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[Page 47]
25/10/15 [should be 24/10/15 ?]
Gave Mitchell some orders for the better securing of the dugout against these gales. Capt Bennett at breakfast – the only way we know it is Sunday is by his appearance. Raw wind. Very quiet today so far all wearing greatcoats At Bde HQ talking to Capt Thorn.
Spoils from tunnels now being emptied over cliff near parade ground as well as into Wire Gully. Read & censored letters this morning. Some light rain up to 3 o'clock. Went up firing line, things quiet, yarning to men all complaining of cold but very cheerful everywhere. The Turks have fires, probably braziers, in their trenches and the smoke could be seen rising in places. Greatcoats the order of the day always warn over equipment. Men asleep on firing step getting wet.
The large dugouts now being completed will be cosy – one central passage with recesses or bunks driven off them. Chief cause of discomfort is the broken sleep. 1 hour on & 2 hours off breaks into a man's rest too much, but is very necessary as at night a fellow starts to see things if on sentry any longer than an hour. Standing there observing & sniping in this cold nearly freezes them. All old soldiers now and used to discomfort – see the beach fatigue lying out in open curled up anywhere in greatcoats fast asleep or huddled together like little children, filthy & tired. If their people could only see them!
Went to secret machine gun post with Jack McCaul and examined Turkish trenches through telescope. At 1200 yards could see party collecting wood with bags & hatchets chopping out the roots. Our snipers popping at a periscope and the Turk waiving washouts with it until our bullets got too close. McCaul killed a man there a little earlier. Their barbed wire a very efficient obstacle. Our trenches on skyline and very even & regular. Theirs an irregular mass. Good