Item 01: Eric Susman war diary, 1 January 1915-4 April 1916 - Page 141
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 141]
Tuesday 27 April 1915
Under heavy fire from rifles and howitzer batteries all day to-day. At about 11 a.m. we advanced from the reserve trenches to the supporting "dug-outs". News from the firing line was a little more satisfactory than it was yesterday, although it is apparent that we have struck a considerable force of Turks, probably a main body. But to-day we are holding our own and a little more. Except for a little clever sniping work, the enemy's shooting is very poor, a huge proportion of both rifle bullets and shrapnel, shells going wide of their mark. The Australians, on the contrary, are aiming with deadly accuracy, which gives us a decided advantage. All day long, the warships have kept up a heavy fire, the lyddite explosions causing great consternation to our friend "Johnny the Turk". The aircraft, as yet, have failed to locate the source of the enemy's shrapnel fire. When they do this, the warships will shell their positions, and as they have already reduced any forts, or apologies for same, in this vicinity, their work will have been nearly completed. A little after 6 p.m. we got the order to fix bayonets and prepare to reinforce the firing line. This we did, and waited, waited for the unshrinkable Turk to charge. But he wasn't having any, so we dug instead.