TROOPER J. BAIN.
Trooper James Bain (Canterbury Mounted Rifles, whose name appears in the latest list of sick and wounded) is the well-known footballer and cricketer. Trooper Bain, who is about 25 years of age, is a son of Mr K. B. Bain, of Lower Riccarton. Educated at the Christchurch Boys' High School, he joined the Christchurch staff of the Bank of New Zealand. About four years ago he was engaged for a while in farming operations in Southland, but subsequently returned to the service of the bank. Trooper Bain played full-back for the High School Old Boys' senior football team for several seasons, and also represented the province in that capacity. He was also a prominent member of the Riccarton Cricket Club's senior team. He left New Zealand with the Main Expeditionary Force. -Press, 11/8/1915.
James Bain was buried at sea.
PERSONAL NOTES
Mr John Bain, of Trent street, received advice from the Defence Minister that his second son, Corporal James Bain, had died of dysentery on board a hospital ship on the 5th August. Corporal Bain, who was 25 years of age, was an Oamaru man, and received his education at the South School. He was a painter by trade, and at the time of his enlistment was living at Tokomaru Bay, in Hawkes Bay. He went away with the third reinforcements as a member of the Wellington Infantry. Mr Bain has another son, Lieutenant John Sinclair Bain, who left with the fourth reinforcements, serving at the Dardanelles, where the two brothers were associated. A third son (George) is at present in the training camp as a member of Lord Liverpool's Own, and will shortly be leaving for the front. -North Otago Times, 14/8/1915.
PERSONAL.
Lieut. J. S. Bain; of A Company, 7th Regiment, has received notice of his appointment to the 4th reinforcements, and proceeds to camp next week. -Wanganui Herald, 2/1/1915.
Lieut. J. S. Bain, late of Oamaru, and how of Wanganui, has been selected as one of the officers to accompany the fourth New Zealand reinforcements, and will join the camp at. Trentham on Thursday next. -Oamaru Mail, 5/1/1915.
Lieut. J. S. Bain, of Messrs Hatrick and Co.’s staff, has been presented with a gold wristlet watch by his fellow workers on leaving to join the Expeditionary Force. He left by mail train yesterday (Thursday) for the camp at Trentham, and carries with him the good wishes of all his friends. -Wanganui Herald, 8/1/1915.
Lieutenant J. S. Bain, of Wanganui, in a letter received in Christchurch, dated June 2, expressed a hope that he would soon be at the front. "Apparently, it takes a lot of hits to kill sometimes," he says; "some are hit five times." He hoped to be in the trenches on the day following the date of his letter, and stated that the New Zealanders were having a better "spin" than they had at first. -Lyttelton Times, 23/7/1915.
SCENES OF WAR
Mrs-Bain, has received the following letter from her son, Lieutenant. J. S. Bain: —
June 2nd, 1915. We are into it now. About last Tuesday we struck Zeitoun, and into the hottest days of the year. We left Zeitoun on Sunday last, about, 11 a.m., embarked in the Minnetanku at Alexandria, and sailed for Unknown at 7 p.m. A submarine being about, we travelled a round-about way, with lights out. This is a lovely big boat, Last night, or rather the night before, all lights went, out at 7 p.m. in case of attack by submarines. We reached here (Lemnos) last, night, at about 4 p.m., and talk about sights! Warships, submarines, torpedoers, destroyers, and transports by the dozen. The place was black, and the cheering as we passed ship after ship was something that one will never forget. The Mauritania is here, loaded with troops, the Carmania, and dozens of others. It is wonderful, and should I be successful enough to pull through the firing line, I will have something to tell. It is marvellous and anyone who would miss such an opportunity is what you would say ''not a sport." We are very keen and anxious to get into the thick of it. The fighting is about five hours' steam from here. And we go in small boats in case of submarines. The New Zealand Engineers go to-night, and in all probability we go to-morrow.
Later.
The Engineers have landed without loss. This place is full of cruisers and warships. News has come along that there is a mail going in a few minutes. We hope to get into the trenches by to-morrow. You should see us carrying a pack of about 80lb, with short rifle, ammunition, and side-arms. Our men at the front are now having a better spin than at first. North Otago Times, 27/7/1915.
Mrs J. S. Bain has received from a chaplain at the front further confirmation of the death of her husband, Lieut. Bain. The chaplain says that after the big attack on August 8, when the Wellington Battalion lost 700 men and 16 officers, Lieut. Bain was seen coming back wounded, together with a sergeant. They were not, however, seen again, and as it was daylight and the men were going in the direction of the camp, it can only be conjectured that they were overtaken by a Turkish shell. There were 300 missing after the terrible encounter, some of whom were later on accounted for in hospital, and a dozen prisoners were taken by the Turks. The chaplain holds out no hope of the survival of Lieut. Bain. -Oamaru Mail, 24/12/1915.
John Bain's death was made official after a Court of Enquiry, one of many which took place when the ANZACs returned to Egypt from the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Oamaru Cemetery.
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