LOST IDENTITY PLATES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16022, 14 September 1915, Page 4

LOST IDENTITY PLATES.

TURKS ROB THE DEAD.

RED CROSS DONKEYS.

"We have had awful experiences at Gallipoli," said Private H. A. Condon, of the Auckland Infantry Battalion, who has returned wounded in the head. " Still I would not have been without them." Private Condon went on to say that there was great difficulty in the compilation of casualty lists. Identification of the dead" was made very hard owing to the habit of some of the Turks of collecting identity plates after engagements. He quoted an instance of one Turk who was caught with 29 identity plates in his possession, all taken from New Zealand or Australian " soldiers killed in action. He thought a lot of the New Zealand ers who had been reported missing were j prisoners. j Private Condon said the Australians were using two donkeys in the conveyance of wounded men from the trenches to the rear of the lines. They sapped Shrapnel Gully for the purpose, and the donkeys bad been trained to carry ■wounded men by this underground route from the trenches to the medical dressingshed?. Disabled men were securely tied on the backs of the sagacious animals, whose eyes were covered by Red Cross bandages/