FIGHTING IN GALLIPOLI.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 67, 18 November 1915, Page 2

FIGHTING IN GALLIPOLI.

Lance-Corporal Frank Mills, ol the 9th Lancashire Fusiliers, brother ol Mr Jack Mills, of the Empire Hotel, Stratford, in a letter to Ins father, Mr James Mills, of Middleton Hoad, Ileywood, England, from Whitchuren (near Cardiff), where he was in hospital at the beginning of last month, relates his experiences since leaving England on July G. At Alexandria lie saw lus brother, Private S. Mills, ol the l-o th Hat la lion Lancashire Fusiliers. “I noticed a group ol Tommies,” lie writes, “and one of them, who stood with his back to the ship balking, look off his cap. 1 then noticed the first linger ol Ins hand was about half of what it should be, and 1 shouted ‘Sam,’ and a tew minutes afterwards he was on board shaking minds with me and asking me how everybody at home was. . . He

promised to come again the following day, but it was d p.m. when he turned up and informed me he had received orders to go back to the front, and had had difficulty in securing a pass from the ship that was to Lake him back. 1 tried to get permission to go with him for a walk, but was told I should have to parade with the battalion, which was going on a march through the town. 1 therefore had to bid him good-bye, and he went back to his ship. . At Lemnos, whilst we lay in harbor, we noticed another ship drawing towards us, and it was eventually made fast to our ship. Imagine my surprise when 1 saw our Sam again in it. -Next morning 1 left him, and our ship steamed away from the island.”

Lance-Corporal Mills goes on to describe the landing at Gallipoli. “The battalion,” lie writes, “had to force a new landing, and the ship we sailed by had to run ashore. The men jumped in the water and scrambled or swam ashore the best way they could. The colonel was shot in the head, but he kept leading his men on. He died early the next day. A bayonet charge was ordered, and the Turks were driven a great way inland. The next day we drove the Turks further, but the men got so fatigued and thirsty (having no food or water) that we were forced to rest a little while. The officer asked for volunteers to fetch water, so 1 was one who volunteered. Being Lance Corpora] I had to take charge of the party. I carried my rifle and bandolier and left my equipment in the gully. Ou the way I had to leave one fellow; he was shot through the neck and died. We found a pool, and seeing frogs swimming in it I decided if they could live the water was not poisonous, so we filled all the water bottles and set off back. We found the battalion had had to retire a little, and as my equipment was between us and the Turks I had to make a dash for it. I was lucky 1 did not get ‘hit,’ however, in getting ‘it,’ as I was under a terrible fire. We made good progress afterwards. “A few days later 1 had terrible experience. 1 was again with the water party, and on our way back the Turkish snipers got so troublesome we had to take cover until dusk. We started to find our way back then, but lost our way. Eventually we heard some talking going ou, but we were cautious in approaching, and a good job we were, for it was uot the English language when we got close enough to hear. We ‘about-turned’ and a couple of hundred yards away heard the similar ‘Halt, who comes there ’ and a moment later we were in the trench with our friends, all ready with fixed bayonets expecting an attack by the [Turks.

I “Things were very quiet after that until August 21st, when we were informed that a general attack was going to be made. The machine guns opened the firing and the Turks seemed to be expecting it, for they immediately replied with rifle, machine gun and shrapnel. We got the order to fix bayonets and charge. 1 don’t know how I got over the parapet, but I found myself on my feet on the other side, and started off full phlt p;ith the other lads across a long stretch of ground. We were ordered to ‘left incline’ and ‘double.’ It was about 400 yards across, and when very near the Turkish trench I was hit in the chest and the bullet went through, and passed under my arm, left side—a near squeak. I fell, but managed to wriggle out of my equipment, and getting my water bottle, 1 started to wriggle across he ground, and got into a kind of lane leading to our trenches. I crawled up the lane and got in a dugout. Here 1 lay for a couple of hours, and then feeling a little better, 1 managed to get' to the held hospital and was put on a hospital ship.” The letter goes on to tell how LanceCorporal Mills fared later. He was attacked by dysentery and became so weak he had to be sent back to England, where he is doing well. A letter was also received from Private S. Mills, of the 1-5 th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers. He writes that he is “A 1 considering the hardships and hard work which we are undergoing.” At the time of writing he was iu the firing line. He mentions that he had received a parcel from some members of the family, dated June 12th, 1915, which ‘‘had been to nearly all the hospitals iu Egypt and twice here,” and ho adds that he is sony he “can’t send something back, unless they would like a Turk or two ? There are plenty, if they think they would like some.”