TURKISH TROPHY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24326, 17 June 1940, Page 11

TURKISH TROPHY

RETURNED TO SOLDIER AFTER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS After a quarter of a century a large Turkish mixing bowl of copper secured by an Auckland returned soldier on Gallipoli in a night attack in August. 1915, and which he wrs compelled to leave on the peninsula, has been returned to him. He was then a sergeant in the Canterbury Battalion, and when he found the bowl in a Turkish trench it was full of cold stew. The attack went on, beyond the trench, and he carried the bowl with its contents, the stew being shared with his hungry comrades when opportunity came. He retained the bowl till some weeks later, when he became a casualty. Years later he heard that the bowl had come into the possession of Colonel J. J. Esson. but he then made no claim for it. On the recent death of Colonel Esson, however. he gave the trustees of the estate the history of the bowl and verification of its capture by him. He later received the bowl from Mr W. L. Esson, Blenheim, who had been given it 15 years ago by his brother, Colonel Esson. '