Ward diary, 6 October 1914 - 28 July 1915 / Eric Harford Ward - Page 29

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[Page 29]

1915
& went into trenches to fight & were arrested & taken to boat.

May 16 – Not so quiet as last Sun. – plenty of shrapnel in morning. Wrote Service P.C. (19) Mother & Ruby. Dug cooks kitchen at night.

17 – Trenches – we do 24 hrs. in & 24 hrs. out now – things much improved – Have not had a wash since May 1st with exception of hand wash (2) & shave with water-bottle. Still improving trenches. Turks firing an 8" gun now. Capt. Hill wounded. Our Waterplane flew over the Turkish trenches at 6 p.m, they fired several shells at it forming a true Southern Cross with 6 shrapnel shells, however they failed to get anywhere near it. More troops landing. Cleaned my teeth with brush & paste I found, first clean since landing. Q.M. Sgt. "C" killed (Sgt. Horne) by shrapnel – Turks poured shrapnel into us at dusk followed by 8" gun.

Tues. 18 – No sooner daylight than we got a good dose of shrapnel combined with their eight inch gun which enfiladed us. During the day they gave us 3 doses of shrapnel & 8 inch firing 54 - 8 inch shells. The worst lot yet. Expecting night attack tonight – later – night attack as expected every man "standing too" all night.

Wed. 19 - Went into trenches at 3 a.m. trench outside full of Turks – awful night – full force of attack at daybreak – We got beans from their shrapnel, lost several 28 men killed & wounded in D Coy. Turks retired to their trenches under heavy fire at 6.30 a.m. Rcd. letter dated 2/5/15 from Aunt Jess yesterday. Took 14 prisoners in our section. Rcd. letters from Ruby, Aunt Carrie & Jennie.

20 – Still in fire trench, awful day yesterday. Out today 1 p.m. in again at 7 p.m. expecting another night attack from Turks. General Walker & Turkish General confer – we raised Geneva Red Cross to communicate with Turkish Crescent & allow Turks to bury their dead on condition we take their wounded as prisoners. Turks raised Crescent & came out but would not agree to wounded being made prisoners – Armistice

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