NATIVE GALLANTRY

Otago Witness, Issue 3215, 27 October 1915, Page 51

NATIVE GALLANTRY

A YOUNG MAORI’S EXPLOIT,

A young Maori well known in the Taumarunui district has made a groat name for himself at the front. Ho was engaged in the attack which commenced on August 6 and concluded on August 8, with disastrous results to the Turks. r l he Maoris had reached the Turkish trenches, and this young fellow was up against two Turks. One attempted to bayonet him. but he grasped the naked bayonet in his disengaged hand and bayoneted s immediate opponent and the latter’s next-door neighbour. The Turks were chased out of their trenches, and in the rush the young Maori, whose blood was up, accounted for several more Turks in a similar manner. The remaining Turks in the particular vicinity abandoned their trench and rushed up the gully pell-mell with the Maori after them, and landed'right into the hands of a British force which was in waiting for them. The Maori boy’s left hand was badly lacerated when grasping the Turk’s bayonet, and it was eventually necessary for him to receive surgical attention. In the general operations the Maoris and the Ghurkas arc splendid companions. The Ghurkas have, it appears, abandoned some of their ideas as to caste, and it gives them great pleasure to be able to assist their Maori fellow-soldiers with water and food, or to accept such gifts from them when food is short. Another thing which has been proved beyond all doubt is that the colonials, both pakebas, Maoris, and Ghurkas, are best adapted for the Gallipoli operations. They seem simply to revel in the hoavv hill work, which is a thing the English Tommy has had very little experience of. The little Ghurkas’ work needs to be seen to bo appreciated. One moment they are here, and the next they have disappeared, only to reappear as suddenly again. They are remarkably light on their feet.