ON GALLIPOLI.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15356, 13 August 1915, Page 8

ON GALLIPOLI.

WORK WITH THE BAYONET.

" MORE OF A PICNIC."

IMPRESSIONS OF A CHARGE. exciting and memorable. (specially weittex for "the press.") (By a Member of the Canterbury Battalion.) June 21. By this time practically every New Zealander has figured in & bayonet charge, and the prowess of the colonial troops behind the steel is quite well known. Bayonet charging has often been the deciding point in great battles, and victory or otherwise often depends upon the dexterity with which the steel 'can be handled. Plenty of "ginger" is needed, and the British j "Tommy" has always been a force to be reckoned with, in fact,, close bayonet fighting seems to suit the Britisher to a "T." Ho loves to get to "holts" with his adversary. This long artillery duelling • and rifle fire ore all very well in their way, but do not givo tho "Tommy" the chance to shine in a department in which ho is such an expert. In this style of fighting he excels, and he knows it. To prove that -it is not altogether due to tho training he receives, it may bo mentioned that his younger brothers, the Canadians, Australians, and New Zealanders. all inherit the same love for the bayonet. Before we ever saw a shrapnel burst we had done a lot of practico. at bayonet fighting, and* had learnt thoroughly tho art of manipulating tho "first point," "second parry," etc., etc., and had realised what an awful thing a bayonet charge must be. Tho thought of the huge knife penetrating the body sent a cold shiver down one's spine, and wo were all of opinion that we would sooner face anything than a bayonet charge. The thought of sticking a bayonet even into a German was, to 6ay the least of it, a trifle repulsive. WAITING TO CHARGE.

A bayonet charge reads all right, and one conjures up visions of yards of cold steel, propelled by a thousand huge redrcoated individuals usually wearing kilts. The glorious charge of the London Scottish and tho Canadians can be only faintly imagined, and until one has taken part in a "gallop," as it is called out here, one has a very poor idea of tho sensation one goes through. In fact, after the thing is over it is difficult to tell exactly what it is like, but it can bo truthfully 6aid that it is at least exciting. Ono will never forget his first bayonet charge, however, if he lives to bo a hundred. When tho troops aro goins to charge they do not get up on the top of tho trenches and inform the world at largo that they aro going to charge. No I Perhaps the whole regiment will bo enjoying itself as best it can in a foot-and-a-half wide trench, pipes will be going strong, and men will be telling stories. Then tho word will come along that; there is going to be "work" shortly, and a fellow will stop in his story and pass the word along, and immediately revert to his tale. Perhaps tho timo of the "work" will be given, and the signal which one may expect. Nothing out of tho ordinary happens, however, for perhaps hours, when an order which is hardly audible is sent along from ono to another to get ready. Even-thing is dono in almost absolute silence, and the men crouch tin their trenches waiting for tho signal. Perhaps tho enemy will get an inkling as to our intentions, and will pepper tho trenches for all they arc worth, and. then things are only half interesting. i

AT WORK WITH THE BAYONET.. But the chargo must bo made, and at a given signal thousands of khaki figures will spring apparently out of the earth, for a few minutes all the hideous noises on earth rend tha air. Thero is no waiting now. Tliu enemy's machine-guns get busy, and these aro tho weapons that cause most of the damage, as thpy spit out bullets at tho rate of 600 per minute. Shrapnel is bursting, while the rifle fire and hand grenades are also doing deadly work. But once in tho face of the fire nothing appears to worry tho charging mass. If a bullet is going to hit you then you aro simply just going to be hit, and nothing will prevent it. So you just press on in a kind of a mad rush. You havo faint impressions of men being shot down right closc to you, but others fill their places, and when you have dispersed the enemy from hiis position your line appears as strong and numerous as ever. You at once "dig in" and prepare new trenches, and this work is dono with feverish haste, for you know that there is a big chanco of the enemy launching a counter-attack. Every man is working at top speed, and this is the only time when undue excitement is shown. It is also a period when great heroism is shown in the rescue of the wounded men. As soon as the enemy have reformed and reorganised they will attack the trenches they havo just evacuated. They chatter liko so many monkeys, and one can usually tell when they intend to make an attack.

