The Soldiers' Mail-Bag.

Free Lance, Volume XV, Issue 801, 5 November 1915, Page 18

The Soldiers' Mail-Bag.

Excerpts from Letters from the Front.

A CHATTY letter, written as recently as September last, has been received by his parents in Wellington from Private B. C. H. Trim. «f the New Zealand Medical Corps. Private Trim left with the Main Expeditionary Force. He was invalided to Malta a while ago, but has now returned to Gallipoli. Of his impressions while convalescing at Malta, he remarks : —"The people here are much superior to the Egyptians, and resemble the Italians in many •ways. The women generally are beautiful, and I have not seen prettier girls anywhere. In fact, it is hard to tell the difference between the Maltese and some English people. There are a fair population of English or British people there, and they spend most of their time in attending to the sick and wounded in hospital by giving them cigarettes, tobacco, pipes, writing material, etc. They also give concerts at the various hospitals two or three times a week,- and these entertainments are greatly appreciated by the soldiers. The Maltese people help a . lot, too—they cannot do enough for us." On his return to Gallipoli, Private Trim wrote very hopefully and confidently. He says:—"Things are greatlyimproving lately as regards our position, etc. Not allowed to say any more, but no doubt you have heard it all by now. . . Some people run away with the idea the Turks are not fair fighters, which is a mistake. I would sooner fight them than the Germans any day. Certainly there were a few atrocities committed the first few days, but they were more for revenge.

Perhaps some Australians were not much better. If our country were being invaded we would not be quite sa kind as we ought to be with our enemy. I hope I have made the matter plain as regards the fighting qualities of the Turks. "It does one good to note the way in which our womenfolk in New Zealand are working, making necessities for wounded soldiers. I have seen several views here of working bees formed in Auckland and Wellington to make •clothing and bandages, etc., for the hospitals and hospital ships. It's about time they dropped the Belgian racket and paid a little more attention to their own men, and I am pleased to se& that there has. been such a good start made in this direction. "As I write this letter an Indian mule train is passing up the track to the next depot. These mules do a marvellous amount "of work. and an k country like this I don't know what we would do without them. They carry stores and water to the various places, and even with a load on can climb hills like a goat. They are led by Indians, or Punjabis, as they are called", in charge of an A.S.C. man. One Indian leads three mules tied together, and there are very often as many as 20 mules in a train. General Godley may often be seen passing up and down, for we are on the main track to where the New Zealanders are stationed." * * «• •* Sergeant J. W. Chrystall, of Messrs. Gollin and Co.'s staff, Wellington, andi who happened t-o be on t he ill-fated transport in the Aegean Sea a few days ago, writes a very amusing

letter narrating the experiences of a Maori warrior in Ms first brush with the Turks. Sergeant Chrystall was attached to No. 1 Stationary Hospital, and luckily was amongst the survivors of the disaster. The following is an extract from his letter: —

"Suppose you will have heard that the Maoris have been doing excellent work. Several wounded have arrived here, and there are many others in differegit hospitals in Egfit. Reihana, from Waikanae, whom I was talking to here, gives a great description. It was something like this: 'We lie waiting for the Turk for quite long time. He did not seem to want meet us, and all the time the Maori lie in the trench and listen. Then Te Rangihiroa give the word to start the haka, and werry quick we rush out the tug-out and charge. The Turk give give one yell and rush from us. (The Maoris actually mowed the Turks down in hundreds, I believe.) I manage to see one Turk down at the pottom of a trench, trying to make the hide. I point the payonet town to him and make him throw up the arms. "Fork out the plurry hoot," I says. The Turk empty out the pully peef and lot coin. Then I run him through with the payonet and make pleed all the same the pig.' The chief thing Reihana seemed to be concerned about was 'Tid the New Zealand people t'ink we make the name?' and, of course, I toldi him I knew they would think a great deal about it."