Item 02: William Peterson diary, 1 November 1916-3 May 1917 - Page 76
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[Page 76]
going out this afternoon at 5 pm they are expected to be away the best part of two days. They are ordered to travel as light as possible, no blankets nor greatcoats. They are going out ahead somewhere among the innumerable sand dunes and desert which is in front of our position. We are all joking with them and saying that they will be captured and taken to Constantinople. I have lent my fur coat to Wilson and I tell him to be particular to ask the Turkish Commander (through the interpreter) to be allowed to retain that coat and I can get it off him after the war! A German Taube came directly overhead at 12.30 pm and caused some excitement for a few brief moments. He dropped 3 bombs but about a mile although if he had continued to drop them about the 5th or 6th would have landed in the camp. It was the old familiar (but greatly dreaded) whistling sound of the bombs coming through the air. They landed with a terrific reverberating crash and splinters (fragments) fairly screamed through the air. We led our horses quietly off the line and dispersed he flew past us on to Mazar then the guns got after him and our own machines and he went back along the coast for home.