LIEUTENANT=COLONEL RICHARDSON’S EXPERIENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3196, 16 June 1915, Page 84

LIEUTENANT=COLONEL RICHARDSON’S EXPERIENCE.

' MURDER BYI A GERMAN OFFICER. | Lieutenant-colonel Richardson, of the New Zealand Staff Corps, who for some time before the outbreak of war was attached to the War Office at Home as a General Staff Officer, has been in the thick of activities ’ since hostilities commenced. Colonel Richardson—ho was bettor known some years ago in New Zealand as Master-gunner Richardson —has many friends in New Zealand, and so far as his profession! standing is concerned, is admittedly one of the most brilliant gunnery officers that has ever been' I associated with the forces. ! Writing a couple of months a.go to his ' friend and old colleague, Mr W. F. Warren, of the Permanent Artillery (says the Auckland correspondent of the Christchurch Press), Colonel Richardson, who was then on board a transport, said : lam noiv in an unexpected quarter of the globe, engaged in an operation which has interested mo all m y uf e —viz., the attack on a coast fortress. iVIy division is the only one heie at present. We havo had a bit of a contract, but all will oome right soon. We are going to Egypt this week, where we remain until everyone is ready for the big push. I shall* there see the Now Zealanders and havo'quite a Measure I did not exoect. Sir lan Hamilton arrived the other day, and the General and I went on board his gunboat. He then took the staff up the Dardanelles for a reconnaissance. This was the day of the big battle. This letter would riot bo allowed to get through wore I to tell you all about it. We landed a company one day last week and lost about 50 men. One sergeant was wounded and left on the ground in order that he might bo picked up on the return of the party, but when they came back, a German officer was near him, and the sergeant had had his head bashed in and his bayonet driven through his stomach. Our men promptly shot the officer. There are many German officers with the Turks, and wo have a hard nut to crack. I think of you all in peaceful Auckland, and wonder if I shall ever see you again. However, I hope and expect to see you in 1916, and not before.”