Ward diary, 6 October 1914 - 28 July 1915 / Eric Harford Ward - Page 37

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1915
June 25 – Up in trenches tonight, plenty of bombs. Did not go for swim too risky.

Sat. 26 – Sir Ian Hamilton & General Birdwood passed through lines. The Turks must know as they put some shrapnel over.

Sun. 27 – Supports 2nd Btn., many bombs flying. Church parade. Col. Green farewell sermon. General Birdwood address us & promised us spell over at Imbros Is. Bombardment early to-day. 63rd day in firing line.

Mon. 28 – Forts on Gaba Tepe firing at our guns, put two six inch shells into our camp, one struck 5 feet in rear of my dug out. I got buried up to the neck, three pieces of earth being 2 feet long & 1½ ft. thick. Two pieces of the shell lobbed in the dugout. I choked spluttered & yelled. All my cobbers thought I was dead. When the cloud of dust & vile fumes passed over I tried to wriggle out but hopeless. A shovel & entrenching tool was requisitioned & I was dug out. Thank God all I had was a bruise on left knee, left elbow skinned & wrenched my left knee. I suffered a good deal from shock. Dr. Thompson & S.B.'s carried me down & bandaged my knee up. Having been fixed up I was carried under cover of the hill & no sooner had I moved than another great black monster burst 2 yds. from the spot I had just left, this one landed at the back of the Sgt.-Mjrs. dugout knocking him out temporarily. There were several of us about at the time but nobody got hurt.