A TROOPSHIP ARRIVES

Evening Star, Issue 16413, 2 May 1917, Page 6

A TROOPSHIP ARRIVES

AT PORT CHALMERS WITH MEN FROM THE WAR. MOSTLY FROM EGYPT, ONLY ONE COT CASE. ONE MAN BURIED AT SEA. A farevvelling yesterday:—a home-coming to-day. The circle is soon perfected, these bustling times. It is the circle of Mars—full of redness and fierce energy, and, thank Heaven, with brightness in it. The outward-bounders are inspired by the cause, and go away light-hearted. Homecoming, they have the spirit of gladness, subdued by experience, but the spirit of the race keeps them from moping. this, is distinctly so with the men who came to Port Chalmers by the troopship which tied up to the Bowen Pier at Port Cnalmers shortly after 8 o’clock this morning. Even with the most broken party that comes back one can see Unit they are light-hearted in spite of all ti.eir hurts and diseases. This company, praise bo to Heaven, seem to be in better uhysical condition than the average. But few are limping or shaking. There is only one cot case: Frank Culverhonse, of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles. He went away with the 10th Reinforcements, and got hit with a bullet in the spine in Egypt last August. The vessel picked him up in Australia, where he was in hospital for seven months, waiting to recover sufficiently to stand the voyage. He is much improved, and was able to stand being carried into the .-hip’s concert hall last night to enjoy a little music.

k-coing that there arc but few cases iu the vessel s hospital, one sister undertook the nursing duties alone on the last part of the voyage. This is Miss B. Johnson, of Melbourne, who came all tho way with the ship. The six other nurses' were dropped at the ports ou the way. All but six of the returned men are frem Egypt. About SCO wore put ou the vessel when she started. Of those, only 57 have, come on to New Zealand. One man died on the voyage, a dav before reaching the final port of call in' Australia. This was Trooper James Howard Mitchell, a cheesemaker, belonging to Palmerston North. He died form the result of a gunshot wound in the back. Major V. r . A. Bennett, who is in charge of tho troops, belongs to tho Bay of Plenty district, between Taurnnga ancl Te Puke. He went away with the 10th Reinforcements. After serving in various places he was with the forces at Rafa, in Palestine, and from there was detailed to form a camp at Moasca. Whilst so engaged he accidentally fell down a bank and dislocated one of hi*s elbows. On this account ho was ordered into hospital, hut lie accepted instead the general’s suggestion to take charge of the soldiers for"this trip, and he is now all right, excepting that he cannot quite straighten his arm. Captain Aldred, Sergeant Dill, and Trooper Ryan were also at Rafa, and <’Ot wounded there. Dill wus at first in a very bad way, and it was feared he would not recover, but ho is now walking about. Captain W'. 11. Simpson is tho medical man in charge. He belongs to Wellington and is invalided from France. Prior to going to the war a year ago he was practising at Seaclilf. He reports that most ot the men under Iris care have picked up wonderfully during tho voyage. Ihe vessel had moderate and fine weather on the voyage. She tumbled about a bit iu the Australian Bight, and for a couple of nights before sighting New Zealand she showed that m her light trim she can roll, but tho experience was nothing worth makiim a ballad about. °

Dr Borrie boarded the vessel as tho representative of Colonel Hope Lewis, and the Base Records- staff got to work’at once.

Major Cooper and Captain Myers wont down from Dunedin early this morning to supervise tho military work, and Captain Dobson was at Port to control the business of the transport department. Everything worked smoothly. Tlie Mayor of Dunedin and tho Mayor m lorb Chalmers boarded tlie vessel daring the morning and welcomed the men. Members of the Otago Patriotic Association took down fruit, tobacco, and other comiorts.

This evening tho Port Chalmers Patriotic Committee are to provide an entertainment for the returned soldiers. T-he Dunedin men iv<jro free, after e\to come to town with their friends. Tho larger number, whoso homes are north nr south, are to keep by the ship this evening, and leave to-morrow morning, tho northerners joining tho express. about 8.15. and tho men for the south coming up by the 7.9 train to Dunechn so as to gc-fc ou to tho mail train at 8.09.

