Item 03: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett telegrams, 1915 - Page 14

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[Page 14]

[censor's deletion - their privations and dangers nearly had his shelter destroyed by a big shell stop The general has in fact been lucky because he was hit on the head by a bullet whilst examining the enemy's positions through a loophole but fortunately escaped with no worse injury than a scalp wound] stop

The front trenches are now very different to what they were when I last visited them they are very deep narrow zig zazs with traverses and having a ledge from which the men can fire through loopholes during an attack stop the Australians seem in fact to have adopted the Japanese system of trench making which aims at having a clear passage which will not be blocked by the troops actually holding the position who can lie on the ledge or repose in the bobbproofs [censor's deletion – which have been dug in under the parapet and not under the paradox] stop every precaution has in fact been taken to render the position impregnable every section is self contained and unlimited supplies of ammunition are ready at hand stop

the spirit of these Colonial troops has been excellent throughout but they naturally feel sitting still doing nothing day after day far more than regular troops and it is no secret to say they were getting a bit bored with the hold up when Von Sanders decided on May 18th to make another abortive effort to drive them into the sea and thus provided – to quote a keen eyed bushman – the finest bit of shooting I ever had stop The presence of the [censor's deletion – Anzac Corps] Australians and New Zealanders north of Gaba Tepe is a thorn in the side of the Turks which handicaps all their operations against our forces in the south of Gallipoli for whenever he attempts an offensive movement in the south or is called up to resist an attack in force Von Sanders is obliged to leave a very high proportion of his forces facing the Colonials who unless they are held in strength

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