SOLDIERS LETTERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3994, 29 July 1915, Page 6

SOLDIERS LETTERS.

TOKOMARU BOY’S EXPERIENCES BAGGED BY A SNIPER. (From Our Own Correspondent.) TOKOMARU BAY, July 20. An interesting letter lias been received by Messrs W. A. and A. 11. Smith of Tokornuru Bay from their brother Thomas Smith, wild was wounded on the Gallipoli Peninsula, He graphically describes their landing and states that as an introduction they were well christened' with shell fire. They advanced to the third lino of trenches next morning and to the firing line at night.. They were relieved alter two days in tho trenches and lived in dug-outs lor a week. They were then shifted up the Coast to Gaba Tope, where the Australians and New Zealanders first landed. A few more days in the dug-outs, then hack to tho filing line in the position 'known as Quinn’s Lost. “I went out of the trench, in tho morning to get water for breakfast tea,” he says, “when a sniper drilled a hole through me. It would have been more serious had the bullet not hit my watch, which turned it. It went in side ways on and made- a good size hole. lam at present in tic Luna Park Hospital. Tho wound is healing nicely and I expect to he back in tho firing line about the end oi June.’’

A WEIRD SIGHT. SHELLS BREAKING EVERYWHERE. (From Our Special Correspondent.) PORT AAVANUL July 20. Private J. Graliarn Jackson, of North cote, well-known in Northern Union football circles, who was reported by cable to ho in hospital in Birmingham, suffering, from a hulk t wound in the body, writing to his raster in Port Awanui on the 11th of last month, on the high seas aboard the hospital ship Ghoorka, en route for England, states:—“We are calling at Gibraltar, where this llt r will go ashore. I am all right, only a- bit weak, having been in bed for a fortnight, and just hopped out of bi d today for I am lucky. The bullet struck me in the back, travelled right up io the right breast, and came through the ribs, where it is now. They have not taken it out yet, but I am waiting to put it on my watch chain. I can feel it. “We are getting a trip to goed Old England. 1 suppose they will giv • us a holiday, and: p rhaps send me home. I have sc-en quite enough io last mo all my life. “Wo landed at Gallipoli about 10 a.in.—towc-d ashore in punts by the Jack Tars, ali the time the Turks firing at ns. The beach was a shambles—men killed and wounded i\ing all over the beach. We landed all right, but were only on tho beach a few minutes when two of my platoon were shot. Ail the time* the Turks’ shells were breaking over is. It was a weird sight. \\ e passed doz-ns oi dead and .wounded and I had only been in the firing line about four hours when a sniper shot- me. I thought J had be: n kicked in the stomach by a horse. 1 lay there for a couple of hours until picked up by tho Bed Cross men and taken on board the ship in a first-class cabin and then on to Alexandria into a hospital, where after a few days the doctor told us he was going to send us to England for a trip. Fred (Private John Fieri Jackson) orderly to Lieut. Colonel Plugge) was all right when 1 h-ft.”