The official'list of returned men is ns follows: Major James farmer, Danncviike. Major Win. Atherton Bennett, farmer Bay of Plenty. ’ Captain Fredk. Boulton Hughes, photographer, Christ eh urch. Captain Maxwell Aldred, fanner, Auckland. Second Lieutenant Oswald Lovell Ferens, bank clerk, Oaniaru. ’ Staff Sergeant-major Wm. Henry Ebhitt. saddler, Hastings. Staff Sergeant-major Eric Wm. Wanden, clerk. Blenheim. Private Robert Casey Andrew, blacksmith, Mastertou.’ Saddler Wm. Stephen J. Barber, railway porter, Christchurch. Saddler-sergeant Thos. Henry Bcacham, farmer. North Auckland. Sergeant Allan Stuart Blackio, draper, Anck'and. Trooper Wm. Bovlo, shepherd, Scotland. Sapper John Alex. Browne, linesman, Hobart. Trooper Roht. Burgess, farmer, Canterbury. Lance-sergeant, Percival Augustus Cave, chemist. England. Trooper Henry Wm. Clark, jockey, Auckland. Corporal John Coleman, student, Wellington. Trooper Joseph Hyram Cough lan, farmer. Southland.' Sapper Arthur Gethlin Crongh, linesman, Now South Wales. Trooper Chas. Fredk. Dassler, farmer. To AwamuUi. Driver Wm. Jas. Davidson, laborer. St. Kilda. Tronnor Robl. Joseph Day, shepherd, Timaru. Sergeant Fredk. Gordon Dill, farmer, Kaipara Flat. Trooper Edward Wm. Dunn, carrier, Taumarnnui. Trooper Leonard Jas. Evans, bookkeeper, Wellington. Trooper Angus Archibald Finlayson, farmer, Kamo. Sergeant Arthur G. M. Fitzberbert, farmer. Marton. Trooper Jas. Lindsay Foster, farmer, Tbornbury. Trooper John Hill, driver, Wellington. Lance-corporal Ernest- Wm. Hille, laborer, Christchurch. Troonev John Jenkins, engine-driver. Wales. Sapper August Franz Kroning, telegraphist, Gore. Trooper ’Waller Adrian Langley, farmer, Manawatu. Trooper Fredk. Daniel M'Namara. laborer. Avc’-find. Private Jaimv. Ji.-nry A. Mainwaring, . p-rii'.Ln’. Mm ten' Sergeant W-n. Arthur Terrill, flnxdresscr. Masterton. Trooper Douglas Maxwell, laborer, Hokianga. Trooper Neil Morrison, farm hand, Scotland. Private John Nixon, laborer, Christchurch. Private Joseph Paine, shirt cutter Auckland. Corporal David Hunts: - I'M farm hand, Pokeno.

Sergeant William ■ Pascoe, linesman, 1 • Onehunga. ■ Sergeant David Paterson, farmer, New Plymouth. Trooper Lawrence Arthur Percival, Fordell. Trooper Jas, Napier Plowman, vinegaf brewer, Napier. Trooper, Chas. Seymour Pratt, commission agent, Melbourne. Trooper Michael Ryan, carrier, Auckland. Trooper Stanley Alexander Smith, grocer’s carter, Dunedin. Trooper Gerard Edmund Spooner, shep- ' herd, Christchurch. Trooper Albert John Stewart, shepherd. Wellington. . “■ ’ Private Chns. Fredk. Stubbs, linesman. To Awamuta. Trooper Win. Francis E. Symes, farmer, Wanganui. Private Terongo Tuakeo, laborer. Cook Islands. Corporal Wm. Henry Turner, sheep farmer, West Australia. Trooper Fredk. Ernest Walker, farmer, Eeniuera. Private Alfred Webb, sheep buyer, Addington. Trooper Wallace Douglas Young, jockey, Bulls. places above mentioned are those at which tho next of kin reside. Sergeant Terrill has come back on duty and others, not in the list, who have also come on. duty, are Captain Simpson, Company Sergeant-major J. W. Rutherford, Sergeant Cook, and Private King.