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[Page 20]
Gallipoli
1:11:15 – without warning from the South-east, and tossed and tore around us for a full hour. The air was full of flying pebbles and pockets of dust and debris, and stung and wounded the faces and hands of those who had been unfortunate enough not to secure timely shelter. The sea raged, roared and tossed huge breakers into the sandy shore. Many boats and lighters were unable to withstand its fury, and were driven on to the shallows and aground.
2:11:15 – The morning broke calm, with not a breath of wind, and the sea had quietened considerably, though still heaving and swelling from its overnight struggles. One paddle steamer – a tug – lay high and dry on the beach below No. 2 Post and the Turks lost no time in getting on to it with big shells, but they made very poor practice. They also turned the machine guns on to the men aboard her, and they were compulsorily obliged to abandon her.
5:11:15 – The enemy again turned his big shells on to us this afternoon – about tea-time – planting two into the middle of the hospital tents, another perilously near the wireless station, and a further one just above the 'Office' on the hill opposite. One poor devil had his legs blown off whilst there were several other serious casualties in the hospital. A "funk" hole is to be built (dug) to enable us to take shelter from these monsters of destruction.
7:11:15 – It is announced by the War Office that the British transport "Ramazan" has been sunk by shell fire in the Aegean Sea. Out of 380 Indian troops aboard 75 were saved, together with 28 of the crew.
"There is no truth" the Press Bureau states, "that Lord Kitchener has resigned. He has been sent on a special mission by the Government and his duties at the War Office are being temporarily discharged by Mr. Asquith."
8:11:15 – It is announced by the War Office that Lord Kitchener has left England for a short visit to the eastern theatre of war (By wireless).
9:11:15 – Serbia through her representative in London has issued an appeal to her friends in Great Britain begging that help will be sent to her quickly. "Serbia has been condemned to death by the Germans, Austrians, and Bulgarians", says the Serbian Minister, - "Our common enemies are trying to annihilate us. In spite of the spirit of our soldiers, our resistance cannot be expected to be maintained indefinitely." Franco-British Forces are said to have reached a point 90 miles north of Salonika, but it is doubtful if they can join the Serbians in time to prevent them from being annihilated. (By wireless).
10:11:15 – It is officially reported that British troops moving northwards from Salonika have joined hands with the Serbians and that a Russian Army of 250,000 is on its way to Bulgaria.
London (by wireless Nov. 8) – Lord Kitchener has conferred with General Joffre and the Premier. According to Paris newspapers, Kitchener's conference at Paris has produced a thorough understanding with the French Government. Lord Kitchener will visit the Dardanelles, Egypt, Macedonia, and Greece.
The Greek Cabinet has been reconstructed and it will maintain an attitude of very benevolent neutrality towards the Entente.
To-day has been a day of events locally. Our feeling of security from enemy fire in the little hollow which we call Otago Gully has been decisively shattered in one short hour. Our "palatial and comfortable" home which has been erected with so much pain and with such diligent care and so "beautiful" to the eye with its large sandbag-offices, covered with varied-colored tarpaulins, along its parallel tiers of terraces, has lost all its serenity, and been practically wiped out in places by terrific shell fire. The enemy have found us out this time. Not that