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[Page 48]
the day the time came when our chaps could not go further & retired a short distance. The Turks seemed to have the range to perfection. We could see the shrapnel bursting & it caused great havoc Officers had a bad time several companies being depleted altogether I will never forget Sunday 25th of April. I really believe it will mark an era in Australian history. On this day Australians proved themselves. They landed under heavy fire, a thing rarely attempted & never flinched once & the result was victory. Our men were deliberately picked for the honour and proved that the trust shown in them was not misplaced. A captain assured me that 40 &percnt casualities were spoken of & expected. Would Kitchener send anyone to such a job? Just on dusk a cruiser came close to us & heavily bombarded the Turks. At each broadside our ship quivered & the noise was deafening. I was in a fuelling boat alongside getting wounded out at the time & twas almost unbearable the shells going almost over our heads & the concussion changed a calm sea into a choppy one causing our boats to rock terribly. It was a relief to get on board again. During the night fitful firing was heard but the main thing was that our artillery was landed & took up there position
Monday 26th dawned & the battle was still going on but the Turks began to get a little of what our chaps had suffered shrapnel bursting over their lines continuously. We had still a quantity of rations & ammunition to unload so could not leave for Alexandria