BRIDGES GUARDED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21575, 10 February 1940, Page 8

BRIDGES GUARDED

Great War Recalled

Platoon At Pareora The call for volunteers to assist the Empire in the present crisis has brought to the mind of a Timaru resident the beginning of the Great War in 1914, and he has contributed particulars regarding the activities of members of the South Canterbury Honorary Territorials, ex-Service Division, Number 3 Platoon.

The correspondent states that members of the platoon had offered themselves for duty and were duly sworn in. The platoon, under the late Captain John McNab, were ordered to entrain for the southward railway bridges, and in a few minutes they were dropped on the south end of the Pareora bridge. The workmen’s hut, about eight feet square, built of sleepers, was the headquarters. They were hurriedly instructed in their duties, given the password, and a number were detailed for “Sentry Go.” Challenge Issued Patrolling this bridge on two frosty planks, was not the most pleasant exercise. No one was allowed to approach the bridge, but should any person do so, the sentry was to challenge and fire a shot in the air. This was the signal for the guard to turn out. The late Private William Gibb was one of the sentries, and peering through the darkness he saw two men approaching and called on them to halt. They wondered what the joke was and continued their walk, when suddenly a shot rang out and the guard came over the bridge at the double. The men explained that they were working near the bridge, and that they were just taking an after-tea stroll, and were surprised when told the bridge was under military control. “Enemy” Busy Later in the evening some men came across the paddocks from the main read. The sentries on duty outside “headquarters” allowed them to come right up to the fence and seeing they were in uniform, thought it was all right to allow them to pass without a challenge. The sentries were, of course, duly reprimanded, and it was a good lesson to the whole platoon. During the night another sentry distinctly heard the enemy sawing bolts at the bridge head. On making investigations he discovered that a cow had got her horns through a nearby wire fence and in trying to extricate herself, set up a noise very similar to the sound of a hack saw. Naturally ner-

were a bit strained, which perhaps accounted for the little incidents during the first night on duly. Father Time has been busy in the intervening years as a glance at the list of names will show.—

Number 3 Platoon—J. McNab (Commander)

Members—W. F. Alexander, R. A. Bagshaw, C. F. Burrell, W. E. Boys, W. W. Blair, G. Burns, W. J. Cotterill, J. Campbell. J. Christmas, G. W. Cordell, D. J. Caldwell, D. Cunningham. J. Currie. F. E. Coe, G. Chapman. H. E. Dick. J. Davidson, C. D. Donn, J. Evans. P. W. Eiby, F. H. Ferguson, F. 11. D. Foden, G. Glover. J. Goodman, C. Glue, R. Green, W. Gibb, E. Howden, J. E. HosiP, R. F. Hill. A. Hope, G. Hadley, W. Hindmarsh. D. Hooper, Hunter-Weston, W. G. Irwin, A. E. Izzard. J. D. Jupp. C. E. Knowles, J. Kinlock, F. Karton, A. E. Lewis, H. Lowry, L. U. Miles, S. W. Marsh. R. Mahan. R. Malcolm. J. McConachie, Angus McLeod. J. McNab, H. Naylor, G. Newlands, H. R. Parker, John Pearson, W. Pratt, R. R. Randle, W. D Revell, D. Stuart, T. Smallbridge, J. Simpson, P. Sinclair, A. Sterndale, W. Thomson, W. Thomson, E. Tubb, C. H. Tripp. D. C. Turnbull, J. W. White, J. L. Wright, H. H. Webb, S. Wilkes, Jas. Watt, W. H. Wall.