RECKLESS AUSTRALIANS. Presently you hear, "Here they come, boys!" and in the semi-darkness you see dim figures approaching. Then tho fun commences in real earnest, for there is nothing quite so exciting as repelling a Turkish charge. But men are liable to get over reckless, and 1 have seen Australians right on the top of then* trenches taking quite unnecessary risks. They tell you the shooting is good, and "that it's jolly good sport, it is seldom that the Turks cause us to evacuate trenches. When tho light is all over you realise that it is not the game it is cracked up to be. A little success is a dangerous thing, and a certain crowd of Australians found out this to their cost. They were not among the first lauding party, but they had evidently heard of the prowes s of their own men, and therefore they imagined thev could do the same,' with the result that they were badly cut up. It was an expensive lesson, but it was certainly effective. THE JOY OF MAILS. Now that the boys have entered into the game, we sincerely hope that their relatives in New Zealand will write as regularly as formerly. A good mail service has been organised, and we receive letters as regularly as we did when at Zeitoun. Just fancy how cheerful a fellow fells when, after a week in the trenches, he receives a letter from "Home, Sweet Home"! The boys do not forget their friends, whatever the conditions, and they do like to hear about everything that is happening at homo. It is a common thing for a fellow to read over his letters hurriedly, and then, when m the trenches, open them again and read them over half a dozen times ; and keep them until the next mail arrives, when they arc replaced by the later ones. Newspapers are alwuys welcomed, and on mail day the "Weekly Press" may be seen everywhere. Tho English boyß are greatly interested in the conditions of life in the colonies, and people in Christchurch cannot do. better than send lots of Christmas numbers to us. Even if we get two or three each we can put them to good use by giving them to our "Tommy" friends, who will learn just what kind of a country we live in*. ADVERTISING NEW ZEALAND. I am sure that this is the best time of all to advertise oar grand little

country, so send as many , weekly papers and special numbers as y°u ,lke - »*o have been doing our best to persuade these men to pay Now Zealand a visit, and I am sure thero will bo a general ru6h out that way after the war. Many of them think we are joking when wo talk of tho free, open life we lead, and . when the wages are mentioned, well, they just won t believe it_ A hey cannot understand why New Zealand puts in tho field such rattling football teams, but wo tell them that, ■unlike their own country, every man is given an opportunity of ploying the game on Saturdays, and that every bov learns football* beforo lie overcomes the difficulties of learning the alphabet. Ihey want to know if we do not w< jrk on Saturdays, and the universal lialf-hoh-dav strikes them as a magnificent idea. A 'friend of mine sent mo some views of Christchurch tho other day, and though they were very old (111 fact, one view shows Cathedral square and tho old liorso trams), these men wondered that wo had such 'inildinsrs as the Cathedral and Post Office \ cry littlo is known of New Zealand, and ; it is up to our people at home to mve us a hand in educating our English brethren. A PLEA FOR COMFORTS. And do not forget that just now we appreciate very many things that our people can send us. Cigarette smoking is allegedly very bad for the health, but so are bullets, and one might, as well be killed by cigarettes as flying lumps of lead. Smoking certainly soothes tho nerves, and you can Imagino that wo want soothing occasionally. One wears out lots of pairs of socks during a campaign, so you can all got to work with the knitting needles and do your best. Chocolates, well, chocolates aro liked by cvory soldier, and it's so nico to hand them along the trench and tell the boys that Miss So-and-So has sent them to you, or that your sistor thought that some of the lads might like one, "if yon do not eat them all yourself." Just like a sister, isn't it? Many of tho men have been writing such a lot of letters totheir friends, that they aro running short of paper and envelopes. Now, a very nice present to give any of your friends, say, for a birthday present, is a fountain pen, but the majority aro well content to write in lead-pen-cil, and their friends take lots of time attempting to read tho somewhat vague and badly-written manuscriptThere are lots of things people can send along, such as soap (wo are always in need of it). You would say so, too, if you could only see us. A spare towel would como in handy, tooth-naste cannot bo bought just yet on the Peninsula. but wo will pet some when we get to Constantinople, and the same anplias to shaving soap. I do not know whether wo will ever pet any Keating's. We'd give lots of money for a few tins of something of kind, but it must be a brand that will kill extraordinarily big ones, as we hnvo not had a change of uniform for about three months.

