The Real Colour of War

Horowhenua Chronicle, 14 July 1915, Page 3

The Real Colour of War

FACTS WITHOUT FIREWORKS. A tone of reality and yet an absenc< of all- straining for effect is the pre dominating characteristic in this 60l dier's letter (written to Mr J. O'Dono hue, of this town, and given below) As the writer is well known in Levin and the engagement described is o; very recent happening our readers wit be pleased to nave the letter printed ir extenso, and almost without altera tion.— Letter received from Corporal Arthui Pike from Lady Godley's Convalescent Home. Alexandria, May 25, 1015. Dear Old Chap,—Well how are you getting along after all this long tiiuef It seems ages ago since 1 wrote to you or you to. me. I never thought it would be my luck to write to you again after what we went through; I think I must have been a "Chow" some parts of the time, and I hope the same "Chow's',' luck will stick to me right through. ...Well, old man, 1 guess by now you will have read all about our little affair, in the" Dardanelles, and about our engagements—and what engagements thoy were, too. We hear from all sides and from old campaigners who have been fighting, in France that they-had nothing like it there; so that so far if.l were "to try and describe things to you in detail I should 1311 a decent sized budget. But 1 will give you a rough idea of what happened till I got ,my smncL To begin with we eventually arrived at the appointed rendezvous after leaving the Isle of Lemnos with hundreds of transports. It was our luck to be a board fan old iron tub called "Achai" —a German prize; she was indeed a rotter.- We sailed to Gallipoli Peninsula and what a magnificent sight we saw there—as far as we could see the battleships were bombarding the different ports along the coa6t-. We laid oft watching them all that afternoon, and quite enjoyed the fun as you can well guess. There were four different lauding places appointed—ours was a place called Gaba Tepe, on the extreme left and opposite Maidos and Kalia Bahr forts which are on tho coastline; you could follow where 1 mean on the map. We had to "stand" all that night waiting for tiie destroyers to take us from the transports. About three in the morning we goF the order and a great job it was in tho wet and darkness, with full kit up, getting on board the destroyers. They took us as near shore as possiblo, and > then we got into email boats to row ashore. Then tiie fun began. The slirapnel and machine-guns opened on us—it was our first introduction—just at dawn. Needless to say I felt a bit squeamish and damp under the circustances (so much water about, I suppose; don't laugh), but anyhow we very soon got Ufied to that tune and got an the beach juet as THE AUSTRALIANS were making a charge over their front. We had to go to the left and take a position—! would like you to have seen it—it was only 400 feet high and very steep, and I really do not know how wo got there, but we did, and drove them out with the bayonet, but unfortunately only about half of us goC there. The flying bullets were just like a hailstorm. We then had to dig ourselves in lor" dear life, and were four days and night entrenching and being attacked all £Ee"~time. By Jove, it was hot, but it was much easier whe'n we got under. We were in that position ten days altogether when the Naval Brigade was sent up to relievo us; and we wanted the relief I can teli you, for we were some pretty objects—hadn't had a wash or a shave all the time and iprecious little sleep. They took us down to the beach and you can guess how vfyf*made, for the sea and had a leal good "swim, bub by no means a comfortable one for the bullets and shells were dropping in and quite a, number got hit that way. After a shave we began to look a bit respectable again and started lo boil the billy and got hold of soino bacon, and spnds and what a glorious meal we had (after biscuits and water and only two pints of that in 2<l hours and plenty of dirt). Th'e Turks are rotters, for they started dropping shells on our picnic. You ought to have seen us dig in; you could not help lau ghing. New Zealand will never go short of experienced navvies if we hav* the luck to get 'back; we are hot stuff at that game old man I Well, m thought we were going to have a bit of a spell, but no euch luck for that night we got ORDERS TO MOVE and were bumped aboard the destroyers, only the N.Z. and Australian Division. We were aboard the Wolverine, one the fastest in the British Nlavy, and what grand fellows the Bailors were—they cooild not do enough tor us—they filled us up with tea and: bread and jam, and we did wolf it up as you can guess, having had no bread for over a month. 1 went off to sleep talking to some of the boys and enjoyed it too. In less than 24 hours we found ourselves fighting side *y side with the British and French troops anu that was another hot time. We lTa'tT to advance on a strong Turkish .position and our boys advanced line after line over a thousand yards of flat open country. The bullets were flying as thick as could be, and it is a wonder any of us got through. Our boys staggered the British the way they got across. (Every man kept his interval—no rushing, hut a steady , walk, 'it was grand to see them—they never did it better on parade. Of course, we lost a good, many"* as no doubt you know by the Casualty Lists. The "Tommies" here call the .New inlanders 'and Australians the "White Ghurkas," and <the Turks have no love tor us. It was while advancing tTTaf T got my smack, a bullet through the left foot. I came down a "beauty,' afitt wondered what struok me. I had to get back the best way I could, and

. • i think it was worse than advancing tor 1 was being pinged at all the time by snipers. I would hop for about twenty yards and then down like a ;e shot, and then another hop, and bo on d- for about a mile. It was a bit too >1- exciting for me, but I was glad when 0- I got it dressed and then i had to hop ), for another mile for the lamouint of i, wounded was heavy and the ambulance. >f station was congested. By Jove, .they 11 are the chaps that have had to work. . a Everyone of them is & hero. : The way 1- they got the,wounded out from under ■hre was marvellous. The snipers cio ,r deadly work amongst them; mere must i- be regiments of them. They have every spot ranged and some have our uniforms and some paint themselves u and seem part of the scrub. The P GERMAN OFFICERS u get in amongst our men in our uniforms and speak English like our--11 selves. They are brave fellows for they know what it means if they are s detected. There have been great do e ings'here, and if 1 only had the time to tell you all I would be writing for a y week. The worst is over at the Darr danellcs now I /think, tlrank goodness for it has been very cos'tly for us. All the other boys from Levin' are alive : '.j r and well with the exception of poor old Jack Mills so far, but before this roa--0 ches you you will have seen the official > list of casualties, i think poor old * Hilson was killed; lie was in tho Can--1 terbury's. I heard eo since 1 have been here. I have just' been sent 1 down from Cairo to Alexandria and I am not sorry for the heat in Cairo k was terrible. It took all our energy to keep the flies and mosquitoes off. 9 It is'much cooler here. , 1 ain in Lady Godley's Convalescent Home and a fine place it is—by the sea. I must 1 close up now and remember me to all enquiring friends and to all the people 3 at the Training Farm. I trusf you ? are in the be6t of health,etc. Regards to family, so kiora and cheer oh! ' From yours very sincerely, PIKEY < (0.C.) 1 'Note—Corporal Pike evidently did k not know that Sergt. Hilson was woun--1 ded not killed and sent to Manchester 'Hospital in England.