e
beach it was not usual to hear a rifle fired at close range, and the
sound would make everybody look up to "see where the ---- that came
from." The discovery of the culprit would bring out a chorus from the
working parties: "Give him a popgun, give him a popgun!" "Popgun" was
preceded by the usual Australian expletive.

[Illustration: Mules in a Gully.]

[Illustration: Graves of Major Ellis and Lieut.-Col. Braund.]

[Illustration: Wounded being placed on Hospital Ship.]

[Illustration: Stretcher Bearers carrying Col. Cox.]

The water found on the Peninsula was always subjected to careful
examination, and, before the troops were allowed to use it notices
were placed on each well stating whether the water was to be boiled or
if only to be used for washing.

SIMPSON

Everyone knows of Simpson and his donkey. This man belonged to one of
the other Ambulances, but he made quite frequent trips backwards and
forwards to the trenches, the donkey always carrying a wounded man.
Simpson was frequently warned of the danger he ran, for he never
stopped, no matter how heavy the firing was. His invariable reply was
"My troubles!" The brave chap was killed in the end. His donkey was
afterwards taken over by Johnstone, one of our men, who improvised
stirrups out of the stretcher-slings, and conveyed many wounded in
this manner.

CHURCH SERVICES

No account of the war would be complete without some mention of the
good work of the chaplains. They did their work nobly, and gave the
greatest assistance to the bearers in getting the wounded down. I came
into contact chiefly with those belonging to our own Brigade. Colonel
Green, Colonel Wray, and Captain Gillitson; the latter was killed
while trying to get one of our men who had been wounded. Services were
held whenever possible, and sometimes under very peculiar
circumstances. Once service was being conducted in the gully when a
platoon was observed coming down the opposite hill in a position
exposed to rifle fire. The thoughts of the audience were at once
distracted from what the Padre was expounding by the risk the platoon
was running; and members of the congregation pointed out the folly of
such conduct, emphasizing their remarks by all the adjectives in the
Australian vocabulary. Suddenly a shell burst over the platoon and
killed a few men. After the wounded had been cared for, the Padre
regained the attention of his congregation and gave out the last verse