AX ARTILLFRY OFFICER'S LETTER. Lieut. Wickens, of tho New Zealand Artillery, writing under date June 21st to his people in Christehurch says:— Sinco tho Triumph was torpedoed, the warships have all left, and wo have gofc tho show on our own nowadays. One of these days I expect they will appear again, and the fun will commcnec once more. Wo are all dug in underground, and as safe as a bank. In fact, it is more of a i)icnic than a <rar at present. Wo have got a fine system of trenches dug between tho guns now, and there is no necessity for anyone to expose himself above the ground _at all. Of course, when wo arc firing there is a certain amount of risk shouLd a shell happen to hit the gun, but our experience of Turkish gunners shows that the gun itself is probably tho safest place, as they seem to hit everything but the gun. Ono amusing thing here. One of tho gun detachments has gathered up all tho Turkish shells which have hit their gun cmpaulment numbering seven, and with the aid of a small Dutch cheese they play skittles. Another thing which rather amuses us is that down on the beach they are building a small wharf, and for a oilo driver they use a Turkish 9in shell, which failed to explode. It is a huge thing, standing nearly two feet high. Tbev emptied the bullets and powder out, filled it with lead, andriggev. It up as a monkey, and. it is doing nne work. Probably the Turks will fail to sec the humour of the thing. Living is certainly improving these days. Wo now get an issuo of fresh meat twico a week, also an issue of bread every other day. Add to that a number of tinned stores, which we managed to get from one of the ships, and you can imagine that, wo have been having some ereat feeds. Tho flics are hero in millions, and Egypt was heaven to this placo in this' respect.

BRAVE SOLDIER'S DEATH.

A COMRADE'S TRIBUTE. The following letter from Private A. E. Cookson has been received by the parents of tho late Private Hereward Hopkins, of Belfast, who was killed in a bayonet charge during fierce fighting upon the Gallipoli Peninsula ou May Bth: — I mero a Christchurch chap, who told j m G something about Harry, iieuce this letter. I was down on tne beach on fatigue, and met Jim Keith. Harry knew his people in Christchurch, and met him in Zeitoun. He belonged to the Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps, and is a jolly good sort, and was greatly attached to Harry, as all were who knew him. Ho told me that on tho day Harry was killed, ho was recommended for a commission and the D.S.O. His lieutenant, Mr Hamilton, said ho would make a fin© officer; ho was so absolutely fearless, would stop at nothing, and had a fino way of handling men put in his charge. I knew • while in Egypt that Mr Hamilton thought a lot of him. becauso I sometimes had a yarn with him. That same night Harry was killed. I am glad to bo given the chance to tell you this, and I am proud that Harry was my friend, and though we all feel his loss keenly we' should be proud that ho did honour to his native land. As I look up the gully in which he met hi s death, I can see tho scene again, and picture him charjring up the hill while the bullets whistled round him, regardless of all danger, and on 1 } 7 intent on doing his duty.

LOOKING AFTER THE HORSES

A driver in the Army Service Corps, who went* away with the Fourth Reinforcements, writing to a friend in Christchurch from Zeitoun Camp under date of June 21st, says:— Wc disembarked at Port Suez and came across the desert by train to Cairo. The infantry went on to the Dardanelles immediately, but the Army Service Corps has been here ever since. Wo are going to Alexandria in about two weeks. We cannot work our horses very much yet, as it takes them some time to get over the long sea voyage. We left 12 out of 54 horses in the Red Sea —the heat killed them. All the horses that havo come from New Zealand and Australia are in camp here. A few of the wounded men out of cach squadron are hero to look after the horses—the others are in the thick of it at the Dardanelles as infantry.

APPEAL TO FOOTBALLERS.

