SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

New Zealand Tablet, 20 July 1916, Page 14

SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

GENERAL. In France there are now 1340 parishes without a A parish priest. Qver 200 parish priests who returned ■ maimed from the front, have taken up their pastoral .duties again. The funeral on June 1 of General Joseph Simeon Gallieni, former Minister of War, was the occasion of an impressive * public demonstration. It began with a religious ceremony in the Hotel des Invalides, where the dead warrior’s body had lain in state, at which Cardinal Amette, Archbishop of Paris, officiated. French prisoners of war in the German prison camp at Grafenwoehr, Bavaria, have formed a Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which they have named, appropriately enough, the Conference of St. Peter in Chains. Fellow prisoners in the camp are assisted by this Conference without religious distinction. Russians and Poles are helped as well as Frenchmen. On the second Friday of every month the German chaplain says Mass for the intention of the Conference. PORT SAID TO MARSEILLES. Lieutenant W. J. Bevis, writing from ‘-Somewhere in France ’ to his relatives in South Dunedin, gives his experiences of life on board a troopship from the time of leaving Port Said to his arrival in Marseilles. The two bands aboard (he says) played marches until we were a mile off shore, otherwise there was no fuss or demonstration by the boys at leaving Egypt for an unknown destination. Every soldier on board, wore his lifebelt, and a more uncomfortable jacket it would be hard to find. The only time the life-belts were not worn was when we slept. The water of the Mediterranean is a deep blue, and as the sea is fairly smooth, it is a fine place for the submarines. It was pitch dark at night, and as our vessel sailed without any lights, movements round the top deck were slow. Just before dawn we noticed a twinkle of light on our v starboard side it was replied to by our signallers on the bridge. We wondered what it all meant. As our ship began steering in a semi-circle (we zig-zagged continuously day and night), the twinkling light vanished, and in a few minutes the outlines of a torpedo-destroyer could be seen about 1000 yards distant. As soon as she got in our wake her searchlight flashed on the waters to our right. Is it not wonderful the protection these tiny destroyers can give our huge transports ? They are very fast, and it makes one proud of our sailors to see the manner in which they handle their crafts. The British Navy is a great protective or offensive combination, . and our sailors are working hard night and day clearing the seas of the treacherous, cowardly Hun pirates. . In the morning our battalion got another dose ot the para-typhoid I did not feel any bad effects this time, but dozens were bad. This vaccine is ' very strong and is a preventative against both types of typhoid. I think this is the sixth time I have been inoculated, and once vaccinated against smallpox. We passed Malta early in the morning, and saw a hospital ship leaving harbor. Malta seems all hills. We were two miles off, and could see thousands oi houses. I would have liked to have wandered round the town and visited the churches and ancient buildings. We are going in a round-about way to France. the wind is blowing strong, yet our fine ship is steady. v On arriving at Marseilles we anchored in’ a fane Amen bay, one mile from the quays. We remained at anchor all day. A dozen of other ships were close by, and hundreds at the quays. Marseilles is a fine place, -with lovely green hills, trees, and gardens. All the house , are covered with red tiles. Several la / S , churches could be seen through our glasses. We berthed next morning, and immediately everything was in preparation for disembarking. At the quay were a number of German prisoners. They were in good fettle and were bigger men than their French guar

These Germans work on the wharves. At 11 a.m. I saw the first train of New Zealanders leave Marseilles. They had 72 hours’ rations, so we concluded they were off on a long journey. At 2 p.m. the other train left. Now here is a little story about my first attempt at speaking French. The second train left from Point 11., and of course I had to find this place on my own. I had a full pack. The same pack I carried from Moascar to Ismailia. Well, it was getting heavy, and I had walked some distance, and there was no appearance of Point 11., so I asked the first French soldier I met— ‘ Parlez vous Anglais V There was no reply from the soldier. ‘ Oil deux gare?’ I knew it was bad French, but I could not remember the French for ‘ railway station ’ or Point 11. My French accent and the words resulted in the soldier producing a pencil and notebook, on which I wrote ‘ Ou deux gare ?’ I had the satisfaction of being led back by the Frenchman by another road until I saw our transport. Did I laugh ? Not I; for the pack was heavy and time was flying, so I shouted: £ La gare deux, la gare deux, le train.’ The Frenchman then laughed heartily, and finally took me this time to the station. CAPTAIN-CHAPLAIN DORE. The following is a portion of a letter, received some time ago by Mr. and Mrs. Morrison, of Blenheim, from a soldier at the New Zealand base, Hornchurch, England, in which he refers to the bravery of their son, Sergeant Richard Morrison, and to the self-sacrificing work of Captain-Chaplain Dore in Gallipoli. Before I go any further (he says) I must tell you of something which I have forgotten in my past letters. Recently Father Dore came out here bn a Sunday. The camp commandant wheeled him round in his Bath chair to see us. You know that he was injured in the spine and his lower limbs are paralysed. He received a decoration —either the D.S.O. or the Military Cross —l forget which. Now if any officer on Gallipoli earned a decoration Father Dore did, and all our men swear by him, no matter what their creed. I suppose Dick in his letters has not told you that he saved Father Dore’s life, but such is the case. In conversation with Father Dore he told me that he owes his life to Dick Morrison, who did wonders at his work during, that awful August fighting. As soon as I saw him I asked him how Dick was when he left, and he told me the whole story. I am not going to harrow you with all the details, but I must tell you that he nobly assisted Father Dore in his work amongst the men, who were dying on the field. He worked wonders in getting wounded men aw; under heavy fire, and finally got Father Dore himself away after he had been severely wounded, and was still under heavy fire. Dick acted as a hero, and in saving Father Dore’s life he saved a hero. Father Dore was most emphatic about it, and says he owes his life to Dick. Captain Parker, before he left to proceed to the front last week, also mentioned it to me. He had met Father Dore in London, and he had told him the same as he told me. It will be gratifying to you all to hear that in addition to having one hero who has given his life, you have another hero in the family who, in face of death, did brave and noble deeds. May he be spared to return to you. Any men here to whom I have spoken, and who know Dick, speak of him as a brave and cheerful boy under all conditions. A REMARKABLE SEQUEL. It has been told how within 48 hours of the lamentable occurrence in Dublin the German troops in the trenches were taunting and insulting the Irish battalions immediately opposite them; how the Germans put up placards saying that English soldiers were shooting down the wives and sisters of the Irish soldiers in Dublin and -also how the Irish troops responded by singing Irish songs and ‘ Rule Britannia.’ What has not been published is the remarkable sequel to this incident (says the Belfast Irish News'). The Irish Battalion opposite the German placards were the Bth Munster Fusiliers, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Wil*

liamson. A body of 25 men and two officers were ordered to capture the placards ; and after night fell they proceeded to cut their own wire entanglements and to crawl out into ‘No Man’s Land.’ When about halfway across to the enemy’s trenches the German searchlights found the Munster men and immediately two machine guns were trained on them. Some of them were badly wounded, but none of them surrendered; and they remained lying there for hours. By degrees they crept on, and at last reached the German entanglements, which they cut—and then sprang up and charged into the trench. The German soldiers, apparently having thought that the Munster detachment had been destroyed or driven back by the machine guns, were so startled by this appearance that they turned and evacuated the trench. The placards were then seized and brought back in triumph to the Irish trenches, to the intense delight of the battalion. Those boards are now in London, and have been photographed for publication, showing the bullet marks and the other rough treatment that they had received from the Irish troops even before the Munsters so daringly took possession of them.