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[Page 64]
Ryan only having his sword. The first Turk he came to he was so excited that he forgot to use the sword, but grappled with the Turks throat & left him for dead. He then continued fighting for two days, when he was wounded & taken on board the hospital ship Dongala, where he is now getting on well. Some of the soldiers looking after supplies etc all day, get a rifle at night, without permission & go sniping & think its great fun.
One Division were in the trenches four days, having refused to be releived. They said we have been waiting for this for nearly nine months now, & we are going to have it while we have the chance. Several have been killed in daring attempts to rescue wounded.
May 4th
Last night was practically quiet, but at daylight this morning big shells started to fall all around the Transports, & shrapnel burst over several. We had 5 or 6 fall very close to us, so we decided to back out a bit. All the Transports have been lying close inshore for over a week, now we have to shift further back, so I don't like the signs. Perhaps that Aeroplane got our range yesterday. It is a hard job to keep at writing because every few minutes something is happening. Either a baloon is about to arise, an aeroplane is sighted, the Warships start banging away, or there is an artillery advance ashore or else shrapnel starts bursting among us, & someone calls out, "here she is", "look at this one", "theres Lizzie again" or some such similar terms & one just has to go & have a look. Already my work is a month behind, but I suppose one cannot watch a war & work too.