Colonials at Gallipoli

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 August 1915, Page 4

Colonials at Gallipoli

Chaplin-Major liraia writer from the Dardanelles There is a type of colonial who is a real dare-devil. He makes,a sport of death and fears nothing. One day iasb week a party of Australians was working in a sap, one being detailed ,to watch for hand-grenados and deal with them in the interests of the workers, the most effective method beingfailing a catch and a hot return to the e|nemy, which often takes iplace—to throw an overcoat or blanket on them. On this particular morning the bombs were conspicuous by their absence, and the watcher, being a bit of -a grafter, began to help by filling and handing up tlio sandbags for use in tho trench. J net as ho was in the act ot handing up a bag a bomb hopped over into the trench, and, quick as lightening, he dropped the same bag on top of itl But not content with that, he sat upon the sandbag, and, needless to say, was shot several feet into the air by the force of the explosion, yet, strangely enough without any injury. He grumbled audibly all tho afternoon at the headacho tho bomb had given him 1 There are no free and independent newspapers here, the only apology we have for one being a small sheet called the "Peninsula Press,'' which is specially prepared for home consumption. Consequently the boys entertain one another by concocting all sorts of possible and impossible happenings. Here are some of the latest.— "The Colonial Troops have behaved so gallantly and lost so heavily, that thoy are to go into a rest camp in Engand for a couple of months." "A couple of S\vi«j Dreadnoughts have arrived in the bay to assist in tho bombardment." "Two divisions of Esquimaux are disembarking to reinforce the M.E.F." "Turkey has secured Bulgaria's neutrality by ceding her Adrianoplo." "The Turks in front of the trenches have just sent an ultimatum that unless we surrender within twenty-four hours they will." "It's still a long way to Tipperary!"