The Meeker herald., 1918-11-16

AuibcE LIZ utD uu0hoyHs
Well, nobody had better tell mo that.
Because ! have been there. and have
seen this. And I know.
CHAPTER X.
Hell at oaiIipeli.
After was discharged from the hos
pital. was ordered to report to my
ship at Brest for SEQ duty.
The boys aboard the Caasard Eave
me . hearty welcome. especially Muir.
ray. who had come hack after two
weeks In the trenches at Dixmude., I
was glad to 80 them, too. for after all.
they were garblss. and I always feel
more at home with them than With SOL
diers. Then. It was pretty rough stun
at Dixmude, and after resting M at
the hospital. ! was keen ON going to
sea again.
The Cnssard was in dry dock for re-
pairs after her last voyage to the Oar
danelles as convoy to the troopship
Duplex. Everything was being rushed
to get her out ~ soon ~ possible, and
crews were working day and night
There were other ships there too-su-
perdreadnaughts. and dreadnaushts.
and battleships, and armofed cruisers,
all being overhauisd.
We received and placed guns Of
newer design, filled the magazines with
the highest explosives known to naval
use. and generally made ready for
hard Job. Our magazines were Allied
with shells for our big II and 1l-inch
guns. A 14-inch shell can tear q hole
through the heaviest armor plate at
1000 yards, and will do more damage
than you would think.
When We had coaled and had got
our stores aboard. We dressed for ac-
tion-or rather. undressed. The decks
were clear; hatch covers bolted and
davits folded down: furniture. chests,
tables. chairs were sent ashore, and In
hammable gear, like our rope hmm
mocks. went overheard. You could
not hpd q single wooden chair or table
ip the ward room.
When the ship IL cleared for action,
shell bursting inside cannot >nnd
much to set aflre. and II one bursts on
deck, there Is nothing to burn but tho
wooden deck. and that 10 covered with
steel plats.
Finally, We had roll call-aIl men
present. Then We set sail for the
Dnrdaneales rs escort to the Duplex,
which had on board territorial and
provincial French troops-0ascons.
Parisians, NormAns, Indo Chinese,
Spahis, Turcos-all kinds. When We
messed. we had to squat down on the
steel mess deck and eat from metal
plates.
There had been 4 notice posted BE-
fore we left that the Zeppelins had be-
gun sea raids, and we kept q live eye
out for them. The news proved to be
a fake, though. and we did not see q
single cigar while we were out.
We made the trip to the DnrdanelieA
without sighting an enemy crnft, keep
ing in close touch with the Duplex
and busy every minute preparing fos
\ action.
| I was made gun captain AID given
charge Of the cardboard bow turrct.
I, mounting two 14-inch guns. I had my
men at gun practice daily. and BY the
time we neared the Dardanelles, after
nvs days, they were In pretty fair
shape.
It was about 8 a. m. when We drew
near Cape Helles and took stations
for action. The Duplex was In front
Of us. The batteries on the cape
opened up ON NJ, and In = few min
utss later those at Kun Kaleh Joined
In.
As the Duplex made for ~" beach
and prepared to land her troops, We
swung broadside ON, raking their bat
terics ~ We did 20. and received a
shell. which entered through q gun
port In the after turret and exploded.
Some bags Of powder stored there
(where they should nsver>h have been)
were fired and tho roof Of the turret
was Just lifted OF. It landed ON deck,
tilted up against the side u the tur-
ret.
On deck the rain Of nre was simply
terrific. Steel new. In all directions.
1t was smash. crash. slam-bang oil
the time, and I do not mind saying ]
never thought We would come out
Of It.
Some Of the heavy armor plate mp
forward was shot away and after TINT
the old Cassard looked more like a
/! monitor than anything else to me. A.