IN A WARSHIPS FIGHTING TOP

Evening Star, Issue 16778, 5 July 1918, Page 5

IN A WARSHIPS FIGHTING TOP

AN ACTUAL EXPERIENCE. Tho fighting - top was not a very inviting place to bo in. Situated at tao hsud of J iaa foremast, it has somewhat tho appearance of tho flange surmounting a giant cundiestick which had been fantasacallv decorated with pieces of quilted cloth!” These were splinter mats strung around tho top as a protection againstencinv fire. , , One entered tho top by creeping hand over hand up a sort of skeleton ladder made of iron grips riveted flush upon the mast. Climbing these was a difficult way of getting heavenward. As the ship rolled so tho mast swayed. Sometimes one lay flat upon it. Next moment one would be clinging desperately beneath it. Entrance to tho top itself was obtained through a narrow hole, through which one emerged and squeezed with care amid men s legs, pikd ammunition and the pedestals of guns. As for the top itself, once inside one found it to bo a small circular compartment with a narrow slit running around it, through which several small-calibre weapons poked vicious noses. In the coutre stood an officer directing operations. At tha guns were men ready to press tho hring keys, while others kept tho bolts of ammunition filled. Each one was “on the stretch.’’ and as the officer gave the order the guns began spouting a deadly mixture of lead and flam* through, tho orifice. Hardly a word waa spoken, for tho sufficient reason that voices were drowned by the fiendish ruttlo of tho guns. It sounded us though half a dozen automatic riveting machines were running in tliis tiny chamber, while every now and tac-Q the lessor noises were drowned by the. sk-ige-luunmcr beats of tho ‘‘pom-poms.’’ haprdiv, boxes were opened and cartridge bdtis refilled. Just as rapidly tho guns emptied them. Brooke, arid and asphyxiating, blew back into the faces of tho gunners. Hut they fought grimly on. Occassionally one passed a sleeve quickly across his oy. •, to wipe away tho blinding fog. C'ontinu ally men tried to spit the choking fumes men their throats. Then suddenly there came a detonation louder than all, followed bv a half-stifled cry as a man fell across the breech cl his gun and rolled lifelessly to the floor. An enemy shall hod entered tin* fop nr.d put one of tho guns temporarily out of action. i'fo’e/nlly t!m •,vound.*d gunner was moved aside anil «n;>(..Vr took his pities at the firing key. .Mon might fall but (he fight must go on. And It did. UShor shells mine in. More nvn drcpiyd. la:; pathetic heap of mangled nnnnudty grow uiomont.-rily Inr.-er, tho rvMpr,iHng tt'g.un of i.rn ; .nr? Ind <j:if iiii•:;! •;> mil from every part of tho tup’s paripheiy. '• dins j a rained. Mcu tiyy on an nienr. on.l grasp;-d i ev.ly fil’ d met::, mll.ing thr-u thf'.igcgi uu;-.'l’as ilia isi.i; ■•’.in.!'! . may t’c in. T-y u -s ilia i;.:n her..mm gkrri’y litof SI-.;:)!, ,‘f , ; ■’.•.• :t ni’ n. a;:-' !i.tali; d cio'.’.:! a tho ■ vIX : , <i"hrh of vac -ihc hvi”- c:m; mm mi! -■■■- cm ;n-.• I’f.ri ;h.> XX; lie uas ’’ e av. a;e .1 .'UI, c .iy o’. : a; •!m . y .hj; ' cm;f ■ -;a"; r-iva'nr i neV':er:i''ij. hot ih-.-v l,:o:. (X? - v-’” ■. I: ’ll Lin icn-O', At hi-A t!ic;c T ■ o •. nHi I’leimn, ard guir: 1 ho b - ■ (1: ce ..n* io hv mi i■;..-■■ ■cl c ” O’, j; ,h;n ;f IX’,:; iiiju: i11.,’ ih -n ■ ih I'; ha-il vc; c.vni - , only one of hnaii i .... i,.n. ,i -.v ,vl-r;.n-. T : - ' ”’ae a n ~;i - O”,’’ v h’eb a v.’t'oi’-f ’d r.ra’-::.’ etutioind in ii:c* top he was Mm only can' .m, e.gel,;-.; of wo'k;in v a evn, and hi d’or-on.dii.-.j la i; vo ii r.-’iic In ; ’:■’> c:d. Xo i’c aiiii .in tilbe; [•■.> enough description of an actual fight. \var is nf’ nuautiful anywhere. In u warship’s lightiw: top it assumes a v-cry ugly aspect.— ' Daily Mail. ’