Papers relating to Sir Ian Hamilton, 1920 - Page 27

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Stretcher and other parties fell back immediately fire broke out.  In front of our right section masses of men advanced behind the lines of unarmed men holding up their hands.  Firing became general all along the line accompanied by heavy bombardment of the whole position, so that, evidently, this attack must have been prearranged.  Musketry and machine-gun fire continued without interruption till after dark and from then up to 4 a.m. next day.

Except for a half hearted attack in front of COURTNEY'S POST, no assault was made till 1.20 a.m. when the enemy left their trenches and advanced on QUINN'S POST under cover of a heavy bombardment of our position.

Our guns drove the Turks back to their trenches and beat back all other attempts to assault.  By 4.30 a.m. on 21st May firing died down and the rest of the day was fairly quiet.

As the Turks seemed anxious to bury their dead and as human sentiment and medical science were both of one accord in favour of such a course I sent my Chief of the