Item 01: Sir Charles Rosenthal diary, 25 September 1914-31 December 1918 - Page 118
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[Page 118]
Thursday 10th June
While at work on my Head Quarters observing station this morning one of the B.A.C. Drivers was hit with a bullet. His wound is in the abdomen and is serious. This casualty caused me to look up our Brigade list, which I have entered on the previous page. It shows 7 killed and 50 wounded. A fairly heavy percentage out of 350 men, which is all I have ashore. The remainder are at Alexandria attending to Brigade Horses.
The enemy's artillery this morning and again this afternoon opened up a smart cannonade, but our guns soon silenced them. Once our shrapnel gets near them they seem disinclined to serve their guns. Otherwise a quiet day.
General Fuller R.A, the senior Artillery officer with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force was round the lines today with General Cunliffe Owen. The latter did not do either Colonel Hobbs or Brigade Commanders the common courtesy of informing them they were coming around. As a consequence General Owen, who really knows very little of our work from personal observation (as he never comes near our emplacements) has doubtless received what Commendation General Fuller had to bestow. Very quiet evening. I am now writing in my "dugout" at 8.10PM in the twilight and hardly a sound of battle can be heard. The enemy has been very quiet indeed the last three days. A shell today pierced Richards' observation shield.
Friday 11th June
Two very heavy rifle fusillades during the night, possibly enemy attacking. Completed Brigade Forward officers observing station and Telephone recess, and put up necessary notice Boards. Fairly heavy cannonade late this afternoon. Our guns replied and silenced the enemy. Major Burgess did some damage to a group of horsemen and a train of camels Southward. One of the Headquarters staff brought me in an unexploded high explosive Turkish shell. I have the fuse which is rather an interesting one, but the shell I am afraid we shall be unable to empty. It is a similar type of shell to the one that entered my old "dugout". We find mails will not reach here till tomorrow evening. The reported big bundles of mails coming ashore proved to be bags of meat. The Artillery roadway is nearing completion, and will be a great boon for all arms of the service, particularly Infantry moving in formed bodies. Capt Jopp returned to duty with me two days ago, and I am now using him exclusively as Forward Observing officer for this Brigade, while my orderly Officer, Lt Richards is temporarily loaned to 7th battery. Mr Forrest is for the present acting as Adjutant.