World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula
Last night one Asiatic gun fired over to our camp one high explosive
shell every half an hour, but everybody was well dug in, and no harm
was done. I was sound asleep.
This morning Turkish artillery is very active, but Asia’s guns are not
doing much. We are improving our “bivvy,” making it possible to do
our work without much interruption. It is almost impossible to keep
books and organize the feeding of an army with high explosive and
other shells dropping around, Lord knows where next. At the Supply
depot, however, we are very exposed, and it is very trying to stand
there issuing day’s food and loading up the wagons with shells flying
overhead, and therefore I am having a proper dugout made. We have
had many casualties there now, and the Supply and Transport men have
absolutely no chance to save themselves when standing in the open,
with high explosives bursting near. We try and treat it humorously, but
it is always a relief when the job is done.
This morning my staff-sergeant came to me and said, “The R.A. —— have
taken ——” (shriek of a shell and a bang, during which we both looked
over our shoulders) “them supplies to the gully, sir.” I reply, “All
right,” and then we both duck behind a biscuit-box as another shell
comes nearer. Not much use really getting behind a box, but it looks
safer than nothing at all.
As Hyslop, our Canadian Vet., said, “Any hole looks good when Asia gets
busy.”
This afternoon I walked along under the cliff to Gully Beach to see my
Brigade, who have now gone into reserve for a rest. On the way we pass
a Padre holding evening prayer and preaching a sermon. As I come back I
learn that several shrapnel had burst over the cliff, two officers, one
man, and a horse being wounded. A piece had hit the heel of the boot of
the Padre as he was conducting the service.
I spoke to several officers of the Royal Scots who had been in the
fighting two nights ago, during which the Manchester Territorials
retired, evacuating two trenches, which the Royal Scots and one company
of the Worcesters took back twenty minutes after. Colonel Wilson, O.C.
Royal Scots, has been awarded the D.S.O. for this piece of work.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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