Item 02: Hunter Gibson diary, March 1915 - March 1916 - Page 17

[Page 17]

rose abruptly in sandy hills steeply escarped by water-courses low shrub gave excellent cover to the enemy. In the face of such odds our troops landed some swimming [indecipherable] they could get a footing and charged driving the enemy at the point of the bayonet. There was one hill The land rises some hundreds of feet in height and over this the enemy were driven. Later As time went on other troops were being landed and now a firm footing has been obtained and the Turk is as good as beaten. The other landing forces have also got on shore so that the enemy will shortly be enclosed. One great disadvantage under which we laboured in the initial stages of the invasion was the lack of artillery. The Navy did incalculable good but land artillery was badly needed on account of the difficulty which the ships experienced due to concealment of the enemy's guns. However when I left the artillery was being got into position so that by this time the enemy has no doubt been considerably warmed up. I am at present in hospital hav just out of Alexandria having been wounded in the left arm. It is nothing serious.