"STRIP AND GET INTO IT." STRAIGHT TALK FROM WELL. KNOWN PLAYER. Some very straight talking to footbailers and football "barrackers" who have not enlisted, with a forcible appeal to them to hurry up and do so, is conveyed in a letter received by a member of the Canterbury Rugby Union from Major B. Jordan, the well-known Albion and Canterbury representative footballer, who is acting second ia command of the Canterbury Infantry Battalion at the front. Xho letter was read to the members of the Management Committee of the Canterbury Rughy Union last night. In it Major Jordan says:— '*1 must say 1 eritirelv agreo "with you that lots more footballers might very well be with taking part in this, tho greatest of all games. Long ere this, I'm thinking many in New Zealand will bo mourning the loss of many of the best of our boys—mav the pride that they must feel in the splendid courage shown by tho6e who have gone from us comfort them somewhat in their sorrow. And what of tho footballers and spectators who have not yet volunteered; especially thoso who have played with or against thoso paiticularly fine comrades who went under during the 'first quarter'? Aro they pressing forward to take their places in this team of ours? I wonder! Or does their comradeship end at the door of tho recruiting office? I here s plenty of room for cmergencv players here, for both 'forwards' and backs.' Let's hopo they'll provo themselves 'forwards,' and plcntv of places offering for those 'standing on tho bank and cheering.' Let them strip and get into it, there's no limit to the number of players in this team. The whistle of the bullet is sweeter by far than that of tho referee, and for a goallino tvo strive to 'touch-down' in tho enemy' 6 trenches."

LIFE IN THE TRENCHES A HUGE RABBIT WARREN. An old boy of Christ's College, with tho A Company, Ist (Canterbury) Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, writing to his parents in Christchurch from Gallipoli Peninsula, under dates Juno 19th, 20th, and 27th, says:— June 19th. —I am writing this letter in tho trenches, to which we returned this moaning. My brother is now in the battalion signallers, as telephone operator, and assists Sergeant-Major Crampton. Wo havo twenty-four hours in the trenches, with little or no sleep, particularly at nights, and twenty-four hours out of them, most of which is spent in making up for lost, sleep. We got eight days of this and then aro relieved for eight days' rest. It is strange work fighting an invisiblo enemy, and I suppose it appears the same to him. All our observation at night is done by means of periscopes, in which wo can observo the country for miles without exposing oneself. The "weather is very hot at times, but I am located in a bombproof shelter, which is cool by day and warm by night. Tho climate is absolutely perfect, with very' little rain, only a few showers sinco wo landed on the memorable April 25th. I am at present in charge of a trench section, about ouo hundred yards' long, with bomb-proof shelters for tho supports. It is easy work (.when thero is nothing doing), but tbo strain on tho nerves at night is sometimes iVery groat, and on© has to force oneself to keep awake. Juno 26th. —We are having another spell out of tho trenches sinco I last wrote, and by way of a change, roadmaking is part of our "rest-cure." Our weekly issuo of cigarettcs and matches has just arrived, which the men aro always glad to get. I hav 0 recently received a parcel of socks from Christchurch, which aro very acceptable, as days and nights often pass by witnont taking our boots off, so you may imagine what a comfort it is to put on a clean pair of socks. June 27th. —It is Sunday to-day, and tho weather is perfect. The sea below is like a mill-pond, and in the distanco can be seen tho Bulgarian coast, tho atmosphere is so clear; whilst two largo islands are not very far off. Away to the right of us there is. a large plain dotted with trees, and m the same direction runs a long, white strip of beach. In tho vallev below an Australian Brigade is bivouacked, and a grove of lemon trees adorns tho hillside, and to complete tho beautiful I scene, a number of ships stand out boldly in all their glory. Altogether, for the time being, it is a very peaceful and beautiful scene, which is only disturbed by occasional shrapnel from the enemy's lines on to the bench. The hillside is a veritable huge, rabbit war- , ren. with the due-outs, but the-conies aro all two-legged, of course, and tho occupants are usually in pairs of tho same sex.

SHRAPNEL EVERYWHERE.

