The Campaign on Gallipoli

Horowhenua Chronicle, 9 December 1915, Page 2

The Campaign on Gallipoli

A BREAK IN TEE WEATHER. PREPARING FOR" A WINTER CAiMPAiuiV NOTES FR.OU A DIARY. (By Malcolm Koss.) War Correspondent's Camp, Oct. 1.1. Up to the end of last month the troops operating 011 die Uallipoli Peninsula. have enjoyed an almost uninterrupted spell of line weather —clear, cloudless days, with a hot sun, and warm nights. But the heat has been enervating, and the plague of llies that worries a cooped-up 'army--no matter how excellent the sanitary precautions may have been—-combined with the necessarily sameness of du-t have caused a good deal of sickness and a general lassitude Tnat. was be-

coming more uotiecable as the weeks crept past. Now. r,i . the either shows signs of breaking. Already we have had some thunderstorms and a few cool days; certainly a welcomo one, especially lo the New Zeiilanders and to the English troops, and what with rest camps and cool weather one already begins to see a change in the bearing and briskness 01 the average soldier. We have been warned to dread the weather, but on the whole the late autumn and the first montli or two ol winter will be perferahle to Che heat o. an arid summer cooped up in a deep, narrow trench, with 110 view to speak of, and), as a rule, not even the top ol a Turk's head in sight, or marching along the dusty, winding, saps—tro:u 'which the scenery was equally' undiscoverable—one often felt as il the end ol' Time had arrived, and as if ti.ero

were no longer any pleasanL spots on earth. But with the cooler weather a change is coming over the scene, and, v. iiile dreading the worst, we hope ior the best. The winter will no doubt, bring its own troubles, out we shall a least be rid oi the Hies, and, of diarrhoea and dysentery we hope, i'or the lest, we shall he largely dependent upon the state ol the seas, Tnit probably the Navy and the merchant, marine which have planted us here will still si.v

i hat, come storm or come shine, we shall not lack for munitions and supplies. 'I'llis granted, wo should more than nohi our own against tho Turks.

Already preparations lor winter may bo observed in every quarter. lire French—thoroughly inbued with one oi the greatest of Napoleon's maxims

have already niad,e themselves laniy ejinfor table at Helles. in liie conliued spaces which Hie Australians am: .New Zealanders occupy turUicr norm the problem is a more dillicult one, bul i-i being taken in hand and.will no do:i it b;> grappled with determinedly. Ino

Kngineeis have already been at work, and saps and trenches are being sciv.jtifically drained. The trendies also aie being improved from what may i>: i. ruled the domestic point ol view, ;m >\ the dug-outs back ol the trenches <ire I .vewise receiving attention. Wo haw ;;:ieaay had two or liiree rains n i) iel duration, but t'iie scored conies

;.:tu the scarjwd hillsides tell us only t..0 plainly that we inusL be prepared 1. r something worse if we are to occupy o,ir present position during the rainy seasons. On the flat land which the JJritisli occupy at Helles, and also jit Siivla, tliedraining ol trenches will not hj so easy, hut it cannot tie nearly a a U.id as it was in France last wilUer. Tlie Turk, everywhere looking doivn upon us from higher ground, Jias the advantage and a further advantage in ihat he has a considerable area helium

ills 'lines throughout winch lie can choose sites for camps and vary hiij lines of communication to meet locai conditions. 13nfc even in his case * winter campaign will have its Urun ■ backs, audi he, like ourselves, cannot bu enamoured of the prospect. DIAIU' OF A TURKISH (JAUE'J . The following extracts from tins diary of an under-oflicer (cadct) h;t.i; been received by the General Staii, and ofontain interestingjnformatio i. The "sound of the guns" heard on 27t,1i August would be the firing in connection with the attack on Ivaiajik Agliala and Knoll (JO, and the cadet no cloiibi took some part in fhe subsequent fighting in the area: —

"S'fth August, .Monday. At Ouzouu Keupru. We will remain here until evening. "We are about 200, the majority ghaisi, even some of the men ha e not yet their wounds healed and they arc gallants who run to avenge.

"25th August, Tuesday.—Early in the morning we left Oimmn Keupru )u: Kara Pinar. On the road there arr. special arrangements foi water, so we cou'id march easily. We reached Kara Pillar in six hours instead of sev-iii ajid a-lialf. This is a Christian viTTago. and the laziness of the inhabitants i.; understood from the fertile, but uacultivated ground. Vve camped at Pakhship.

"26th August, Wednesday. When I st-a>tcdi foi' Keshan it wa.s lull driy. KcshaJi is in ruins alter flic Mal%n War, but the Government is land ing. ' *

"27th August. Thursday.—-Wv hen tin; noise of the guns. We left for Verli Sou. Tehavroz is qinto a mountain. Kouson Dagh is in-front us. We march For long hours and I ■was very much tircKl; they "do the journey between here and Uulair, on account of the possible danger, by night. We followed the course of Bulair forts;they have evacuated Bulair because : t is a target to the enemy. There is only an Islam coffee "house, where we had tea. Early in the morning we left for Gallipoli. The -roads are very regular. After three li'ours we wv.s at (rallipoli. As there lins ben some bombardment here thev liave evacuat-

Ed the city, but everywhere is full ot troops. 29th August, Saturday. —1 left Gallipoli to camp in the night at Bair Kouy. "30th August Sunday.—Before sunrise we inarched towards lilghar Dere. Here the mon had dinner and supper; they wepe also given two day's rations and were "separated for different units. "31st August, 'Monday.—Left wing of lveniikli Buriiu group of Anafartas. 1 pass tiie night near the stores of our regiment about half-an-hour back n; firing-line. 1 saw the regiment commander. I was sent "to the 7th Company. Ist September, Tuesday.—There was x continuous artillery battle to-dnv. I took command ot the 2nd platoon, i'be regularity T found here, I had not seen in school. There is tea every morning and regular food. There are always olives and raisins. "2nd September, Wednesday.— i went to lie firing-line witii the commander of i!ie Ist platoon. I whs desiring to see the enemy from a shorter distance. I was rather anxious. There are special instruments'to see the enemy without ' being seen. 1 had hardly lifted the instrument, an enemy bullet broke it. This welcome was not pleasant; however, I went away the some evening. After supper-1 took my platoon to make some common trenches. I am rather careless to the dum-dums bursting all around me.

3rd September, Thursday. Nothing worth recording.

"4th September, Friday.—Thero are always enemy aeroplanes above us. Onr nrtillcry is shelling them, but without result. Bombs dropped from the aeroplanes cause great damage. The men have left everything to God and are e:rpecting to bo killed every moment Altar the flying of the ojiemy aeroplanes, four ol the warships, loft of Komikli Bunm, begun an unprecedented uombardment on our back trenches. In the meantime, enemy machine guns 'tiring l'i;om trenches only 30 metres <iway deprive us ot" many of our dear comrades. My ears are deafened; the ships coav;d firing; "with fixed bayonets Ave are waiting for the enemy's attack. oth September. Saturday.—Our men will take the trenches to-day. I saw that our part was safer than fJie others. I because, while on the right the opposite trenches are almost touching each other, our distance is about 150 metres."