ON GALLIPOLI.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1922, Page 7

ON GALLIPOLI.

TENSE INCIDENT OF CRISIS. AN ACCIDENTAL SHOT. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London. Nov. 5. General Hughes, director of works on the Imperial graves commission, has arrived from Chanak. He gives an interesting account of the tenseness of 'the situation during the late' Gallipoli crisis, while the Turks were lounging against the wire testing its strength and examining the defences. A British roldier accidentally discharged a rifle, and the Turks, believing this meant the commencement of hostilities, fled helter-skelter. A raw English second lieutenant, horrified by the responsibility resting upon his shoulders, leapt the wires and dashed after the Turks, who, apparently thinking he was leading a charge, made the pace hotter. Finally a small corpulent Turk tripped the lieutenant, grabbed and held him till an interpreter arrived, who explained the situation, with the result that there was much rejoicing and salaaming all round. The Australians, under General Hughes, undertook the blowing up of old Turkish ammunition dumps left from the big war. These consisted of shells guarded by small parties of Turke. The deetruction was done in a typical Australian way. Driving up to the dump in a car, the demolition party, without parleying or explanation, would order the guards to hide, which they did with alacrity. Then the Australians would pour half-a-dozen tins of petrol on the dump, which blew sky-high. The explosions marvellously assisted the evacuation of civilians, who previously were ipt movable without interminable bickerings. General Hughes explains that the brigands who, according to recently cabled reports, attacked the workmen of the Graves Commissions, were subsequently captured by the Australians. He states that excellent progress is being made with the graves work.