TATTERED AND TORN.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 226, 17 June 1915, Page 8

TATTERED AND TORN.

INVADERS’ GREAT LANDING. TURKS RUN LIKE HARES. Th e majesty of war was experienced by the Australians when they reached Lemnos Island. Writing- to a Sydney friend, Charlie of the'Wellington (N.Z.) Infantry, says: “The scene in the harbour was wonderful. Over 100 transports were there, carrying Sritsh, Colonial, and French troops,and rvory branch of the navy was also reseaplanes, observation balloons, 'supply ships, submarines, ■ destroyers, and battleships. The Queen Elizabeth was the main attraction. “W s (the New Zealand and Australian Division) were to land on Sunday afternoon, and, leaving Lemnos at G o’clock in the morning, we passed the point of Gallipoli, where wo saw the magnificent spectacle of a bombardment by tile Allied Fleet of the Turkish positions. British troops were going ashore under their covering fire. Early in the afternoon we anchored in a small bay, surrounded by ridges, be highest of which, 900 ft above sea level, had earlier in the day been sealed by the Australian boys. We •could see them still fighting hard. We -vore net taken ashore until Monday morning and being in reserve we had c dig ourselves, in as protection from dirapnel. Then we learned what a Deception the Australians had received. “They loft the transports at 6 a.m., ind the Turks opened fire on them immediately, with such effect that many were dead while t,hey were still in deep water. The warships had been sweeping the hillsides for hours previously, but the Turks were in strong force ; and they had prepared for this movement for months. They were wait ing at the water’s edge, but the Australians fixed their bayonets and when in a few feet of water jumped overboard and charged. In a quarter of an hour th e Turks were routed, and the first ridge had been gained, but not without sorry losses. We saw the remnants of some battalions, tattered and torn, and we could not help admiring them for the wonderful work they had done.” '

The bombardment of the warships was described by Private Crispin as terrific. He said a shell from “Queen Hizzi*” made the whole hillside quake and shook the soldiers as though they were shivering. “We relieved a regiment on the left flank,” said ' Crispin, “and w-e were jolly soon taking part in a bayonet charge Over thick scrub country, in which it was impossible to see more than fifteen yards ahead. The Turks ran before us like hares. W-e gained. 600 yards by one charge, but forty of us were cut off. and bullets not only | came through the scrub ahead of us, but we were sniped at from behind. In a few minutes only a dozen of us remained untouched > and when I was considering myself immune, I felt a pain in my leg and recognised that I had been hit. In the end our officers decided to retire, and I crawled 600 yards for stretcher bearers, while bullets whizzed by on all sides. The Turks used explosive bullets that made awful wounds'. The evening I was taken to hospital sixteen dead were buried at sea. I’m satisfied my hick Is rotten. I trained for eight months, and was knocked out after eight months

and was -knocked out after fighting for five hours?"