THE FALLEN AND WOUNDED.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15752, 20 November 1916, Page 8

THE FALLEN AND WOUNDED.

PERSONAL NOTES. Mrs Hansen, of Hinds, has received cablo advice that her son, Private C. Gordon Hansen, is in the First London Hospital, wounded in the left shoulder, and is progressing favourably. Mr G. H. Amies, of Palmerston North, has received advice that his son, Rifleman Leslie Amies, who was wounded in the knee, and at No. 1 Australian Hospital, France, has been removed to Brockenhurst Hospital, England. Rifleman Amies has had his left leg amputated at the thigh.

I The late Gunner F. B. Spilsburv ("Spilly"), killed in action, left Wetlington as Paymaster Sergeant-Major with the 6th Reinforcements, and was in Egypt for a condsiderable time. By tho time the New Zealanders left for France ho liad succeeded in obtaining a transfer from the Pay Department and was attached to the Howitzer Buttery of the Field Artillery with the New Zealand Division, with which ho was serving afc tho time of his death. He was for soihe years on the staff of the Commercial Union Assurance Company in Wellington and Gisborne, and at the time of enlistment was in the employ of Murray, Roberts and Co.. Ltd., Wellington, in charge of their insurance department. The lato Guni nor Spilsbury was very popular with those who knew him, and was well known at the "Bay" and in golf and tennis circles, especially tho latter, having been secretary of tho Newtown Lawn Tennis Club and on the local Association. Private Hugh Mcintosh Clarke (died of wounds) was tho fourth and youngest son of Mr Samuel Clarke, a very old resident of the Wyndham district. The deceased soldier, who was 25 years of ago, was born on Brandon Farm, South Wyndham, and . educated at Wyndham School. He served his time as a carpenter with Mr Lindsay Rankin; and these two men subsequently went to tho North Island, whore they enlisted together in the 12th Reinforcements. Tho English mail, which arrived in Reefton on Thursday, brought the news that Lieutenant R. Hindmarsh had been killed 1 in action in France. No advice had been received from the Now Zealand Authorities. Mrs Hindmarsh's eldest son is also in Franco, along with two of her brothers. Corporal F. R. Avent (died of wounds) enlisted in Greymouth with the Main Body, and saw service at GalEpoli, whence ho was invalided to Egypt, suffering from dysentery. He left Greymouth as a private and received his promotion in Egypt, afterwards going to Franco. Corporal Avent was well known, in musical circles in Greymouth, and was a member of the ' Holy Trinity Church Choir, a member ' of the Orpheus Society, and also a Vico-Arch member of the Star of the 1 West Druids' Lodge. He followed tho ' occupation of carpenter, and was about 33 years of age. 1 Private J.'J. Doyle (killed) was well 1 known in Dunedin, haying for a num- 1 ber of years, held the position of store- s man in the railway goods shed. About i five years ago he was transferred to i Masterton, and from there he was pro- ] motod to tho position of guard in the - Auckland district He enlisted from ' e Auckland in the Ninth Hcinforcements, f Trooper Anniss (died of wounds) was ( a son of Mr and Mrs John Anniss of * Burke's Pass. He wont with the First , c Battalion of the New Zealand Rifle 1 Brigado to Egypt, and thence to ? France, where he was wounded on October 28th, and died after removal to England on the 12th inst. He was well known in tho Mackenzie Countrv. i

Lieutenant-Colonel H. Stewart. Commanding 2nd Battalion Canterbury Infantry Regiment, writes concerning the death of Captain Douglas P. Fraser, of Timaru:—"He was".a oreat personal friend of my pwn, and I feel his loss very keenly. ... He was killed instantaneously while gallantlv leading his Company in a night attack. His Company was on the right flank in the first wave. . . . The attack was bitterly contested and our casualties heavy, but we eventually gained onr objective. . . . Douglas. I need hardly proved a most capable company commander. His los.* is a heavv one to the Battalion, and he will always be affectionately remembered."' Lieutenant H. G. Gabites writes: "Douglas I and I were very old friends. We were together at school and in St. Mary's Choir, and ever since I .joined up with the Main Body we ' have been in the same Battalion. His men deeply respected him and had the greatest confidence in him as their C.O. On the night of the 20th lie had to lead his company up against a German trench, and it was whilst he was encouraging his men and leading them forward that he was struck by a bullet in the breast and killed instantaneously. This took place in front ot a most important trench north of High "Wood and west of Flers. He died fighting gallantly, to enable our New Zealand lads to advance on tha morrow with less loss of life. He was one of the many who ' gave their lives for the others.'' " j

