Item 01: Sir Charles Rosenthal diary, 25 September 1914-31 December 1918 - Page 170
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[Page 170]
Wednesday 8th December
While General Cartwright was out on inspection duty I went round to watch the 6" and 9".2 Howrs shooting. I met Colonel Vincent commanding the Heavy Artillery and had a long interesting chat with him. The 9".2 especially did good shooting. Quite a number of aeroplanes, both ours and the enemy's were overhead. During the afternoon one plane had no less than 137 rounds fired at it in four minutes, but no damage done. Divisional Head Quarters have kindly given me every facility for observing the frontage here and have supplied me with maps etc, so that all future movements of troops in this area I shall be able to follow with ease when I have returned to Gallipoli. I find that Generals Budworth and Cartwright were subalterns in the same battery in India with S.S.M. Hobson (from Queensland).
Met Gen Holland at DAHQ tonight. He asked me to dinner tomorrow night after I have given a lecture to the Officers school on "Operations in Gallipoli". Enemy shelled Mazingarbe last night, killed a few men and wounded some horses, besides doing damage to buildings. Several shell fell near DAHQ and made the women domestics in the House seek the cellar. Col Scott left for London. Plenty of London motor busses in this locality.
Thursday 9th December
With generals A.D.C. left D.A.H.Q. in car at 6.15 AM. Went for some distance along Lens Road, then dismissed the car and walked into Loos. Made a thorough inspection of this town. It has been terribly shelled and is absolutely a heap of ruins. There is hardly a house that has not been hit by shell. While we were there a number of shell were sent over, but did no damage. Quite a number of French and British troops are billeted among the ruins and debris. Saw an old German Battery position with quite a lot of Ammunition lying around also wicker ammunition carriers. I brought one away with me, also a shell, as a reminder of my visit to Loos. Hope later on to go beyond Loos into the forward Infantry trenches. Prepared two maps of Gallipoli about 4ft square to illustrate lecture. Lectured to about 60 officers including Maj Gen Holland C.B. D.S.O., and Brig Gen Cartwright D.S.O. I think the lecture proved to be interesting and instructive. After lecture General Cartwright and myself proceeded to Divisional HQrs and dined with the