OPERATIONS ON THE TIGRIS

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 26

OPERATIONS ON THE TIGRIS

IMPORTANT CAPTURE BY BRITISH GUNBOATS. LONDON, June 7. Official; The crews of the British gunboats on the Tigris have occupied Ainarah, taking 30 officers and 700 sailors as prisoners. The total cap* tured on the Tigris were 80 officers and 2000 men. Those captured com' prise the advance jJuard of the Tt»k= ish forces retreating from Persian ter* ritory before General Gorringe's column. The gunboats also captured six field guns and seven naval, gnus aboard the gunboat Marraariss, 12 barges, one large and three small river steamers, and much ammunition and rifles. Of the six Germans accompanying the Turks, three were captured and the Arabs killed two. [Amara is about 100 miles north-west of Basra (on the STiatt-el-Arab), and tho present success is evidently a sequel to tho victory at Kurna, recently reported, when the British chased the Turks for 30 miles up the Tigris.] AUSTRALASIANS HONOURED Distinguished Smdos Orders. (Awarded for Gallantry and Devotion to Duty at the Dardanelles.) NEW ZEALANDERS. Majors HART, E. O’NEILL. Captains CRITCHLEY SALMONSON (Munster Fusiliers, attached to New Zealand forces), F. WAITE. AUSTRALIANS. Colonels M'NICOLL and C. WHITE. Majors C. BRAND, J. DENTON, J. HOANE, W. MANSDRIDGE, and RANKINE. Captain A. BUTLER. iVfgntary Grosses. NEW ZEALANDERS. Captain WALLINGFORD. Sergeant-major PORTEOUS. AUSTRALIANS. Captains MAGEE, C. RICHARDSON, and J. W. SIMPSON. Lieutenants A. A. DERHAM, C. FORTESCUE, and R. LEGGE (shot). Sergeant-major D. SMITH. Distinguished Conduct Medals. NEW ZEALANDERS. Corporals C. W. SALMON, C. W. SAUNDERS, W. SINGLETON, G. STEDMAN, and W. IMOS. Privates T. STOCKDILL, J. W. SWANN, TEMPANY. AUSTRALIANS. Sergeants A. ANDERSON, W. AYz LING, W. A. CONNELL, M. E. CORBETT, H. JACKSON, and A. STEEL. Corporals R. MOORE, E. ROBSON, P. BLACK/W. FRANCIS, H. W. FREAM, F. KENNEDY, and J. KENYON. Privates W. J. BIRRELL, L. W. BURNETT, A. FARMER, F. GODFREY, A. C. HEREIN, R. HUMBERTSON GEORGE, ROBERT W. UPTON, J. G. WEATHERILL, A. WRIGHT, G. REAN, and G. E. MACKENZIE. BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. MAJOR WAITE. Major F. Waite rose from a private in the Engineer Cadets to tho position of Major in command of No. 2 Company New Zealand Field Engineers, with headquarters

in Dunedin. He -was at this time the youngest major in New Zealand, and was a most efficient officer. In order to get away with the Main Expeditionary Force he accepted a position as lieutenant, and was recently promoted to the position of captain and adjutant to the New Zealand Field Engineers, with the Main Expeditionary Force. He has now received a further promotion to major, so it can be seen that his military worth has very soon boon recognised. Major Waite was employed in the jobbing office of the Otago Daily Times for many years, starting with the company as a boy. About two years ago, however, ho gave up his work as a compositor and took up a farm at Waiwera South, where his wife now resides. He is a brilliant officer and also a very keen student of military matters. He is about 32 year-s of age. MAJOR O’NEILL. Major Eugene Joseph O’Neill is a son of the late Ktorgeant O’Neill, a well-known member of the police force in Dunedin for many years. He was born in this city in 1875, and graduated M.B. and Ch. B, at the University of Otago. During 1899-1900 he was house surgeon at the Dunedin Hospital, and in 1902 he went to South Africa as surgeon-captain with the Sixth New Zealand Contingent, and was mentioned in despatches for gallant conduct in attending to wounded under lire. At the close of the war ho went Home to continue his studies in the London Hospital, and in August. 1903—after holding several important medical appointments and obtaining his diplomas as M.R.C.SI, L.R.C.P.. London, F.R.C.S., Edin.—he returned to- his native city. Fie joined the medical staff of the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and proceeded with it to Egypt, and from there to the Dardanelles The following particulars of Major O’Neill’s service are taken from the Arnry List: —South African war, 1901-2.- Operations in the Transvaal, March to July, 1801, and October, 1901, to March, 1902. Operations in the Orange River Colony—July, 1901, and August to October, 1901. Operations in Cape Colony— July and August, 1901. Mentioned in despatches, London Gazette, August 20, 1901. Queen’s medal with five clasps. Major O’Neill has the added honour of having been recommended for the D.S.O. for his gallantry during the Boor war. MAJOR FI ART. Major FI. E. Hart, who was recently wounded in action, and who, according to latest advices, was progressing satisfactorily, was born at Dalefield, New Zealand, n 1882, and, on leaving school, joined the office of Mr G. A. Fairbrother, auctioneer, Carterton, continuing in this appointment until he left with the Bth Contingent for the Boer war, during which he was promoted to sergeant. On his return to New Zealand he took up his former position, and, after studying law, scoured a partner-' ship in the legal firm of Maunscll and Hart, Carterton. South Africa whetted his military ambition, and he continued to take a keen interest in military matters;, attaining the rank of major. On the outbreak of war he was earlv in offering his services, and left as second in command of the Wellington Infantry Battalion. CORPORAL SAUNDERS. Corporal Charles W. Saunders, who has been awarded the Distinguished' Conduct Medal, is a son of Mrs Robert Saunders, 10 Smith street, Dunedin, and is 30 years of age. Flo was educated at the Arthur Street School, and served his apprenticeship at the engineering works of Messrs A. and T. Burt, Dunedin. Fie spent two years at sea, and obtained a chief engineer’s certificate. He also took a twoyears’ course at the City and Guilds Engineering College, London, and obtained the diplomas of A.M.I.C.E. and A.M.I.E.E. At the outbreak of the. war he was in charge of the electric power station at Twickenham, England, and enlisted with the British Section, of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (Engineers). He was an active member of the Pirates Football Club.