TURKS' LAST STAND.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15394, 27 September 1915, Page 8

TURKS' LAST STAND.

FEVERISH PREPARATIONS. DEFENDING CONSTANTINOPLE. Realising fully that the moment, they may be pushed from the European Bide of tho Bosphorus the Ottoman Empire will practically cease to exist, the Turks are feverishly preparing for a last dercnco and a last stand at Constantinople, wrote an American correspondent (Mr Henry Wood) from Turkey last month. At Constantinople it is the firm conviction of the foreign poulation that the Turks will prefer to die there to tho last man rather than submit to the fate of being pushed back to the rank of a second or third-class Asiatic nation.

With every possible defence to the city from the side of the Dardanelles and the Gallipoli Peninsula now perfected to the highest degree to which combined Turkisii and German genius has been able to bring it, the \onng Turks have hastily turned their attention to the two other vulnerablo points that remain. These are. the possibility of a Russian descent on that city from the north, following a landing on tho Black Sea coast, and an attack from the rear across tho fortifications of Adrianople, Lulu Burgas, and the Chatalja line. North of Constantinople now the two triangles formed on the east and west of the Bosphorus by the entranco of the latter into the Black Sea. have been closed to all foreigners. Hasty work of fortification is being carried on, so that even if the Russians succeeded m running the gauntlet of the Turkish Fleet and making a landing, stiff resistance would be offered to an advance on the city. Equal secrecy is also being maintained regarding tho strengthening of the fortifications at Lulu Burgas and on tho Chatalja line, but at Adrianople I was permitted to pass an entire day. No visit to tho new fortifications, which take the place of thoso mastered bv the Bulgarians during the Balkan war. was permitted, but I was allowed a glimpse of .the intense activity under way. As at all other important njilitarv centres in Turkey, German officers swarmed on every hand directing the work. Unlike their brother officers at tho general headquarters of the Turkish Army at Constantinople, they had no scruples against talking to mo in English, and when I left wished me a good journey with a certain inflection that intimated that for them there could never be any leaving of the post they are preparing to defend. Throughout all Turkey these feverish preparations for tho defence of Constantinople from every possible side are being carried on solely by the Jewish and the Greek, Armenian, and other Christian soldiers in the Army. The determination of the Young Turks to use only the Mussulman soldiers in the fighting rank* of the Army has left at the disposal of the Government probably not fewer than 100,000 Christian soldiers for the accessory work of the Army. My own impression on visiting Turkey was that unless Constantinople is seriously attacked from two sides at one time in such a way as to force the Turks to divide the bulk of their strength, which can now be concentrated for the defence of any one side, the city will only fall with the gradual exhausting of tho entire Turkish resistance.

NOTES FROM A? DOCTOR'S LETTERS.

