State Library of NSW
[Page 56]
were very thankful to get out of it. We lost a lot of men that Sunday night and Monday and it was the hottest thing we have had to date. The Sunday night when we were lost for a while was a perfect nightmare, and we couldn't shoot ourselves and yet were being shot at from all directions – getting a good deal of our own bullets from the 16th trenches which we got in front of by mistake. However we had driven the Turks from their trench and must have killed I think more of them than they did of us.We were all dead done up and went down the valley for a spell. I then heard of many of my mates who had been killed and wounded – one or two had had their heads practically blown off by bombs – others were "missing" – which I am afraid means in most cases dead.
4 & 5/5/15. Still resting and feeling a bit better now – we wanted our spell and the sleep badly.
6/5/15. I was one of the burial party to bury the dead result of scrap of 2 & 3/5/15 (so far as we could – of course there were many we couldn't get near as they were under the enemy's fire) – buried many of our chaps and some Turks – one Turk in particular had been dead about a week and was very "unpleasant" (N.B. that isn't my exact note). The 14th Chaplain searched the dead before we buried them – some Turks had a couple of pounds and more in Turkish money on them, which goes to headquarters.Went back to our old trenches in the afternoon. Schrapnel bursting over our heads a treat as I write this note, and makes writing a bit shaky – you bet.
7/5/15. In the trenches. Turks pouring in a lot of schrapnel, but not doing so much harm as would be expected – on picket duty myself that night and until next morning. Have got poisoned hands – very sore. Our battalion got some re-inforcements.
8/5/15. Came back to our old trenches – very cold at night without overcoats.
9/5/15. Sunday – comparatively quiet, but snipers got several men in our part of the trenches and the Turks dropped in some
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