FIGHTING AT THE DARDANELLES.
A Heavy Casualty List.
Four Queenstown Soldiers Killed.
Quite a gloom was cast over the community on Monday morning last when the news came through that four Queenstown lads had been killed in action at the Dardanelles and that Sergeant Allan McDowall, of Arrow, was amongst the missing. The long list of casualties displayed at the local post office was the principal topic of conversation in the town throughout the day, and on all sides were heard expressions of regret for the fallen soldiers and sympathy with the relatives of those who had laid down their lives for the Empire. The majority of the men were well-known in Arrow, and Sergeant McDowall resided here for several years prior to enlisting with the Third Reinforcements. From the Lake Wakatipu Mail we take the following personal notes in regard to the men killed and missing: —
Killed.—
Private BERTRAM HENRY ANDERSON, May 3, son of Mr and Mrs B. Anderson, Clive, Hawkes Bay, and formerly of Queenstown. Private Anderson was the oldest son and third member of his family. He was a territorial before enlisting and went with the first main body to Egypt. Deceased worked on the Kawarau Falls Station prior to the war. He was an enthusiastic footballer and played with Pirates last season.
Private WM. BLACK, killed between April 25 and April 30, son. of Mrs Mary Black, Waikaka. Deceased went with the Main Expeditionary Force to Egypt. He was employed principally as a groom and driver in Queenstown prior to enlisting. Private Black was a member of the Queenstown Football Club last season.
Private ERNEST CABLE, aged 20, fourth son of Mrs M. Cable, Queenstown. Deceased was a territorial before enlisting, and went with the Main Expeditionary Force. He was employed as assistant telegraph linesman prior to leaving Queenstown.
Private JAS. MULHOLLAND, May 2, fourth son of Mr and Mrs Wm. Mulholland, Queenstown, aged 24 years, was also a territorial and belonged to the 8th Regiment. Deceased enlisted from here. His occupation was that of a blacksmith. He worked at his trade at Otautau and Balfour.
— Missing. —
Private ROBERT SAMSON CHAPMAN, aged 22 years, son of Mr and Mrs Robert Chapman, Queenstown. Reported missing from May 1 to May 3. Private Chapman joined the territorials here and subsequently went to Gore. His occupation was that of a groom. He was an enthusiastic footballer and did good service for Queenstown Club.
Expression of Sympathy.
Message from the Hon. J. Allen.
His Worship the Mayor of Dunedin (Mr J. J. Clark) received the following telegram from the Hon. J. Allen on Monday:
"In the casualty lists this morning the Otago Battalion shows considerable losses in killed from April 26 to June 2, and missing on May 15, and from May 1 to May 23 namely, killed 61 and missing 93. My sincere sympathy is with all those in Dunedin and Otago who have suffered loss or who are in anxiety over the missing. It may be some relief to the anxious ones to know that international law makes provision for treatment of prisoners of war — namely, they must be humanely treated and given the same food, quarters, and clothing as the captors' troops. Information regarding prisoners of war is to be furnished by a bureau formed in each beligerent State, and prisoners are to be repatriated as soon as possible after peace. In communications which I have received from Egypt it is stated that Turkish prisoners are being well treated in Turkey. I most earnestly hope that reassuring news may come to us soon about the missing. To those who have suffered loss it will be some consolation that those near and dear to them died in the very noblest of causes — the death they would have selected had the choice been with them. — J. Allen."
Total Casualties to Date. Wellington, June 13. Including the sixty-eighth casualty list, which was issued this morning, the total casualties are approximately as follow (these figures are not official: — — Killed in Action. —
Officers ... ... 33
Men ... ... ... 235
Total ... ... 208
— Died of Wounds. —
Officers ... ... 15
Men ... ... ... 127
Total ... ... 164
— Missing. —
Officers ... ... 4
Men ... ... ... 160
Total ... ... 164
— Wounded. —
Officers ... ... 80
Men ... ... ... 1701
Total ... ... 1795
Total casualties ... 2369. -Lake County Press, 17/6/1915.
Bertram Anderson's Army record shows that he was killed in the first, disastrous, attempt of the freshly-landed Otago Regiment to gain ground on Gallipoli. He died in a place called Reserve Gully, thought to be a safe place to hold troops before committing them to battle. But there was no safe place on Gallipoli.
No comments:
Post a Comment