FIGHTING AT THE DARDANELLES

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 11 December 1915, Page 3

FIGHTING AT THE DARDANELLES

THE CAMPAIGN ON GALLIPOLI,

A BREAK IN THE WEATHER PREPARIG FOE WINTER CAM

PAIGN.

NOTES FROM A DIARY

(From Malcolm Boss, Official War Corresonpdenc with tlic N.Z. Forces.)

llth October, 1913 Up to the end of last month the troops operating on the Gallipoli Peninsula have enjoyed an almost uninterrupted spell of fine weather- ■ clear, cloudless days, with a hot sun, J and warm nights. But the heat has been enervating, and the plague of flies that worries a cooped-up armyno matter how excellent the sanitary precautions may have been—combined with the necessarily sameness of die*, have caused a good deal of sickness and a general lassitude that was becoming more noticeable as the weeks crept past. Now, at last, the weather shows signs of breaking. Already ew have had some thunderstorms and a few cool days; certainly cooler nights. The change is rather a welcome one, epecially to the New Zealanders 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 of the average soldier. We have been warned to dread the weather, but on the whole the late autumn and the first month or two of winter will be preferable to the heat of an acrid summer cooped up in a deep, narrow trench, with no view to speak of, and, as a rule, not even a Turk's head in sight, or marching along the dusty, windng saps—from which the scenery as equally s undiscoverable—one often felt as if the end of Time had . arrived, and as if there were no longer any pleasant spots on earth. But with the cooler weather a change is coming over the scene, and, while dreading the worst, Ave hope for the best. The winter will no doubt bring its own troubles, but we shall at lease be rid of the flies, and of diarrhoea and dysentery, we hope. For the rest, we shall be largely dependena upon the state of the seas, but probably the Navy and the merchant, marine which have planted us hero still sec to it that, come storm or come shine, we shall not lack for munitions and supplies. This granted, we should more than hold our own against the Turks.

Already preparations for "winter may be observed in every quarter. The French—thoroughly imbued with one of the greatest of Napoleon's maxims —have already made themselves fairly comfortable at Helles. In the confined spaces which ' the Australians and New Zealanders occupy further north the problem is a more difficult one, but it is being taken in hand, and will no doubt be grappled with determinedly. The Engineers have already been at work, and saps and trenches are being scientifically drain-

ed. The trenches also are being im

' proved from what may be termed the domestic point of view, and the dugj outs back of the trendies are like--1 wise receiving attention. We have already had two or three rains of short duration, but the scored corries i and the scarped hillsides tell us only too plainly that Ave must be prepared for something worse if Ave are to occupy our present position during the rainy season. On the flat land which the British occupy at Helles, ant? also at Suvla, the draining of trenches will not be so easy, but it cannot be nearly so bad as it was 'in France last winter. The Turk, everyAvhere looking down, upon us from higher ground, has the advantage, and a further advantage is that he has a considerable area behind his lines throughout which he can choose sites for camps and vary his lines of j communication to meet local conditions. But even in his case a winter campaign will have its drawbacks, and he, like ourselves, cannot be enamoured of the prospect.

DIARY OF A TURKISH CADET. 'The folloAving extracts from the diary of an under-officer (cadet) have been received by the General Staff, and contain interesting information. The "sound of the guns" heard on 27th August owuld be the firing in connection with the attack on Kaiajik Aghala and Knoll 00, and the cadet no doubt took some part in the subsecjuent fighting in that area. "24th August, Monday.—At Ououn Kepupru. We will remain here until evening. We are about 200, tnc maority ghazi, even some of the men have not yet their AA'onnds healed and they are gallants avlio run to avenge. "25 August, Tuesday.—Early in the morning we left Ouzoun Keupru for Kara Pinar On the road there are special arrangements for water, so we could mach-easily. We reached Kara Pinar in six hours instead of seevn and a half. This is a Christian village, and the laziness of the inhabitants is understood from the fertile but uncultivated ground. We camped at Pakhship. "26th August, Weeniesday.—When 1 I started for Keshan it Avas full day. Keshan is in ruins after the Balkan War, but the Government is land AA'orkiig. ! "27th August, Thursday.—We hear the noise of the guns. We left for Yerli Sou. Tehavroz is quite a high mountain. Kouson Dagh is in front of us. We march for long hours and I I was very much tired; they do the journey between here and Bulair, on account of the possible danger, by night. We followed the course of Bulair forts; they have evacuated Bulair because it is a target for the enemy. There is only an Islam coffee house, Avhcre we had tea. Early in the morning Ave left for Gallipoli. The roads are very regular. After three hours Ave were at Gallipoli. As there has been some bombardment here they have evacuated the city, but is everywhere full of troops. "29th August, Saturday. —I left Galliopli to camp in the night at Bair { Keuy. j

