Show Ch Cb JI rial r I By Inv CaP t Guy D Dt Sl t o of the the British Roy Royal y l Air Copyright b by Capt Guy Quy D Smith i CHAPTER The Tye Capture of ot lass Continued From Tc Yesterday Te capture of or Gaza Oara itself was 1 nc- nc THE with coins comi raU gavel The lino Una ran eastward with a h little tren trend to the south Muth tia ho tui ui u I ns ns B General l y lh the British commander had Imd brought his hi Up tip from the south Bouth rind and extended eMended e then front th the coast coant nil the IraY n Ui to which WM Without much opposition Ibid was n n. the Turks on m n a movement to toward to ward lUn s where tIse they y felt fell sure eure there was l to td bo ho a h heavy he attack General Allenby began Lean to 0 string hiring hi rile htA line on oft a n pivot lyol from just junt below Lolow Gars 01 Ina In lu a 1 x northeasterly direction an nn enveloping movement destined ned lo to out ort oft the re retreat retreat re re- treat which tho the Turks lurk must eventually make along aonA their line lino toward the northeast Tho rho main Turkish encampment was wait Just north of oC Guca Oa rL but In tho the nut first day Y of oC tho logo tho tine olt alty Riots Was no eo nowell well defended d that tho trio big land laird guns gun ns to the tha south could coule not get cloeo enough to drop on tho big cum camp p. p Ite It ts therefore and tho the cut cut- Un off ort of or communication communiCAtion lines as tt ip up to tho o non lanes and nd the tho heavy fi guns tuns uns of or t t tho e allied 1 monitors monitors and nd crul cra fiott off ott tiro tho ho coast Starting their retreat Immediately after lter receiving the them hem to and leave nothing behind that hat might bo be of oC value to tho the enemy ho tho Turks evacuated tho the city proper and the British forces moved In without without without with with- r out much serious fighting 0 WATCHING HIGH IX J UK UIl UKI I was out that morning for tor an early light flight Below me unfolded a wonderful wonder- wonder ful ul panorama We e had destroyed tho the railroad bridge over oer the tho Wadi Heal HesI but during the night the Turks had built up an embankment right beside It and what Is known I uld a temporary track In n railway parlance as a shoo fly fir sO ao that hat tr trains ns were moving uninterrupted uninterrupted- l y dous bustle and hurry pre pro veiled on ever every hand The Turks were plainlY preparing for tor but hut were still putting up a vigorous fight tight to o save savo themselves from capture They I ships were verc between the shelling of or the thc and nd the tire fire of oC the army approaching from rom tho the southeast st. ammunItion ammunition Our guns had bad exploded an tion lon dump at Deir close to the railroad bridge I 1 visited Gaza Just before bc bc- I fore ore leaving Palestine and the black patch atch marking the tho location of or this explosion ex ex- I was still there Wo We had succeeded suc suc- In Iii derailing on one train and In I partially destroying the road rOM bridge amile a amile amile mile away putting ono big bib hole holo I through it It All this destruction had been ecu accomplished I by y bomb drop dropping I. I I and nd shell fire the tho shells being mostly size or of f Inch fourteen and Inch eleven All 11 over tho the countryside blazed fires tires or of f burning stores to which tho match hall had ad been ben applied Ammunition dumps were cro ruthlessly blown up I 1 saw W the biggest of or these explode Even Event at the thereat great reat height at which I was flying I felt elt the tho concussion which rocked the tho plane lanc The Tho roar was awful and a n column col col- imn of or smoke rose to a height of or at least east 2000 feet Over the distant sandhills to the east cast and south I could se see our infantry Infantry try ry approaching BIG TANKS T. IKU GlA GIl t l BEETLES Side b by side with thorn them crawled the tanks looking for tor all the world like gigantic beetles One of oC them toppled I on n a u. steep hillside lost Its Us Its balance and went rolling over sprawled helplessly on Us its back The comparison still held hold It good good It looked like a a. big beetle turned upside down marked markell the progress of oC tho the Turks s. s Covering tho the main body's retreat re retreat re re- treat with rear guard huard action the they stopped the time BrItish advance ance to somo some degree Hut Dut little b by little they were driven ln back Our artillery ry came up uI close behind tho the Infantry and unlimbered 1 berd behind the tho sandhills opening a a. withering fire iro upon the marching Turkish lines It was a veritable barrage barrage barrage bar bar- rage and amI after allor it had ceased our In Infantry infantry In in- fan fantry try came carno over tho thu hilltops and started advancing In line formation It was an inspiring sight I was wasat wasat at such sueh a a. height that I 1 could see seo the whole battlefield Through the sand Band dunes behind tho the artillery positions camo came the British camels hundreds of ot th them m. m carrying our stores and farther inland and to tho the north where there was teas less es sand antl our cavalry was charging chan chan- lu in ing Turkish troopers In n rna magnificent style tyl and sending Bending the enemy horsemen horseman fleeing in