Item 01: William Peterson diary, 1 January 1916-13 August 1916 - Page 280
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[Page 280]
had its firing line out than "Jacko" opened out with everything he could that could throw a projectile from bullets to 6'' high xplosive shells. Shell after shell sometime two and 3 at a time burst close. horses going down like nine pins Absolutely the most cruel scene one could witness; the poor unfortunate beasts it was pitiful to see them some of them Came back to where the remainder of the Brigade had their led horses, bleeding & limping some wher were lying and struggling where they were struck down Numbers of them killed & some literally blown to pieces A dangerous job carrying despatches under such fire but those men of mine never flinched, never hesitated. Then the bullets came and they were like angry bees buzzing around one's ears "Pharoah" my horse got hit in the rump with one Dorricott's horse also hit & Corpl Cameron's. Mercer's horse got blown to pieces thereby saving the life of Mercer and Howard who were standing on the off side. Whole Batallions of Turkish Infantry were advancing under cover of the guns what was the ordinary rifle compared to that? The Battery Commander was ordered to open rapid fire with his Battery and (oh! the irony of it all!) he said "I have only 20 rounds left and I am ordered to hold on to them!" Good God! was there ever a more disgraceful situation in