Dick's Diary

News came in early this morning from the 158th Brigade Headquarters that the Anzac patrols which went out this morning towards Katia had been forced to retire, and Turkish patrols had followed them up to within a mile of redoubts, but Franklyn, who was in the F.O.O., didn't get a chance to open fire.

Church parade at Brigade H.Q. this morning. Went up to the F.O.O. at midday and was relieved by Kenning at seven o'clock this morning. The infantry have been hard at work wiring just in front of our F.O.O. all day.

Two monitors were lying off Mahamdiya today, but steamed away in the direction of Port Said this evening.

We hope to get more fresh water here soon now as they have been fixing up a condensing plant at Mahamdiya, and are going to condense 26 thousand gallons a day. The Essex Battery came up today, they are out of quarantine now, but have had a pretty rough time of it. Fifty odd men down at the same time with paratyphoid, and two died.

The Leicester Horse Battery came up today.

I had a good deal of trouble during the night with the telephone line from the F.O.O. to the battery. It was broken three times. An enemy plane came over at 7:30. Kenning came up and relieved me at the F.O.O. soon after eight.

There was heavy rifle firing from Katia this afternoon, also some gun fire. The Turks have dug themselves in at Katia. One of the Australian Light Horse Brigade had a go at them this afternoon but got driven back.

Enemy planes came over about seven thirty this morning, but no mountain battery to open fire on her. News came in this morning that the Turks were shelling Hill 100, and later they were reported to be advancing in force on Katia and the Anzacs falling back.

Stood by at the guns for the rest of the day, but I think they won't attack before dawn tomorrow. We've made a new F.O.O. which commands a much better view of our zone. We are in readiness now to turn out a mobile column. They are pretty certain to send one out tomorrow I should think, if the Turks entrench at Katia.

Franklyn is back from hospital, but the major doesn't think he is fit enough to go out, so I shall be taking the right section into action tomorrow if we go out and Franklyn shows no signs of being fitter.

The men are as keen as mustard and longing to get out at the Turk. I am just off to the F.O.O.

Enemy plane over about seven thirty this morning. The mountain battery did some pretty shooting but their guns weren't made for anti-aircraft. They have left for Salonika today and they are going to send us some proper "archies" up here, so we may bring one of those Fokkers down before long.

Got the detail out for the whole mobile column today; we shall be going out with the 156 Brigade when the stunt comes off. At present I am in charge of the right section but am very much afraid I shan't take them into action as Franklyn will have in all probability got over his indisposition by the time our strafe comes off. But still, you never know your luck.

Situation unchanged today. I am in charge of the telephone communication between the battery and F.O.O. tonight.

Our first excitement this morning was when a machine gun section of the 156 Brigade thought it would do a little practice into the bottom of the hill on top of which our camp is pitched, but when the bullets began to whistle round the mess tent, the major thought it was time to send down and stop the practice.

I went out on a reconnaissance this morning to Hill 110, which is south of Lake Bardawil and northwest of Ogratina. We heard an Anzac patrol having a slight difference of opinion with a Turkish one away to our east.

We saw a section of the Ayrshire RHA going out for a strafe as we got back. The major went out for a reconnaissance for positions for us and went up into the Ayrshire F.O.O. station, and said they were shooting hopelessly and we shall knock spots off them when we go out. We heard them shooting from here.

Franklin went sick this morning and had to be removed in an ambulance sand cart, but I don't think there is much wrong with him. Brigade Headquarters are moving their camp up near ours, so they've all been in to mess with us tonight. A topping mail in from home tonight.

From what the general said this morning, we are shortly going out on a mobile stunt and shall try and give Johnny Turk something for himself.

No Boche planes over today; perhaps they've been busy overhauling their machines for a good bombing strafe tomorrow. The latest report is that the Turks have advanced their positions a little west of Ogratina and are strongly entrenched from there down to Mageibra.

Kept in communication with the battery during the night. I don't think the Turks will try a frontal attack now, we are getting too strong. Another troop train in this morning early.

About seven thirty an enemy plane came over, followed by a second at about eight o'clock. The mountain battery and several machine guns opened on them but without result. About ten o'clock a third Turkish plane came over, and was greeted with the customary ineffective fusillade. She dropped a message with long red, white and blue streamers attached to it, saying that they found it hard to distinguish our hospital tents and would they be more clearly marked in the future. They evidently mean to have a bombing strafe. The old Turk is quite a gentleman.

