Item 02: Fred Harold Tomlins war diary, 21 March-3 September 1915 - Page 166
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[Page 166]
7.8.15
Sat. 7th. At 4 oclock yesterday I witnessed the most impressive scene I have ever seen, after a heavy bombardment from our artillery & warboats, the boys on the right charged & it was a grand sight; the country looked as though a bush fire was raging, white smoke from the shrapnel & the black smoke from the high explosive shells mixed with the red soil cut up by the shells made a fine picture, & our boys sprinting through it with bayonets flashing in the sunlight set it off. At one place the Turks seemed to dispute our trespassing right but only for a few moments, then they turned & fled. It was too far from here to see the men falling, & so only saw the grand side of the affair; especially as our boys were advancing, leaping line after line of trenches, only allowing themselves a few moments occasionally to get their breath, & then up again to keep the Turks on the run. The troops on the extreme left also charged at the same time, a part of the New Zealanders & all the Ghurkas, & have