ACTIVE SERVICE AND CHARACTER.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15335, 20 July 1915, Page 3

ACTIVE SERVICE AND CHARACTER.

PERSONAL IMPRESSIONS

Trooper C. L. C. Smith, of the Queensland Mounted ."Brigade, who was formerly on tho reporting staff of the Nelson "Colonist,'' in the course of a recital of his experiences at the Dardanelles, -writes: — A few weeks on G-illipoli plays great tricks in revealing character, It blows a lot of froth off the beer. A readjustment of views on many of those around you becomes necessary. Mates in whom "one took but a casual interest ono acquires a. profound regard for. and there arc cases, too, whero those once held in awe lose the power to command it. Two special cases of men generally misunderstood occur to mc. The first, is "Gertie," medical officer for a certain battalion. From the early days of enlistment the rank and flit* made no secret of their dislike for him. His untiring energy, and the unbendin_r manner in which he carried out his duties, were at first called the sweeping of the new broom, and later the fussiness of a frosty old fossil- Men wagged their heads at the mention of going into action with him. 'Gertie was considered thc high-water mark of medical inomciency. It wa R even whispered that through him certain allowances of rum were -withheld from the men But fine characters are tuckeo* away in odd figures. "Gertie' was ashore with tho" first boat, and went racing up and down the beach shouting for wounded. He was iust behind the fining-line all through the terrible struggle of the first few da- ashore. I met him orce struggling down a r-ullv. a wounded man o n each arm. He had duo- out *-. r*.oU«- from shrapnel for the wonnded, and for three days and three nights -.ro-kod T*-*"-notioaTlv without a halt. The doings of "Gertie filtered back +o the trenches, where scepticism gradually tnrned to surprise, and -mrr-riee to admiration. I wo <-tretcher-l>earers one evening struggled down with a badly wounded private. who. on seeing thc hands into which he was about to fall, exclaimed: "Hullo! Here's old 'Gertie.' _ He 11 fi* mo np!" Tlio doctor T>'Ped m Jus quaint accents: "T don't know why you mil mo 'Gertie.' hui if you are hurt I'll fix you up all right!" "Gertie rover waited for tho ntrot-*h-*T-bear-*r.. to oarrv in a man. but t' he saw one hjt. however dangerous tho spot, he vas thero to administer relief at once. When his brigado wa< called m tho doctor arrived Iwk a day late. Few recognised tho torn and tattered, unshaven figure, mini-* hat. puttees, and coat, which dragged a weary leg up to tho hartal ion headquarters to report "present and correct." ~ j the remnants of tho battalion realised ■who it was. a spontaneous cheer aro<o. "Gertie"' seemed quite pleaded. He has been mentioned in despatches. ' Tho second instance^ on-icom, *> talion's hmd cock —>orgoant "Pullthrough." This is his name jn the rank?~ All hand*; when ■Dlagued him to death, and his tall ftmire became more and more attenutted till it resembled the nrtiHe ho is -.ir-k-named after, «~»uite tho wj'dost fiouros in tho bat to Hon are round amongs the cooks. Thoy are men who have cooked in tramr* ships, shearers* camp*--, or for --tation hands. Thoy led the old sergeant r* terrible dance, -knowing that he would never do more than threaten them with punishment. They mistook his good-he-.rtodne.-s for \ inrk* of hatkhei'.o. Like birds of ;i i feather. the <-f>o';- after landing, -eorr--ed to drift together hv some uncanny instinct, and wcr" foremost ir. the frnv. }(,_ by old "Piill-thronch." now the -sfildest of the wild. His queer -ticks

of legs were not capable of a sprint, but with a prodigious stride he led his culinary crew at a pace which *hey could scarcely maintain. One and all vouch that their sergeant never missed, a shot all day; that his iiccuracy in picking out snipers was astonishing; and that his thirst for Turkish blood was unquenchable. Old "Pull-through now sits smiling at *-""a* times, -watching a rough and ready, but thoroughly I devoted and tractable, cooks' company, j