"We rushed 6000 ashore in half an hour, and they proved absolutely irresistible. The first two boats were wiped out, but the remainder went through everything as if it did not exist. Barbed wire did not check them, and trenches were child's play. They did not fire much, but used their bayonets with tremendous effect, killing every Turk and German reachable and capturing deadly machine guns. They then charged up a hill 700ft high, clearing everything before them. Hot shrapnel fire drove them partly down, but they doggedly dug themselves in half-way up, thus achieving a wonderful performance. This landing was a great blow to the Turco-Germans, who thought the place was impregnable.''
• An innovation in Rugby football will be introduced at Athletic Park, Wellington, this afternoon (says the New Zealand Times), when a ladies' match will be played.
At a meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union on Wednesday evening the executive of the Sports Committee, which is ''running'' Nurse Everitt as a candidate for the carnival queenship, wrote stating that its ladies' sub-committee had secured the services of 22 lady football players who were desirous of playing a match, consisting of two five-minute spells, either as a ''curtain-raiser'' or to take the place of the interval.
The ladies would play in black and white jerseys and in short skirts.
They had also secured the services of a lady referee.
The committee adopted the idea with enthusiasm, and decided that the game should be played at the interval of the big match at the Park.
• London, May 27: The auxiliary vessel Princess Irene was accidentally blown up in Sheerness Harbour, and 77 dockers perished.
It is believed that over 200 lives were lost.
The Princess Irene was a mine-layer, and belonged to the Canadian-Pacific Line.
An internal explosion occurred at 11 o'clock this morning, and the vessel totally disappeared.
Stoker David Wills was picked up; he sustained burns.
Several men in vessels near by were wounded by falling splinters.
There were pathetic scenes outside the dock gates, where a notice was posted that 77 workers had lost their lives in the execution of their duty at Sheerness shipyard. Besides the crew of 250 on the Princess Irene, it is unofficially stated that a large party of refitters and dockers were aboard.
Some estimated give the lost as 400.
Two pillars of flame at intervals of a few seconds rose to a height of 300ft.
There was a deafening roar, and when the smoke had cleared only fragments of wreckage and the crew's corpses remained.
The explosion was felt at Maidstone, 22 miles away.
An officer aboard a vessel near by says that the Princess Irene was hurled into the air a mile high in 10,000 fragments.
He could distinctly make out the forms of men amidst the flying wreckage.
• About 70 men, forming the South Otago quota of the reinforcements to the Expeditionary Force, who will leave for Trentham to-day, were entertained at Milton last night by the local Y. M. C. A.
A most enjoyable evening was spent by the men, many musical and elocutionary items being contributed. Supper was dispensed during the evening, and encouraging and helpful addresses were delivered by the Rev. S. R. Orr and the Rev. Mr Hopper. - ODT, 29.5.1915.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
