On Land and Sea at the Dardanelles

histle the men swarmed out of their trench an

kish snipers, and a moment later the two 77-millimetre German guns which had been brought

crept in close during the night and hidden in the bushes and behin

not one of them escaped. Those who were

Conway knew the risk too well, and as soon as they had gained the summit of the cliff whistle

on of standing up and wielding the shovel as if one were digging a garden. Men must lie down and scratch

Horan, who had stuck by Ken and Dave. 'Phew, but

en, who was next to Roy, grabbed him by the c

ds in a fountain of stones and pieces of broken steel. Ken felt a blast of heat and

d Roy, as he lifted his he

yly. 'A high explosive shell, my lad. Luck

ad down in time,' answered Roy soberly.

s, the German gunners had not got the exact range, or the losses would have been fearful. High explosi

ere was no letting up. Colonel Conway insisted upon a regular trench of the latest pattern with proper traverses, and deep

en told Dave and Roy Horan. 'You may be jolly sur

id Dave. 'Just listen to the bullets coming over. T

was served out. In spite of the enemy's fire the Army Service men had managed to bring their stores

ath up the cliff, while boats travelled up and

wo or three bullets at once. It seemed clear that the Germans who led the Turks were concentrating their forces in front of the trench, but whether the

mile inland. A maxim carefully emplaced behind sandbags in the trench replied with a storm of bullets, but it was a poor job, fi

the other officers,' said Dave. 'Some

ntly the whistles trilled,

t O'Brien. 'Don't any of ye wait

ch and plunged into the scrub. In a long ye

es and dozens, they sprang up out of their hiding-places, and bolted like rabbits. Wi

elves lost, of course, but only slightly. Their attack was such a complete surprise, and they moved so quickly, that for a time the

le of the scrub of the plague of snipers. Then, just in the moment of victory, came su

Ken to Dave, who was on h

t its weather-stained head out of the thin grass. He glanced

fragments. The whole air was thick with lead. It was clear that they had run into a ver

was lying in a little hollow with R

That's where they are.

enly to vomit men. They came sweep

sang out Ken

ce, and few fired less than fifteen aimed rounds to the minute. The executio

e leading files fell by scores the rest swept onwards. To his dismay, Ken saw more pouring out behind i

moment the whistles shrilled ag

rule, it takes veterans to retire successfully. These Australians, hardly one of whom had ever been under fire bef

rising again, and gliding back to the next stone or bush. They lost, of c

on his two friends, and saw with relief that neither was hit. Slowly

nd with practicall

outed Ken. 'A

t his arms and fell flat on his face. At the same moment two Turks, big, black-bear

est, pulled the trigger. There was no report. He

, was trying to crawl away on hands and knees, but it

sitation, Ken charged s

il he was almost on them. Then one, uttering a hoarse

then side-stepping like a flash, he drove his bayonet i

t him with his rifle butt, and missing his head, caught him on the shoulder. He saw a savage grin on the man's face as he raise

Turk's head with such fearful force as cracked his skull like an egg-shell. For a momen

panted Roy Horan. 'And confound it all

d anyhow,' answered Ken. 'But Dave's

Burney on his broad back, and set off at a run for the trench. Ken, whose shoulder felt

down gently

ointed to an ugly stain on the back of Dave's t

full up with work.' As Ken spoke, he bent down and began

. Ken's heart sank. It looked as if his chu

pig,' muttered Roy, as

ave's back, and with a handk

ed!' he exclaime

ture which a bullet makes as it enters, there was

old chap, you may thank your stars for those bullock-hide braces of yours. They've saved you this ti

n me all up to lose the rest of the fun. But,' he added thoughtfully, '

st out

string, and we'll soon put 'em to rights. Now Ca

excitement of a big frontal attack by the Turks. For ten minutes they loaded and fired until their ri

at least three were devoting their whole attention to the trench. They had got the range, too, and the shrapnel was bursting rig

he north and its fire was enfilading the trench. If it had not been for the trave

uneasy. They had no more reinforcements, and if the Turks got more gu

y to look for that machine gun,

, shaking his head. 'We shouldn't h

ng, as a shell burst almost overhead. 'Something's got to happen,

allowed Ken. 'Our only chance is to get some gun

, until that path up t

traverse, blowing its two occupants to fragments

rowled Roy. 'The swine! How

e horror of it had ma

tly than ever. It seemed as if every gun an

now?' mut

oy saw a big bi-plane soaring high overhead. It looked like a si

usiness. She's spotting for the ships,' he explained. 'You'

unscathed. The eager Australians, all staring skywards, saw her bank steeply, and at the same time a long white streak shot

most as the words left his lips t

hich absolutely drowned all other sounds, and their great 100-pou

l spurted from the side of a hill a mile and a half away to the left

like a knife, but whether they were actually hit or m

il the whole hill-side where the German guns had been posted gaped with brown craters. Then they c

ourse, know, but at any rate the enfilading guns

en, with a sigh of relief. 'We'l

t moment and overheard Ken's words. 'But if ye want forty winks, bhoys, now's yo

ergeant?'

plane at las

Turks buzzing round us like bees. And the ships ca