Private L. W. Davis (wounded) is a Wellingtonian and a son of Mr J. W. Davis, chief draughtsman of the lie Works and Survey Department. Apia. Samoa. _and late chief draughtsman at the New Zealand Hcn<l Survey Office. Private Davis was a prominent footballer some fifteen years ago. playing for the Wellington College Oid

Boys, and was also a Canterbury junior Rugby representative and a Wellington "Wednesday representative player. Rifleman R. C. Walkei (of Christchurch}. Seeoud Battalion New Zealand Rifle Brigade, wounded in the chest on September loth, was discharged from hospital convalescent to Oodford Depot on November 7th. Mr Geo. M. Rout, of Nelson, has received a letter from his son. Lieutenant Cyril Rout, who gives particulars of the death of his younger brother. Gunner Fred Rout, on the Sorame battlefield on September 26th. Tn the course of his letter Lieutenant Rout says:— "When our New Zealand boys advanced in their glorious long charge on the Jsth there_ were two batteries galloped up immediately behind the advancing line and swung into action in support of our line. They were the ]2th (Fred's battery) first, and then the lltli. TTow much that meant to us cannot be estimated. They had to gallop through the remains "of the shattered Delville Wood through a storm of shells. 'They lost 20 officers and men killed and wounded, but their noble work is the admiration of our infantry Fred's captain was killed, ana his officer (Mr Vial) wounded. As opportunity offered they built up sotdc gunpits 'in the little 'vallev they were in. Frotl did a hero's work in serving his gun night and day, the gun doing great execution at tinie-s. Our guns were always an object of attention from the Hun guns, and on last Tuesday, a beautiful sunny day. a shell landed near a small groun and killed three or four instantly, wounding several others. Fred's death was absolutely instantaneous, so he suffered no pain. . . . His mates buried Fred close to his gun. and made a neat little grave, and I have arranged for a lasting cross to he put up, marking the site. The officer in charge of the Graves Commission ■will keep a record of the spot, and I am arranging for him to have a photograph taken as soon as it can'be done."

t Mr S. A. James, of 389 Colombo - street, received word by tho last EngJ lish mail that Gunner Thos. A. James 9 was put out of action through sbell- • shock. He was unconscious for two f days, but made a good recovery, and - rejoined his battc-rv on September | 27th. Mr and Mrs J. S. Magnusson, of r Palmerston North, have Received a . cablc message from Tjondon stating i that their son,*' Second-Lieutenant I Oscar Magnusson, has been wounded I in the left buttock, and has been . sent to London. He is in No. 1 l London Hospital, where he is pro- [ grossing favourably. Mr J. H. Marriott, of Fendalton, ha« I been advised by the Defence authori- . tics that his son, Private P. S. Mar- . riott, who was gassed in France, is now progressing favourably in the 2nd London Hospital, Chelsea. _Mrs L. Clark, of 26 Bordesley street, Lin wood, has received cable advice that her brother. Private Fred. Robinson, is at present in the 3rd Southern Hospital suffering from wound s in tho chest, and 's progressing favourably. Private Richard Helmsley, J Company, 22nd Reinforcements, died in Trcntham Military Hospital at 10.10 p.m. on Friday. The certified cause of death, was pneumonia. Tho following are extracts from letters recently received by .Mr J. H. Davics, Waipawa, in connexion with the death of his son. Captain H. A. Davies. Brigadier-General G. F. Linton writes:—"Captain Davics's death in a very great grief to me, as he was my favourite officer. I was deeply attached to him. A brave and gallant fellow, ho was always in action when danger was greatest, and greatly respected by his men." Col. I. T. Standish writes: f 'On tho morning of the 15th the brigado was ordered to advance into a. position closer to tho enemy, who had been driven back. Your eon led his battel y forward in a most gallant manner, and throughout the day did splendid work. Heavy shelling was going on ! the whole time, but he escaped it all until the evening. The only protection that can be had. on these occasions is by digging }l hole in the side of a trench. This had been done by your son and his officer. They had turned in for the night. The battery -was being .shelled practically the whole time. Late in the. evening, while he was asleep, he wag severely wounded bv a shell. All that was possible was done for liim by his brother officers, but ho ] died on the way to the dressing sta- " tion, not regaining consciousness. I « can only add that a more gallant and i brave officer I have never seen. He ; was loved by hi? men, and had made " his battery the best in the brigade." ]