ASIATIC ALGY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4005, 11 August 1915, Page 3

ASIATIC ALGY.

TI'KCO-BRITISH GRE ETINOS. IN THE STRAITS. The landing of reinforcements and j stores for the Army still keeps t.hc | naval beach parties and steamboats : busy, but even- those have quiet days : sometimes, and mournfully men pro- j test that ‘•there hasn't been a bally thing to do all day” (writes a war correspondent from the Dardanelles). Our brightest days are when it is our turn to act as “flanking ship” in the entrance to the straits, that is to , steam np to and lire at batteries up {lie shore whic.li may lie causing the Army trouble. As we glide in past Kum-leale (Asiatic coast) we get the first shell of j the day. It- is a morning greeting from “Asiatic Algy,” a howitzer battery concealed behind the ridge just beyond Kum-Kale. “A_lgy” is also: known as “Wandering Willy Mrom an j annoying trick he lias of shifting his j position. The Hermans have built a 1 sort of little railway behind the ridge , and the guns are shitted along it when ! necessary. < But for this “Algy’s” career would : long ago have been over. He is | silenced every day by one ship or an- j other and has been a good deal knoew- ; e<l about. The Agamemnon has tho credit of having knocked out severed of bis guns in- a single morning, but new pieces were brought up. VAlgy .still turns up smiling. _ hi is second shot goes high over us with a. menacing .squeal. “Algy ’ has _ somebody ,spotting for him over a ridge who tolls him where we are. “Algy” knows that this means a dill she'll for him, and he hurries up u> have the first word, knowing that, wo shall have the last. His .next shot conies whistling over the ship between j the masts. It just dears, us and bursts in the water. “Went right past my bloomin’ ear,” murmurs a seaman, while tho others grin delightedly. Crash goes one of our din starboard, guns, and after that “Algy is kept busy. Round after round goes hissing over the water to the Asiatic shots and throws up a cloud ol_ white smoke on the ridge behind which the shells burst. “Algv’s” lire gets weaker and by and by is beard tin more. W r e go out for a “stand easy ’ and return for a- last bout. Mills time “Algy” hits us. Tho whistle of one of his shells ends in a crash and a. (lying of splinters in the waist. j\ bin. howitzer shell lias passed t.hrougn the sides of a cutter and burst on the deck below. Nobody hurt. Damage oraelieail v nothing. This shod. a. tol- - lid able bin armov-jiieremg projectile, is marked with a broad, arrow, and experts declare that it is of Biitisi make. We let loose our port bakeries on “Algy,” firing s»h r <>» f. i ; rounds at a time, i e.e ■ moke-bui s■ > fairly dance along liis rcTo for some minutes. Then we si earn-out. E»o job is over for us lor the <u;y and another bat flash ip passes m to take on* place.—Renter.'