MEN HIT WHILE WRITING LETTERS. "We aro having great weather here, and rain seems to have left us for 6omo time," remarks Private Aubrey Johnson, Canterbury Infantry Battalion, in a letter to his father, dated Juno 25th. "Tho climatic conditions aro the samo hcro as in New Zealand in tho summer, excepting that tho nights are ttot quit© so warm. Shrapnel is getting worse every day, and or.e shell yesterday got thirteen men and killed two of our own boys, Tozcr and 'Singleton, both from the North Island. Shrapnel js still going, and a six-inch shell has just burst on our dug-out, but no damage has been done so far. Laurie Penlington often/ comes down to have a yarn, and wo have a swim nearly every day, shrapnel permitting. I often see 'Jack' Mansell Here, and ho is looking very well. A chap has just been Jiit in tlio. spino about ten yards away, and has gone to hospital, as it is not too safe hero."

" LIKE FIELD OP DEAD RABBITS."

BODIES OF TURKS DOTTED ABOUT. "War news and operations at the Dardanelles make uninteresting readin E when one is at the scene of operations himself. You know what it is like to go over ground that has been 6hot over before, and rabbits lying about hero and there. Well, that is exactly what these hills here are like, dead inen dotted about. From -where I am now I can see four dead Turks lying in a spaco of a quarter of an acre. 2s"o one bothers to bury them unless an armistice is declared. Last time that happened they buried 2003 Turks, and it was then that they found the bodies of Lionel Parson and 'Freddy' Johnston. Poor old 'Mighty' Hilson has finished his career, too." — Extract from letter of Trooper Bruco Burn. Canterbury Mounted Rifles, to his mother, Mrs Bum, Hereford street.

Stuck up on the roadside miles from anywhere with an engine that simply won't ero, your first regret will bo that vou didn't faithfully read the "Motor Notes." by "Camshaft," in Saturday's "Evenine Nows." Always full of valuable hints and interesting news. *

CEMENTED BY

NEW ZEALAND AND SOLDIERS. In a letter to a friend i n TSinnife Major Waite, D.S.O. (Otago If people realised half the miwill of the poor fellows, here. &nd on' battlefield, there would K no dJSjfff or shirkers at home, and no ply of. howitzers and''shells.: realise war one must see it—Uv® Zealand—through the casualty IffiSIPP wdl get some inkling of the war, but to have helped to bnr»*S ? r'' decomposed rotting bodies is T dreadful experience in a man'i iSfo V'Thanks to our lucky stars they nearly all lurks. The only nation can roaliso what war is to havo lied War stalk thrSSig|pj§ countryside. May that come to New Zealand. • I can never forget the pathv that ran through the AiiritdjEfPlr and New Zealand forces on thb«ljSp|@ memorabio days. In a flash potty prejudice and annoyancea ■pjn.iftj ed into air. A common dangerw-»-«S£ 4'' nion suffering—and the nearnew ono was to death purified everrtoMwSw/* ■ the meek men became heroes, men became gentle and tender, : last our closest friends (and jn'Miw|R3 inp ono does become intimate), had no time for tears. -We. think of th P living—not the 'Irmffi Every man tried to hob hia so here in tlio terrible lust to the enemies of the Empire, a spirit that seems to m 0 will of- the greatest assets to the the great years to come, when welMwS'-'i to reconstruct our plans afresh mon who landed hero on Aprjl SSttirV' 1910, will always ho a better T"florjP|r it. Tam thankful that X wu' vileged to be here. I am time»>tnl—aren't I? Wo about tlieso things here. cheery show —no ono is Vw there isn't time. ;

