The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1915-10-08
HAS CHARMED LIFE
British Colonel Goes Through
Terrific Dangers UnsCathed.
Passes unlnIured Through Battle In
Which 1900 Men Fall, Only to
Be Hit When Enemy Could
Not See Him.

Melbourne, Australia.-Col. J. w
McCay, leader of the Second Vioto
rian infantry brigade In tho attacks
on Gaba Tepe and Cape Helles, Gal,
lipoli, bears a charmed life, according
TO the remarkable account telegraphed
here by an Australian newspaper cor
respondent at Alexandria, Egypt.
The colonel has just returned TO the
firing line after a fortnight in hospital,
having been hit In the leg by stray
bullet in the dark after going through
terrific dangers unscathed.
In the attack on Gaba Tepe Colonel
McCay was in one of the first barges
to touch Turkish territory, and he
jumped into water chest deep. When
the first landing party had seized the
forward trenches Colonel McCay went
back to the beach to meet the second
units and to show them the way.
On the climb down the cliff his cap
was knocked off, and on picking II up
he was surprised to find a bullet-hole
III Oh6h lllll anu NAOWus
Scarcely had he replaced the cap
on his head than it was Cnatched of
again, the bullet this time entering
the crown and coming out above the
peak. The brigadier decided to carry
the cap in his hand for the remainder
of the distance.
He conducted the second line into
position, and then went back for the
third, a bullet passing through his
sleeve in the course of the journey.
On returning to the occupied
trenches Colonel McCay left his body
exposed while examining the position
with his field glasses. One soldier be.
coming eXasperated at his leaders
daring, called out: Don't be a -
fool! Come in here out of the wet!"
The brigadier smiled and answered,
"Oh, it's all right; they can't hit
mel"
Just at that instant a bullet knocked
the walking stick from under his arm.
Colonel McCay calmly picked up the
longer piece and continued his obser.
vation, Then he sat down on the
parapet and directed the fire, with bull |
let's buzzing all around him. 1t seemed [,
impossible that any man should be |
able to remain unharmed in such a
dangerous position, but for two hours
enemy marksmen tried in vain to .
move him.
Then came instructions for the Vic.
-orian brigade to move on. With con.
cealed field guns and hidden rifemen
pouring a hail of missiles directly in
front it seemed to be a matter of i'm
possibility for any single soldier to
advance. But Colonel McCay, carry.
ng only a broken cane, pointed the
way and asked his troops to follow
lim.
He just stood up in the middle OF
hat storm of shot and shell as if only
we're flying past him in.
tead of bullets, remarked one Dayles.
ord man in referring TO the incident.
He looked serious, but was no diff.
erent to what we were accustomed
0 see him on parade at Mena Then
lie said, I'm going to my stick You
an follow me with your rifles II you
Ike Are you coming? Someone
allied out My blooming OATH! And
fter that it was a race to see who
7ould have his bayonet at work first.
he brigadier finished a good second.
he first man up was killed"
Seven days later came the fight at
ape Helles, in which the Victorian
rigade REINFORCED the attacking
arty. Once more Colonel McCay ap.
cared to be invulnerable. Bullets
Tucked his clothing right and left,
ut none touched his skin. Between {
rigade headquarters and the firing '
ne was one dangerous passage 80 9
ards wide. AS officers crossed this
pace they afforded the Turkish marks
len much the same kind of practice
$ is enjoyed by crack shots in run {
ing man" competition. q
officer after officer was winged or t
illed as he crossed this spot Major
I. e. H. Cass, Colonel McCay's bri a
ade major was already down with g
lllet through the chest when his o
lief made his first crossing. A ma.
line gun tYaversed the position, even n
a bush which provided Il
e only piece of cover on the way.
periscope which the brigadier car.
ed in his left hand was hit on top \
st, and then at the opposite end
inally the remaining portion was 4
hisked out of his hand the coucus. II
on causing a sudden numbness. Colo -
j McCay got across safely, however =,
ID covered the same ground four :,
mes more during the afternoon. =,
ice a bullet broke off short what d
NAMED of the stick, and the briga- -
sr threw the other part away. A h,
ldieg subsequently picked it up as =,
keepsake and talisman. D
Out of 1000 odd men who went v
to battle behind Colonel McCay, it ta
believed that 800 were put out of M
ton. In view of these figures it 70
Il be possible to form some opinion h,
to the extraordinary good fortune a,
the commander. The firing ceased 70
much as it ever does just now In :,
llipoli-and under cover Of darkness n
lionel McCay retired from the firing a.
Q to arrange for food and water to :,
sent forward. This was at two to
lock. The man who had been an ~
posed target ell day for the best ],
1ts of the sultan's army was hit ~
en- they could not see him. -