd of Timaru.

We both could do with patchin', so they popped us into dock, Where we lie, with many others, with our eyes fixed on the clock, Wonderin' when the time will come, when we're well enough to do Some more for Old New Zealand—Kidd, some more for Timaru. Last week a "head" slipped in and read a cable from the King; He thanked his "gallant soldiers!" We made the sick room ring With cheers—real rousin' hearty cheers —then Kidd said "Strike me blue, I hope to God he's not forgot to cable Timaru." —Barrie Marschel.

To keep your spirits free from care, A brisk walk thro' the winter air, If you in comfy clothes are clad, Will warm your blood and make you glad. But just before you venture out, If of the weather you've a. doubt Mix hot, and drink a nip, be sure, Of warming Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. " CARE FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS WILL CARE FOR YOU. Don't lie awake with cold feet listen, big to the clock tick-tock, and wish you could sleep. ACT. Get a North British Hot Water Bottle with "Unique" stopper. The cost is small compared to tike oomfor£ ,