"COOL AS A CUCUMBER."

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXX, Issue 146126, 5 December 1916, Page 5

"COOL AS A CUCUMBER."

GALLANT CAPTAIN STRANG.

DARING LIEUT KNANT BURROWS.

In a letter to Mr J. Harman, of Masterton, Sergeant George Barr, of Masterton, refers to the death of two Wairarapa. oilicers at the front as follows: — Captain K. Strang was with us; he joined us about a month after Aye landed in France.. I remember the day he joined our battalion; he was then wearing the colours of the Otago Mounteds. They get shifted from one brigade to another.}, of course, it is a promotion as a rule. First of all, he was second in command of C Company, after that he was temporarily iv charge of B Company; that is where 1 came iv contact with him. It is a. strange thing, after reseiving your letter enquiring about Captain (Strang and Ted (Burrows), and both of them being dead. Ituwas a hot old thing the day Captain Strang got killed. It was in one of the big advances, a. day that Avon't be forgotten for many a long day by the New ZeaJanders, especially the Rifle Brigade. We hopped out of our trench at 0.20 in the morning, with shells and machine gun bullets going in all directions. We hadn't gone many yards before a fair number of chaps were knocked out, but the remaiiiMer made up for this, for as soon as they reached the lirst German trench they piled them up about four thick. This was Avhere 1 saw the first Hun prisoners coming in. If you looked at them up went their hands. This Avas the beginning. We got over that trench and we had about three more trenches to get. so had to push on from shellhole to shell-hole to dodge the bullets and bits of iron, shrapnel, etc. After we crossed the first trench 1 came in contact with Captain Strang, lie was in charge of C Company. He was bringing his men on and Avas as cool as a cucumber and was smoking a cigarette, just the same as mustering up sheep. After that I never saw him again, but was told when 1 arrived at our final objective that he was shot through the heart. He was buried near the advanced dressing station that was then in existence, but since then Aye are much further ahead. He was a good leader, although Avith machine gunners and snipers he went fonvard, making himself much too prominent... I think he was the only officer in the Battalion Avho went forward with oflicer's uniform on and stars standing out—a. rather unwise thing to do.

As for poor old Ted Burrows, he went through the. big push without a scratch, and he and 1 Avere congratulating each other about it, and the following Thursday, a Aveek all but a day, he Avas killed by a. bomb up in the trenches. lie was up there that afternoon to have a look round, as Aye had to take them over that night. As far as 1 can make out. the Huns and the Canterbury's of Ncav Zoalanders Avere having a go Avith bombs, ami Ted. eager for the fray, Avas there, and happened to stop one. He was one of the most popular oilicers, and was in charge of the Battalion Signallers. They gave us great praise for the work Aye did. but, take it from me. it cost a bit. Our Battalion came out less than half its strength.