FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31  
32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   >>   >|  
couple of natives in a small boat. Overtaking us in great style, the Padre leapt into this and essayed the ladder, but his pith helmet got in the way and his cane and parcel of purchases burdened his hands, so he threw the lot to one of the natives and began the precarious ascent. Half way up a swing of the ladder brought him under a shoot of water from the ship's side, and at the same moment an extra burst of cheering from the decks drew his attention to the native who, as the best way of carrying the helmet, had good humouredly donned it. It was a trying situation for any man, but the Padre did full justice to the occasion and was eventually hauled on board amid wild enthusiasm. In spite of submarine scares the voyage up the Aegean Sea was a pleasant one. By day the succession of rocky islands (among these Patmos, where St. John was inspired to write his Revelation) shining in the sea like jewels in an azure setting, marked our progress and recalled their ancient story. In the evening impromptu concerts were held, at one of which, on the fo'c'sle decks the pipers played "The 5th H.L.I.'s Farewell to Aboukir," composed by Pipe Major Thomson. Can its plaintive harmonies still be heard, or did they perish with him when he fell just ten days later? At dawn on the 1st July we sighted Lemnos island. Soon we were lying in Mudros Bay among over 120 ships, British and French of all sizes and types, from battleships to submarines, and from great ocean liners to trawlers, all safely at anchor in this wonderful natural harbour. Now picks, shovels, rations and extra ammunition were issued, and in the afternoon of the next day the destroyer _Racoon_ took off Brigade and Regimental Headquarters with A and B companies, followed by the sweeper _Whitby Abbey_, with C and D companies under Major Jowitt. Singing and cheering we passed down the long line of shipping to the harbour mouth, then into darkness and silence, bound at last to meet the enemy. CHAPTER II GALLIPOLI--TO 11TH JULY, 1915. The main objects the Allies had in view in their operations at Gallipoli may be briefly stated: 1. To relieve the pressure on the Russians in the Caucasus by forcing the Turks to withdraw troops to the new front. 2. To open the Black Sea to allied shipping by forcing the passage of the Dardanelles. 3. By striking a blow towards Constantinople to compel the Turks to abandon their attacks on Egypt. In S
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31  
32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

cheering

 

harbour

 

companies

 
shipping
 

ladder

 
natives
 

forcing

 
helmet
 

natural

 

anchor


Constantinople

 

trawlers

 

safely

 

shovels

 
wonderful
 
Brigade
 
Regimental
 

Headquarters

 

Racoon

 

destroyer


ammunition
 

issued

 

afternoon

 
liners
 

rations

 

battleships

 

sighted

 

Lemnos

 
island
 
attacks

compel
 

French

 
submarines
 

British

 
Mudros
 

abandon

 

sweeper

 

operations

 

Gallipoli

 

allied


Allies

 

objects

 

passage

 

pressure

 

relieve

 

withdraw

 

Russians

 
Caucasus
 

troops

 

briefly