Again, others found an interest in watching the flocks of wild geese that passed over during the autumn migrations. The appearance of these birds whetted the appetites of the "dog-fed" soldiers, but no rifle bullet seemed to be able to find them. During the first week in December starlings passed over in flocks of thousands—flying low and following the line of hill and vale, whilst emitting a curious sound from the movement of so many wings. In the Deres would be seen an occasional blackbird and thrush, which were later on joined by the robin. On one occasion a visitor from the Balkans—an eagle with a very large spread of wings—hovered over Cheshire Ridge and, by a few, was thought to be an aeroplane flying at great altitude.
Nor was the sea unpleasant to the eye. The wonderful blue of the Mediterranean, the storms, and the sunsets and clouds behind and above the sharp peaks of the island of Samothrace—some 40 miles away—made believers of those who had seen copies or prints of Turner's pictures. Farther south, and 12 or 15 miles distant, lay the less mountainous island of Imbros, where Sir Ian Hamilton had his headquarters. Kephalos Bay was on the east side, and there, on a clear day, could be discerned the anchored shipping.
LEMNOS, IMBROS, AND SAMOTHRACE.
Lent by Mr. C. E. W. Bean.[ToList]
Nearer at hand trawlers were engaged in mine sweeping. Others were lying at anchor, just beyond the range of the Turkish guns, waiting for darkness in order to discharge or take in cargo. Occasionally these craft came in too close and afforded a target for enemy "whizz-bangs" or salvos of "4.2's." These latter made a whining progress through the air and landed in the sea, throwing up fountains of water as they burst. Seldom did the Turk score a hit, and only once during the Battalion's stay was a shell noticed to reach its intended destination.
Other vessels could be seen. An occasional destroyer proceeded at full speed on some errand or in search of a hostile submarine whose presence had been rumoured. Once a huge battle cruiser approached Suvla with a watching destroyer keeping station on each bow and quarter. Low-lying monitors, standing a long way off shore, with their one or two guns trained at high angles, made practice at some inland target near Achi Baba or at the northern end of the Peninsula. One of these, the "Peninsula Press" reported, secured four direct hits on the flour mills at Galata at a range of 19,400 yards.
Close at hand was the ever-present "Grafton," which, when the evening sun lighted up the north-western slopes of Sari Bair, would loose her guns, the firing of which gave forth a peculiar long-drawn-out double echo.
With the fall of night sight failed except in regard to the flashes of the naval guns and the red and green lights of the waiting hospital ships.
Whilst in Taylor's Hollow the Battalion was not immediately concerned with the operations of the front line. It was, however, still under fire, for numerous shells fell at the entrance to the Hollow and bullets came thickly at night all over the area. The sole casualty was a donkey killed. On the beach near-by a lighter had been blown ashore. In its vicinity some of the men were in the habit of bathing. The Turks shelled the locality one afternoon and the bathers took cover under the distant side of the boat. From this they emerged rather hurriedly when a shell lobbed right into the craft. But instead of forsaking the neighbourhood they lay about under the sand ridges, and when a shell landed were seen to rush out and "souvenir" the copper driving band, from which interesting mementos were manufactured by the artificers of the adjacent howitzer battery.