holly-bushes, cut and placed over the canvas.  Our aeroplanes were constantly up, and were easily recognised by a red ring painted underneath, while the Taube was adorned with a large black cross; but after we had been there a little time we found it was not necessary to use glasses in order to ascertain whose flying machine was over us; we were able to tell by listening, as their engines had a different sound from those belonging to us.

Our aeroplanes were the source of a good deal of annoyance to the Turks.  They continually fired at them, but, as far as I was able to judge, never went within cooee of one.  The bursts of shrapnel away in the air made a pretty sight, puffs of white smoke like bits of cotton-wool in succession, and the aeroplane sailing unconcernedly along.  It appears to be very difficult to judge distance away in the air, and even more difficult to estimate the rate at which the object is travelling.  What became of the shell-cases of the shrapnel used to puzzle us.  One day Walkley remarked that it was peculiar that none fell on us.  I replied “surely there is plenty of room other than where we are for them to fall.”  Scarcely were the words uttered than down one came close by.  We knew it was a case from above and not one fired direct, because the noise was so different.

The hydroplanes used by the Navy were interesting.  Floating on the water, they would gather way and soar upwards like a bird.  Their construction was different from that of the aeroplanes.

A captive balloon was used a good deal to give the ranges for the warships.  It was carried on the forepart of a steamer and was, I believe, in connection with it by telephone or wireless.

THE OFFICERS’ MESS

We kept up the custom of having an officers’ mess right through the campaign.  When we first landed, while everything was in confusion, each man catered for himself; but it was a lonely business, and not conducive to health.  When a man cooked his own rations he probably did not eat much.  So a dug-out was made close to the hospital tent, and we all had our meals together.  A rather pathetic incident occurred one day.  Just after we had finished lunch three of us were seated, talking of the meals the “Australia” provided, when a fragment of shell came through the roof on to the table and broke one of the enamel plates.  This may seem a trivial affair and not worth grousing about; but the sorry part of it was that we only had one plate each, and this loss entailed one man having to wait until the others had finished their banquet.