THE MEN OF ANZAC

Waikato Times, Volume 92, Issue 14261, 12 January 1920, Page 7

THE MEN OF ANZAC

HEROES WHO WENT UNDER. Jn The New Zealanders at Gallipoli, the first volume of the semi-official history of the New Zealanders in the war, the' author (Major Waite, D. 5.0.) says, in the concluding paragraph: “It may have been noticed that most of the soldiers mentioned in this volume arc men who were killed in action. There is, perhaps, more in this than meets the eye. For the men killed in action and the mortally wounded are tnose who pot the fear of death into the Turk —men who by their impetuosity and their eagerness to close really established the Anzac front line. This meant personal leadership and absolute contempt for death. These men were often not officers —often they were privates, but natural leaders nevertheless. They were not necessarily university men or large employers of labour —sometimes they were miners and taxi-drivers —they were of the glorious democracy of the Front Line. Anyone, whatever his rank or social standing, could have demonstrated his claim to be a leader of men at Anzac. “We know that the list of decorations does not recognise all the gallant deeds performed on the field of action; and those left alive in the following list of soldiers decorated would be the first to admit that they knew' of men long since killed who deserved greater reward. Think of a few of them: Lieut.Colonel Stewart, of the Cantcrburys, who died on the day of the landing fighting for Walker’s Eidgc; Lieut.Colonel Malone, who died on the crest of Chunuk; Lieut-Coloncl Bauchop, mortally wounded in the advance that smashed the Turkish line; Major Statham, impetuous leader of men, who died in the forefront of the battle — each of these admittedly heroic souls passed away without receiving a decoration. “And these officers were only worthy of the men in the ranks —men who, if they had lived, might have hncomo great and famous soldiers, but who sacrificed themselves thus early in the struggle so that who survived might carry on; Sergt. Wallace, one of our most promising Rhodes Scholars, who came straight from Oxford to a soldier’s death while sapping out in front of Pope’s; and the well-beloved Arthur Carbines, who, disregarding the terrors and dangers on the crest of Chunuk, died so tragically endeavouring to rescue the body of his Colonel, the gallant Malone —these men arc typical of the scores who received the small wooden cross which is the only distinction that the gallant thruster is likely to receive; and some do not have even a wooden cross, but died so far forward that they arc buried by the Turks in nameless graves, and to these is the greatest honour! ’’