HOURS OF CALM

Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1915, Page 4

HOURS OF CALM

TORTURING THE TURK, BAYONET ATTACK FEIGNED. "The stern realities of war,' says Sergeant E. W. Clarson, of the No. 3 New Zealand Battery, "are impressed upon us, and it surprises me to note how casual or callous one can get. Here a man dies, and all that is said is, 'Poor chap,' and we bury him. It's no use worrying. You finish one day safely with'best hopes for the next. You get used to shells and bullets whistling, and unless ■ they come uncomfortably near, you take no notice. While, of course, we have our periodical times of anxiety und worry, 1 am sure we all do not forget the continued anxiety of our mothers and loved ones away in: New Zealand. Your anxiety is continual. Ours comes and goes, and between times we have periods of peace—peaceful days or glorious evenings, the best part of the day here,, when a great calm settles over us; and then I think how happy would all be if 3'ou could see ns, safe and well, in those hours of calm.

"As regards Mr. Turk, when we do make ago for him—we give him a lively time. His casualties are very heavy, and I should not be surprised to see him throw in his hand at any time' now. If the Greeks are for war, as they'se'em to be, they should soon be with us. We have been here nearly'three months, and we hear rumours of being relieved and going for a spell. However, unless the Turks give in, I don't think there is any chance of relief until, at any rate, Achi Baba hill has been taken at this end. We heard that during our last attack, when the Turks retreated before the French attack, the German gunners trained their owii artillery on the poor devils of Turks, who thus got two doses of gruelling shrapnel—ours and theirs. Their casualties were very heavy. , .

| A Turkish captain, captured two days ago, says his men have bombs of asphyxiating gas as well as apparatus for pumping liquid fire. We all have respirators—have had them for three weeks now. The Turks are truly in German bands, and the day cannot now be far distant that will see the overthrow of the German influence in Turkey." lii another letter, written a week or so later, he says-.—"Two days ago we got word of the Turks being routed in the Persian Gulf, and of their hurried retreat. Our infantry in the trenches, at 4 p.m., all along the line, made a demonstration by tiring their rifles and shouting out 'Fix bayonets,' and cheered loudly. The Turks went mad for a quarter of an hour, thinking we were going to make an attack. They fired wildly, artillery and all. However, all was soon quiet again. A sergeant of the King's Own .Scottish Borderers said: 'Xow, we'll let them know what it was all about,' and hurtled over a note to Mr, Turk, telling him the reason of our jubilation."