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[Page 142]
Wednesday 28 April 1915
My first night in the firing line was one of work. At about 1 a.m., I started to dig myself in under a heavy fire though, as is more or less the case with all night firing, the shooting was somewhat erratic. Still the lead was there and standing in the open I used that pick and shovel as I have never used it before. However, I got over this ticklish part of the job without mishap, and at 3 a.m. settled down to a look-out till daylight. We allow the Turks to do most of the shooting, and content ourselves with an occasional "fire rounds rapid" just to remind them that we are still where we are. In this fashion the bitterly cold night was passed, under cramped, trying conditions. From my first experience of it, I should think a very little trench fighting will be quite sufficient for me.
All day, a desultory fire was kept. Both sides are cautious and keep well down in their trenches. So we have a very poor target at which we can shoot. The casualties were very few to-day, and what few shots did get home, were the results of the clever work of the enemy's sharp-shooters. These plucky fellows (one cannot help admiring them) come right up to within 40 yards of our trenches. And the moment a man puts his head over the trench his brains are as good as blown out. So it behoves us to play cautious and avoid be [being ?] the victims of this most remarkable shooting.