[Page 55]
evening were hopelessly late.
They failed to join hands with the troops from Anzac who had advanced victoriously during the night towards the Sari Bair mountains. It seemed that the Britishers were being led badly. Perhaps it was the lack of initiative, of leadership. Whatever be the trouble the fact remains that time and opportunity were being lost.
We could see the great number of newly arrived transports which had mysteriously crept into Suvla Bay harbour during that very dark night.
It was noticeable that their men were formed in mass formation along the beach, while others were advancing in broad daylight over the tracks of salt lake to the direction of Chocolate Hill, being severely peppered by shrapnel as they progressed. Their dismal figures could be clearly observed through the binoculars, desperately struggling against fearful odds in their endeavour to gain possession of the low lying country between Hill 60 and the Anafarta hills. A great portion of the ground was thickly covered in gorse and brush small shrubs which had been ignited by high explosive shells, and were burning furiously.
The warships, stationed alongside the transports, were clearly visible against the cloudy but picturesque sky at Suvla Bay, were firing with wonderful accuracy, causing heavy casualties amongst the Turkish infantry, and brilliantly annihilating their guns which were placed for concealment amongst the Anafarta village