Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-14
TURK SOLDIERS ARE CHEERFUL
AND UNAFRAID OF ALLIES
FIGHT With Great Valor and Prefer Use
Of Bayonet-Lauded by Gen. Weber
Correspondent in Lines.

piled with a sincere Very good sir"
and smiling faces, despite the shrapnel
which kept on coming, and the spent
allied rifle balls which hummed above
their heads.
Were not afraid of the English and
FRENCH said several to whom the
question implied was put.
Approach Dangerous Point.
"Now comes part of the approach
which is very dangerous, said the Of
ficer who acted as guide. I'VE must
take that at a smart pace. The Brit
ish infantry can't see us. but every
bullet which goes high lands on that
spot"
Off he started at canter. followed
by the others. The road now led at a
trenches and bullets whizzed past
every instant. Meanwhile some other
British battery had taken up the fire
and several shrapnel increased the "in-
less. kept close to a clay bank and
continued on it's way to the front.
More reserve troops were passed and
more "merhabas" were heard. Every
where were smiling faces and eyes
grateful for the recognition of salute.
The ride to the actual firing line con-
tinued under a shrapnel and shell fire
which at times became rather critically
uncomfortab BILE. Wounded men were
being met now. Most of them walked,
a few were carried on stretchers-all
were well bandaged, as an inspection
esta blished.
Here is another danger zone" said
the officer-guide. and sped off. This
full speed. Through low shrub and
across the rocks he led the way. When
the party halted in dry river bed,
the trenches of the Turks had been
reached.
Men in Good Humor.
In the shelter of high embankment
rested more Turkish soldiers. Most of
them were men on fatigue. They had
been making a portable barbed-wire
ENHANCEMENT known as Spanish
horse" A few of the men had come
from the trenches for water, others
for. the evening meal. The same good
humor was met in their case, though
few of the men had slept the previous
night, owing to an attack they had
made on the British in front of them
The correspondent was received by a
captain and his sergeant, presiding
geniuses of machine gun section
Coffee was offered in little wooden
shack which the two inhabit. The at
severe, said the captain. The British
had thrown hand grenades, but the
Turks had occupied part of the trench
and were still holding it.
Il am against your going into the
trenches this afternoon" continued
the captain. The shrapnel fire is too
| severe. Come back tomorrow"
! Just before shutdown the party left
for another section of the Turkish line
The artillery fire on both sides had
gan to be heard, and the bullets of one
of them splashed into clay bank
nearby.
"one of the oldest things we have
around here is the village of kirthia,
said the of11cer-guide. THE allies have
almost RACED it with shell and fire, and
since then they have tried innumerab BILE
times to take it by assault. Do you
, want to go there?'
To reach Kirthia one had to traverse
| the broad ridge of a low hill. swept by
| the shells of the allied batteries.
Escape Allies Shells.
when we get to that bush over there
break into gallop," cautioned the officer.
Ride for all you are worth until you get
| into the communication trench" This
advice was followed, and the trench was
reached just in time to escape two shells,
compliments of the ever-alert allied gum
| ners Their range was poor, but a marked
| improvement was all too noticeable, as
an attempt was made to survey the con-
tested terrain from a point from which
it was visible in it's entirety.
| Kirthla, once a f1ourishing Greek set
Element, presented a melancholy spectacle
The allied shells had wrecked every house
and fire had consumed most Of the debris
A few starved cats were it's only denizens.
One of the streets of the place is still
swept by the rifle fire from a British
trench. The party advanced as far as
this street and then decided to return in
stead of visiting the Turkish positions
some 1000 yards south of the last house.
There was a surprise in store for the
party on the return. Just before the
danger zone was approached the officer
recommended that one man at a time
cross the summit at full galiop. The in
terpreter. an Arab, went first, the cor
respondent was second, the two riding
about 300 yards apart. Evidently the al
lied gunners guessed that the men who
half an hour ago had raced down the
slope would return that way, and were
! ready. One after another the shrapnel
shrieked overhead or burst close by. but
| shelter was reached in safety.
THAT was experience enough for one
afternoon said Gen. Weber that evening
at dinner. II must confess that the allied
artillery is very, very diligent Just why
they go to the trouble of wasting shells
on individuals l don't know. No doubt
they have plenty of them"
Praises Turkish Soldiers.
During dinner Cen Weber went ovar