Item 01: Sir Charles Rosenthal diary, 25 September 1914-31 December 1918 - Page 95
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[Page 95]
We shall all endeavour to get a good night's rest. Goodness knows when we will get our next, perhaps it May be a very long night for some of us. We can only do our best, and I am sure everybody will do that. I wonder whether there will be any further entries in this Diary.
May 1st 1915
After some days' fighting I now have an opportunity to post up my Diary, but events have crowded upon us so fast that I am sure I shall not be able to record half of what I know would be intensely interesting could I remember.
Sunday 25th April
Went up on Captain's Bridge at 1.15AM, left Mudros at 1.25 AM. I turned out at 5.15AM and heard the heavy booming of guns. The much looked for attack on Gallipoli Peninsula had at last commenced and our turn to fight has come. We watched the Bombardment at Cape Helles till 8.30, and what an Inferno it seemed. Ships belching out flame and loud report, and shell bursting on land with a terrific detonation. Then we steamed into our allotted position beside HMS "Queen" for anchorage opposite Gaba Tepe point. We could see our fellows scaling the hill sides, and at intervals saw groups doubling through a Wheat Field on the extreme right flank, and getting up on to the sky line of the ridges. Shrapnel was bursting over them, but these particular men seemed to have a charmed life and all seemed to escape bullets. The stretch of water between the ships and the shore, through which all boats carrying troops had to pass, and also boats bringing wounded back to the Hospital ships was literally bespattered with Shrapnel, apparently from guns located at Gaba Tepe, from which position they could enfilade the beaches.
At 9.30, 6" guns opened fire on the Transports which were anchored. The first four shells, apparently ranging rounds, fell about 500 yards from our ship. Our fellows let out a derisive cheer, but soon became subdued and a little more concerned. Three single rounds were next fired, falling much nearer to us, then two salvos of three each. On shell fell under our bow, 20 yards away, while two groups of three fell about 10 yards on either side of the ship, and one shell fell 5 yards from a Torpedo boat. Our men now began to realise that being shelled while the ship was stationery, and being unable to answer back, was no joke. Luckily no damage was done but we "upanchored" and steamed out at 10.15 keeping under weigh till 12 noon. All the time we were impatiently waiting a signal from the