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[Page 10]
Anzac
Early in the morning, punts came alongside, the decks of being covered in straw, and into these we embarked and were towed to shore by a steam tugboat. Several men were shot by stray bullets, one being a sailor on the "Osmanieh". We landed at Anzac, at half past four on Sunday morning of Aug./22/15, whilst a great charge was in progress on the left in the Chocolate Hills, where the 18th Battalion met a severe reverse. We marched along the beach, and camped in Reserve Gully, which was secure from that scourge of a gun of the Turks, called "Beachy Bill". The following night found us marching along a wide sap towards Suvla Bay, and being bumped by mules carrying ammunitions, etc. Now and again, a halt was made to allow the stretchers bearers carrying wounded, to pass by on the way to the hospital. We arrived at Argyle Ravine, and went into the trenches; and then the guide lost his bearings, and put us into the wrong line. We met the 19th Battalion coming out and as the trenches were very narrow, we had to lay down and to let them find footing between the sides of the trench, and our bodies, so they practically walked on us. Some rude remarks were passed, I assure you, when a man stumbled, and planted placed his foot in the middle of a 20th man's back. At last, all was righted and everybody allotted to their posts, and I shall never forget the feeling that came over me, when I was faced with the grim reality. When daylight appeared, sniping by the Turks was prevalent and it was difficult to locate where it came from; in fact, it came from all points of the compass.