Item 01: Fred Hamilton-Kenny letter diary, 29 August-19 October 1914 - Page 41
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[Page 41]
You must understand this was an attack after the primary surrender of Herbertshoe – a threatened recapture of the town by German & Native police - They surrendered in time because they'd have got little quarter - Now I've heard more about the fight at Kabakaul – the fight for the wireless station & why we lost men & officers - There was no preliminary shelling of the Bush & too few men were used on the job - Resistance was not anticipated - There was a road up to the Station & dense bush on either side – very dense jungle with high leafy trees - I send a diagram -
[diagram]
Later NB They don't seem to have gone up the side - Elwell stepped into the road & was shot – anyone on the road was shot
You see the Beach & the road up to the station from the beach - The N Brigade & our Tommies deployed & went up the road at the double - Presently they came to wire entanglements & a trench & then they were met by a hail of lead from behind & above & if the niggers had been white men, few out of our crowd wd have come out alive - Niggers cant shoot like the GI rifle club chaps can – shot high but all the same our men fell thickly & fast -