ANZAC HEROES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17182, 27 October 1923, Page 5

ANZAC HEROES.

THEIR GRAVES AT PANAMA

Writing from Balboa Heights, Panama Canal, to a friend in Christchurch. Mr T. M. Drake,of the service committee of the American Legion No. 1, encloses a newspaper cutting regarding the graves of two New Zealanders and an Australian who died on hospital ships on the way home and who were buried on the Isthmus. The article states:- - The graves of the three Australian and New Zealand soldiers who died on the Isthmus as the result of wounds received while fighting for the cause of the Allies during the World War are not to be forgotten. Headstones ■with suitable inscriptions, will be placed on their graves as soon as they are received from the United States. The headstones will be similar to those recently installed to mark the graves of the American soldiers, sailors and marines buried on the Isthmus. This action is the result of ''recent correspondence between T. M. Drake, of the Service Committee of American Legion No. 1, and the army officials on the Isthmus and in Washington and with the Governor of the Canal. The Quartermaster General of the army has advised that the headstones can be provided, free of cost, if the soldiers are buried in a post cemetery. Since the cemetery at Corozal, where the three men are buried, is considered a post cemetery, the headstones will doubtless be furnished and forwarded to the Isthmus within a short time. After their arrival they will be placed on the three graves by the American Legion with appropriate ceremonies. The three soldiers for whom the headstones will be provided are Charles Dali, a private, in the 10th Regiment. Australian Imperial Forces, who died on September 4, 1917; Charles T. W. McKinley, of Dunedin, New Zealand, who died April 22. 191 S; and T. Renfrew, No. 253,111, of the Auckland Infantry Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, who died March 26, 1919. All three of these men were dangerously wounded while in action and were being returned to their native land on the British hospital ships that passed through, the Canal. They were, however, unable to survive the journey and /died on the Isthmus. It seems fitting, therefore, that they should receive this recognition of their supreme sacrifice in the cause of huMr Drake, in closing his letter, states that the veteran organisations on the Isthmus hold memorial services each year at the cemetery on Memorial Day, May 30. which is a day set aside by the United States for the decorating of the graves of those, who died in the service of their country.