"SHOOT, SHOOT, SHOOT."

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15338, 23 July 1915, Page 8

"SHOOT, SHOOT, SHOOT."

LIFE ON GAIiLIPOLI PENINSULA.

CORPORAL H. E. MOORE'S EXPERIENCES.

An interesting diary containing glimpses of life at the front has been received by Mrs E. F - Moore, of lliccarton," from her so* l . Corporal H. E Moore] of the Canterbury Infantry Battalion, who is at present lyin c m hospital in -Egypt, suffering from rheumatism after several days' strenuous service in the tiring line. The early pages of the diary deal with events prior to the landing, the day of the landing, and tho immediate subsequent events, details of which have appeared frequently of late in other communications from the front. Further extracts a-re as follows: — "LOOKED LIKE A^iULLATION." On Tuesday, April 27 th, Coryoral Moore writes:—"Wo were informed this morning that tho -New Zealanders had niado a charge and had. captured a large number of Turks. To-day you would think that the whole world was let loose. Tho air was alive with shells, like rain, and made you quite deaf. It is an established fact that our position to-day was so critical that the General was on tho point of orderinc the forces to retire to tho transports and leave everything; it looked like annihilation for us. GERMANS HIDING PLACE. "Friday. April 30th.—Tho firing is not heavy, but intermittent, and by reports the Turks are making a big move, and promise- a night attack "on our left flank. The left flank, where wo are at present, seems to mc to be the weakest- part of our frontage, and U certainly the least defended. Would not bo surprised if this will bo where the first assault will be- made. The whole of the inside of our position ifl full of German snipers, and to this fact we owe a number of our losses. We could not make out where shots were coming from, but by a lucky fluko we discovered that a German officer had secreted himself in a crack on the highest point of our firing line. He had been, there from the start, and had been largely the means of communicating to the Turks the repoite regarding arrivals, and when and where to shell us. He had quite a little fort on his own, and when pulled out, it was found that he had several crates !of pigeons and boxes of ammunition, also plenty of food. We had seen pigeons about the point, but had no idea where they came from. This man, when hig remains were gathered, had seventeen bullet holes through him. •'Saturday, May Ist.—The Battery, fully horsed, were going into position on our left flank this morning, but were compelled to go back on account of snipers. They were just past an opening, and had not very far to. go to their position, which was prepared for them, when down efimo the bullets. They had to dismount and unhook the horses, but luckily only one man was hit. Tsaw all this through my glasses, and it occurred not more than 700 yards from where I was. Major Loach, who had been out tbig way several times, was passing this point this afternoon, and got shot in the knee by an explosive bullet. "A CUT-THROAT CROWD.* , "Sunday, May 2nd. —Came down, to Field Headquarters with rheumatics, and was put on light duty for a day or two. The 13th New Zealand Company (same battalion as mine) surprised and captured 18 Turks, some of whom were really Germans. I hare charge of them, and they are a cutthroat crowd. They had an observation station on our left flank, and could communicate all our movements. Their station was fitted up with telephones galore, aleo all the switches lor setting off the field mines. The Kvibole of the country for many, miles is a mass of field mines. can pick them up everywhere. "Monday, May 3rd.—Three more prisoners were brought, in at 3.40 a.m. They were found in the trenches, shamming death, but it did not work. At 11 a.m. the prisoners were put on board a ship's boat and towed by a warship's pinnace to a transport. I went in charge of them. On the way over we just missed a huge 12-inch shell fi'om the Dardanelles, and some of the .fragments landed within a few yards of us. We changed course immediately, and had just got a little way when another landed near, and nearly lifted tho boat out of the water; just after this another one came screaming along, and hit a transport about 500 yards from us. However, we managed" to get rid of our. prisoners. On our return wo were shelled with shrapnel from all quarters. It was an anxious time, but we managed to land safely. When we reached shore the rifle firo was extremely heavy, and I ascertained that there were a large numbor of casualties. PRIVATE J. H. AITKEN'S DEATH. "Tuesday, May 4th.—To-night, at 7 o'clock a despatch was received from Headquarters detailing the death of Door old James Homo Aitken ("Jimmy"). There had only been one or two shots fired all day, and "Jimmy" was in one of the most sheltered bomb-proof places imaginable. Hβ was batman to Sir Alexander Godley, so you can imagine that he would be in a sheltered spot. OFF TO ALEXANDRIA. "Thursday, May uth. —Have just landed with the wounded on the Gloucester Casilc, and she is full up; they aio lyinsr in tho Isolds, decks, Iceboats, and everywhere. I tiied to stay at Gallipon Peninsula, but the doctors and Major Row would not hear of it. 1 wanted them to give mc a bandolier to oarrv instead of the equipment, but they said it mi.-iht cripple mc for life- The Major said he was extremely sorry to lobe m ti lor a whwe, but it was the best thing for mc to go to Alexandria. ■ „ -- ... . "Friday, Alny 7th. —Lett Galhpoli I Peninsula at 8 a.m. Boat etopped at 9 a.m to bury seven dead, who died :-ineo last ni"lit. Seven v,cr<: also buried just prior. The boat stop s tor j about a quarter of an hour, and tlmy i are shot over tno stern \o their last resting-place. . ~., T , "Saturday, Ibv I woke Op this morning" could not mov e aa arm for some time. Ihero is no doubt that my 'settlor' was the nr.st tnreo days in'the firing lino. v-o were practically lyiii" in water. It was very cold, and I had no overcoat or anytfun c but 250 rounds of ammunition, a haversack water-bottle, and bwuits. The fire wa; so hot that one had no time to eat or drink. It was only snoot, shoot, shoot." ALADDIN'S PALACE. Describing tho hospital he « m, the Casino Palace at HeHoi»'i= .Corporal Moore sav b :—The Casino >,alac o Hosnital was 'built by the late King of Beleium as a-Monte Carlo, but after it was finished he could not get a license. It is the most magnificent building you could imagine- All we columns are of polished marble, and tuo wall paper of silk. The V ,u,l on?7irn lone "'* no less a sum than f f>-0 so y/ju «an imagine what it is like, witn itsi nnumerable lifts, gold-fitted electric lights, and broad pia^ 233 -