"BAGGED" 200 TURKS

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1916, Page 8

"BAGGED" 200 TURKS

THE CHAMPION SNIPER. "TOO EASY TO BE CALLED SPORT." A graphic account of the wonderful work of an Australian marksman on the Gallipoli Peninsula, written by Pri-. vate Frank Reed, another Australian, is published in the "Cairo Evening Mail." The Central News correspondent sent the following extracts to the London dailies:— Trooper W. E. Sing may well be termed A'.uhvlia's champion rifle shot, for during the time he war, on Gallipoli he accounted for over 200 Turks. Of course, d-ring enemy attacks he probably shot many more, but as a sniper he knows that over 200 fell, owing to his excellent marksmanship. Sing's snip'ng methods were somewhat similar to those of the Turks; he played tliero at their own grim;, and beat them badly. His "posy" was sc close to the Turkish trenches that 'heir artillery rarely troubled him. Comfortably ensconced in his nest. Sing 'ay with a couple of telescopes focussed on likely places. An oflieer lay near with another telescope. So afraid were the Turks of these unlucky spots that the patient sniper often lay a whole day without getting a glimpse of the enemy. On other days the Turks (new troops, probably) looked for trouble. They walked boldly into view at a bare 500 yards, and Sing, as he toppled them over, exclaimed, "It's too easy to be called sport."

"SPOTTED" BY THE TURKS. At first the enemy had not the slightest idea whence the death-dealing bullets came. Often Sing would bag a Turk, and the enemy would blaze furiously at some of our loopholes a hundred yards away. But after a time they located him, and the sandbags and bushes around his "posy" were riddled with bullets. On one occasion a bullet found its way through the loophole, badly wounding a sergeant who was observing and slightly wounding Sing. Another sergeant took the telescope, and Sing, after having his wound dressed, resumed his sniping. One day a Turk who knew the dan!gsr spot bobbed up his head for an in- ' st.mt and then disappeared. The impertiubable Sing never moved—just kept ms rilie focussed on ta where he knew the Turk must snow up. A couple of minutes later a head apneared in the sap, then the shoulders, then the chest. There was a sharp crack of the rifle. The Turk threw up his arms and collapsed in an ugly heap. The marker notched another to Billy Sing. A well-known general once crawled up into Sing's "posy" to observe for hint. Sing was in a bad mood, for it was blowing hard and he had missed a man—actually missed a man at 200 yards! "I'll have to start and learn shooting again," he said disgustedly. Just then a hat showed on a parapet ")00 yards off. Once more Sing sighted and waited. Soon a head and Sing pulled the trigger. As he fired two things happened. A gust of wind blew strongly across the valley, and the keeneyed Australian knew that it would deflect his bullet at least a foot to the right. He swore softly to himself, but as he fired another Turk poked up his head right next to the first one and received the bullet fair in the face. "1 say, sir," said Sing, "I'm awfully sorry for that poor old Turk. I never meant to hit him. I wanted the other chap. I don't think I'l count him." At first the Turks feared the Australian bayonets and called us "the Mad White fJbiirkas." Later on they feared our bullets, and called us other''nasty names. Rut we didn't mind, and Billy Sing didn't mind.