SHRIEKING SHELLS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 39, 15 October 1915, Page 2

SHRIEKING SHELLS.

AUSTRAL.iAN LINERS THHILLj INC EXPERIENCE. HIT THREE 11MES. “Morning;, noon, ami night, the ship wag under Lire; shells shrieking all over and around us three times in one {day. We moved trying to avoid being struck.” Tim above is an extract from a letter from Captain \N . I >■ Prentice, of the F. and S. liner Wiltshire. The Wiltshire called at the Dardanelles, and it was there that she passed through her thrilling experience. The captain writes : “We left Avonmouth on July 12 (with 1445 tons of cargo for Melbourne and 1923 tons for Sydney). Alter calling at Gibraltar and Malta we arrived at Alexandria, and received orders tor Mudros Bay, Isle of Lemnos, then to Kephalo Bay, Isle of Imbros. From here we proceeded to Suvla Bay, Gallipoli. The landing here had only been effected, and consequently lor eight days we were under severe shell lire from the enemies’ guns. At 6 a.m. on August 11. a German Taube came over, and did its best to drop bombs on ns; the last one missing us by a few feet, and exploding with terrific force. It was eventually driven off by our warships opening lire on him. “The eigi t days we were there we were continually shifting the ship round the bay to avoiTT the shells; we could not move outside the nets, as submarines were lying in wait lor us. “On August 16, we were again under lire, shells raining all round us, and were hit three times. The first one entered the starboard gallery door, smashing through a deep irame, completely wrecking the saloon hat. and doing considerable damage to the starboard side of the saloon. The second one sf atek the port side ot the navigating bridge and doing damage there. The third one passed through one of the lifeboats. Fortunately, only one man was slightly wounded. On August 17, morning, noon, and evening the ship was under liie. On the 18th, noon, being still under tiro, the Admiral hoisted signals, ordering us away to Kephalo Bay, as the enemy, he thought, were making a special target of the Wiltshire owing to her size. We were escorted by two destroyers, and arrived safely. The change after being under fire for eight days'was greatly appreciated by all on hoard. “On August 21, we were ordered to Mudros, leaving again the same day for Alexandria, still having on hoard stores, etc. belonging to the troops, which we were unable to land at Suvla Bay. We were certainly not sorry to leave the place, for what with being shelled from the shore, bombed irom the sky. and submarines awaiting, us, our time w is none too pleasant, “After having Alexandria, we called at Port Said and Suez; thence proceeding to Australia.”