Another troop train this evening. We've sent back about twenty of our poorest horses to Kantara and have got mules up from the brigade ammunition column to take their place - great whackers, some of them seventeen hands.

I slept at the guns last night. Had great trouble with the Indian camel transport, who tried to bivouac all round the guns. Saw the communications were all right at three o'clock, and took the horses out for exercise at five. Dug another well this morning, about 100 yards from our other one; the water is not nearly so salty and the horses drink it much better.

There is no change in the situation tonight. The Anzac patrols had a few casualties. The Ayrshire Horse Battery who are attached to the Anzac Mounted Division, went out with the 7th Light Horse and shelled the enemy trenches at Ogratina, lucky devils; I hope they send us out on mobile column soon.

Another troop train came up this evening. Up in the F.O.O. tonight.

Stood by at the guns at 3:30. About eight o'clock an enemy plane came over; a hot fire was opened by the mountain battery but it was not effective. Our battleplane went up and both planes got so high up we couldn't see them owing to the bright glare, but we heard their machine guns going and the enemy plane was eventually driven off.

Another eighteen pounder battery, also a sixty pounder battery, came up from Kantara this morning.

The report in this morning said the situation is unchanged. The Turk has firmly entrenched himself at Ogratina, also at Mageibra, and evidently means to wait for us to come out at him, so we are hoping a mobile column will be sent out in a day or so.

We have dug a new well behind our camp. The water is pretty brackish but the horses know by now it is that or nothing, so drink it fairly well. We moved the horse lines up near the new well this afternoon.

The officers from the 60 pounder battery came in to mess tonight.

A convoy of eight hundred Indian transport camels came up tonight, so it looks as if we may be contemplating a mobile stunt. The administrative commandant told Elliott tonight that we have now got eighteen thousand troops up here and only three fantasses of fresh water, so if the Turks cut our communications there will be another Kut here.

Got into communication with the battery once every quarter of an hour during the night. The moon was very late getting up so it was lucky really there was no attack as I couldn't have observed at all, and it would have had to be guesswork.

Two large train loads of natives were sent back to Kantara early this morning and two battalions of infantry from the 53rd Division came up later on the morning. About eight o'clock this morning an enemy plane came over; the mountain battery at once opened fire, but all the shells burst a bit too low.

Our aerial reconnaissance this morning has located the Turkish force which left Ogratina yesterday at Mageibra (supposed to be Joseph's well) which is south of us. They also saw two thousand more Turks dug in at Ogratina, and their main body at and near Bir el Abd and Hod el Bayud.

Two more big troop trains packed with infantry came up from Kantara this evening. Our outposts have had a skirmish with Turkish patrols this evening, as some Anzac wounded have been brought in, also nine Turkish prisoners, including one officer. They don't think it so likely that there will be an attack tonight, as the old Turk evidently doesn't mean to be hurried, and is going to wait until he is quite ready.

We heard late during the night that the Turkish outposts were in Katia. We stood by at the guns at three, but there was no attack. An aerial reconnaissance out towards Ogratina at dawn this morning reported 12 battalions of Turks with seven mountain guns leaving and marching southwards. It looks as if they mean to try and work round behind us and cut the line between us and Kantara. Three Turks was caught in the Gippy Labour Corps lines last night, and they said that their main force of about thirty thousand was advancing to Ogratina.

Finished getting the camp straight this morning and then altered the position of the guns, so we can shoot South and West as well as East, so can protect our flanks to a certain degree.

Two enemy planes made a reconnaissance over us about five o'clock this evening, our battleplane at once went up after them but they had too much start. The Ross Mountain Battery got some shells bursting pretty close to them.

Troops and stores are still pouring up here. The 156th Bde. which was resting at Sidi Bish Camp in Alexandria, have been recalled and arrived here this evening. They packed off another big train of Labour Corps natives to Kantara this evening, and by the row they were making, they seemed to be glad to be out of it.

I am the F.O.O. tonight, so am just off there. The staff warn us that they expect the attack by the Turkish main body within the next 48 hrs.