The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1918-12-12

!.
dfers Then, it was pretty rough stuff
1t Dixmude, and after resting up Mt
The hospital, l was keen on going to
sea again.
The Cassard 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 as soon as possible, and
crews were working day and night.
There were other ships there too-su-
perdreadnaughts, and dreadnaughts,
md battleships, and armored cruisers,
aH being Overhauled.
We received and placed guns of
newer design, filled the magazines with
the highest explosives known to naval
use, and generally made ready for q
hard job. Our magazines were filled
with shells for our big II and 14-inch
through the heaviest armor plate at
1900 yards. and will do more damage
than you would think.
When we had cOaled and had got
our stores aboard, we dressed for ac-
Honor rather, undressed. The decks
Eere clear; hatch covers bolted and
6avits folded down; furniture, chests,
1ables chairs were sent ashore, and in
aammable gear, like our rope ham,
mocks, went overheard. You could
rot find single wooden chair or table
~ the ward room.
kho oh a Ao ~
III shell bursting inside cannot find
inch to set afire, and If one bursts oil
deck, there is nothing to burn but the
wooden deck, and that is covered with
steel plate.
Finally, we had roll call-all men
lrssent. Then we set sail for the
Dardanelles as escort to the Duplex.
which had on board territorial and
Fovincial French troops-Gascons.
Parisians. Normans, Indo-C Chinese,
Cpahis, Turcos-all kinds. When we
essed, we had to squat down on the
7teel mess deck and eat from metal
llates.
There had been notice posted be-
Ire we left that the Zeppelins had be-
IN sea raids, and we kept a i've eye
III for them. The news proved to be
efAke, though. and we did not see a
lngle cigar while we were out.
We made the trip to the Dardanellds
lthout sighting an enemy craft, keep
6e In close touch with the Duplex,
~ busy every minute preparing for
aetion.
was made gun captain and given
barge Of the 'starboard bow turret.
oOunting two 14-inch guns. had my
- at gun practice daily, and by the
ne we neared the Dardanelles, after
"a days, they were in pretty fair
! npa
4 d was about a. m. when we drew
\ E Cape Helles and took stations
action. The Duplex was In front
The batteries on the cape
4 ned up on us, and in a few min
4 later those at Eum Kaleh Joined
D - the Duplex made for W" beach
6 Il prepared to land her troops, we
Rtng broadside on, raking their bat
Il 40 as we did so, and received
which entered through q gun
a the after turret and exploded.
re bags Of powder stored there
Aefe they should never have been)
dred and the roof of the turret
3nst lifted off. It landed on deck,
up against the side Of the tur-
81 deck the rain Of fire was simply
: slac, Steel flew in all directions.
was smash, crash, slam-bang all
time, and do not mind saying I
evf thought we would come out
s one Of the heavy armor plate up
ward was shot away and after that
old Cassard looked more like
nitor than anything else to me. As
drew nearer the shore they began
Pa ehfapnel on US and in no time
~ our tunnels were shot full Of
and sieve was watertight COM
81 10 them.
q Eufally we were not just taking
s. " punishment without any come
Our guns were at it fast and
tAe way the fire slackened IN
5s q places we knew we were MAX
eRective. My guns did for two
s pieces that know of, and per-
81 ee1eral others.
French garbies were good
ARE excited in action than /
6 they would be. They were
ss around below decks. trying
the shrapnel that came
aAouting, swearing, singing
& tlDg hard, at that. They stood
Just as well as any other
would, only in their own
z (which is noisy enough,
ss Ne,
b our seamen was hit 100
fragments Of shrapnel, so
See what they were up,
y the lodging line. A gun
action is not exactly the
ee on earth for a nervous
one who likes his comfort.
an awful lot of heat and
% smell and work, all the
IS g fighting gun turret. But
% engagement would rather
gun turret every time than
decks, At that, IL anything
s. pen In q turret-it is good
- for all, and no rain checks
our junior lieutenants was
fragment Of shell as he
ls Station behind the wheel