THE FIGHTING ON GALLIPOLI.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1450, 23 September 1915, Page 4

THE FIGHTING ON GALLIPOLI.

THE DAILY ROUND

SHELLING AND BOMBING,

TRENCH WARFARE AMONG THE HILLS.

(From Malcolm Ross, War Correspondent with the New Zealand Forces.)

20th July,

On the 16th July further repairs were made to the trenches at Courtney’s Post. At 7.30 p.m. the enemy was heard working underground at some distance from our mines. The enemy 5.7 gun again opened fire in the evening, but the shells seemed to fall into Steele’s Post, occupied by the Australians. A Turkish bomb, apparently thrown from a mortar, landed on the left of Pope’s Hill, but did not explode. Heavy bombing look place at Quinn’s between 5.30 and 6,30 a.ra. The enemy were heard digging within a few feet of tunnel, in sap No. —, so a charge of was fired to disturb their proceedings. A Turkish gun from the Chocolate Hills shelled our support trenches at the north-west of Russell’s Top, damaging the parapets, but inflicting only two casualties. On the 17th July, in the early morning, there was constant bombing at Quinn’s. In the evening the enemy 5.7 inch fired a few shots into Courtney’s Post. There were no casualties from this shelling, but slight damage was done to the trenches. In the evening a mine was successfully exploded in front of No. Post at Quinn’s. At Quinn’s our people also bombed the enemy and drew short bursts of rifle fire. At 7.30 p.m. the mountain guns fired three shells into a Turkish machine guu emplacement on “Baby 700,” a high point on the left flank. Our mountain batteries have been doing excellent work. On ißlh July the enemy mountain gun shelled Courtney’s, but did no damage. The engineers exploded a mine in that post which exposed a Turkish trench not hitherto located. From No. —— section a body of enemy infantry, estimated at about a battalion, was seen manoeuvring about the Chocolate Hills, and another party —about one company—was seen marching from Kutchuk Anafatfa to Biyuk Anafarta villages to the north east of our position. Mounted Turkish troops were also seen patrolling in a northerly direction. In Anzac Cove a Taube flew lower than usual, over the position, dropping two bombs, one of which exploded, but did no damage. This bomb, which burst near its base, was pyramidal in form, and made of bronze. It was stated to be of the same type as was recently used in the German raid ou London. On the Sunday morning one of our aeroplanes scouted high over the Turkish position at the back of Anzac Cove. An enemy gun on two occasions burst shrapnel under her, but she was much too high to be'bit by these guns. We had the usual shelling of the beach, and a mortar dropped a few 11 inch shells into our gully. The shell was a round one. Apparently both mortar and shell were of an old pattern, but the shell had evidently been filled with a high explosive, for it burst with a loud report, and chunks of blackened iron were thrown aboutOne fragment went through the roof of a man’s dug-out, but the occupant, who was sitting outside, only three or four yards away, escaped injury. The exploding of these shells made a disconcerting noise, but they hit no one, and did no damage. Some of the batheis on the beach were not so fortunate in the shelling from the other grape, but the moment the shelling ceased the bathing was resumed. It is a great factor in the health of the Army Corps, and is no doubt worth all the risk.

To-day, Monday, 19th July, we can hear the booming of the guns at Achi Baba. Opposite our bay the balloon is up, and a cruiser and two monitors are planting shells from tbeir heavy guns on to the mainland at loug range. Thus day by day and night by night we do our daily round. There are rumours of a new Turkish army of 100,000 men making a final effort to drive us into the sea. This is the time of the religious festival of Ramazan —a favourable time to play upon the fanatical feelings ot the Turks. We are all hoping they will attack.