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[Page 49]
Operator then rushed up on the bridge to the Captain & told him, so he turned the ship around immediately & sent the following message to the Majestic, "Have intercepted message, returning Gaba Tepe Commander Hessen.
1.30 p.m. Arrived back at Gaba Tepe & are now anchored 120 yards astern of H.M.S. Queen. We are closest inshore of any of the Troopships, being now about half a mile from it. The Queen is firing continuously from her forward guns, whilst on the after part of her the Jack Tars are kicking a little football about – Pretty cool alright. I took a photograph of her firing. I had a look ashore through a Telescope & can plainly see our men on the mountain (thousands of them). They have big trenches dug with bomb & shrapnel proof covers over them, whilst further along the guns of the mountain battery can be seen well entrenched & every few seconds one of the guns are fired & a flash of flame bursts forth. Just ahead of them the enemy's shrapnel keeps bursting & shells are coming right over the ridge & landing in the water near the H.M.S. Baccchante, about 500 yards ahead of us. It got too close for her & she has just shifted out. On the beach there is a mine-sweeper which the enemy sank, only the tops of her funnel & masts showing. But the most remarkable of all is the fact that a lot of Australians are in swimming. I suppose they are the night-shift for the trenches, but its pretty coolheaded