Volume 2: Letters written on active service, M-W, 1914-1919 - Page 18
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[Page 18]
the birds-eye view & this morning we had the satisfaction of learning there were more dead & wounded Turks in this Valley than in any part of the section.
I suppose it is only once in a life time one would ever have such a commanding position. A few Turks came up the sand wall we had climbed, any part such as this, one goes down to the knees in the drift. A bank of projecting sand kept them out of sight till they were within 20 yards. Suddenly their heads appeared & the men stood up on top & fired. It was a very lucky Turk if any got back they were only 20 yards away buried up to the knees in the drift sand & pumped after the climb.
We found them trying to push in between our flank & A Sqd so got our men forward another hundred yards. We could catch sight here & there of more men coming up & those in advance were trying to "decay" us. However a couple of volleys into the mob soon altered their minds.
The Turks we had been firing at in the valley had already retired & things were looking rosy. However their machine guns on our right got enfiladed fire on the line & their shells started coming. First a heavy curtain of shrapnel on the lead horses away to the rear