panic The Hun airmen for tor there were no aviators a with th the enemy but tho the Huns had discreetly withdrawn so 80 there was nothing In n the theIa Ia way of fl fighting for our own squad All wo we could do was to fly 1 low spot for tor the big guns un drop bombs on the tho retreating forces and hara harass s them with machine gun fire Ire TURKS LURKS AS Y The railroad which the enemy folI followed followed fol fol- lowed In his retreat ran among low sand and hills From tho the tops of or these the Turl Turks g kept up their rear guard tl fight ht The They had dug clur shallow trenches from froni rom which the they kept kepl up rifle and machine machine machine ma ma- chine gunfire But Dut our gunners kept h getting them In range our artillery constantly crept closer and our infantry In Infantry In in- fantry never paused in Its steady ad ad- ad- ad vance The Turks would occupy these hilltop trenches which were merely unconnected dugouts dUg battle for a few ow minutes until tho the position got too loo not for tor comfort and would then climb out and rush back to the next hill hili to start all over o again We dill did not nol capture tho the Turkish arm army Its lines Jines of or communication were too well established and its rearguard rear roar guard suard fight was teas sufficiently effective to check our troops until tI tl th gener general generl l retreat had been put successful successfully under underway way But we had captured the city of Gaza Ga In th thi biggest est battle yet I fought tUU ht on oil tho the Pa coast lit lu lh tin face of ut careful preparation for foi It Its 5 d defense made Under Herman LIlon Joel a tt te tea feW tIn days before the tho British marched into Inlo th the city Information Imd been brought that t tho to Turk r were e storing oring ammunition II In hi the thu big mosque E 8 Shells leUs Itei s droli dropped ed Upon tine tho mosque tv t terrific explosion l ensued wreck wreck- in Inn trio thA lh building Jn lit the ruins Wo wd Y sub sub- found foun c cof exploded shell 1 easeS canon of ll aims ammunition Jt It was wan g of or U 11 revelation that lh thel the tho l Turks lurks Were leer ue stools Hull fl rooted temples temple l nil stunt tu but this thin was I proof root nf of It It od b by bythe lh the 11 ah W with lh the rites army In lit 1 lestine I lIo or the Hun hunt who were at the tho battle battlo of ot OUR Irma It may Y b be sal paid aid tho they were never no In Its either Initiative o or bC tl although h the they would always run ruts If H attacked C Thoy 1110 ever hesitated about ml making un n attack on their own account but tho tinny thoy believed In a II sudden udden thrust t and Aud n a quick retreat They Thoy rho would fly over avor u us UK told and drop bombs bomb nearly aver every day but were unable un un- able ablo to hit tho the objective although BOV lOV eral ml of oC au out our ships had narrow escapes r 0 WATCHES S 1119 81 1 h lint iM iMI I said to tho the one morning Did you put the tho machine gun on tho the stand yet Not ot yet ot sir ho lie replied Well you'd bettor bottor do It right away as ni you cant can't toll tell whoa when these fellows might como come oV over r. r lie He was just clamping tho the gun Into position when Fritz appeared out ofa of ot ofa oIL a loud aloud not more than 2000 feet teet above us did a no quick turn and started to come at us in a no straight line so 50 as to drop his bombs Tho The had that machine gun rend ready In a n. Jiffy and turned it loose on the Hun while I watched his movements movements move move- ments menta through the field glasses lasses Plainly I saw two bombs released from his machine machino ma- ma chino chine and come com dropping toward us It was a n terrorizing moment for tor the they looked locked to be directly over us Then n they thoy gathered so much speed I lost Jost sight of or them and stood for wha what seemed minutes but Wl was war really rea the fraction of ot a 1 second anticipating their striking the deck and blowing us to atom atoms But Dut tho the Hun didn't have the tho range Quito quite close cloMe enough Tho The shells shot past the thc ship exploding In the sea seL searight searight right alongside doing no dam damage ago what what- I. I ever Fritz turned turnell around and anc flew net over UH us again dropping ono one more bomb and missing a again aln by a narrow margin By this time lime our archies archles were In oP oP- oration and he lie took no further chance climbing swiftly out of at range and disappearing disappearing dis diM appearing Into the distance Our planes panes all of or the tho bombing type while tho the Hun squad Included a anUt nUt number of or fighting machines We Wo were a always ways attacked by these machines when wo we went out flight 1 on L a after mo trio capture 01 of I Gaza we e were ordered back to our base baso at Port Said The Tho British army re remained ro re- at Gaza for a time limo and then continued the tho great drive which re resulted re re- suited Bulted in tin the taking of or Jerusalem and andIn andin in its the tho more moro recent conquest of at the tho whole of ot Palestine and rout and capture cap- cap turo ture of or the Turkish army illS HIS VACATION GIVEN A JOLT lOlli I had road a brief briet furlough after aler arriving arriving ing at Port Said