DEATH OF LIEUT. RICHARDSON.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3991, 26 July 1915, Page 3

DEATH OF LIEUT. RICHARDSON.

“HE WAS GAME AND-CHEER-FUL.”' By Telegraph-—Special Correspondent. AUCKLAND, July 23. An account of the death of Lieut. Bert Richardson of the'3rd Auckland Infantry, son of Mr G. Richardson or the A.M.P. Buildings, is contained in a letter written by Lieut. J. P. Bodley of the same company. Lieutenant Bodley writes: “Bert Richardson was badly wounded during our advance on the first day of our landing and died from his wounds. I was separated from him earlier in the day and was not with him when lie was hit, but got the details from his men. Bert was behind the trench tying up the wounds of one of his men when he was hit on the back and very badly wounded. He was game and cheerful, although he knew ho was badly wounded and told the mom not to bother about him, but to keep on firing. It was impossible to get stretcher-bearers up to him, but an Australian doctor did all that was possible for him, although ho said there was no hope. I saw him before)he was buried and he just looked as though ho was asleep. Although ho had only been with our company two or three days, he was greatly liked by his men, who were extremely cut up over his death, as were all who knew him.”

LOSS OF THE GOLIATH. AUCKLAND BOY’S EXPERIENCES By Telegraph—Special Correspondent AUCKLAND, July 23. . A letter has been received in Auckland which recounts tho experiences of a young A.B. who went down .in tho Goliatli at the . Dardanelles- and was - saved: The writer is H. A. Budge. He has 'a brother, Mr A. Rudge, in Auckland. Prior to the torpedoing of the vessel, young Rudge had been at the guns’from 9 till 11 p.ni. Having to sleep- near tho-guris, ho was in his hammock-.when at' 1.10 a.m. he and others wore wakened by a loud noise. At first they thought the warship was being shelled and then they heard

water rushing in and someone was calling, “Every man for himself.” He went down with,the ship and thought he was never coming up again, but at last he caught a spar, to which thirty other seamen were clinging. After being in the water.-'for* an hour, they were picked up by a French steamboat. The water was exceedingly colei and Seaman Rudge wore nothing hut an undershirt and a flannel. He states that it was awful to hear the cries of those who •: ould not swan. Although nearly spent he prayed continually. Only IGB out of a total of 700 were saved. Within five minutes of the time the Turkish torpedo struck her the Goliath had sunk.

HOW OUR BOYS FORAGE. AN ENTERTAINING LETTER. SOME INGENIOUS MAKESHIFTS. Tv Telegraph—Special Correspondent. AUCKLAND, July 23. An entertaining letter has been received by Mr F. W. Hartmann of Tvingsl'and from Corporal E. W. Hartmann, one' of three sons at present on active service. Writing from the Dardanelles on June 2, Corporal Hartmann gives a most intersting description of how the men are fed and, i d some instances, of how the men feed themselves. He writes: “The first few days down here were busy days for us, but after working on and off for six days, we were sent back a couple of miles to a rest camp, wher we stayed eight days and then came back to the place where we first landed. “We have been back here for nearly a fortnight, but have not been very busy. We are being well fed- —fresh meat (frozen) and vegetables (onions and potatoes) are a change after eating tinned beef and biscuits. We have made some great meals. Biscuits ive have ground up and made into porridge. Tinned meat chopped up with wil'd thyme (which grows here) makes savoury rissoles. Soaked biscuits fried in fat are not bad. Pancakes and last, but not least, we have “turtle soup” made from tortoise, which we find in this part of the world. Wo have even made omelettes from tortoise eggs, which are about the size of a bantam egg, but a good deal stronger. “You ought to see the dug-outs we live in. Some of them are works of art. I share one with another corporal. We have a hole dug in the side of the hill as a protection from shrapnel and two waterproofs for shelter from the sun as it is very hot here m the daytime. “I have the job of drawing the food and water from the. A.S.C. depot and distributing it to the hoys. Each man receives daily lib biscuits, 12oz tinned or lib fresh meat, 3oz cheese, 4oz jam. 3oz sugar, 4oz ham or bacon, 4lb vegetables. -jjoz tea. Then there is tobacco, cigarettes, and matches once a week and sometimes an issue of lime juice or rum. After a few days most of the boys find the ration of meat ana biscuits" is too big, but we all manage to eat the jam and sugar. The nexn war we have ought to supply more jam and sugar and less “bully 'beef.’’ Some of the hoys are growing fat on the food, so they must have enough nourishment out of it. This is all the news for this time.”