BRAVE NEW ZEALANDERS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXXI, 24 June 1916, Page 5

BRAVE NEW ZEALANDERS.

AN ANZAC REMINISCENCE

The other day an Anzae officer was giving reminiscences in Christchureh. lalking of many heroic acts, from privates to General Birdwood, he came back repeatedly to the "three bravest men I have ever known." The talk was distinctly not for publication, though every line of it was worthy of that, but since then a News representative has asked the narrator to say something that might be published regarding his "three bravest men." particualrly a6 one of them was a Christchurch boy who, by all accounts, fully deserved the V.C., and here is the result:— : These three brave men happened to be all non-combatants, and the officer con- » siders that they were each as worthy of the Victoria Cross for supreme and con- . tinuous heroism as anyone who got it. I Not the courage of dashing into action ' but coolly, methodically, two of them medical men and ono a storeekeper. They were superlative heroes among the heroes of Anzac. One was Captain Craig (N.Z.M.0.). of Auckland, who was one who first landed under Colonel House, V.C.. es- ! tablishing a hospital there. But as the wounded were brought in the congestion became so great that Captain Craig was j directed to open an auxiliary clearing Station at the foot of Artillery-lane, and here Captain Craig attended the wound- [ cd. It was under fire, and' the bullets I were flying and shrapnel was whizzing around. One of his assistants had been shot beside him, and yet Dr. Craig I worked without cessation from mid-day till early next morning. Later, thie gali lant officer was under Colonel Plugge, and was wounded. Hie conduct, his fearlessness, and disregard of danger in the: execution of his duty, were splendid. Later he, returned to New Zealand- after typhoid. : "-, - , "Did he receive any distinction?" in--terrupted one. "No, and he is not likely to; but he deserves it." ;

The next was one of our own Christcfeurch medicos Captain Neil Guthria. of th 6 N.Z.M.C., attached to the C.M.R., one of the bravest of the brave. Three- times was Captain G'ithrie wounded, and yet held to his work— never faltering in his duty—refusing to leave even when pressed to do so. Finally a bullet got him in the back of "the neck, and his comrades believed he was dead. Even the medical officer who was called up when he fell let him lie there as he had fallen, face downwards and still, remarking that he was done for, and he must go on with the urgent cases which Captain Guthrie was attending to when finally 6hot down. Yet he presently sat up, and after long suffering has recovered.

Finally, there was Captain William Beck, an ordinary officer. "Beachy Bill" was in charge of the store —a miserable little place—and whenever he put his nose out of the <loor bullets tried to hit it. The Turkish gun in Olive Grove was named after him, "Beaehy Bill." The store was simply a shot under fire, and Bill looked out arid went on with his work just as if no bullets were about. He was most courteous and^ humorous, and no assistant at Whiteley's could have been more pleasing and courteous than this brave storekeeper on Anzac Beach. General Birdwood never failed to call on Captain Beck or call out as he passed on his daily rounds, asking if he were there, and they all dreaded that some day there would be no ret>ly from a gaunt figure still in death* But Captain Beck was only concerned for trie safety of v his customers." He hurried them away, never himself.

Captain Beck was born on the West Coast, and is a son of Mrs Beck, of Wellington.