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[Page 134]
21 August 1915
Saturday Battle of Kaiajik
Things fairly quiet along the whole front, only a minor attack on the Left by the Indian Bde. At 1530 after an hours solid bombardment Gen Russell commenced his assault & reported at 4.30 as follows have occupied Kaiajik Aghala our L has pushed on slightly but R is hung up, matters developing against spur 105T, later his left had taken knoll 60, R held up by m gun; at 9pm he reported holding on with 200 [indecipherable] Bde across Kaian Dere 100 yds from enemy's trench. On L we hold enemy first trench & have been reinforced by Con rangers, line digging in & put in state of defence. Otago & 7Rifles captured a m gun which is now being used against enemy. One of our planes at 1145 reported large body of enemy at [indecipherable] also one brigade of rein advancing from [indecipherable] Walkus reports large body of enemy moving SW from Kutchuk Anafarta, this is possibly same lot as plane reports. Our progress is slow & little can be seen on account of the dust, the enemy is in force SW of [indecipherable] & are holding up our line in the direction of Ismail. Very little visible owing to numerous fires, at midnight our troops were still progressing & hanging on
22 August 1915
Sunday continuing
General situation at 2.30 this morning Gen Russell reports:- Dutport line extends from Susak Kuya by green patch to Kaiajik, his troops although exhausted can hold on but to consolidate a communication trench running N & S across ridge[image] The heavy firing late last night was a counter attack by Turks but was driven off. [image] must be taken by Connought rangers, 19th Bn occupied trenches on Kaiajik, the Turks were seen retreating from them, but the enemy is bringing up his reinforcements from Bijuk Anafarta by sunken road S of [indecipherable]. Gen Russell later reported that the trenches taken by Australians had to be vacated owing to enemy's bomb attack, but 80 yds of another trench has however been taken & is now held. The ninth corps took a trench late last night in C of Hetman Chair this was counter attacked this morning & troops holding it were bombed out of it & fell back on the old line of yesterday, the 11th Divn has been ordered to take this position tonight for it is essential to enable our L & their R to effectively link up. 887 bags arrived of mail for Anzac tonight Sgt Nelson to tea