AN IMPRESSION OF WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15975, 21 July 1915, Page 9

AN IMPRESSION OF WAR.

"IT IS KILL. KILL, KILL." [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Christchurch, Tuesday. One of the Southland men who was wounded during the fighting in Gallipoli Peninsula, in response to a request of a relative to give, at the first opportunity, his candid opinion of war, has forwarded the following to a friend here — What do I think of war?" he says. "_ Well, it is kill, kill. kill. No one cares if you are the next to be shot. Sentiment dies the moment one sets foot in the trenches. There is no sentiment in war. our mate may be shot alongside of vou, and you will simply remark. ' Jack's dead,' and that is all* Then you remove the body from the trench to 'make more room. Someone, may-be, passes along the trench groaning in his agony, but, beyond a casual glance and perhaps a remark, such as ' He's stopped one.' you take no notice, and go on with the business. " From this you may be in danger of assuming that the boys grow callous and indifferent to suffering', but it is not that. One's business is to kill, or be killed, and the endeavour to save your life is owing only to the fact that you are needed for the killing of the other chap, if you can. " There is, however, something fascinating in the game. It grirJs one, and when it gets hold of you it causes you to becon.o utterly indifferent to anything else. A man reverts to lue primitive and takes fiendish delight in dealing out trouble to the other fellow. Your one desire is to get him in front of your rifle or bayonet, and end his worldly career, takinc evei v possible care that he gets no chance to end rout's. That is war."