ROADS FOR HEAVY GUNS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15964, 8 July 1915, Page 8

ROADS FOR HEAVY GUNS.

NOISES OF THE FIELD. 'Wm MANY DEEDS OF VALOUR. A very interesting letter ha* been 'rJBIt reived by Mrs. Pain, of Olunbern Road " " Kemuera, from her hufband Pri- a Hugh W. Pain, who left with' the third < reinforcements. Jf;|pP&' "I am writing you this letter," j_ says, "from Luna Park Hospital'. ' Hell ! opo_is, where 1 am recovering rom tig effects of bullet and shrapnel wounds.-'' We arrived at the Dardanelles about si '■':- ~\ hours after the Australians had landed ' and entered the firms line straight awav '• A lot of our men put wounded before vl - landed, snipers picking off our borg in ■ great number*;. It was" a very lively time ' for the first three days, a continual rifle and c - shell fire being kept up. The Turkish ?' : - artillery wrought havoc amongst ou>- boY«-.&*.■■; On the Monday, I came out of the firijio ? line, as our company was called in for f ?'.-.*■.; spell, which we needed. The rest of the A- ' week was spent in dipping tren< lies and forming roads for hauling" up the heavy ■« : gun.-!. The Turks will receive a surprise later on. Our company, the 15th. North. " Auckland, spent Sunday resting, and Q•' ' Mondav we went back to the trenches fothree days. On Wednesday I received my wound. I was very fortunate, as the man next to me on my right had his head "' blown off and the man on the kit of m 9 had his arm shattered. It v.-,.. whilst I.4** was helping him out of the danger-zone'' that I got hit. The bullet that struck m went through my right shoulder and $ j lodged in my armpit, and I was hit in the back by some shrapnel. - " The bursting of shrapnel overhead the roar of the artillery, and the steady boom of guns from our warships are a bit' of a hair-raiser at times, but it is wonderful how soon one gets used to all the bewildering noises. I have seen many courageous deeds performed by our bovg many of which will never be chronicled. The Turks are cowardly animals at heart, « and they have no equal in trickery. I hope' soon to be well enough to have anothej go with the enemy." » In a subsequent letter. Private Pain says:— "l have been discharged from hospital, and am now a convalescent at Helioun Park, in Heliopolis. The people are very good to the wounded and (rifts of fruit, flowers, and tobacco, have been -. showered upon us. I shall soon be rejoin-' 1 ing my platoon. I suppose, as my wounds have healed very rapidly, and I am feeling eager for the fray once again though I, like many others, won't be sorry when we are homeward-bound for ' God's Own Country.' " "THE BOYS SHOULD COME."! DYING MAN'S CRY. The following letter was written by Lance-Corporal D. F. McLeod, of Ist Battalion Australian Expeditionary Forces :—. '' "I have gone through a little, of what we *J have been looking for. In the landing at , Gallipoli I got a bullet through my cheek ** and through my nose. It was a very _■".■ narrow squeak. " I could tell you of 50 splendid deeds 1 have seen, but one im- -**' pressed me greatly. * We passed a de. 2j stroyer with some of the 4th Brigade going ~,. to land while we were on our way to the ■ hospital ship. They cheered and shouted, 'Are we downhearted?' A fellow on a stretcher near me, who could count the > remainder of his life in minutes, with a - great effort got out a 'No.' It was said '""'■ very feebly, but he got there. On the "*■ _ Monday and Tuesday I was pretty well el out from loss of blood, but on Wednes- -*5 day I was well enough for the doctor to ?.£ take out the bullet. I hope to be into it g again very shortly. Get the boys to come •••£ and take a part in the making of Aus- .'-j tralia's name— wouldn't be out of it for '-f worlds." ■•it; EAGER TO GO BACK. I ______ -~ ~ ~~~~" .- fete WOUNDED ON THIRD DAY. % <?! Writing from Heliopolis on May 8, to his • ; brother, Mr. Arthur Hibbs, of Auckland, M Private A. J. Hibbs says:—" I lasted three days. We hardlv bad time to have a ti smack at them when I hadthe misfortune -- to get wounded. I hope to be all right ~.}: in seven or eight weeks, and then I loolfl *'• forward to having another go at them." gjj