Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-14
{ the Turkish soldiers was unstinted.

of the Turkish soldiers was unstinted.
They are probably the most frugal of
men, he said, land accomplishing to a
fault. l am beginning to understand the
military successes Of the Osmanli when
they first came to Europe The Turkish
soldier is satisfied with a piece Of dry
bread and little water when he can't
get anything else. He is remarkably i'm
and almost shockproof. He has nerves,
of course, but am sure they do not bother
him. His Indifference to the possibility
of dying any instant is due, I believe. to
his fervent adherence to his religion. The
Mohammedan, generally, is very pious,
and to him a life hereafter is much more
of a reality than to most others. To be
as sure of eternal bliss as the average
Turkish soldier is makes dying easy
The Turkish soldier prefers bayonet
he gets at his antagonist, thought Weber
Pasha. There is an eXhilaration in man.
to-man fighting which all other phases Of
combat lack.
The second days visit at the front
started with a lively cannonade shortly
after daybreak. A run through the fire
zone, or bent low behind the trench para
pets, and the advance trench was reached.
On a low earth bank running the length
of the trench under the parapet sat many
men. Their rifles stood beside them
Soldiers Await Attack.
Machine guns were passed. Little dug
outs for officers and men were noticed.
Here and there a fatigue squad was busy
improving the trench. Some men were
mending their uniforms, some were smok-
passed the time playing with pebbles. All
these men were waiting and ready
for, an attack, for which an English Off
Ger in the trench 200 yards away might
at that very instant be issuing the orders.
Just waiting for them," said Turkish
non-commissioned officer of the 18th In
fantry of the line. I'VE aren't afraid.
Let them GOMEZ
over the trench circIed a British aero
plane. the sunlight shining through its
elevation of at least 5000 feet Would
the men in it throw steel darts or bombs?
Those in the trench were not interested In
either possibility. There are lots Of room
outside the ditch, they said.
by looking through this hole. you will
see the British trenches" said the officer
guide. But don't look too long. They
have mighty good spyglasses on the other
side"
Grass Dotted With Dead.
Between the Turkish and British
trenches could be seen a two-hundred-
yard-wide patch of sun-dried grass with
black dots here and there: the dots were
dead men awaiting burial, which the
rigors of modern trench war denied them
Beyond the yellow patch and its black
dots ran a low red line, the parapet OF
the British trench. Against this parapet
rested more dead men.
After the distribution of a trench meal
consisting of the Turkish ''pillaf''-mutton
cooked with rice-an artillery control
station was visited. A long communities
ton trench had to be negotiated before
the station was reached. Again the ever
watching British gunners fired at three
lone men.
The officer in charge Of the station
asked the visitor to observe the fire of
the Turkish batteries. 1t was excellent
In a trench of the allies some unusual
activity had been observed. With both
eyes glued to the lower end Of a periscope
glass the visitor watched. The officer gave
distance and command over the telephone
and a minute later piece nearby barked
Seconds elapsed and then the shell eX-
ploded in the trench in question.
A ride in the hot noon sun brought
the correspondent to neighboring camp
Lunch was served there, and after the
clean, white sand Of river bed invited
a rest which ended in sleep-and a sud-
den awakening by a detonation nearby
that seemed to rock the earth. A British
aeroplanist had dropped a large bomb.
which exploded about fifty yards from the
sleepers, killing eight horses and wound
ing two men.
In the stiffness which followed the eX-
pIosion the faint hum of motor could
! be heard Directly above lowered the
aeroplane, its operator perhaps ready to
iet another bomb drop.