FIGHT AT EAST PUKEKOHE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 223, 18 September 1915, Page 9

FIGHT AT EAST PUKEKOHE.

j GALLANTRY OF AITKLAND CITIZEN SOLDIERY. Reference has recently been made to the service rendered by Auckland Volunteers and Militia during the Maori war. Mr. D. Mcl'arland sends us an account of I the gallant defence of East Pukekohe Iby a party of volunteers and militia. which took place on the 14th of Septem her. 18li.'i- fifty-two years ago, and | I formed one of the most striking of the ' early episodes of those troublous times. ! I The facts, briefly, are these: The settlers ,1 lof East Pukekohe. together with others I 1 j occupying land south of Drury, had been i warned to leave their homes. A few who ; owned land at East Pukekohe resolved jto defend the settlement, nnd the little '■ j church was turned into a stockade. A small body of militia had been sent from Auckland.' under Sergt. Perry, and these, with the volunteer settlers of the district, made up a total force of not more I than thirty. The church was a small , | building, measuring 30ft by 20ft. situ ii to d in the centre nf a 10-acrc paddock. ' wbifii had recently been cleared of bush, j I but the stumps were standing. The lie-1 j ! fenders built a bullet-proof wall made of | ! tree trunks piled 7ft high, all round the] church, ten feet from the building, with j ■a ditch outside. The wall was pierced!, for rilles. Mr. MoFarlau.l thus describes j • I the light: '-The little garrison had not tune to complete their work, as the] Maoris came .suddenly upon them. It| was a bright frosty morning, nnd the volunteers. .",0 in number, were cleaning their rilles outside the palisading when a shot was tired and _iin Maoris came running and calling out their warery. Only thirty against _IHI. it almost seemed I sure death, and in the midst of a dense I bush about 4.". miles from Auckland. If] the Maoris had known that only thirty: volunteers were In the church they would have taken it by storm. The men had only a little ammunition, no food or ■ water, but the Maoris thought that ai | large number of volunteers were inside i the church. The tiring on both sides' I was kept up for three hours. The men's I guns were so hot with tiring incessantly I that they could scarcely hold them, but still the brave little garrison fought on against such learn-, ecus, and resolved : to tight to the last. When their last , rounds of ammunition were gone. they. heard shots in the distance and after i j three hours' fighting. the Imperial! I troops just cimc up In tune, and the] ! Maoris, hearing the r-hots and seeing the; soldiers on the crest of tbe hill, stam-| I peded in all directions. During the light! j Scott bad his eyebrow grazed, and.; i mirable dictu. only one man was wound-j cd. Sergt. Perry v,„s tbe only one who I was experienced in regard to war. as he | was an old soldier. Scott, and Easton j were commissioned to guard the slab, ] doorway, an.l found themselves alnioi t I | isolated and in the most dangerous posi | I tion. Dnlv two of the defenders an j I alive to-day-Capt. Scott, of the M.-iin-r; i House. Epsom, and Mr. A. Roose. oi Pukekohe. one. Easton. died about a | year ago. and no notice was taken of I his death. Alas! ?o soon forgotten. ! these brave deeds'. Perry and Scott re-I-rived war medals and comniis-1 | .-ions, but I do not think some of the ] others received anything, but it does; ; not trouble them now. as they have all I linswei-ed the roll-call except Scott audi ivoosc." I