VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE NOTES.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10053, 3 June 1898, Page 2

VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE NOTES.

(By Bollseye.) Weekly Press and Referee. The New South Wales Rifle Association's Meeting. Recently I notified in these columns that the next Federal Match would be fired at Sydney in October next, and that an attempt "would be made to induce New Zealand to enter a team. On Monday an official intimation was sent to the New Zealand Rifle Association to that effect, and I am glad to note that it has been received in the right spirit. Major Sommerville has decided to take steps to raise a team to represent New Zealand, and has even suggested a captain and adjutant, at the same time saying tnat he intended to approach the Government to see what assistance they will give in the matter. I trust

that the scheme will be taken up in a proper spirit, and that we shall have a goodly number of men sending in their names as candidates for places in the team. Even without Government assistance efforts should be made to induce a team to go over. The journey is by no means a long one, while the prize list is heaw enough to repay most of the New Zealandexs at least a portion of their expenses. In th» matter of expense there need be little more for the average New Zealander than in attending his own meeting. The whole meeting can be done from Wellington in three weeks, so that the question of lost time need not be entered upon. There is one thing I would, however, like to point out, and that is the clause in the conditions that permits of none but "sworn in" members of the defence force firing for the Federal Cup. But it is not only with the Federal Match we have to deal, although, of course, that will be the plum of the meeting, there are in addition to the Cup many valuable prizes, including the New South Wales Championship, all open to New Zealanders. Then we have the Australian Cup and the big teams' match, the first prize of the latter being £80, for which some of the New Zealand teams, notably Hon. Reserve, Wanganui Rifles, Petone, or Woodville should have a good show. I understand that the South Australian Association have suggested to the New South Welshmen to place an Intercolonial Ladies' Match upon their programme, teams from any colony to compete. It is expected that ladies' teams will be sent from Victoria and Queensland, and now the question is being asked in New South Welsh shooting ciicles whether New Zealand, which is the home of the lady rifle shots (so far as the colonies are concerned), will be behind hand in sending a team to uphold their reputation. In Auckland, Woodville, Wairarapa, and Otago we have lady shots who can hold their own at the shorter ranges with almost anyone, and with all this talent to pick from it would be a pity if New Zealand were not represented in the first Intercolonial Ladies' Match. I hope that marksmen and markswomen will take this matter up seriously, and that we shall see a large representation at Sydney in October. A Chat About Dargai. WITH GORDON HIGHLANDERS FROM THE ' FRONTIER. The Aldershot News of April 2nd contains the following: —A party recently joined the 2nd Gordon Highlanders at Aldershot on transfer from the Ist Battalion in India. The men came direct from the frontier, and include Sergeants Priest and Hobson, LanceSergeant Gray, Corporal Hardy, Bandsman Luxford, and Privates Allen and Davis. There have been so many contradictory accounts of Dargai and of the incident of the brave pipers that a representative of the Aldershot News interviewed some of the party in order to get a personal account of the fighting. "It was a hard campaign of course," our representative began. "It could not be harder," replied the Gordon. "We were harassed night and day, and our wounded lay dying in the cold." TO DEATH OR GLORY. "Were you in the charge at Dargai?" "Yes, I shall remember it all my life, and I cannot properly describe my feelings. All were under fire, and to get at the enemy the troops had to go through a narrow gorge. Every man and party who showed in that cleft were swept away by musketry at four hundred yards from the heights above, until the passage became strewn with heaps of men, Gurkhas, Gordons, Dorsets, and Derbys, 'in one red burial blent.' A captain of the Derbyshire shouted to his company to follow him to 'death or glory,' and down they went before that leaden hail." A COURAGEOUS ACT. "That was before the assault?" "Yes. I saw a very courageous act by a colour-sergeant of the Derbyshire Regiment. He asked to be allowed to pass through our lines, and as he passed mc to that gate of death, leading his men, I saw that he was bleeding from two thigh wounds and could scarcely hobble. Then it was that our colonel seized his opportunity. It might have occurred to any commanding officer, but ours was first. He called upon us and gave a lead to where the dead and dying strewed the gorge." THE PIPERS. "And about the pipers?" "Milne was the man who first went. He walked straight to the cleft side where the danger was, and in full view of the enemy piped a tune. I told him he would not be there a minute." iS "Was it 'Cock o' the North' he played?"* "I don't know. ' Few of us do. All we knew then was to burst into a great cheer, for his courage acted like a charm. Down he fell shot through the lungs, and Find later took his place in that hail of bullets. He fell shot in the ankle. He still played, and when his chanter was shot from his mouth he played on the broken part. In that rush through the cleft rock parties of tfee Dorsets, Gurkhas, and Derbyshire joined, and if ever a hillside dripped with human blood this one did. The carnage was frightful. Vicary, the brave fellow of the Dorsets, who had already once earned tne Vie toria Cross, brought his chum back wounded from the hottest of the fire. The rush disconcerted the Afridis, and they fled." "I saw Pickersgill and Bell fall," he continued. "What inspired everyone was the manner in which Milne and Findlater faced death. The former is at Pindi, and the latter came home with us and is now at NetJey. He is still on crutches, but as merry as a sandboy. When well his wounded leg may be a bit shorter than the other, owing to the ankle bone being shot away. He has been offered £10 a week for twelve months by some entertainment manager to play a couple of tunes nightly. Both pipers deserve equal reward. They proved brave men, and I hope they will get what they deserve."