Page 5 Advertisements Column 3

Taranaki Daily News, 24 February 1919, Page 5

Men who still wear the King's uniform are careful in their speech, because they are still under discipline, but tlicre are some amongst them who bold ly assert 1 hut the heart-saddening di.-s----astf-ra at Paasehendaele and GraVeiistutVl were the outcome of gross, unpardonable blundering. Perhaps our readers remember some of the circumstances. Our brave lads were ordered to take certain positions. To reach their objectives they had to wade through mud up to their waists. Some fell into crater-holes of mud and slush, and probably were drowned there. With <i bravery which could not be surpassed they RtriiggUd on, and discovered that tbey hail been ordered up against entanglements of uncut barbed wire. Poor lads, they never had a chance! They wore sent out for certain slaughter. An enquiry will prove that, the members of certain artillery forces were shocked and horrified when' they heard of the orders given to our lads. "It was sending them to be murdered," we heard an Imperial oflVev say—he carries the rank of major. Ho informed us that, in spite of fascines, sheets of corrugated iron, etc, at everv discharge the puns stinlt deeper into the mud until their muzzles were about level with the ground. And it was through this quagmire that our poor lads were ?ent up against the uncut barbed wire entanglements! And in all probability the individual chiefly responsible for the awful tragedy struts around in gold embroidery and wears military decorations. We hope that the demand for an enquiry w!VI not fall upon deaf cars. In ordinary life if a railway accident happens, or if a man is run over by a motor car an enquirv is held and the responsibility sheeted home Are military men so sacred t'int they can, with impunity, sacrifice thousands of lives and not have their incapacity enquired into? A complete and exhaustive enquiry is necessary, and the power* that, should set up the enquiry before miblic opinion is roused to fover-hcat on .QwUwHßttba