The Wily lurk

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 July 1915, Page 4

The Wily lurk

■HOAV THRiEE OFMOERS WEI'.K . CAPTURED. (By CAPTAIN C. E. W. BEAN,; It was after -dark on tho lir*t day A battalion which had arrived di;i't)g the afternoon was hanging on to a r/ositiou between the sections of il.e line which were then juat be.'iv.iing I'o crystallise ae the Australian taction and tl'e New Zealand (section. The 2\ew Zealanders were not far aiv ay on 'lie ] lateati above them. They < Q lves were in a small rklgc iti tiie gully below, Tint as a niatcu , of fact it w-\ some days before time i;a t kr. O w where the nearest part of the New Zealand line to it really was Thuy could »eo the edge of the ridge above them ami a gully between, but looking up at that heath-covered ridge they could not say where the .New Zealandors' line rested upon it, or indeed whether it came within sight of them at all. .Between tlio two tho gully was open to the Turks, -who held one end ot it. - It was at this point in our line and a similar point near that most of the (Turkish attacks were aimed, and it was down this gully that for some days snipers used to creep behind part of our lines. Six of the. w snipers were afterwards killed on he. gully slopes. It Avas here that afr-;r dark the word was passed along to the commanding officer of this battalion .o expect the Indian troops on hi.s ll.ink and that it was desirable to join i.;) w-ftli them. K subaltern was sent io>. ward with a man in the battalion who could apeak some Hindustani. Presvrly they sent -word back that a .section officer was required. The adjutait oi t'le battalion was sent up. and hi.s voice was soon heard through the dt-rk asking for tho colonel to come up and speak with the Indians himself. The colonel was suspicious. A message passed along the line created no s i. : - pieion in the early hours of our landing, Lut this particular incsstjij d,u TJecauso there were, >so tar as w;- jujhw, very few Tndians with us. only the mountain batteries and ten mule drivers. The colonel went forward, but well on his guard. He found a group of live men standing with our oflicoiK It was too dark to see their uniforms. The colonel was doubtful if they were Indians at all. though they were talking with out , party as they stood tlieiv. Two of the Indiana approached him. and one presently laid his hand on his arm. That was enough for the colonel. Tie dived over the bank on the top ot which they were .standing. They lired at him but ho got back safely tc, our lines The Turks had the three others fast before the-v could move.