NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4006, 12 August 1915, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS.

DOINGS IN GALLIPOLI

LETTER FROM GENERAL CODLEY.

Bv Telegraph—Special Correspondent WELLINGTON, Aug. 11.

An interesting letter about the doings of New Zealanders and about things in general at the Front has been received by the Hon J. Allen from General Godlcy. It is a reply to a letter from Mr Allen, an extract from which may be repeated q “We are- all very proud of yoti in New Zealand,” Mr Alien wrote, “but we are sad, as you can well understand, at the increasing number of casualties, but, on the whole, parents and relatives are extremely plucky and bravo over it. J hope you will tell the troops so. I have had letter after letter from mothers who say they hope their wounded sons may soon be well enough to gel back into the fighting line again to do their duty to King and country. I think this is one of the most stirring things .that have occurred to mein these letters that come in reply to telegrams of sympathy sent from my office and if this kind ot spirit is in the country and in our people, then assuredly we have tho makings of a great nation. Please tell the men we will fill up every gap and that we will see them through until victory is ours.” "This extract from Air Allen’s letter was circulated in General Orders. The following are extracts from General Godleys letter: IMPRESSIONS ABOUT' THE MAORIS.

“I am glad to say that the Maoris are coming here. I had a communication the other day asking ior their strength and if they require any special diet. ' I replied officially as regards the latter question that I hoped that during their stay here there would be sufficient Turks taken prisoner or killed to go round, which amused Sir lan Hamilton when it reached him. “It is still noticeable that there are a good many people who do not. know the difference between Australians and New Zealanders and who think that the Alaoris are savages. In Ashmead Bartlett’s letter, which you read with such interest, the words “New Zealand” and “New Zealander” were not once used from start to finish by-him. Fortunately, before his letter was despatched, it fell into the hands of the Admiral’s Chief of Staff, who is a friend of mine, and he inserted the words wherever necessary. “Bean, the Australian reporter, has been very good and has several times been over to mo for information. He has written about our men as well as his,own. Malcolm Ross, I am glad to say, arrived this morning, so now we shall be quite all right. He is at present engaged in reading all my reports up to date ” HOPING FOR A FORWARD AIOVE. “I hear from the south,” writes General Godley on June 24th, “that tho French have at last made a good push and have come up in lino with ourselves and our troops there, so it may .he that we shall soon hear of the fall of Aohi Baba. If this produces all the result that is hoped from it, we may then bo in a position to make our push forward from here. In any case, wo alt hope that wo shall not liavo to wait much longer. It is very dull work being shelled and sniped perpetually in the confined area wo now occupy.” “Your encampment at Trentbam will soon become a second Aldershot at the rato you are going. It will be a oreat asset to the Citizen Army in. time to come. Tho Fourth Reinforcements continue to do excellently and wo are very pleased with them.” “Tho men may have been rash on first landing, but it was this very dash and elan which enabled them to storm these heights in the way they did. Many small parties penetrated quite far into tho country, in fact, overlooking the Dardanelles, and were, ol course, ‘scuppered.’ But, had there not been this spirit among the men, we should never have established ourselves in the way we did. The spirit of the men now is just the same and as) good as over. When Igo round tho*’ trenches, tho one thing they alt ask mo is: When are we going to advance? and notwithstanding being couped un in the. trenches, I am quite convinced they have lost none of their desire" and determination to go forward when Urn time comes.”