TRAITORS AT GALLIPOLI

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9248, 15 January 1916, Page 7

TRAITORS AT GALLIPOLI

SWIFT RETKIBUTIO'N. Special to the "Times." ■ MASTEitTON, January 14. In a modest, quiet way, that young Oiero of the Dardanelles, Corporal L. Caselberg, D.C.JVt., who has been .invalided home, has many stirring tales io tell of the operations on the Gallipoii Peninsula. Corporal Caselberg can tell of,the ramifications of the German spy system and its operations among the colonial troops. On one occasion, he relates, a ser-geant-major who joined tho Australian forces at Sydney, was handing the ammunition to a cortaien gun which was in action, and it became conspicuously noticeable that tho discharge from *,his gun repeatedly fell short and landed in trenches hold by the Australians. The whole affair was wrapped in mystery for a time; no matter what was done •the shots always fell short, and that gun was roundly cursed by the men m front, "'ho had no suspicion of foul play, and who put the matter of tho charges falling short down to bad shooting. Then it was noticed that the sergeant-major was handling ttn> charges in a peculiar way. He was watched by the officer in command of the gun, and as tho sergeant-major was in the act of handing over another charge for the gun he was quickly seized, and examination showed that this traitor was nipping a portion of tho fuse off, thus causing the shot to burst short. Needless to say ho got a. short shrift, tho retribution being sudden and swiftly executed.. On another occasion, states Corporal Ctaelberg, a big Sikh was walking along -when he noticed a soldier intently engaged in inspecting some shells. Creeping closer the Indian saw plainly that this man was tampering with tho shells in a way that would produce-tho most serious consequences for the troops who had occasion to use them. Stealthily the Indian crept up behind tho soldier, at tho same timo drawing his sword. Unsuspectingly tho traitor continued his work. There was a sudden swish, an Indian exclamation, and tho traitor's head rolled down among tno shells ho was tampering with. Corporal Caselberg did not actually see this incident, but it was common talk among the'Australians'and New Zealanders and could be vouched for as correct Tins traitor had also joined one of the Australian contingents.