WAR NEWS BY MAIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16123, 11 January 1916, Page 4

WAR NEWS BY MAIL.

BRAVE NEW ZEALANDERS. i RECENT D.C.M. AWARDS, COOLNESS UNDER FIRE. LAN OFFICER'S TRIBUTE. In - the Hek.U-D of December 1 the names were published of a number of New Zealanders who were awarded the < Distinguished Conduct Medal. Further ; details of these awards came to hand by yesterday's mail. In this connection a' ' British officer wrote {rem the Dardanelles i a., follows:— •' So much has been written about the magnificent bearing of the Australian j troops that I feel bound to mention a few instances of the bravery of their cousins, the New Zealanders. As lam of , neither colony, but an Englishman, my | testimony may interest you. During the . famous attacksb on Lone Pine, the 2nd i Battery- under Major (now Colonel) Syk*;-, repelled five Turkish attacks. The in- i fantry have acknowledged that they were done, and if it had not been for this battery they would have hud to retire. During this action 21 gunners brought up ammunition over 80yds of ground that wa.s subjected to shrapnel and cross machine-gun and rifle fire. Several were wounded in doing so, but unless very seriously carried on the self-allotted task. Again and again, the guns and emplacements were hit, hut, if workable, fresh crews at once took their places. One man (a telephonist) went out live times to replace broken wires and to mend them. Another instance of heroic bravery is that of the mounted rifles at. Hill 60: 250 of these men charged and captured a Turkish tre'-ch. Gradually by eonnter-attack only a hundred remained ; these charged again and added further trenches, holding them with their usual gallantry until the relieving iifantry arrived. I can mention a case w<re a, telephonist five times carried messages from the observation station to the guns because the wires had been taken away, and the entire time this man was under direct fire from both rifles and machine-guns.'' For these operations Major F. B. Sykes «as awarded the Distinguished Service Order. Sergeant's Fine Example. Fuller details of the awards are as follows :— Sergeant A. A. Atkins, Canterbury Battalion: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on August 7. 1915. during the attack on Chunuk Bair. While advancing up a narrow gully with precipitous sides, his battalion suddenly came on a strongly defended post, which barred the way and from which a heavy rifle fire was directed on the head of the column. Sergeant Atkins, getting his section in hand, without hesitation rushed the position, captured and held it. He displayed great bravery and coolness, Sad set a splendid example to all with himPrivate C. R. Barker, Wellington Battalion —For conspicuous gallantry on August 8, 1915, at Chunuk Bair. The difficulty of supplying the firing line on the maantain top with ammunition and water was very great, yet the necessity was vital. Private Barker rendered most valuable service in carrying both over STOund exposed to heavy fire, and the conformation of which made the task very arduous. He also acted as guide to a regiment going up to reinforce, and on his return carried in a wounded man. Sapper A. L. Caselberg, Signal Troop : — For conspicuous gallantry on the night of August 22, 1915, at Kaiajik Aghala (Hill 60, Dardanelles). At the close of the day a number of detached parties were scattered in advance of the fire trenches. The firing was very heavy, and in the darkness these parties did not know how to gethack. Sapper Caselberg, on his own initiative, went out several times, searched for them, and guided them back on each occasion. His total disregard of personal ' danger and devotion to duty were most marked. Dangerous Fire Extinguished. Driver N. Clark, N.Z.F.A.:—For conspicuous bravery on August 27 and 28, 1915, at Hill 60. A fire having been started, as the result of the enemy's firing round a pit containing over 50 highexplosive shells, Driver Clark volunteered to carry water to put out the fire, and was successful in doing so, although the section was being heavily and accurately shelled the whole time. . Acting-Sergeant C. J. K. Ecbwards, N.Z.F.A. —For conspicuous braverv on August 27 and 28, 1915, at Hill 60- A fire having been started as the result of the enemy s firing round a pit containing 50 high-explosive shells, Sergeant Edwards volunteered to carry water to put out the fire, and was successful in C ting so, although the section was being heavily and accurately shelled the whole time. Acting-Sergeant J. F. Hill, 2nd Battery, N.Z.F.A.:For conspicuous bravery and ability on August 8 and 12, 1915, during the action at Chunuk Bail - . In spite of heavy casualties, troubles with equipment, and the fact that his gun was under cross fire from two machine-guns, he kept his gun in action throughout. He never hesitated to expose himself to any risk, however great, in the performance of his duty, and his bravery and devotion were of the greatest service at a critical periodKept the Guns in Action. Bombadier-Fitter D. C. Inglis, N.Z.F.A., 2nd Battery: conspicuous gallantry and' ability on August 8 to 12, 1915, at Chailak Dere. At one time three guns of the battery were out of action through being hit by bullets, breakages, or other damage. Bombadier-Fitter Inglis, assisted by another man, managed to get them all in action again, and to keep them going. To effect this he had, on more than one occasion, to strip and re pair the guns while under heavy tire. His coolness and bravery '.'.ere most marked, and his work highly valuable at a critical time. Private F. Mahoney, Wellington Battalion :- —For conspicuous gallantry and resource on the night of August 26-27, 1915, during operations on the Gallipoli Peninsular, when he volunteered to go out to rescue some men who had been isolated within the enemy's lines for fifteen days. It was a mission of great difficulty and danger, and by his coolness and knowledge of scouting, he greatly contributed to the success of the search, and ultimate rescue of the missing men. Rescuing the Wounded. Trooper D. J. O'Connor, Canterbury Mounted Rifle Regiment:—For conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on August 22, 1915, at Aghyl Dere. Whilst returning to his regiment after being slightly wounded, he passed another regiment which was being heavily shelledWithout hesitation he entered the shellswept /.one and carried in two wounded men. He went out again and helped a wounded officer to a place of comparative safety His bravery and devotion rvere the more noticeable in that these gallant acts were quite outside his duty. Trooper H. Pidgeon, Canterbury Mounted Rifle Regiment:—For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on August 21, 1915, on the Kaiajik Aghala (Hill 60i- The fighting was severe and frequently hand-to-hand, and although wounded he refused to retire, and continued at his post with the greatestbravery and determination until wounded a second time. He also performed gallant work in rescuing wounded men under heavv fire.

