Item 08: Fred Harold Tomlins war diary, 19 January-28 April 1917 - Page 33
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[Page 33]
17-2-17
why the 2nd in Command of this Regt was detailed to go in charge of 5 men & take a trench which left the Regt without a Commander in the event of Granville being hit, the C.O. replied that he sent Major Irwin to C Sqdn with a message & gave him no orders to attack; Major Smith said Major Irwin collected 5 C Sqdn men without consulting him & rushed the trench & took it. & it now appears that Irwin will get into trouble for doing work that should have been left to a troop leader; Major Irwin jumped into the trench first & as he did so a Turkish Officer wounded him through the shoulder with a revolver bullet, Irwin shot the Officer dead & 11 Turks all that were left surrendered We have started the Sergeants mess going & it was opened today