Sergt. J. G. Blackie who is, we understand, acting as a dispenser in one of the Cairo hospitals, forwards us an Egyptian newspaper, dated September 7 and from a note on the margin we gather that he is well. He sends his regards to all Lawrence friends. -Tuapeka Times, 23/10/1915.
Letter from Sergt. J. G. Blackie
Writing on 9th September, 1915, from Sidi Birhi, Alexandria, to a friend in Lawrence, Sergeant J. G. Blackie, after some facetious remarks on regard to the receipt of some blank sheets of paper and envelopes, says he was very pleased to get the accompanying letter and good wishes from his Lawrence friend as he frequently found his thoughts wandering back to Lawrence and the few friends he had there. "I have just received," he says, "a letter and Tuapeka Times continuing the news of Mrs B Hart's death. She always called me "Pills" and we had many pleasant chats together. What a bright old soul she was with all her trouble, and I often thought her an abject lesson to us who enjoyed good health and were always grumbling." Referring to the recipient's son going to the front he says: "I am sure you will feel proud of his going to the front and I am sure if some of the cowards in New Zealand had only been with me when I was helping with the Gallipoli wounded at Zeitoun they would blush with shame to think they were not doing their share to uphold our freedom. I wonder the cry of their dead comrades doesn't haunt them. All the Sergeants who were with me in the Otago Mounted Rifles died fighting to the last with their bayonets and I won't be happy till I get back to Gallipoli in a fighting unit to help to avenge the death of some of my very brave comrades. How are the narcissi this year? I do miss them but I have my orderly tent looking very fine with tropical plants; it is such a relief to see a patch of green here. His wonderful what you can grow in this barren desert with the help of fresh water." After expressing his delight at the receipt of the letter to which this is in reply, he says: "I was a down-hearted lad when I left Lawrence and thought few would remember me, so you can realise it did my heart good to hear from you, but I have written to several who I thought had reason to have grateful feelings towards me but so far I have had no replies, and it hurts. Kind regards to all Lawrence friends." -Tuapeka Times, 6/11/1915.
A DOUBLE BEREAVEMENT.
TWO SONS KILLED.
Mr and Mrs Allan Blackie, of Leith street, have been advised that two of their sons on active service have been killed in action. Corporal James Blackie, their fourth son, was 24 years of age, and went with the first troops to leave New Zealand on active service — the advanced guard which occupied Samoa. He served there for some months, and on returning to New Zealand reenlisted, and left the dominion with the Eighth Infantry Reinforcements. Corporal Blackie was born at Kaitangata, and was educated at the North Taieri and Kaikorai Schools. He later joined the railway service, and in serving at various places throughout Otago made many friends. He will be well remembered at Herbert, Waihola, Ranfurly, and at Dunedin, where he served as a clerk.
Private Donald Blackie was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs Blackie, and was 22 years of age. He enlisted about Christmas time, and left with the Eleventh Infantry Reinforcements. He also was born at Kaitangata, and was educated at North Taieri and Albany Street. On leaving school he joined the Telegraph Department as a messenger, and worked his way up, being an operator at Clyde at the time he enlisted. He will be very well remembered at Lawrence, where he was stationed for some time.
The third son on active service is Sergeant-major J. Blackie, Otago Mounted Rifles. He went with the Second Reinforcements, and was on Gallipoli.
A daughter, Nurse Blackie, is now stationed at Southampton. Nurse Blackie was rescued from the ill-fated Marquette. -Otago Witness, 2/8/1916.
James and Donald Blackie both served in the 1st Battalion of the Otago Infantry Regiment and both died on July 14, 1916. The night of July 13/14 saw a disastrous raid across no-man's-land by the 1st Battalion which resulted in 35 deaths and 128 other casualties. The Otagos' Official History describes the raid:
During the afternoon the enemy had carried out a certain amount of artillery fire which had all the appearances of a ranging shoot. The misgivings and suspicions aroused in not a few minds by this action were later only too fully confirmed. Every man was in his position in No Man's Land at the appointed time, and the artillery support was forthcoming as arranged. But no sooner had our barrage lifted and the raiding troops proceeded to move forward than a concentrated and murderous shrapnel and machine gun fire fell like a thunder-clap over No Man's Land between our front line and the objective. Under this withering and devastating blast the raiders vainly endeavoured to press forward. The casualties became increasingly heavy; all the officers were either killed or wounded, and when finally the order came to withdraw, merely a handful of men remained to stagger back to our lines. The whole affair page 103was a tragedy; and though no definite information could, of course, be obtained on the point, the natural conclusion come to was that the enemy had secured warning of the raid, and the 4th Company walked into a trap only too well prepared.
James and Donald are buried next to each other in the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery at Armentieres, France.
LETTER FROM NURSE BLACKIE.