CURING ENNUI. BOMB-THROWING COMPEITIJ^^^ FIRST PRIZE: TWENTY PACKHfeS OF CIGARETTES. Bombardier F. A. Millar land Field Artillery, late of tery, Christeliurch, writes front as follows:— "Wo (tho battery) wore land on tho day of the assaul££]msE owing to tho nature of tho conn ing no good for field artillery We get ashoro until tho followin» ; Our baptism of firo was Tho landing was effected pontoons, which lmd been mrefflrcJ'tr)! the ships by the steam hear so much about. The eight of these, and as one only take six our aub-soctioi 'hw wait until tho tug cam® back'./^^l^P 1 camo for us about seven night, and wo thon ectofffor About 150 yards from t)m lu>»r»£laßSSp stopped on account • of thn' water, and wo wero informed th»t J s|§||l picquct boat Would tat© us the • WitfflMl tho way, so she moored us with £on||ll| store pontoons and clcarpd out. , .n®B this time jt was getting dark and veinß and wo were anxiously waiting W'ijßßffl pinnace to take its ashoro until at kwSfjmt 8.30 wo gavo up all Hope and down to sleep on a bale of hay woaßpls pinched from "tho next injr all this time stray bullets, whistling down from tho hill* flndftyasj! ping in tho sea all round, most uncomfortable feeling. awoke in tho morning it was to spray from threo shells from the batteries, which had fallen about^&f 1 1 yards away. However, wo very shortly afterwards r j trouble. Wo still wonder hoiitfgipis» fnntry ever succeeded in top of tho hills at all. Life very commonnlaco and consisting chiefly of eating with a walk to tho beach and occasionally. We, the good position on tho top- ujfrjfawiiwfljffl with a bit of a dip in it; :,taatiHg!« position almost dead HB is difficult to get a direct hit^w™" Of course they send- tiniA shrannd:?MKjiß that <loos no danmge/as wo cmpaulments about sft .thick,* head cover of 10 x 3 beams, H on top. Tha latest diversion fan try is a bomb-throwing oompfewtwj jjsll It. is onen to teams, each ftnfl&fj H N.C.0.. and points are awarded|||| team for accuracy, ! tho greatest number thrown in- yffigajjS time. Three different sortsH I are .used: Jam tin, §88 some other sort, of which name. The jam tin bomb ifl of an old tin, cither jam or bully and is packed with all sorts of ends, including gelignite fuse. These are very short range from our trenchef enemy's. The' first priso is packets of cigarettes' and marmalade, and so on, for sooond. tWwM third pr "**-" :

DEPLETED KANJTS. ;'|§

(special to "the ritw*.") ® WELLINGTON"; Augost'lfc-. ; If In a letter which Nursa.BarJw/j or.'' j tho Wellington Hospital ataflF. ittfi Wr | ceived from her brother, Pwate Barrjg ker, of the i>unedin Signalling the writer k All tho gaps in our corp® are,flUj»i|g| now, and'the same spirit tion is on top. But 'ißQgt or coyir mates aro gone —no one"can firtd *n®jsH|||| or how they are, an they are Egypt, Malta, and England. AJBW«||p body friend is a curio indeed. . . ■ »£®gg| Some of the men who havo seen through so far aro a bit .shwton -*!>sjUtg tired, but still full °f spmt.. Many the first woundedfl are well again. Th», wounded now get - and good treatment aboard the, pita! ships, which lie off manv of the first lot Buffered for days and days. As for all we know is that wo once had f*?<Ml¥p||a who aro not here now. Enquiry lends ono more astray, «« er«3W»Eg|i tells 0110 a different tale. We. to rely on New Zealand .lists to_joG|j|||| at the truth of things. ""

SANDBAGS FOR SOLDI£BS,.||

The Minister of Defence' • jiiigflj warded tho following reply to f OoloW® Cossgrovo regarding his sugge(«Hi| that Bov Scouts throughout Dominion should make sandbag# troops at tho front: — "I am in receipt of yours of tbO :_v*j§j instant, in which you state tbat'if-Wffg able material can bo found manufacture of sandbags yoxr will on§R the matter under the notice various Boy Scout districts, andf® the making of the bags in hand.at WW? The question of making sandbags present receiving my attention, flnojlp soon as a decision is arrived at matter it will be made public. MWyj time I have to thank you generous offer of assistance, be readily availed of in the event being found necessarv_ and have bags made in this DominioO. :^« Racegoers are, advised that a very lino range of Field.Glasses Jflfgg 8 power, and made by English and French also i few Ladies' dainty style®jJW mother-oi-pearl. These verv rare now, and we advise «gl| purchase. J. R. Procter, Optician, 400 High street, church. :