INVALIDED HOME.

Timaru Herald, Volume CV, Issue 16080, 29 September 1916, Page 5

INVALIDED HOME.

THE W'LLLOOHRA'S CONTINGENT. Per Press Association. DUNEDiIN, Sept. 28. The W'iUochra reached i'ort Ohalmers at 7 a.m. with wounded and invalided soldiers. The outstanding feature is that a large proportion <:t the n.en are permanently unlit. A good many have spent a long time in Britsh hospitals recovering horn b:id wounds, received a. year ago on Gallipcli. About) thirty are permanently maimed and most of these have artificial limbs of the very latest type. There:is only ono cot case, Sapper A. O. Steele (Auckland), who is ill with pneumonia. There are two men on board who have Distinguished Conduct medals— Corporal Norman Oiarko (Lyfctolton), and Private Crawford Watson (Waikato). Included among the nurses is Sister G. M. Lewis, who had remarkable experiences in Belgium and Serbia. She wrns wounded while doing duty in the trenches. She was decorated personally by King Peter of Serbia for rescue work. The men are under the charge of L : eutenant-Colonel G. F. JTutton, and Major C. E. Andrews, N.Z.S.C. is second in command.

THREE MEN FOR TIMARU. WELCOMED BY THE MAYOR. A special train conveyiug men for the north reached Timaru shortly after 5 p.m. and three invalided men belonging to Timaru detrained. They were Sergeant-Major Gilles, Private R. H. Smith and Sapper Ramsay. They were met, and welcomed home by the Mayor, Mr E. 11. Guinness, a good crowd of people being also present. The Mayor bade them welco.ni© on behalf of the people of the town and district. lie sa.d he was sorry to be welcoming men home in two's and three's, and hoped before long to he able .to say "Welcome Home" to hundreds at a, time. There was some reason for that hopo now as 'the late reports from the fronts were very favourable. Gars were in readiness, and the men, were conveyed to their homes.. There were a good many men in tho train; including Captain Alex Gross, of Timairu, who went on to Wellington. Major Andrews, mentioned in the telegram, was formerly stationed atTimaru as Ca.pt.ain in charge of the Area. A good many of his friends met him at the station and were pleassd to see him looking so. well, he having picked up a good deal on the voyage, hii ng very ill whon ho. left England. He was accompanied' by Mrs Andrews.

A' TEMTJKA MAN. A large crowd of people assembled on tlie Temuka. railw'ay station yesterday afternoon to welcome home Corporal G. Haar. who arrived by the troop train. Speeches were delivered by Mr T. Gunnion, and the' Mayor (Mr Erew). After the ~-,rain had steamed out Corporal Haar was conveyed to the Post Office in a process on headed by the Brass Band. Arrived at the Post Oluce, Mr ').'. Gunnion spoke, saying that Corporal Haar had le'fo with the Main Body and after being wounded, had been invalided home. It was an honour to them to welcome back such a soldier. He called for three thoors for the returned solder and these were heartily given. Mr JTieW also spoke again. Corporal Haar replied that he appreciated the reception they had given him. He did not expect anything of the' sort as he had nnily done Irs duty. According to what he had seen at tiie front he. thought New' Zealand ought to bo prcv.d of the boys sho had sent there'.