CUT OFF FOR SIXTEEN DAYS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2606, 30 October 1915, Page 13

CUT OFF FOR SIXTEEN DAYS

SCOUTING PARTY'S EXPERIENCE. Writing from Gallipoli on August 30, Private A. P. Morrow, of Colao, who is with the Ist Light Horso Field Ambulance, tells of a peculiar incident in which a party of 17 Australians, while out scouting, were cut off from their regiment by. the Turks. "The survivors," he says, "were ill a pitiable state. Thoy had been cut off lor 16 days, and were without food, excepting for a few biscuits they found in a dead man's haversack. Their party originally consisted of 14 men, two N.C.O.'s, and one officer. The Turks could have taken them prisoners, but for some reason thoy would not. All they did was to come and take their rifles and ammunition, and simjily left them to die of thirst and starvation. At ; times some of them would venture out to try and find food or water, or a way of oscapo, but each time they wero . stopped by tho Turk firing on them. Each day one or more would either dio or be wounded, and oven those wounded the Turks would give no care to. The men state that tho Turks robbod them of all thoy had, and even tho wounded they stripped of clothing and all thoir possessions. Out of tho 17, only seven m all were saved, and three of these were wounded. Olio man had threo wounds, and each wound was received on a different day. Their rescue was just elianco. Two of tho men volunteered to make a run for it; luck was with them, and although they had a machinegun on to them, they managed to got through. They reported to headquartors, and tho following night a rescuo party was sent out, but failed to get through. They tried again tho second night, and were successful, only one inan being wounded."