CALLED A "COWARD"

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13975, 11 September 1917, Page 8

CALLED A "COWARD"

l', tSßto3s TO IjETURNED SOLDIER. <;< « IBV f ANONYMOUS LETTER. 1 "■ Ever since the oulbicak of hostilities (sa}3 the Auckland gtai) there have ] x boon meansouled people who, ma ' cow-ndly .iiul i oiitemptible manlier, i lta\e fonntded \slute feathers to mm ' v whom tliej thought were avoiding aclnc , semco for the Empire Man) cases l«no been brought to light in which ' well built men who weic suffciing fiom some phjsicnl disability not nppaient to the casual onlooker, lme been cms cd mental anguish these biis\bollics, Who, probibl> being tliemsoUes unfit foi sorvice, are pcifecth safe in at tacking others in in underhand mm ner. Oho .of the worst'instances' of this V : was brought to the notice of a ■ re-. " • presentativo of the Staroa^Wetlncsaaif;; morning;-A returned soldier, Trouper ' ' W. J. .Jonas, arrived at the office accompanied by one of tile heads of tho 'department of Messrs E. Porter and Co., . where he is employed, and handed for examination a letter ' received that - morning, It was a black-edged envelope, ', which in itself is calculated to give a shock .to'anyone to whom addressed, as it usually means the loss of some dear one or friend. The date on tire letter ' was September 4, and the address was at his place of employment. Inside was just a sheet of paper, on which was written, evidently in> a disguised hand, "Shirker." "Coward." Imagine the fellings of a man who wore the returned soldiers' badge, upon getting such a letter, and realising at the same time that he has no means of ascertaining who the contemptible person was who had conceived and forwarded such a gratuitous insult to one who went away with the Third Reinforcements to Egypt, fought and was wounded at Gallipoli, has at the present ' time two brothers on active service, both of whom have been wounded, and n fourth brother accepted .for home service had part of his hand blown off at the Fort. As a matter of fact, Trooper Jonas received no less than four wound's while at Gallipoli, 'and now. when re-' . • .turned home as unfit for further active service, he receives such an unmerited attack. The following is a copy of a document held by Mr Jonas:— 'Trooper W. J. Jonas, 38, George Street, Kingslnnd,— lii reference' to your statement | regarding a parchment certificate of discharge, I have to inform you that same was posted to you at the above address on the 10th ultimo. The regulations do not permit of the issue of a duplicate certificate of discharge, but this letter will servo as sufficient information for all concerned that you served with the New Zealand Expos ditionary Force at Gallipoli, were tin- \ ally returned to New Zealand, .and ' honourably discharged as medically unfit for further active service although fit for employment in civil life." This is signed—'Lieutenant C. Massey for Major-Director of Base Records."