Among those who were saved when the Marquette was torpedoed was Nurse Blackie. An interesting letter, written before she embarked on the transport, has just been received by her relatives in Dunedin. We have been permitted to make the following extracts from her communication:
H.M. Hospital Ship Dongola, September 12. — I must try and tell you what I have done and where I have been since leaving Alexandria on the 14th of July. Sixteen of us (only two New Zealanders) were sent as passengers on the hospital ship Galeka up to Mudros Bay, Lemnos Island, where wo were to staff two troopships — at once, we thought, but instead we were there three weeks. We stayed on the Galeka a week, and then she loaded up with wounded to return to Alexandria, so we were all moved to a ship called the Ionian, where we stayed for a fortnight. Mudros Bay is the naval base for the Dardanelles, and it was a very interesting place to be in. There were huge camps all around the bay; British, including Canadian and large Australian hospitals, French artillery and cavalry, and the harbor was simply packed with ships of all sorts — French and Russian warships, and British battleships and merchantmen. We saw quite a lot of submarines — wicked-looking things they are, and the destroyers are just as bad. Several of the big ships that took part in the bombardment of the Dardanelles were there, also the battle cruisers that patrol that part of the sea. There was a ceaseless coming and going amongst them, but never less than a hundred inside the boom. We helped the Ionian take on ihr wounded and sick (who are brought down from the peninsula on lighters) on August 4. Then eight of us went to the Caledonia, and the next day we left for Imbros, and were near enough to see the attack on the 7h. We could not see what the infantry were doing, but we could see the battleships and artillery fire, and it seemed a miracle that there was any Achi Baba left after the plastering of shells it got.
Being on a troopship which, of course, has no protection, we did not get near the beach as the hospital ships did, but we were taking on wounded two hours after the attack started. Some of them had been lying alongside us in Lemnos (Australians, with a sprinkling of New Zealanders), and left just two hours before we did, and we got quite a number back badly wounded. Some had never even got on the beach. We had a full ship in an hour or two. We had expected to carry between 800 and 900, but the boats came alongside and begged so hard to take the wounded on that our numbers mounted up to 1,350 before we started off to Alexandria. It is very hard work — such long hours, and no conveniences; beds are made up on the deck and on the tables, and as there are fixed forms along each side of the tables it makes the handling of helpless patients very hard. With that and the kneeling on the floor, it seems impossible to get our backs straight again. We were very fortunate in having only eight deaths on our trip to Alexandria, though one poor boy died as he was being carried down the gangway. It is very sad work, but the men are so brave, and lots of them such young boys. After putting off our wounded we stayed a few days, when I tried very hard to see ____, but either he did not get the messages or he could not find the ship, as we were out in the stream most of the time. Our ship took on troops, so all the sisters were moved off at three minutes' notice, as it is not considered safe for us to travel with troops. The Royal Edward, carrying troops just ahead of us, was torpedoed and nearly everybody lost.
We went back to Mudros on a hospital ship, Devanha. We had a memorial service as we passed the spot where the Royal Edward went down. There was wreckage everywhere — smashed boats, doors, etc. When we reached Mudros we joined our own ship and went on to Imbros again. There was no heavy firing this time, and everything seemed quiet. We had a load of medical cases; typhoid, dysentery, influenza, and rheumatism, and lots of Australians and New Zealanders just worn out with being there so long. We also had a few Maoris — one that I knew. Two of his brothers were killed. The Maori contingent have lost heavily. Officers have told me the Maoris are grand in bayonet charges, but find the waiting in the tranches very irksome. The Indians are the same. I had quite a lot of Indians amongst my patients, but only for a few days, as they along with two Turks were put ashore at Mudros. This trip I had all the deck patients. Thirty of our worst cases were put off at Gibraltar, as the senior medical officer was afraid of taking them across the Bay of Biscay. I was sorry to see them go, especially as we had a lovely smooth trip right to Plymouth. I managed to hang on to one New Zealander, whose old mother I knew had gone to England to be nearer him. I have had such a nice doctor to work with — young and keen, and does not mind what he does to help, and treats his patients as individual men, not as a mass of numbers as so many army doctors do.
It is wonderful to see the way the wounds are dressed, even amputations, and quite big operations done on the peninsula, all under fire, and quite often the patients tell us the men were shot whilst doing them: yet they are as well done as if in a civil hospital. Dr O'Neill and Dr Baigent of Dunedin and, I think, some others, have been mentioned in despatches. It was grand to see Gibraltar. Of all the new sights I've seen, that impressed me most. We did not get ashore, though we were there for 12 hours. We put off our patients at Plymouth, and then the medical staff and sisters left for London. The four-hours' train ride through green country was a treat after the sandy wastes and sea. for so many weeks. I have never seen anything so vividly green as the fields in England, and the trees were glorious, especially the oaks and limes, but everything looked so small and tidy. I don't think I should like to live there for long. London I loved, and saw a good deal of it for the short time I was there. I had a look at the riders in Rotten Row, Hyde Park, also went to Hampton Court to see the gardens and a grape vine over 200 years old, and it had heaps of fruit on it. I went to a service at St. Paul's, and also at Westminster Abbey. Westminster is lovely. We drove round the Thames Embankment to the Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, St. James Palace, Trafalgar Square. Piccadilly, Fleet street, etc. — all places we knew so well by name. We arrived in London at Paddington Railway Station, and left from Waterloo, and I saw Victoria and Liverpool street stations. They are immense and wonderful in the way the traffic is regulated. The gardens everywhere in London — at least in the parts we saw — are kept most beautifully, even when they are no bigger than a pocket-handkerchief. Every inch is made the most of, and wherever it is possible there is a tree planted. Compared to our small towns London streets are quite green. I forgot to tell you that when we were a day or so out from England we were given an escort — two French battleships at first, and then their places were taken by British destroyers. It was a sight to see them come to meet us at a speed almost like that of a motor car, and turn just as sharply and quickly as a car would. This may be a little exaggerated, but their speed and turning were really wonderful. We left London last Monday for Portland, where we joined the hospital ship Dongola, and are now on our way back to the East. We don't know yet if we call at Malta, which we pass some time to-day. We are probably going straight on to Mudros, which means another trip without letters. We have had none since our last call at Alexandria, a little over a month ago. We have been lucky in having beautifully smooth seas for all our trips. All the way to England and back it has not been any rougher than Lake Logan — to-day the Mediterranean is a most glorious blue, just like Tauranga Harbor. It is recorded that an Italian shepherd, living at Brega, near Tenda, in the province of Cuneo, has 16 sons under arms. Nine of them are serving with the colors; the other seven in training camps. That will be hard to beat among any of the belligerent nations. -Evening Star, 7/12/1915.
