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[Page 40]
are landing. The two shots from the Queen were the first fired, but now the rifle & machine gun fire is incessant.
5.30 a.m. The sun is just rising behind Gaba Tepe where our men landed & with Shrapnel & warship shells bursting all along the ridges of the hills the sight is weirdly beautiful, yet hellish.
Two Aeroplanes are now flying around us & the baloon Ship is about to fly its captive baloon in order to get a knowledge of the Turks positions. There are also numerous Battleships, Destroyers & Submarines here, however "cold feet" has not yet set in. It is now nearly 6 oclock & we are returning to land our Mountain Battery.
8.40 a.m. Still landing our Troops & the other Ships are doing likewise. There is one continual stream of small craft now plying backwards & forwards from Troopship to beach, now & again shells explode in the water or above their heads, but no notice is taken. The Destroyers are also rushing in with men & tearing around at an enormous speed. It was a great sight to see the Indian Mountain Battery, that we landed, rush the hill in front of them. The barges with the guns & mules in had no sooner touched the beach, than they were hooked ashore, the mules made fast to the guns & with one fiendish yell they raced for the top, the Indians keeping yelling all the way up. Within 7 minutes of landing the guns were firing on the enemy. There is a Fort on a ridge which has been destroyed, but there is still one gun just to the left of it & well covered, which