WEATHER IN GALLIPOLI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16097, 10 December 1915, Page 8

WEATHER IN GALLIPOLI.

FIRST DAYS OF WINTER. IMPROVING THE TRENCHES. Up to the end of last month .the troops operating on the Gallipoli Peninsula have enjoyed an almost uninterrupted spell of fine weatherclear, cloudless days with a hot sun, and warm nights, writes Mr. Malcolm Ross, official war correspondent with the New Zealand forces. But the heat has been enervating, and the plague of flies that worries a coopedup army—no matter how excellent the sanitary precautions may have been — bined with the necessary sameness of diet, have caused a good deal of sickness and a general lassitude that was becoming more noticeable as the weeks crept past. " Now, at last, the weather shows signs of breaking. Already we have had some ' thunderstorms and a few cool days; certainly cooler nights. The change is j rather a welcome one, especially to the | New Zealanders and to the British troops, and what with rest camps and cool weather one already begins to see a change in the bearing and briskness of the average soldier. We have been warned to dread the weather, but on the whole the late autumn and the first 1 month or two of winter will be prej ferable to the heat of an arid summer cooped up in a deep, narrow trench, with no view to speak of, and. as a rule, not even the top of a Turk's head in sight, or marching along the dusty, winding saps—from which the scenery was equal] undiscoverableone often felt as if the end of Time had arrived, and as if there w«>re no longer any pleasant spots on earth. But with the cooler weather a change is coming over the scene, and, while dreading the worst, we hope for the best. The winter will no doubt brine its own troubles, but we shall at least be rid of the flies, and of diarrhoea and dysentery, we hope. For , the rest, we shall be largely dependent upon the state of the seas, but probably the navy and the merchant marine which have planted us here will still see to it that, come storm or come shine, we eh all not lack for munitions and supplies. This granted, we should more than hold our own against the Turks. " Already preparations for winter may be observed in every quarter. The French —thoroughly imbued with one of the greatest of Napoleon's maximshave already made themselves fairly comfortable at Helles. In the confined spaces which the Australians and New Zealanders occupy further north the problem is a more difficult one, but it is being taken in hand, and will no doubt be grappled with determinedly. The Engineers have I already been at work, and saps and trenches are being scientifically drained. The trenches also are being improved from wuat may be termed the domestic point of view, and the dug-oute back of the trenches are likewise receiving attention. "We have already had two or three rains of brief duration, but the scored conies and the scarped hillsides tell us only too plainly that we must be prepared for something worse if we are to occupy our present position during the rainy season. On the flat land which the British occupy at Hellea, and also at Suvla, the draining of trenches will not be so easy, but it cannot be nearly as bad as it was in France last winter. The Turk, everywhere looking down upon us from higher ground, has the advantage, and a further advantage in that he has a considerable area behind his lines throughout which he can choose sites for camps and vary his lines of communication to meet local conditions- But even in his case a winter campaign will have its drawbacks, and he, like ourselves, cannot be enamoured of the prospect." FOUR YEAES FOE MUTINY. APPEAL BY A SOLDIER. UNJUST TRIAL ALLEGED. An Australian soldier, Private David Crosby, who has been mentioned in despatches, and who served ,in the New Guinea campaign prior to re-enlisting for the Dardanelles, stepped off a transport at Sydney the other day with a sentence of four years' imprisonment to serve. He was charged with inciting a mutiny amongst cripples, and with wilfully defying authority. It is stated that on November 6, when off the African coast, the order was given to clear the lower decks for inspection. About 100 of the men, amongst whom was Private Crosby, refused, as it was raining at the time and there was no shelter on the upper deck. Crosby's —which are being sent on to the Commonwealth Military Forces with an application for a fresh trial—are, £> set out in his sworn statement— " Throughout the voyage of H.M.A.T. — from Devonport to Australia, and particularly on November 5, 1915, I was suffering from hemorrhage of the lungs, a bullet in the liver, and general poor condition •of health consequent on wounds I honourably received on active service ' (Private Crosby received eight wounds in all, including a bayonet wound in the stomach) . . . My non-compliance with the order to clear decks was not in any way actuated by motives of wilful defiance of constituted authority, but was consequent on real and well-grounded fear i of serious after effects on my health in ' the inclement weather then obtaining." j Seventy names were taken from the I number, and three were sent for triaL Private Martin elected to be summarily : dealt with, and he was sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment, but on the doctor's order he was released. Crosby and Private Dixon—the third man—were tried by court-martiaL The former was sentenced to two years on each charge, whilst Dixon was acquitted, Crosby is now appealing to the Adjutant-General of Commonwealth Military Forces for a new trial, on the grounds —(1) that the court-martial was improperly constituted, inasmuch as the regulations provide that the president of the Court, where one is present, shall be an officer of field rank; Colonel R.' H Owen, C.M.G., of the 3rd Battalion, who is an officer of field rank, was present but Captain Melbourne, of the 9th EaV talion, who was appointed, does not hold that rank; (2) the regulations also provide that no commanding officer may try by court-martial a soldier under his jurisdiction; this was violated; (3) the three persons who constituted the Court acted detrimentally to the best interests of justice by discussing the matter with witnesses and others Defore the case was heard. Private Crosby specifies the principal witness and also the subsequent prosecutor, the latter of whom was not authorised in the order convening the court-martial to take any part whatever but who assumed the role of military prosecutor. The appeal also charges perjury against two of the witnesses for the prosecution. SOLDIERS' TEETH. AUSTRALIAN DENTAL SCHEME. According to Major T. F. W. HalL principal dental officer of the Common! wealth steps are now being taken to bnijg the dental branch of the Australian military forces up to a standard of greater efficiency. "Hitherto," said Major Hall, " there have been insufficient dentists to cope with the work of the Expeditionary Forces. Altogether in the A.I.F. there are 38 dentists on the establishment, and approval is being asked from the Minister to increase ms establishment so that all troops may receive dental treatment. The Minister is very sympathetic towards the scheme, and is doine all he can to expedite it. The establishment in the dental corps for home service is now 150, of whom 42 are in Sydney. These comprise one major, one senior captain, and 40 lieutenants, and this number will shortly be increased The corps here is in a very efficient state' and great credit is due to Major Donald Smith for his fine work, and also to the dentists generally of Sydney, who are co-operating heartily, even to the sacrifice of their private practice." i