When the troops landed at Suvla Bay, on the Peninsula, they found several excellent water holes that were most inviting to parched and thirsty men. A rush was made for them, when suddenly a terrific explosion was heard, and dozens of men fell flat on the ground, some dead, some wounded. The Turks had taken the precaution to place land mines round these wells, and as soon as they were stepped upon, the mines went off. This is a genuine ruse of war and was used also between the lines. The Turks never resorted to the treachery that General Botha had to overcome in German East Africa where he found the wells, not mined, but poisoned. A recent report from France tells us that in the present retreat the Germans are employing the same dastardly tactics. It is one thing to protect your trenches or your line of retreat; it is quite another to take the lives of men in this barbarous way. Trenches dug in the foregoing manner and protected by barbed wire will give the infantryman a chance to live. But he will increase or decrease the probability of coming out alive according as he is careful or careless during the time he is there. Nothing, of course, can save the men if the enemy is determined to thoroughly shell the line, and the orders are to hold it. The sanest thing when a bombardment begins is to withdraw to the next safe line. But the enemy will sometimes be content to allow men to remain in their trenches for a while without shelling them provided they do not wilfully provoke him. A column of smoke arising from the trenches where the men were cooking was usually considered by the enemy as provocation, and over the shells would come. This brings us to the point that I wish to make regarding fires. The men must eat during their tour of duty, and they must have hot food, consequently fires of some kind are needed. But they should be made of very small pieces of wood cut up with a pocket knife so small that they will not give off any smoke. By following this method a safe and very hot fire can be made. At times we were supplied with small quantities of charcoal which was very acceptable. As a matter of fact, more liberties in this connection can usually be taken in the firing trench than in the support or reserve trenches. The enemy knows perfectly well men are in the firing trench. He sees from the rifle fire that that is manned, but it is a good thing to keep him guessing about the other trenches. For the same reason there should never be any unnecessary noise in the trenches. It provokes the enemy to throw bombs and other unwelcome missiles.