Gunner J. Rankin, 4th (Howitzer) Battery, N.Z.F.A. : —For conspicuous gallanirj in August 6, 1915, near Lone Pine. While his battery was bombarding the position the telephone line was cut. Gunner Rankin went out voluntarily under

heavy and continuous fire and laid another wire over the broken section, enabling the battery commander to resume control within half an hour of the communications being broken, thus materially assisting our "fire effect. His bravery and good i.vork have been consistently shown since the landing on April 26.

Lance-Corporal If. D. Skinner, Otago Battalion :—For conspicuous gallantry on August 9, 1915. on the Gallipoli Peninsula, when he was entrusted with an important message, which had to be conveyed under a very heavy and continuous fire. Although seriously wounded, lie managed, with great difficulty and suffering, to successfully deliver it- His bravery and devotion to duty were most marked.

Bomb&dier .T. P. Thomson, 2nd Battery. N.Z.F.A. :—For conspicuous gallantry and ability fi\>m August S to 12, 1915. a;Chailak Dove. At one time three guns of the batterv were out of action through being hit by bullets, breakages, or other damage. Botnbadier Thomson, assisted by another ni«in. managed to get them all in action and to keep them going. To effect this lie had, on more than one occasion, to strip and repair the guns while under heavy lire. His coolness and bravery were most marked, and liis work highly valuable at a critical time.

