The Dardanelles: Colour Sketches From GallipoliWilkinson, Norman
History
The Dardanelles: Colour Sketches From Gallipoli
Wilkinson, Norman
World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula; World War, 1914-1918 -- Pictorial works
Sailors have been trained from youth up to regard anything and
everything, from a piece of string to a traction engine, as likely
to be of use at some time or other. Consequently their dug-outs were
museums of all the flotsam and jetsam which a military base provides
in war-time, and, I imagine, a good deal which does not come into this
category.
The Major, who seemed so entertained with the beach-party and its
doings, told me that immediately after the Suvla Bay landing, and
during the advance on the left flank, it was his duty to take charge of
a considerable amount of unused Turkish field-gun ammunition amounting
to some 700 rounds. Now there is probably nothing which appeals to the
collector of battlefield souvenirs so much as a complete cartridge case
and shell. This makes a beautiful trophy when polished and gives the
possessor somewhat the same feeling as a schoolboy who obtains a rare
unused stamp which he knows to be genuine.
The ammunition in question was to be sent down to the base, where
instructions would be given as to its disposal. Oddly enough, soon
after arrival it appeared to be slowly and steadily diminishing, and
reports reached the Major of dark figures having been seen flitting
about the store at night. On his return to the base the number of
shells had been reduced to some 300, and for a long time their
disappearance was wrapped in mystery. One day, however, when on his
way to call on a brother officer, the Major's direction lay through
the beach-parties' camp. Whilst passing one of the dug-outs he was
surprised to hear a sharp explosion and to see four sailors hurl
themselves into the open through the diminutive doorway. One had a
somewhat blackened face and very little eyebrows or front hair, whilst
the others were in the evident enjoyment of a good joke. Inquiries
elicited the fact that the hurried exit was caused by the premature
explosion of a shell-fuse which was being coaxed into yielding up its
active properties with the aid of a jack-knife or some similar weapon.
A closer inspection of the dug-out disclosed the fact that amongst
many other trophies of war a considerable number of the missing shells
played a large part in the decoration of the interior. Most of them had
already undergone the aforesaid operation, and, with charges drawn, now
stood ready to be sent home, when opportunity should offer, to grace
the parlour mantelpiece.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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