Dr. Grace in Battle

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 18, 30 April 1903, Page 18

Dr. Grace in Battle

The late Dr. Grace was a man of splendid grit, and his experiences in the Maori War make very interesting reading. The ' Otago Daily Times ' published a few days ago an extract from his ' Sketch of the New Zealand War ' which well illustrates this phase of the late Doctor's character. He is describing a fight at early dawn at Matarikoriko :•—

' Suddenly, like a transformation scene in a pantomime, the Maoris were amongst us. I was stricken with terror and dazed with admiration. The Maoris, with their tongues out, eyes starting out of their heads, jumping from side to side like panthers, flourishing their tomahawks, shaking the feathers of their taiahas in our very noses, presented a dreadful spectacle. Our men rose in a panic, rushed to their stacked arms, which were unloaded, and clean bolted. A few men were wounded at my feet. One in particular, shot in the thigh, and bleeding profusely, looked in my face with the eye the sheep casts on the butcher as the knife is descending. Great God ! what was I to do ? If 1 remained I would be tomahawked. Desert the wounded man I could not. Suddenly I had an inspiration. I jumped up from the side of the stricken soldier, fired one barrel of my revolver at the nearest Maori, and yelled out : "■ Tipperary to the rescue! " The running soldiers turned like, a flock of starlings. " Give them the point of the bayonet, boys," I shouted. The revulsion was immediate. One great yell, "Tipperary," went up to heaven. The Maori disappeared like a bad dream, and I made off with my wounded." ' For this it was urged on General Pratt Ibat Dr. Grace should be mentioned in despatches. ' I was all dishevelled, my hands and clothes stained in blood.' he writes. 'The General said: "He is too young to mention in despatches. At the least, he might have washed his hands." '