TAUBES AND SHELL-FIRE. The following extracts, which we have been permitted to take from letters written by Lieutenant Alan D. Anderson, R.A.M.C. (an Old Boy of Christ's College), give a vivid, if unconventional, account of tho lifo of an army surgeon in Flanders and France. Dr. Anderson, it may be mentioned, was in some of the hottest fighting around Yores: — FLANDERS, December 8. 1914. t Wo had a ghastly attack by a Taube on Sunday morning at 9.30. He dropped three bombs up by the station; two dropped in some cottages where some English Tommies were billeted, killing nine straight off, and two others died up here later on, and eight were badly wounded. Seven civilians were killed, a little old man losing his four children, wife, sister, and brother-in-law, and i five civilians were wounded—thirty-one [ in all. It was a terrible morning, and we were very busy, but I've never seen more ghastly sights. One wee girl had her head blown off—l'll never forget it. Tho only consolation the relatives have, is that the German aviator was brought down dead fivo miles off. He flow over our buildings twice at a terrific height, but, thank goodness, didn't let fly. This is the ninth attack by Taubes on this town, and tho third while we have been here. We are now very popular with the inhabitants for attending to tho civilians. But we're all quite merry and bright, and don't worry a bit, so don't you. April 13, 1915. Without exception, yesterday was tho worst day I have experienced since we left Ypres in November. At 6.30 a.m. a Taubo came over and dropped seven bombs just outsido tho town, trying to hit off the aviation sheds. All seven missed their mark, but damaged some private property. Then, from 10 o'clock to 2 p.m., I was continuously bad cases (as I am on the heavy wards again for a week), and gave a long anaesthetic. Had luncjii, and then and I went for a run in a big Daimler with some officer friends in the A.S.C., to a village, which is under shell • lire every evening, three and a quarter miles from here. There was a lot or firing, but no shells came oyer us. Wo motored back and had tea with them in a houso midway between the two places, where, half an hour later, while still there observing two Taubes, two large 151b bombs fell. The first fell in the Convent garden, in which we have our serious wards. Every window was blown in, and a man and a nun wounded. , „ The second, a few seconds later tell in the main street nine civilians and wounding several badly, mostly women, <5f whom wo havo nine in my wards. Two of these died in tho wards, and I dressed 6omo terrible wounds on threo others, one little girl of sixteen being one of the victims. I went round to "the spdt immediately on hearing the explosion, and it was the most ghastly sight I have ever seen. Three dead horses, another with a leg all torn up (shot l>v an officer later on), and dead and wounded lying-everywhere, ambulances flying all over tho place, and "lass and bricks all over the road. Ihe bomb had torn a great hole in the paved road. Our Adjutant was m tho garden'when tho first bpmb Mlj about thirty feet away. At him completely for a few minutes, and he thought the convent was blown up. Well, we didn't finish thesedressiuas till 8 o'clock, and at 8.15 I commenced to operate on —— (a yeiy bad case), which took me till 10 o clock. Today he is a bit better, but I never cxpected him to live through lastmght. (A week later word was received from the base hospital that he was. doing splendidly.) But. by/ovo! I was tired last night. A "Zep" flew over the samq tillage last night and blew two railway trucks to glory. . , «. Thank goodness to-day is too dim» for I frabkly confess they almost scare the liver out of one when they begrn chucking their beastly bombs abbut anyhow. They never come low do any military damage; but to na o nine moaning women in what is supposod t0..b0 a hospital for wounded soldiers, is the absolute hm ' t - v H, v war, but 2»:. Wo have had most exciting experiences and jolly hard work since last Thursday. The Germans commenced to shell our town with Gin guns on!Briday, Saturday, and Sunday; and on Monday the first 12in arrived plumb in fhe centre of our Padre's Club for Soldiers, which was fortunately empty tho timo It made a most terrific noiso, and sent great piecee, we Wg five and six pounds, hurtlmgto the very outskirts of tho town Our hospital is only fifty yards from the •'Padre's Pub," and at the time I was giving an anaesthetic, ani q thought tho next , shot would dish However, plenty moro arrived during tho day and night, and cac^, seC w d if it were ending tho world, still hun" on. You never heard such a noise, and debris comes showering down for quite thirty seconds alter. As we had no patients in on Monday (having been ordered not to take in anv in case of being scuppered), 1 went to my billet Had just_ got comfortably in bed at 11 .10, when they started again. You'd have roared if y° u had seen mo get out of that bed dresa and make for tho fields at the cnd ° the road. The second monster arrived before I left my house, and the third just as I got to t 5° f ficl of turon mv third speed for a heap of tur nips covered with straw, and found two interpreter friends of mine there. We watched the next burst, and it was a marvellous sight. , , Meanwhile there was the most awlul battle going on all round. . 'Pe rs . and the whole sky was alight. TJell. 1 slept (or tried to) out there till 2.3 > a.m. Thursday, and then, as they had stopped firing, I went back to tho hospital. to seo if it was still there and then went to my billet and. • slept soundlv till 8 a.m. .. Tliursdav's suspense of waiting ail day at the hospital for tho first shell of'the next "go" to arrive, was terrible. However, nothing happened till 7.30 p.m.. when over came one and burst in the Market Square, just at the end of the street. We nil "cellared till after the second, and then, as our nerves cooled, we ventured out. Five more arrived, and a 61b fragment came slick through tho roof of one of too wards—empty at the time. An. order then came through for'the hospital to quit for another town, and here we are, fed up to the world at having to leave a priceless building, the best we've ever had. Besides, it was only this one big gun w'.ich put us out. The big shell? we 'jpt came from a smooth-bore gun, and hence scream: they just "arrived " The first one on Monday was the closest we had to onr show. The 6-inMiers come over with a great scream, which is more terrifving than the actual explosion. It was very funny on Sunday. Abont ten minutes after a 6in had crossed over our roof and street, and everyone had got as flat as possible against the nearest object (myself against our front door 1 ), 1 was going to my billet, and n car. which was not yet round tho corner, got. its gears jammed for an instant with a horrible rasp: wo all mode for cover. .Then, when we realised oui positions, we all ronred. civilians and soldiers. Nerves! We found the bast of one 12-incher. Phew! I can jusl lift it"! . The Canadians have done splendidly. aid everyone is full of oraise for them. This use of asohyxiating gas by th< Germans is quite tme; we had Jots oj men in, not wounded, but quite laic out and blue. It's a dirty way to fight, but typical of German military methods.