Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-10-15

back we went to the Turks and their
Hun assistants.
We were lucky getting inshore, only
receiving nasty smash astern, when
the Turks got our range and landed
two peaches before we got out. We
nearly tore our rudder off getting
away. But we had to come back right
away, because we had carried quite
a number of heavy guns from Brest
and were given the job of running
them ashore. 1t was day and night
work and great job for fun, because
while you never knew when you
would get it, you had good reason to
feel you would get damned by cute
little shell or dainty bit of shrap-
mel before the job was over.
Aboard ship it was deck work, of
course, and it was not much better
there than ashore with the guns, be-
cause the enemy trenches were near
the shore and they amused them
selves trying to pick us off whenever
we showed on deck. guess we were
a regular shooting gallery for them,
and some of our men thought they
did not need all the practice they
were getting, for quite a few of us
acted as bulls eyes.
But we did not mind the bullets so
much. They make clean wound or
put you away entirely; shrapnel
tears you up and can play all kinds
of tricks with various parts of your
body without killing you. AS for
Shells-well, mincemeat is the word.
The Narrows were thick with mines
and there had been great deal of
damage done there, so after q while
the British detailed their Yarmouth
trawlers to go in and sweep up. They
had to go up unprotected, of course,
and they started off one night all
serene.
Everything went well until they
turned at the Narrows and started
back. Then, before you could tell it,
five or six searchlights were playing
on one of the traWlers and shells
were splashing the water all over her.
Both banks were simply banging away
punt DIduh at tIcIH anu ncfSL
thought they would get back.
They did get back, though, but
some of them had hardly enough men
left to work ship. But that is like
the Limeys. They will get back from
anywhere while there is one man
alive.
A chap aboard one of the trawlers
said a shell went through the wheel
house between the quartermaster and
himself and all the Q. NJ. said was,
Cav blimey, that tickled."
"But I know their shooting was
very bad" said the other chap to me.
"Those Turks must have thought the
f1ue was behind them"
Coming back from the Dardanelles
a gold stripe sent for me and asked
me whether l thought there were
other eX-navy gunnerS in the States
that would serve with the French.
1 told them the country was full of
good gum nrs and he wanted me to
write to all l knew and get them to
come over. He did not mean by this,
and neither do l, that there were not
good gunners in the French navy, be-
cause there were-lOts of Them But
you can never have too many handy
boys with the guns and he was very
anxious for me to get all l could. I
had no way of reaching the ex-garbies
l did know, so l had to pass up this
| opportunity to recruit by mail.
While we were in Brest l got per-
mission to go aboard a submarine
and petty officer showed me around.
This was the first time l was in the
interior of a sub and told the officer
that L would like to take a spin in the
tub myself. He introduced me to the
commander, but the petty officer said
he did not think they would let me
| stay aboard. 1 showed the COM
mander my passport and talked to
him for a while, and be said he
would take me on their practice
cruise two days later if the Old Man
gave me written permission.