Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-11-15

they continued their flight. Lying in
me dense scrub, their presence had
been unknown until it made itself ev-
ident to the nose. on the evening
we took covering in the nullali, the reeli
was simply appalling. 1t was d relief
when 1t was dark enough for officers
10 get cautiously forward to examine
inc ground we intended to take up. The
fellef, however, was momentary. ON
the crest and forward slopes, the pur-
sues rad come under Turkish shrap-
mel IRE and lay IN rows just as they
mad crumpled up under the blast. over
ana between these we had to pick our
way, laying out the work. The first
thing our working parties did was to
locate ana removc the dead and put
them under ground. Still there were
many we did not find at once-both
Turks n Australians-and we lived,
moved, ate and slept in an atmosphere
OF for the next two DAYS.
Work began and proceeded rapidly,
broken only when a star shell was fired
over us. when all hands laid down.
That the enemy had suspicious was ev-
ident, as at intervals %shrapnel came or1r
way. which. being very slightly over
ranged, just avoided doing us any dam
age.
Death Strikes Us.
A good many rifle shots also were
fired at us and we had some casualties.
one OF my native officers among the
number / "a standing beside him
discussing the work when he suddenly
sat down, coughed and rolled over dead.
shot through the body. AT 10 o'ciock
the summons to dinner arrived. and
the little group of British officers coll
lected i'm a little dugout as far as pos
sible from anything dead. We had
been promised a hot meal, but our
hopes We're dashed by the
ment that the kitchen fire, however
carefully concealed. had attracted so
heavy a fire that it was biscuit and
bully, rum n condensed milk once
more.
Our meal was disturbed by the ar
rival or a patrol with a strange whit
man IN custody, who had been arrested
between our lines and the Turks, and
whom the native officer, who made the
capture, was convinced was a German
ana a spy. Investigation proved him
10 pc an Australian, who had been out
with a party collecting the equipment
of their dead, M who had lost his way
IN the dark. After smoking a cigaret
or w with the glow concealed in our
Hats, we parted to resume our nights
work. Just before dawn we proceeded to
cover all traces of our operations with
n grass, and having left
d rev artfully concealed sentries, pro
ceeded back to our odoriferous ravine
10 Dug ourselves in before our presence
was observed by the enemy's artillery.
II was well that VIC had returned early,
Tor with full daylight came shrapnel,
proving tnat u presence had either
oeen detected or suspected. A rapid
eNodus, therefore. tool place into the
next ravine. where the steep sides pro-
vlded better cover. Our new location
rad much to recommend it. 1t was
immediately behind n below our
trenches; very short covered ways
would bring us into them. There was
a Well at the lower end of the valley.
Ihere was good cover. and the aroma
OF corruption was far less pronounced.
On the other hand there were certain
OBVIOUS disadvantages, the proximity
or the water was almost as good as a
guarantee of the attention of the Turk
ish artillery, wells being their constant
mark. The nearness of he trenches
was more than counterbalanced by the
nature Of the intervening ground which
was hard rock. The lower end of the
valley was a highway to the I.ikah and
Australian comps, rendering sniping
extremely likely. The first probability
became almost a certainty when a
British regiment arrived n camped
near the water. Being new corners to
tne country the smoke of their fires
at once notified their presence to all
whom 1T might concern. Soon the shells
began to arrive with monotonous reg
N lid " lilcltS La
British Were, of course, solely their
own concern; some, however, began to
invade our solitude, and but for the
fact that they burst far too high, would
have made our position very uncom-
Portable. Even so, the addition of
spent, are far from a pleasing addition
to the Breakfast menu.
Strict rest during the day had been
ordered, but we were soon to see the
peculiar meaning attached to repose in
the Dardanelles. Three separate times
working parties, under British officers,
10 Improve communications and safe
guards at places where the enemy's fire
was too destructive. and with all our
w private regimental communica-
tons n covered "a and a full
nights work in prospect. most prob
to have a facetious. no to say Satire.
air. Indeed, regiments in Gallipoli well
coined their return to h trenches,
where rest was disturbed by nothing
more h a Turks; who. unfortunately,
already had abandoned their tactics Of
continual attack. To add to the dis
comfiture this day. there was a short
age OF water for dr~inking-there never
was n for n other purpose-and
n day was blisteringly hot. That
nights work started later than usual,
on account of u friends" the enemy,
extending their time Of evening hate"
for an indefinite period; but, at last,
we got to work. finding the light soil
gradually changed to solid rock. There
was considerable rifle fire all night, Of
which we got our share. and som
shrapnel and machine gun business at
about IL o'clock. However. several dull
bangs on the plain In front, followed
by the rattle and flashing of heavy rifle
fire. together with a confused Shouting
betokened an attack on our outpost.
Immediately in front and below u.s.; APP
parently a bombing party had crawled
IN on the sentry groups, and been fol-