I "30th August, Sunday. Before sunrise we marched towards Ulghar Dere. Here the men had dinner and supper; they were also given two days' rations and were separated for different units. "olst August, Monday.— Left wing of Kemikli Burnu group of Anafartas. I pass the night near the stores of our regiment about half-an-hour back of firing-line. I saw the regiment commander. I was sent to the 7th Company. "Ist September, Tuesday. There was a continuous artillery battle today. I took command of the 2nd platoon. The regularity I 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 the firing-line with the commander of the Ist platoon. I was desiring to see the enemy from a shorter distance. I as rather anxious. There are special instruments to see the enemy without being seen. I had hardly lifted the instrument, an enemy bullet broke it. This welcome Avas not so pleasant; however, I went away the same evening. After supper I took my platoon to make some common trenches. I am rather careless to the dum-dums bursting all , around me. 1 , "3rd September, Thursday.—Nothing worth recording. "4th September, Friday.—There are always enemy aeroplanes above us. Our artillery is shelling them, but without result. Bombs dropped from the aeroplanes cause great damage. The men have left everything to God and are expecting to be killed every moment. After the flying of the enemy aeroplanes, four of the warships, left of Kemikli Burun, began an unprecedented bombardment of our back trenches. In the meantime, enemy march ine-guns firing from trenches only 30 metres away deprive us of many of our dear comrades. My ears are deafened; the ships ceased firing; with fixed bayonets we are Avaiting for the enemy's attack. "sth September, Saturday. Our men will take the trenches to-day. I saAv that our part was safer than the others, because, while on the right the opposite trenches are almost touching each other, our distance is about 150 metres."

I IN ENGLAND'S NEED. THE OVERSEAS DOMINIONS i HELP. STRIKING TRIBUTE BY LORD LANSDOWNE. Recived December 9, 7.10 p.m. LONDON, December 8. Lord Lansdowne in a strikingspeech at a meeting of the Red Cross and St. John's Ambulance Societies when moxing a vote of thanks to the overseas Dominions for their splendid help in response to the Red! Cross appeal, said: Their magnificent contribution of over £SO JmiiN, lions would prove a power in the alleviation of suffering. Their generosity, which as been tested in the past, had again proved remarkable. When we remembered their many, domestic calls, the lavishnes of the contribution showed the Dominions' confidence in the manner in which) the funds had been administeredThe help from overseas must not be measured by money, because to the great hosts that were fighting the world over, the Dominions had made a magnificent contribution. We used to estimate the British expedtionary from 60,000 to 70,000, but. the posiforce for a European struggle at tiens was now changed. Australia and Canada each had sent IOO\OOO men, who were fighting in the field. South Africa hap: accomplished' it£ ! own brilliant campaign and had then sent contingents to three other theatres of war. New Zealand had given 25,000 men. Not only the numbers, but the quality of the Dominion's! troops had wen admiration in the notable despatches which had recorded their services. Nobody reading General lan Hamilton's account of the landing on the2 Bth April could forget the conduct of the Australians and (New Zealanders. The Dominions had provided a still more valuable esset ni the moral strength supplied by their unstinted support of our cause. More than anything that war, this had strengthened the Emhad happened during this protracted nire in the estimation of the world. President Wilson had complained of a conspiracy of intrigue which pouring poison and disloyalty into the arteries of their national life, but the virus of corruption had ben Innocuous in our great oversea possessions. After the war what the Dominions had done would remain in imperishable leters. "I am convinced," concluded Lord Lansdowne, "that their effect upon the destinies of the Empire will be lasting and incalculably great,"