The torpedoing of the Marquette and the deaths of wounded New Zealanders and their medical staff, was regarded by many as a war crime. If it were so, the crime was not committed by the Captain of the German submarine but the British officer who put wounded and their carers on a troopship rather than a hospital ship bearing the red cross.
A note from the Mayor of Tauranga:
"By a sheer accident I had the pleasure of meeting the brave Nurse Blackie on December 31st, and explained to her my regrets that her visit, being unannounced, prevented me from giving her a civic welcome. Your correspondent need be under no alarm. I was delighted to give Nurse Blackie, as from the Mayor of the town and voicing the sentiments of the people in it, a slight token of the regard they held her in that any lady would be pleased to accept." -Bay of Plenty Times, 2/2/1916.
After her return home, Nurse Blackie was appointed to the position of "nurse to the natives at Taupo." Later she took on a new role.
Much interest is attached to the appointment of the first Bush Nurse for New Zealand. At a special meeting of the Women's Division of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, Nurse Blackie was appointed as the nurse for the North Island district. Her credentials are particularly excellent, as she has the ordinary nurse's certificates, and those for midwifery as well. Nurse Blackie has had a wide experience, having been a war nurse, one of those who was on the ill-fated Marquette. She was born and brought up in the country, and well understands the disabilities and needs of the country people. She will take up her duties at once, and the committee feels fortunate in having secured the services of such a good nurse, and the best results are looked for in her ministrations. -Evening Post, 8/6/1927.
The death occurred at her residence, Babbacombe Avenue, Tasman Beach, yesterday afternoon, of Sister Katherine Gibbons Blackie, after a short illness. Sister Blackie, who had a fine war record, recently attended a Returned Soldiers’ re-union at Te Horo where she was seized with a sudden illness, having to receive medical advice, after which she was taken to her home. Sister Blackie failed to recover, and her many friends will regret to learn of her untimely death. The deceased, who was very popular, was born in Dunedin, some 59 years ago, but had lived in Otaki for some considerable time. Those left to mourn their loss are several sisters and brothers, viz., Miss Margaret Blackie (Dunedin), Mrs. Jessie Shore (Dunedin), Mrs. David Macdonald (Otaki Beach), Mrs. Wm. Dobbin (Dunedin), Mr. David Blackie (Dunedin), Mr. John Blackie (Tauranga). Sister Blackie’s parents died some time ago. -Horowhenua Chronicle, 11/8/1937.
NURSE'S ESCAPE.
WAS IN TORPEDOED SHIP.
(By Telegraph. — Own Correspondent.) DUNEDIN, Friday. Sister Catherine Blackie, whose death at Otaki was reported, was one of the New Zealand sisters aboard the ill-fated Marquette when that vessel was torpedoed in the Mediterranean. For about nine hours she was in the water before being rescued, and was supported by a lifebelt, which was thrown to her by the late Dr T Harrison.
When the explosion occurred and the ship went down, Sister Blackie was with another nurse. She was drawn right under the vessel and cam up on the other side. she had great difficulty in holding on to the lifebelt. -Auckland Star, 14/8/1937.
HOROWHENUA.
(From Our Own Correspondent.) OTAKI, Aug. 13.
The funeral of the late Sister Blackie took place yesterday, when there was a representative gathering, including a number of returned soldiers. Messrs Atmore, Edhouse, Duncan, Marshall, Bebbington and Lethbridge were the pallbearers. There were a number of beautiful floral tributes, including one from the R.S.A. Mr Fielding sounded the “Last Post,” and an impressive service was conducted by Rev. Mr Jackson.
A general meeting was held at Otaki on Tuesday night to consider the formation of a St. John Ambulance class. Fifteen persons attended. Mr C. Mencken, secretary of the Wellington Association, was present and gave some valuable information. -Manawatu Standard, 16/8/1937.
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