and and with some Home of ot theother the theother theother other officers went on a a. little pleasure pleasure pleas pleas- ure uro trip to Alexandria We had Just be begun un to enjoy our vacation when or orders orders or or- ders came for tor us to return to the base basa without dela delay To m my nay dismay I found on reaching Port fort Said that my ship had started out on another southern trip And here was I left lert behind Hurriedly hunting up m my commanding i J. isaid said Vo Wo would never had received rec a hurry up hurry up or order er If It some soma special stunt wasn't on I dont don't want to be bo left out of it Yes he answered something special special cial is on and you'll bo needed It if you get ready without delay you OU can catch the train to Suez Suc and go o aboard your ship there I Get Oct ready I was ready that very i instant So Su o were the tho other fellows who had been with mo at Alexandria Wo 0 certainly were riot not going to miss an anything any any- thing if It we wo could help It t. t l Front rom Port Poet i Said aid to Suez is s 3 of ot the nest ut horrible traps train ride rid one ona can Im lm I agine 1 no The Tho railroad itself Is bumpy ugh A to 10 snake Make one oue seasick the tho ears ari are rc nano too tro comfortable and over t tho the whole route one must endure BUt suf locating heat and dust and sandstorms Breaking tho the Journeys Journey's monotony was a a. chan change o of cars cara at on J Lake ake it was only such 8 relief as ns ono one finds In going from bad to worse However our little crowd was used to lo hardships all the tho time lime and wo we made maje that Journey casH easily enough l. i Not ot a word o of complaint was heard We 0 occupied occupIed occupied oc oc- most of the Limo time limo conjecturing what our next Job would be and picking out our ur probable destination The Tho only information we wo had was that wo we were wore headed for Arabia But nut one ono can mal make e ea a lot of oC guesses concerning concerning- a probable Arabian destination and still not nol como come within hundreds s of or miles o of or the right on one 6 rabia's Arabia's coast lino Uno on the Rod fled sea is 18 J as TT long on as the tho 1 PacIfic coa coast t lino of the United i ud States ot or Perhaps it is I oven longer Several days day after wo we Joined the MM ship wo learned learnell wo we were headed for tor the extreme southern end where wo O to help the tho Ki the Uio in King ff ot of t the campaign In m tho the Yom omen en VISITS II 11 1 or OP XI Meantime Wo 0 had had steamed straight to Port Sudan whore where i encountered several r i old friends Then we cut ross across the tho Red he sea to the thc CIty of oC f Loh Lobelia a populous place with a huge hugO mosque standing out prominently in inor one corner It V had been a a. stronghold of or T Turks i but thc they had been driven out h by tho the The northern end of or tho the town Is inhabited In In- habited b by the tho poorer classes and con- con MIsts lists chic chiefly or of la f straw huts ThIs section sec sec- tion Is In of marked contrast to the tho rest the town which is s made up of oC handsome solid stone stono buildings s some soma of or them of or imposing Imposing- size particularly particular owned b by thy rich Arabian mor- mor chants I manas d to sot get et i Into one uta of ut them As a a. rule wo we were a not allowed oven even to go sr as ashore ho c ct even o en t though we wo w welo ere fighting t with tine the Arabs and this was W the tho only chance chanco I had In all tn my experience In Jn Arabia to Inspect tho trio In In- In tenor of ot a fL real palace Wo 0 w ro at this lh time limo under r tho the protectIon protection pro pro- of ot the co cousin lIln of tho the King of or Vi the J and tine tho men were allowed prohibited UK to violate the ancient law that Christians Christiana from front landing in the territory The house wo entered belonged toa to toa toai a ai rl rich h merchant who had fled tied with the tho Turks Turl upon tho the entry of or tho rho si 51 In ills his flight ht he had hd taken his wives and ns as much of ot his hou household chuld goods as aH ho he could load on the tho backs back or of camels c Tho house was constructed of ot Innumerable small rooms connected h by y pass passages and stairways 8 about two feet wide vide Winding through h these one ono would frequently como come out Into a tiny courtyard courtyard court court- yard ard then than cross a little bridge A over tho ho street to what appeared to bo another another an- an other house And then a tow few minutes later one ono would discover cr It was Just JUHt tho the same came house Rouse IS FOtr FOUND D 1107 A A 1 g 1 PT ONE ovi Ha Have 0 you been In the tho harem ask asked i our guido guide and Interpreter Wo 0 forgot tors-ot about looking at the rho rest reel of or tho the house and I personally determined doter doter- mined to find a souvenir In n tho ho hurom and carry corry it awny away with me The Trio harem was ens ono one of tho trio bl biggest t rooms In tho house It wan a pretty I room with a n beautifully decorated ceiling and stained glass lass windows Hound its sides sidell were ranged six little lit lit- tIe tle beds Tho The interpreter looked at thorn thom and then thou with a n sight sigh and a 0 W |