NATIVE BRAVERY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8276, 22 October 1915, Page 7

NATIVE BRAVERY.

I. 11, •• A YOUNC MAORI'S EXPLOIT. A young Maori well known in the Taumarunui district has made a great I name for himself at the front. He was engaged in the attack which commenced on/A^ug^ist 6 and concluded on August <'&,; with'disastrous results to the Turks. I The Maoris had reached the Turkish l^renches,, and this young, fellow was up .against two Turks., One attempted to, bayonet him but he. grasped the naked bayonet; in .his disengaged hand and bayoneted his imemdiate opponent and the latter's next door neighbour. The Turks were chased out of their trench, es, and in the .rushy the -young Maori, whose .blood was up,, accounted for soy- ( ! eral more Turks in. a similar manner.! The remaining Turks in the. immediate I vicinity abandoned their, • trench and I ' rushed .up the gully .pell-mell with the 4 Maori after them and landed right in' the hands of a British force which was |in waiting for them. The Maori boy's left hand was badly lacerated when grasping the Turk's bayonet, and it was- eventually necessary for him to receive safgical attention. In -the general operations the Maoris and the"Ghuvkas are- splendid companions. The Ghurkas hav.e, it appears^ abandoned some i of their ideas as to" caste,' and it gives them great -pleasure to' be able to assist their Maori fellow-soldiers with water or food, or to accept such gifts from them when food is short. Another thing, which has been proved beyond all' doubt is that the colonials, both pakehaa,- Maoris, and Ghurkas, are best adapted for the Gallipoli operations. They seem to simply revel in the heavy hill work, which is a thing the English Tommy has very little experience of. The little Ghurkas' work, needs to be seen to be appreciated. Ono moment they are here and the next they have disappeared, only to reappear ns suddenly again. They arc remarkably light on their feet.