The Mushroom Stunt

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 23, 28 January 1939, Page 7 (Supplement)

The Mushroom Stunt

MEWS of a member of Ist Can1 i terbury Regiment who took 1 part in the "mushroom stunt" is ; supplied by a correspondent from : Avondale, Auckland. "I have a brother in Christchurch, Sergeant L. E. Walker (Johnny), who was very badly wounded there," he said. "I had quite a job to get him to talk about it, but as some of his cobbers had already told me their version of the incident, I bad him cornered, and he gave me this account." " 'We were expecting the Prussian Guards to come over, and they were determined to empty ub out of our position. We were instructed to man the parapet and watch for the first signs of the enemy's coming. Being a sergeant of the platoon, I was specially instructed to send up flares the moment that happened. " 'I remember having the flare pistol in my hand, anxiously peering into the darkness. At last Fritz began the bombardment —a most terrible shower of minenwerfers and shells of every description. " 'We could see the "minnies," like oil drums, turning over and over in their flight, and believe me we didn't take our eyes off them until they burst, for we knew that if they dropped in the trench we were gone coons. As it was the parapet was blown in, and the whole ground seemed to be on a quiver. It seemed we would have no men left. The casualties were mounting up; it was freakish the way some got it and others missed in such a small area. " 'The last I remembered was seeing the Huns climbing out of their trenches.'"

The end of the story was told at Sling Camp to Sergeant Walker's brother, who there met a Ist Canterbury man. The latter said he remembered the "mushroom stunt," and was one of those who helped dig Sergeant Walker out after it was all over. The Hun, said this man, got into the trench, but got roughly handled, so took his hook, more surprised than angry. According to this man Sergeant Walker was blown clear out of the trench by a shell and landed somewhere behind it. When found he was practically buried by another shell. "I saw arms and legs sticking out of the dirt," said his mate, "so we cleared away the dirt, and were much surprised to see there was still life in whoever it was. He was blackened with the explosion and all covered with blood. I asked my mate, ae we put him in a stretcher and carried him away, if he knew who it was. To my surprise the patient answered my question by saying: 'It's me, Johnny. Did I put up the flares?' "The flares went up all right, I told him, adding advice to keep his pecker up and he would be all right, though I thought the case a hopeless one. He seemed satisfied and went off to sleep." Twenty-two Wounds! "Calais hospital kept the patient back two weeks because h?s case seemed hopeless. How on eavtV could a man live with a bit off his jaw, a chunk out of his head behind the ear, and wounds on every part of his frani9 down to his feet?" Counting old scars got on Gallipoli, which included a bullet through the flesh 1 of the left arm, a shattered wrist and ! hand, a bullet still lodged betwecn thumb 1 and forefinger, he had 22 wounds. This. ' said the man who had found him, was how the doctor® discussed Sergeant ' Walker's case in Calais hospital. But as he still lived they let him go across to dear Old England —finish war.