WORK OF PHILOMEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15912, 8 May 1915, Page 8

WORK OF PHILOMEL.

ON ASIA -MINOR COAST. ,4 • '■"■*' ' ''>■ v -"'-'■'■ •'■" TURKS' POSITIONS SHELLED. ,MUCH DAMAGE DONE. . Interesting details o£ the operations of the New Zealand cruiser Philomel since the outbreak of hostilities are contained in a diary posted to an Auckland resident by one of those on board the vessel. The diary shows, incidentally, that the vessel did not take part in the Sue?, Canal engagement, but encountered the Turks near Alexandretta, in the angle formed by Asia Minor and Syria. The Philomel was in Wellington when) news of the outbreak of war was received, and on August 5 moved out into the stream and cleared for action, the writer states. The reserves were called up, and on August 7 extra coal and provisions were taken on board, and volunteers joined the ship. On August 8, the Philomel left, Wellington with the collier Wairoa, and reached Auckland early on August 11, ' Continuing, the dairy gives details of the voyage- of the two New Zealand troopships, and the Philomel, Psyche, and Pyramus to Samoa, the Australia and the Melbourne, and the French battleship Montcalm being picked up at Noumea. Incidentally the writer states that the diy following the departure from Noumea tie Melbourne searched a ship, and found her full of coal, and bound for San Francisco. After events proved that her cargo was for the Germans.

Continuing, the diary describes the departure of the cruiser from Wellington on October 16, with the main expeditionary force, and states that the Philomel left the main body at Albany, proceeding thence to Fremantle and Singapore, and picking up two French troopships at the. latter port. Tho vessel left Singapore on> , November 16, called in at Colombo on) November 23, and eventually reached Aden on December 5. On December 9 the French troopships were turned over to another cruiser, while the Philomel went on to Mocha, an Arabian sea port, to deal with natives who had fired on a, boat and wounded three marines. T''o town was bombarded, and three dhows in the harbour were damaged. The diary continues :— February 4 : Arrived Cyprus and re-* lieved another British cruiser. February 5: Arrived Alexandretta, a Turkish sea port in the angle between Asia Minor and Syria, cruised along coast and started shelling Turkish trenches with lyddite and shrapnel, and blew a blockrhouse to pieces. Good shooting. February 6 : Cruised around. Sighted signal-tower, and that also was soon in pieces. Sighted Turkish troops on the hills, but'they waited for only two rounds of shrapnel. February 7 : Found some more trenches.. Cleared them up and shelled lines of communication, railway and telegraph lines, Blazed away at the Turks again, doing some good shooting. February 8 : Discovered the enemy in. a fortress— Castle. Lowered a sea boat to ascertain what a camel and mule caravan was carrying. The leading Turk at once ran into the hills and left all the gear. On our men going to search, they were met by a hot fire from Turkish troops entrenched only a few yards away. One man went along and searched the pack mules under a hot fire. One mule was shot and, falling against a post, afforded some protection. Party returned on board at dark. All the time the party ■ was on shore we on board wens pumping - 4.7 shells into the Turks, doing terrible damage, for we were only 1300 yards oh. •• One shrapnel shell fell in the middle of a • group of about a dozen, and, needless to say, there were not many pieces left to i ; collect. Party returned with one killed—.}■ William Stanbury. Four of the party were wounded and one—J. T. Moreton—missing. Volunteer party went ashore to find : ; lost man, first attempt being unsuccessful.. . Returned successful" from second attempb ,'* at 2.30 .. a.m., Moreton being badly ! f wounded. One of the wounded men, '; Williw Edward Knowles, died in the ';* early i r 'Urs of February 9. " > February 10: Moreton died. , While the : action was on we had a spy ashore. February 11: Armed boat's crew went ashore to fetch the spy, but unable to find- ' ; him. V..-"'. - .. February 12: Sent for spy again and gofl • j him. :•"'> '■■! ■.„•••• -i ■'■■■■'. \ ' ~.. : February'l3, 14, , 15: Having a well- ,; earned rest.';. ' .:. ~ February 16: Relieved by another .£ cruiser, and we left for /Port Said. "4. V March T: Left Port Said for guard s duty, returning a fortnight later. '"We .'. have covered about:; 30.000 miles, or near' A it, since we, left Auckland. -Thati alone i will take a lot of beating by any ship in) .£ the navy. So you will see you New Zealanders have something to talk, ahout ;- after all. I often heard remarks in Auckland, such as;"Oh,,what/ a. small ship ! l, £>, but she is as capable as a good many mora 'f f ships of a later class. y/ _ "*.fi