WAIKATOS IN ACTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 146, 21 June 1915, Page 8

WAIKATOS IN ACTION.

THEIR MAGNIFICENT COURAGE OFFICERS SUFFER HEAVILY. The following letter, which gives a graphic description of the New Zealanders' landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula, was written on the hospital ship Seangchoon, on April 27, by Private W. H. Rhodes, of Ambeiiey, to Iris father:— ''Well, to begin with we New Zealanders, especially the Auckland boys, have been badly cut up. My company, the 16th Waikatos, is in an awful mess. I do not know where they all- are, but some are on each hospital ship out here off the Dardanelles. The ship. I am on, the s.s. Seangchoon, is just about to leave for Alexandria with about 1000 wounded on board, mostly Australians and a few New Zealanders.

After describing the landing and the circumstances under which he himself was wounded, Private Rhodes says:—

"When I got down the sight was awful. Australian and New Zealand wounded lying on the beach in, all directions, being attended to by our good ambulance boys. Some had arms and legs smashed and torn heads and bodies .with bullet and shrapnel wounds. Men were crying out in all directions, but all bore up well. Presently we were sent out in lighters to this boat and further attended to."

"To-day is the third day of the battle, and we have 'gradually pushed them back. The first day (Sunday) was awful. I cannot describe it to 3"ou. Our major is wounded, -our captain shot through the lungs. Lieutenants Allen (shot dead), Badley (missing, euppoeed to be wounded in the bush somewhere); my platoon Lieutenant Westmaeott (an old Canterbury boy) seriously wounded in α-rm and back; and Lieutenant Peake, arm torn nearly off—so you see all our officers are out. Nearly the whole of 'the Wadkatas have been killed or wounded. ■My word, the men were game against great odds.

"A lot of us could not Bee the Turks, but on came the bullets, downing first one and then the other. The shrapnel was tlvo worst, and nearly drove many to distraction. There will be no doubt about the final issue of the great battle, as we must win, for Lord Kitchener's laet message to General Sir lan Hamilton was: "Once you set foot on Gallipoli j Peninsula, you must fight to a finish!' I believe further up the French, on one side, and the Tommies on the other, are giving the Turks hell."