A SOLDIER FAMILY

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 82, 5 October 1915, Page 2

A SOLDIER FAMILY

FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE. AN EXCELLENT RECORD. A wonderful record of a family of fighters for th'e Empire is set out, with modest pride, ■ by an elderly lady who has written to the Treasury asking that it shall] send, on her behalf, oertain enquiries addressed to the Imperial authorities. "Yon will see by the enclosed list," says the lady, " that we are father and mother of seventeen noble sons and daughters — eight boys and nine daughters — for.' whom we have worked very hard and brought them up for tho honour of our nation. What else can one call it when six of the lads have left their home at the age of eighteen to serve their King and country, so that they have never helped to maintain the home? Bnt thanks be to God, who has given us both health and strength to work for them, so that we have been able to bring them up quite independent of any charity. Now we are both getting old, and my husband will not b« able to work much longer, as his age is seventy-four years, and mine is sixtyeight ; but I wish it to be clearly understood that we are not pleading poverty, for my husband is a night watchman, and gets 5s a night, so that still keeps us independent at present. " I am sorry to have to make this application, bnt, as you too well know, this cruel war is taking away the sons of the nation. It has not spared mine to me, as one, single, was killed at th« Dardanelles; one, single, wounded so that he will be disabled to fight again; the other single one is in France, quite well at present ; the other three, married, are under arms in England ; so that when my husband can work no longer, we are left quite unprovided for, and as we have lived an honest and respectaole life together for forty-eight years, it grieves us to think if we should be parted to die paupers in a poorhouse. No doubt one would ask why we do not have an old-age pension. Well, we have only been in New Zealand seven years, so feel we have no claim on New Zealand, although my father, deceased, came here in, 1857, and resided in Masterton, where he married again and brought up twelve children, where his widowed wife still lives." The lady attaches the following family patriotic record.: — , Eldest daughter has five children ; husband under arms, Home defence, England. Eldest son has six children. He served thirteen years in India, South Africa two years, four months in the R.F.A. with Sir R. Buller, Boer War, now serving in the sth Sussex Regt., England. His eldest son is in France. Second son has one child. He served fourteen years in the Cinque Port, St. Leonards, England, and now is tender arms in the sth Sussex Regt,, England. Second daughter has two children. Her only » son was killed in action in France. The third son has three children m New Zealand.' The eldest son is a non-commissioned officer in the New Zealaikl Coastal Defence. The fifth daughter (a widow) has three children. The eldest son is in Franc© in action. The seventh daughter has two stepsons at the Dardanelles, one killed. The fourth son has twp children. He has served twelve years in tJie 6th Dragoon Guards, in India and South Africa, and now is instructor in his regiment in England. The fifth son, single, served eight years in the Scots Guards, England, then rejoined in the R.G.A., where he served six years in Ceylon; now in action in France. Sixth son, single, served twelve years in the R-M. Fusiliers in India; killed at Dardanelles. Seventh son, single, • served 'eleven years in the R.M. Fusiliers in India, etc, now in hospital in England from wounds at the Dardanelles.