UNDER SHELL-FIRE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2422, 30 March 1915, Page 5

UNDER SHELL-FIRE

A NEW ZEALANDER'S EXPERIENCES. Referring to the first experience under shell fire in the attack made by the Turks on the Suez Canal, Lieutenant Saunders, of the 12th (Nelson) Regiment, in a letter dated .February 12, says

The enemy were most numerous just behind a low sandhill, which ran out from the Canal at right angles, and it was on this point that our guns from both sides concentrated their fire for about half an hour, and there were very few Turks left alive. Those that could ran right across our front at about 800 yards distance, and my fellows picked them o5 like ninepins. One party of about 100 men under a German officer, who was frantically waving a sword came out hi the open. The battery put ono shot right in tie middle ot them, and only ono man got away. The onemy then sent up about 5000* reinforcements. The poor beggars had to come across some very open ground; that is to say, there was very little for them to take cover behind. Well, the batteries simply smashed them up, and most of them fled in disorder. Up till this point we had had no shell fire directed at us, but we had not long to wait, and when they started it was hellish. We had great luck. Our fellows were lucky to have been able to dig themselves in, or nothing .could have saved them, as the enemy'? shrapnel was bursting right on top of us, sendiug showers of sand down into the trenches. One chap was in a shallow trench, lying as flat as he_ could, and a shell struck just under him and lifted him out of his trench and shot Km into another, and he was not even bruised. (This is an absolute fact—the joke of the camp.) Sergeant-Major Williams, who_ has seen a good deal of service, was sitting with me in my trench when a shell burst over us, and the base of the shell flew back and got him in tho shoulder, inflicting a \ery severe - cut -in the fleshy part of the shoulder. We got him bandaged up, and sent- him back to the hospital, and lie is now getting on all right. • They shelled us until about 12 o'clock (midday), and then shelled the hospital until about 4 in tho afternoon. The patients had to bo shifted twice altogether. The warships in the Canal did somo excellent shooting, dislodging tho enemy's Runs. At 2 p.m. we were ordered out of the trenches for a rest, as we had to take up our position along the Canal again as soon as it got dark. Nothing much was done during the night—just sniping, which we did not reply to. The Turks retired during; the night, leaving a few men behind,' who wore stirred up again at daylight by a warship, which blew up what was left of the boats, and ploughed out several trenches. • A party of regular troops crossed later and finished up the rest, killing about 59 and capturing 200. ;

Just as the warship passed us in the morning, a sniper picked off the lookout man up in the crow's nest, and tlien started to run. A gunner on tho ship trained a small gull (about a sispounder) 011 the Turk, and fired, and blow his head off. We could' soo this very clearly, not more than 400 yards away, with glasses.

We went hack to camp that morning witli some prisoners, and caused great oxciteiucnt in- camp. They liad heard we were badly smashed lip. Some of tliem were very pleased to see us, and congratulated us enthusiastically.