Sapper K. W. Watson, Field Troop, N.Z. Engineers :— For conspicuous bravery on the 'night of August 6-7, 1915, at Chailak Dere, when he assisted in the; demolition of wire entanglements under; very severe tire. Although i.vounded himself he refused help, and went out to ! rest an officer who was wounded, and | whom In l safely assisted into cover. His I Bravery and devotion to duty were most marked. BOUND THE HOSPITALS. NEW ZEALANDERS VISITED. MANY CHEERFUL PATIENTS. MAORI AND PAKEHA. The great tare which is bestowed upon the New Zealanders—pakeha and Maori — who are in war hospitals in England is described by the London correspondent of the Herald. Writing on December 7 ho says : — I happened one thick foggy afternoon into one of the largest hos-pitals on the banks of the Thames, searching for New Zealanders. It was no great task, for the orderlies are so often asked the same question that they can generally tell you out of a thousand patients which are from the Dominion. The only confusion sometimes is between Australians and New Zealanders ; and that is a confusion which the average New Zealander. after the rigours of Gallipoli, does not in the least resent. What rivalry there was between the two forces in the training days in Egypt was transformed at once on April 25 into a mutual regard and respect-. Six months of that desperate fighting has toned down some of the asperities of neigh bourlv jealousy, and Australians and New Zealanders alike now desire nothing better than to have their nearest cousins for companions in arms. The Closest Friends. All through the hospitals one finds Australians and New Zealanders the closest friends, and the best guide to New Zealanders in any ward is any Australian who happens to be there too. At this Thames-side hospital I find my quarry being wheeled along to a window by two of his mates, to " have a look at Ruapehu." It was a little piece of irony fiom the North Island, for the most that one could see across the river was the occasional shy outline of Westminster. The window was open and the eyes stung with the acrid fog.

"It reminds you of a bush fire,'' said a trooper from Gisborne. And so it did, the slow, smoking fire that rolls across the tracks of the Motu and Mount Messenger, without much danger but with a great discomfort.

Just then the fog blew off a little. Westminster showed its venerable form more distinctly, and a little steamer with a great mouthful of barges in tow, pushed her nose down stream on a sloppy ebbtide. "That's the limit," said my friend with amazement, as she dropped her funnel to the deck to get through under the arches of the bridge. Cheerful, Though Paralysed. Close at hand were other New Zea landers, including a Maori. In another ward a bright, laughing faced boy from the Upper Hutt, the favourite of the ward and of many visitors, lay half-paralysed in his bed, riddled with bullets from the sweep of a Turkish machine-gun. The bullets are comparatively harmless, but the injury to the spine, it is feared, is permanent. Yet he is persistently cheerful, so far from the blue skies of Wellington. In another- ward not far off a New Zealand trooper lay in the worst stages of enteric. He had not been long there, and the disease, as in so many cases, had declared itself long after he left the shores of Gallipoli. He was in a high fever, and scarcely conscious, and could only slowly and painfully spell his name. '' G-r-i-f----f-e-n." He whispered something about the King Country, enough to denote his origin. I am glad to say that Griffen, of tho King Country, is now quite himself again, thanks to the efficient treatment which is common to all British military hospitals. The Gallant Maoris. In another hospital I found quite a large proportion of Maori patients. They are an interesting study. Many of them are inclined to despondency when they are really ill, and the change when their condition improves is striking. Some of them, bronchitis and dysentery cases, looked for a while pitiful, but the improvement as the.disease burned itself out was remarkable, and there are no brighter men about the hospitals than the convalescent Maoris. The comradeship between the Maoris and the other New Zealanders—both officers and men —is a thing good to behold. One party of New Zealanders whom I met were highly indignant because of a slight which they considered a ward sister had inflicted upon a Maori comrade, a slight which could not have been more resented if it had been directed against themselves. The victim himself was only indifferently upset. Like moat Maoris he was very fond of children, and at the time I was being told of his insult he was frolicking in the ward with a number of children from the neighbourhood. Wished He Was a New Zealander. The inmates of a ward soon become a family of their own, despite the widelyscattered regions from which they come. i One can pick quite easily the Englishman who has been only a few years in the Dominions and has enlisted in the oversea I forces. He generally has some of his own people to see him. But although our men are so far from home, they are so well looked after that amongst many of the "Tommies" there is a feeling of being neglected, bv comparison.

A lady talking with one of our wounded the other day turned to the next bed and inquired of the occupant : —" Are you a New Zealander?" " No," was the wistful answer, "but I will be next time I am born."

Almost every ward has its curiosity. The Maoris are a constant source of interest to visitors, and are themselves much tickled by the surmises which they overhear as to their nationality. The curiosity that most struck me in any hospital was a voting Knirlish bov of 144 years, who had been fighting in Flanders for live months with the Royal Artillery. There was absolutely nothing wrong with him. He was ruddy and well and sitting up in bed cnioying" hugely the attentions and the smokes that visitors brought him. His chart hung above his bed, and I read the disease—" Under age !" This, it seems, was merely a way of getting him back to his parents. Ho had given a false, age in enlisting.