GALLANT NEW ZEALANDER

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXXI, 23 February 1916, Page 7

GALLANT NEW ZEALANDER

TRIBUTE TO DR. ANGUS McNAB. Writing in the Cr'aigleigh Hospital Chronicle, Sir Frederick Milner says:— Scotsman, I know, love to read of the gallant deeds of Scottish heroes, and I propose to place before your readers a short account of the gallant cleecls of one, Captain Angus McNab. Angus McNab was born in New Zealand thirty-nine years ago; in 1896 he came to Edinburgh University, where he worked hard at his professional studies, and interested himself in athletics. He was elected president of the University Athletic Club, and was a prominent forward in the Rugby team. When the South African war broke out, he did excellent work in the Edinburgh Hospital. He then returned to Edinburgh and worked as house surgeon in the eye department of the Royal Infirmary under Professor Axenfeldt. In 1905 he began ophthalmic practice in London. His york was characterised by sympathy and thoroughness, and he soon began to make his way and to establish a considerable practice. Amongst his patients was Sir Edward Grey, and I personally owe much to his skill and care. He was a n aai of intense sympathy, and with magnetic attraction. He showed characteristic patience and thoroughness in everything he took«-up. He had been attached for three years to the London Scottish Regiment," and when war broke out- he at once threw up his prospects and went out with the regiment. If ever a man was jusified in staging at home, he was, for he had only just begun to get a firm footing in his profession, he had a delicate wife and two young children, and he was doing a most- important and special work for the relief of suffering humanity; but he felt the call of dut.y came first before all; without hesitation he joined his regiment and went to the front. His extraordinary energy soon showed itself, for before there was any opportunity of his regir ment being engaged in the actual fighting he got together a hundred of the London Scottish to act as stretcherbearers; and making a sort of hospital out of a disused railway shed at. Villeneuve, he set to work to render all ihe assistance that a brave man could. He handled trainloads of wounded men from the dreadful battle-front® of the Marne and Oise, and there is no doubt that by his prompt action he saved a great numl>er of lives. He had a genius for detecting wounds that were likely to prove gangrenous. As he had said himself x he seemed to be abie almost to smell it out, and in this way he saved many whose recovery would have been beyond recall by the time they arrived at the base hospital. It is no exaggeration to say that the work he did in this railway shed was simply marvellous, and it earned him the highest com. mendation of his chief; and there can be little doubt that, bad he lived a little longer, his services would not have gone unrecognised. When the regiliiensT went into action, he showed the most fearless, almost reckless, courage, in rendering service to the men as they fell. An officer writing home said: "Every man —officers and privates alike —tells me constantly the same story of his wonderful bravery, devotion, and unselfishness. He was absolutely fearless. He was severely wounded in the battle and removed to the base; but, hearing that there were many wounded left on the field, he insisted upon being allowed to go back to attend to them. He was actually leaning over a wounded man and binding up his wounds when the Germans advanced, and he was foully murdered by them while he was carrying out this work of mercy. Many a man has received his V.C. for actions not one whit more courageous than those of Angus McNab. He died as he had lived —fearlessly and unselfishly doing his duty. lv , truth, he was a very gallant gentleI man. I am proud to number him amongst my friends. [Dr. Angus IvlcNab was a member of the well-known Knardale family, of Southland, and brother of the Hon. Dr. Robert McNah, Minister for Justice. He was an ex-student of the Southland Boys' High School and of Otago University. There are many of his school and college? contemporaries in New Zealand.]