The Star: April 13, 2017

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4 Thursday April 13 2017 Latest Christchurch news at www. .kiwi The Star News Diary of Gallipoli surgeon brought SERVICE: Dr Percival Fenwick during the Boer War in 1900. “A more hellish Sunday one could not conceive. “Total to date 5000 (approximately) casualties, about three men per yard of ground gained.” • By Gabrielle Stuart “IT SEEMED impossible for men to live under the hail of bullets” – that was how Christchurch surgeon Lieutenant-Colonel Percival Fenwick described his experience at Gallipoli. He was one of the first New Zealanders ashore at Anzac Cove on April 25, 1915, and kept a diary of the horrifying things he saw there. Parts of his diary have now been used in a new project, Ngā Tapuwae First World War Trails, which tells stories from battlefields where New Zealanders fought. It was designed as a guide for people visiting the battlefields in person for Anzac commemorations, but can also be listened to while exploring the scenes online. Lt Col Fenwick’s granddaughter, Philippa Horn (right), said his diary was only discovered after his death. “He very seldom spoke about those things. The only thing PROJECT: Dr Fenwick’s diary is being used to tell stories of battlefields where New Zealanders fought. He is seen here in 1945 (left) and cutting the hair of a World War 1 soldier in Gallipoli. he ever said, that I remember, was that he was ashamed to come out of Gallipoli alive,” she said. He was sent home after two months at the front because he developed paratyphoid, but he wrote several letters to the army in protest, asking to be sent back, she said. When World War 2 broke out, then aged 69, he wrote letters again asking to be allowed to serve, but was told he was too old. Mrs Horn said he had served in the Boer War for three years as a younger man, and was strongly driven to try to help and heal as many as he could on the battlefield. In peacetime he worked as a surgeon for many years in Christchurch, where he met his wife, Nona Wright, a nurse at Bottle Lake Hospital. Mrs Horn said he was “everything a grandfather should have been”. “He had a lovely sense of humour and was always so pleased to see us,” she said. His story can be found at www.ngatapuwae.nz in the Holding the Line section of the Gallipoli Trail. Thanks for your patience as we work on the city’s roads and pipes Avonhead Road wastewater upgrade project Planning underway AVONHEAD Northwest water supply deep well upgrades Construction underway Completion April 2017 BISHOPDALE UPPER RICCARTON FENDALTON Riccarton area wastewater upgrade projects Construction underway Completion October 2017 RICCARTON REDWOOD Cranford Street wastewater replacement Construction starts May 2017 Completion October 2017 PAPANUI BURWOOD ST ALBANS Riccarton area water supply replacement projects Construction underway Completion November 2017 Here’s some key projects happening this year Bealey Avenue NEW BRIGHTON resurfacing Completion April 2017 New Brighton road resurfacing Construction starts October 2017 Completion March 2018 As SCIRT finishes, Christchurch City Council will continue repairing and improving the city’s damaged pipes and roads. We’ve budgeted over $600 million over the next five years to repair our services, and have several major projects underway across Christchurch on top of this budget. South East Halswell new wastewater project Construction starts December WIGRAM 2016 Completion November 2017 LYTTELTON HORNBY HALSWELL South East Halswell new water supply project Construction underway Completion November 2017 Beckenham/Colombo Street wastewater upgrade Construction starts May 2017 Completion June 2018 SPREYDON Centaurus road resurfacing Construction starts October 2017 Completion CASHMERE March 2018 LINWOOD Lyttelton Harbour wastewater project Construction starts June 2017 Completion end of 2021 BROMLEY Waltham Road WOOLSTON Resurfacing Construction starts October 2017 Completion March 2018 Lyttelton retaining walls Construction underway Completion May-June 2017 FERRYMEAD LYTTELTON Peacocks Gallop wastewater replacement Construction starts April/May 2017 Completion July 2017 Redcliffs Main Road resurfacing Construction starts October 2017 Completion March 2018 SUMNER Sumner-Lyttelton Corridor road repair Construction underway Completion 2018 LITTLE RIVER Akaroa Wastewater scheme WAINUI Scheme progressing through consent phase AKAROA Need more information? Visit us at ccc.govt.nz/roadsandpipes
