CORRESPONDENCE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVI, Issue LVI, 21 July 1909, Page 5

CORRESPONDENCE

THE TURUTURTJ-MOKAI FIGHT. (To the Editor.) Sir, — I was much interested in the two .articles that appeared in, your paper re the attack on the Turuturu-Mokai redoubt, and had serious thoughts of writing a full account myself and submitting to you. Allow me a few words thereon, as both writers are a .bit astray. Your first correspondent claims that the list he gives of the killed and wounded is «tjie "first complete list yet published." TThis is not according to fact, as Major \^i) Tempsky, Captain Blake, and Mr Jlilkioe all wrote accounts of the attack. and>each gave a full list. of the killed ancß wounded, etc., now over 41 years •i?o! The latter, who was an esteemed friend, wrote a very full account for the "Wanganui press and gave a diagram of the redoubt, whares, etc., and it is known as Constable Milmoe's account. Your correspondent "W.A.Q." infers that those who escaped got to Te Hawora, whereas it was Waihi they cleared out to. Yon Tempsky in his statement, written at 11 a.m. on the morning of, t^e attack, says he met two men in their shirts, who stated that the redoubt was carried by surprise and most of the garrison killed. A few years ago I proposed to the late Mr Milmoe to go together to the locality so that he could fully explain matters on the ground, and I photographed him standing on the spot where the gallant Captain Eoss fell. He assured me that the captain was not dragged into the ditch, but fell inside the redoubt. The young generation can have no idea of the state of things that existed in your district in 1868. They are enjoying peace and Quietness and advantages that their forefathers knew not of. Old Titokow.iru's name was a terror in the land. Why, if a youngster hesitated when sent off to bed, "Here's Titokowaru coming!" from materfamilias acted like marie. I will not forget the scene in "Wellington the night the news came in nfr the attack on the redoubt. It was K*e,«i panic, and the Independent office /was literally besieged by great crowds eager for the "latest news." It is not gen orally known that Colonel McDonnell recommended Messrs Milmoe, Johnston and others for the Victoria Cross, but it could not bo given them because no lu^erial officer was present. Why fhov^l not rccoivp the N^w Zealand Cross I have never been able to ascertain. — I am, etc., W. F. GORDON. New Plymouth, July 19.