WAR- CHRONICLE

such an extent that it sank within four minutes. Hamidieh then
directed his attention to one of the English ships, which after half
an hour was seen to list heavily as the machinery was damaged.
The wind drove her quite near Fort Dardanos where she sank at
about 800 m. from the shore. A third battle-ship was sunk owing
to the specially good aim of the howitzer battery. A torpedo
destroyer, which had hastened to help the latter's crew, was also
hit and sunk immediately, while the remaining ships were more or
less severely damaged. The large dreadnought "Queen Elisabeth"
was hit in several places, one shell penetrating the funnel as far
as the machine room, where it caused considerable damage. None
of the ships escaped receiving severe injuries and having to report
at least several hundred killed on board.
Towards 8 o'clock in the evening they withdrew.
About 12-30 a. m. my mate K. . . shouted to me: "The connection
is cut!" Now my turn came. Clutching my portable telephone and
reserve wires, I dashed down the steep hill and along the road
towards Hamidieh. My God, what a sight that was ! To the right
and left of the road shells were bursting, causing enormous craters.
Especially when I approached the Dardanos range, the shells came
whizzing one after another, tearing up trees and telephone posts.
Our wire had only been damaged at one point and it did not take
me long to repair it, but I ran along the road for about three
kilometres in the direction of Hamidieh, so as to be sure that it
wa.s not damaged at any other point. Then I shut up my box and
had the satisfaction of talking over the wire to K. . and with the
telephone post at Hamidieh.
It was 3 o'clock, when 1 returned tired and hungry, and
enjoyed four raw eggs and then lay down and fell asleep at once.
For the last two days, the ships left us at peace, which was
a good thing for us. All the guns had to be cleaned, damaged
Avails rebuilt, the wounded bandaged and the dead buried. None
of the guns at Dardanos have been damaged, nor at Kilid Balir,
but one at Hamidieh was silenced ....
(Frankfurter Zeitang, April 18, 1915.)
4. From the Air Fleet.
A Reconnoisance Flight.
I have done more than 4,000 "flying kilometres" since the war
began as observer or pilot, above the enemy. More than a dozen
times I have escaped death, but by a hair's breadth, but never
neither in the East or West have I been in such varying danger
as on 18th March, when on a reconnoissance flight over Warsaw.
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