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[Page 32]
fallen comrades, attending wounds at the double, whilst hail & lead fell almost incessantly, will ever remain imprinted on my memory. I was horribly disturbed the first day while undergoing my baptism of fire & was hourly expecting my call, but thank the Heavens it wasn't my turn. (Reference Majors Irvine & Bridges). Place yourself a young, healthy person, full of life, thrust among carnage & ruin – Picture your thoughts – Our guns gave me fearful frights each explosion – Big Lizzie especially, with her 15 inch guns cause a terrific recoil & explosion I thought, as I sat crouched on a hilltop dodging shrapnel, & her shells flying low over our heads. Death's Gully was awful on Sunday & we greatly feared land mines above all things. The carnage here was terrific & here our 3rd lost practically a whole section. Other regiments were greatly cut up here and one hillside trench containing two regiments originally were reduced to six & five respectively. Here, also all that remained of one company was Lieut. A--. Also here Surgeon Capt. Bean was wounded & higher again all my C.T.A. friends. Today at 1 a.m. (3rd day) we were hurriedly called to scour for wounded about the third ridge over, occupied by the 4th Battalion. "What a night" tramping through mud up & over your knees, every nerve strung to concert pitch on the watch for snipers. Probably a good deal of our nerves were due to want of sleep which had been denied us for three nights. I managed today a good stretch of sleep (4th day) & already feel a good deal better, also some quinine & a dope of