World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula; World War, 1914-1918 -- New Zealand
Every day out to sea the "sausage ship" could be seen with her big
captive balloon observing for the naval gunners. For the first week no
enemy planes were seen, but one day this new sensation appeared. Eyes
were turned skyward, watching the machine, when someone cried out,
"It's a German." There, sure enough, were the big black crosses instead
of the familiar red, white and blue circles. A rather amusing feeling
of "What do we do now?" pervaded the onlookers. It seemed to be little
use going into the dugout with a waterproof sheet for a roof! But this
time he was only spying out the land, and sailed away without molesting
anyone. Next day he was back with a sting. As necks were craned
upwards, something was seen to leave the machine, and with a succession
of "Whoo! whoo! whoo!" came rapidly to earth, or rather, to water, for
splash it went into the sea 200 yards from Walker's Pier. "Splash!"
came another, and still another, whereupon the plane wheeled back over
the Peninsula and off home. Daily the machines flew over and dropped
their three bombs each, but never was any material damage done.
[Illustration:
[_Lent by Sergt. P. Tite, N.Z.E._
LOOKING DOWN MONASH GULLY.]
At the head of Monash Gully showers of steel darts, about the size of
a lead pencil, were sometimes dropped, and at intervals the airman
wasted his energies in the distribution of leaflets intimating that
"As the English are in desperate straits, you will be well treated if
you surrender soon." This was sometimes varied by a sheet on which
was a picture of soldiers alleged to be Mohammedan deserters from our
Indian troops, telling of the good time they were having with their
co-religionists. These papers were greatly treasured by the troops as
souvenirs.
One of the most beautiful sights in the campaign was witnessed when
one of our seaplanes was attacked by a Turkish anti-aircraft. Standing
on the hillside and looking out over the blue Ægean Sea, the eye would
pick up, sailing through the azure of the Mediterranean sky, the naval
plane with the sun shining on its oiled-silk wings like those of a
great dragon fly. Suddenly, below it, a puff of pure white smoke would
open out as a silk handkerchief does when released from a closed hand.
On would sail the plane, and above it would open another puff of smoke.
So, with unders and overs, the picture would be limned in, until the
eye got tired of watching, and the plane climbed out of range.
CHAPTER IX.
The Battle of Krithia.
Bitter as had been the struggle at Anzac, the fight at the southern
end of the peninsula was even more bloody. To the most honourable
traditions of the British Army and Navy was added a further lustre. The
story of the "River Clyde" and the "Lancashire Landing" are amongst the
most tragic and glorious in the history of the British race.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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