The Star Latest Christchurch news at www. .kiwi Thursday April 13 2017 5 to life POIGNANT: A giant sculpture of Dr Fenwick is on display as part of the The Scale of Our War exhibition at Te Papa (far left), and as a Lieutenant Colonel outside his dugout in Anzac Cove. The Gallipoli landing: “We were frightfully hampered by our kit – overcoat, revolver, glasses, map case, haversack, three days rations, firewood, Red Cross satchel, water bottle – like elephants. It was a certainty that we would drown if we got stuck. “After waiting, a steam picket boat came along in charge of a very fat rosy midshipman. He took a string of boats in tow and we were off. Our boat grounded about 50 feet from the shore and we all hopped out. Of course, I fell into a hole up to my neck. I could hardly struggle ashore and when I did the first thing I saw was Beck sitting on a stone, roaring with laughter at us. Bill Beck was the first New Zealander of Godley’s force to get on to Gallipoli.” On treating the wounded: “Several dead men were lying on the beach . . . every minute the numbers increased and, as in addition fresh troops came ashore with mules and ammunition, the chaos became appalling . . . this state of things lasted all day. It seemed impossible for men to live under the hail of bullets. Capt Craig dressed over 100 cases under fire. One of his assistants had his finger shot off while helping him. Men were constantly hit in our station and their pluck and devotion in continuing their work under these galling conditions is hopelessly above praise. “At midnight I got four big horse boats, which held 12 stretchers on the bottom and I packed in less severe cases along the sides, sitting, kneeling, lying – anyhow, about 120 all told. I got these four off at last at 1.30, and lay down in the rain at the side of the hill. I certainly was very astonished that I was alive. A more hellish Sunday one could not conceive.” “Total to date 5000 (approximately) casualties, about three men per yard of ground gained.” On burying the dead: “The most ghastly day. This morning I was ordered to act as the [delineating] officer for the burial of the dead . . . raining heavily. I got a loan of a dead or missing man’s overcoat and was all right. “We were met by some Turkish officers who arrived on horseback followed by 50 very fine looking Turks, carrying Red Crescent and white flags. One of the officers was a German doctor. We were introduced by our interpreters and moved up the hillside in two long lines. Every 100 yards or so we stationed a man with a white flag, and opposite to him the Turks posted one of their men. We clambered through dripping bushes, with beautiful poppies and flowers. “Coming over the crest of the hill, I found the first New Zealander, lying on his face. Poor lad! A few yards climb brought us on a plateau, and a most awful sight was here. The Turkish dead lay so thick that it was almost impossible to pass without treading on the bodies. The awful destructive power of high explosive was very evident. Huge holes surrounded by circles of corpses, blown to pieces. One shell had fallen and set fire to a bush, as a dead man lay charred to the bone. Everywhere on looked lay dead, swollen, black, hideous, and overall a nauseating stench that nearly made one vomit. “Behind us for at least two miles, we could see our burial parties working furiously. In some cases the dead actually formed part of the trench wall. It was a terrible sight to see arms and legs sticking out of the sand, underneath the sandbags . . . I left, feeling deadly ill. “I only saw about 10 of ours but, at a very modest estimate, I saw 2000 dead Turks. The Turkish officers were charming. The Germans were rude and dictatorial and accused us of digging trenches. I lost my temper (and my German) and told him the corpses were so decomposed they could not be lifted and our men were merely digging pits to put the awful things into. The Turkish medico was extremely nice. We exchanged cigarettes and I said to him I hoped that after the war we should smoke a cigarette.’’ “If this is war, I trust NZ will never be fool enough to forget that to avoid war one most [must] be too strong to invite war.” NEW WINTER SEASON Quilted Button Robe & Cotton Nite by Available in Sizes SM - XL Aqua Paisley Print ACCESS TV FOR NZ SKY CHANNEL 083 Thursday 7.30pm Shop 48 Barrington, Barrington Street Phone 03 337 6609 www.lingerieonbarrington.co.nz No Need for a loNg flight to tokyo or PariS Simply see us for delicious Japanese & European breads, pastries, cakes, filled donuts, gourmet sandwiches and Kiwi Style Meat pies. Plus Melon-pan (Cookie Bun) Curry-pan (Curry Puff) Shu Cream (Japanese Cream Puff) and some of the best coffee in town. South City Shopping Mall (Next the The Warehouse) Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm Sunday 10am-5pm Phone 03-943-4066
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The Star: April 13, 2017

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