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[Page 11]
[Letter from Lieut. Keith Heritage to Dr F.A. Pockley]
H.M.A.T. Berrima
Rabaul
17.9.14
Dear Dr Pockley
Every man suffered a more dreadful shock at the disaster that befell us last 11th, when Bryan died in action, together with Commander Elwell & 5 men. The startling suddenness of it all was [indecipherable] Bryan left us in great spirits at Port Moresby to join the "Sydney" proceeding ahead of us to land a party of 53 men under Lt Bowen at Kabakaul nr Herbertshohe to take the wireless station at Bitapaka. We arrived about 7 [?] oclock in the morning, & the party had landed shortly after daylight and under Naval orders split into two sections – Captain Pockley's A.M.C. orderly going as A.M.C. man with the other lot.
Very strong opposition was met by Lt Bowen a few miles from here: The scrub on either side of the road is almost impassable, and it was found that the Germans had thrown trenches across, also constructed [indecipherable] side pits carefully concealed, native police & troops also in trees as far as I have been able to gather the following is authentic.
The first man badly wounded was a German with shattered arm, Bryan amputated this, & shortly after a Naval recruit named Williams was severely injured & as he was likely to bleed to death unless attended to soon, signalled to his Naval orderly, care for him, but before doing so Bryan handed the arm band he was wearing to this man, who remonstrated, but Bryan – gallant man – replied that he would take any risk, after making Williams as comfortable as possible on side of road, Bryan said he would proceed ahead & see how Bowen was getting