Item 01: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett diary, 1915-1917 - Page 150
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[Page 150]
front rejoined me. His report on the siruation was most distressing. He said that our infantry were demoralised and weary and absolutely refused to advance. The muddle was beyond anything ever previously seen 'Never he said 'since Lombard's Kopje and Nicholson's neck have I seen British infantry behave so badly. This morning the 53rd Division Welsh Territorials were landed and immediately pushed up into the already conjested firing line to add nothing to its strength but merely to deepen the prevailing confusion.
Tuesday August 10th
This morning Nevinson and self went out to Lala Baba but after staying there fro half an hour we decided to go round the Salt Lake to Chocolate Hill where you can obtain a onderful view of the whole battlefield. We selected the south side of the Lake as being the safest but when we were half way round came in for a most unpleasant experience. The enemy either by accident or design got a battery just on W Ridge playing right on us. The first shell went over our heads and the second pitched within five yards covering us with mud. Then several others arrived with a fearful shriek and burst all round us. We had absolutely no cover and I ran into the weeds by the Lake to hide myself hoping to get out of their track. But this availed me little for I sank in slime above my knees and could not move. Thus stuck I had to keep quiet while fourteen shells burst within ten or twenty yards the last two of them being shrapnel. Fortunately by some miracle we all three escaped and after a time the fire ceased. Whereupon we crept out at intervals of one houndred yards and ran for the next three houndred to some slight cover by the roadside. Then we made for the shelter of the lea side of Choc- [olate Hill]