THE LATE DR BAIGENT

Evening Star, Issue 18173, 13 January 1923, Page 3

THE LATE DR BAIGENT

AN APPRECIATION. " Abdouh ” writes : —By tho death of Dr C. V. Baigent New Zealand suffers a great loss. Probably no medical officer commanded so much admiration and respect as he did, when as Captain Baigent he served with the old Otago Battalion. •He was with tha Otago infantry boys from the time we left Talhnna Park till we left Egypt for France in April, 1915. As an, M.O. ho was ideal, and through a rare gift of sympathy and understanding of tho men under his care he made their lot much easier than it would otherwise have been. On more than, one occasion he crossed swords with Colonel Moore on the question of how much a soldier could stand as_ regards marching on the desert. Captain Baigent invariably gained his point. An honest, bighearted man, Captain Baigent soon won the hearts of the men before the Gallipoli affair; but the day of the landing at Anzac and for a week later he built up a reputation, amongst tho Otago troops that should bo sot down in New Zealand history. He worked an advance dressing station in, that dharncl-house, Shrapnel Gully, for seven days, during which time he had no sleep—work, work, work all tho time. His dressings were commented on, as the best arriving at the beach. He was gentle but thorough. The climax of that first week was tho slaughter of his own battalion. One can hardly appreciate his feelings, but he was courageous to a degree. When the remnant of tho Otago Battalion came to Mule Gully on At ay 3 for a rest Captain Baigent had a well-earned sleep of twenty-four hours. He did not believe in decorations for bravery, and for this reason would not recommend his batman, who certainly won tho right to a decoration. There was a great bond between the two men, but tho captain said a soldier’s duty was to do his utmost. He rose to tho rank of lieut-enant-colonel,. but ho rose to greater heights in the (hearts of all soldiers lie came in contact with; and ho has now gono West with so many of his old hoys who were killed so long ago as 1915. Otago people have a right to know something about such a great man connected as lie was with the old Otago troops, and for this reason the foregoing has been written. His memory will 'remain evergreen, amongst those who knew him at the Great War.