CRAVES IN PALESTINE.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15044, 11 April 1919, Page 2

CRAVES IN PALESTINE.

NEW ZEALAND CEMETERY.

i:" r \ HONOURING TEE i DEAD. .

Eloquent' and graphic description of certain little-known phases of work which New Zealand.soldiers in Pales-; tine were called on .to do before they left that country is contained in a letter ' received last mail from a well-known resident of Auckland. He writes: — "During the last two doys I have had two- of the hardest jobs it has been my lot to face since I have been in tho army. The first day, two parties of men were sent out, one lot to remove the bodies of the New Zealand men who had been buried in various parts of tho district, and the other party, to which I belonged t ' had to dig new graves ior them. lhv? new cemetery was a "beautii fully-situated little spot on, a hill stormed and captured by New Zealand , troops from the Turks after a terrific bombardment, which carried the top of it away, where many New Zealanders were already buried. Later in the afternoon the remains of- these poor fellows, wrapped in blankets were brought aloniv to us in a waggon, and we had to bury them Both the Church of England and the Roman Catholic padres read the burial services. It was tlie right thing to do, for now all New Zealand boys buried in this district will be togt ther, which will make it much easier for their groves to be looked after. The people around here have promised to keep the cemetery in good order and the graves regularly'attended to, which will be some consolationto iljeir■sorrowing relatives at home. There will now be about 50 men buried here, and a fence has t been erected right round, the little hallowed spot to keep The jackals from disturbing the graves. Although, of course, I was pleased to dp the "right thing for these gallant fellows, among whom was a well known Aucklandeiyi was very glad when the sad ceremony was all over. '