LATE LIEUTENANT MILNES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16850, 15 May 1918, Page 8

LATE LIEUTENANT MILNES.

■ —.— ♦ HOW HE MET HIS DEATH. A warm tribute to the late Lieutenant H. A. E. Milnes, of Auckland, who was killed in action on October 4 last, is con tained in a letter written from England by Sapper J. E. Learning, also of Auckland, who likewise gives details of the manner in which Lieutenant Milnes met his death. Sapper. Learning says: — "Mr. Milnes, known familiarly among the men as " The Old Man," was a gentleman and a soldier, if ever there lived one. Easily the best subaltern I have met in my short travels, he stood out in all his vigour and force of personality unique among men I have met in the army. Kind, genial, generous, by his admirable tact he had gained the entire confidence of. his men of No. 3 platoon. He was of my company, and the Third Auckland (Third Battalion) disintegrated—was poorer for his death. Not once, but' often, he brought us food; if ever hte got near civilisation, back ■would come a parcel; most often anonymously sent. "This s leading light among our officers ' —such a man— was to fall on October 4 last, just when his company had achieved' success, entitling him. to a decoration. Of his manner of .death I claim to 'know as touch, probably more, than anyone. ' ," The;! night before the " stunt " our captain—Yl H. Baker— a small piece • of shelly which, hitting him in the knee, incapacitated him. About two o'clock in the- morning .„ Mr. Milnes got his orders from the officer commanding, appointing Dunn to the charge of the company pro ten.. He had little knowledge of the maps, 1 understand # ? hut, notwithstanding this and other disadvantages, was at the tape" mark betimes. ' "As a signaller, I was in his little company >j headquarters section. When p . ' ■■ we reached, our objective he gave his orders and retired to our " " —about V fifty yards behind—raising his standard, % as it were, in a large shelf hole. , \" He calmly took off his. hat, palled out his notebook, and proceeded to write out a despatch. I remember, while throwing ...'•■'• up a■, parapet by deepening this * hole, ; seeing him measuring a distance on his map. "Ho aofc dig down too far, or the vi water will come its," I believe were his .'.'••f last words to me. ?. '■■..: „ ■ l ;; ; " Just then the enemy's creeping barrage drewuusp s in the rear, to.our sudden astonishment. The tornado of shells was Kipon oS, and I was digging and stooping to it. My mate was-beside me, another, named Burnett, on top. It seems that a shrapnel shell hurst low to the ground. A dullness crept on me, and when I awoke it was to see Mr. Milnes, who had , been, lifted bodily about five yards away to another. hole., expiring, and the man on top already dead with his scalp torn off. Mr. Milnes came by his death by shock then,. because we never found trace of wound .on his body. Some said there was a faint mark on his forehead, as though a piece had penetrated his head. I think not. , "We were aghast at this; but we had to accept many like blows that day Mr. MAnes we buried close by, but the' body was J afterwards, exhumed* and taken to Battalion Headquarters (near Otto Farm). General Hart paid a tribute to his" . memory when he next inspected the battalion i 'There died a gentleman— soldier who would have gone far (meaning in rank) had he lived.' "