30th September 1915

An Indian muleteer and his animals on the Gallipoli Peninsula, with fly veils fitted

to the mules to combat the flying insect onslaught (mentioned below).

[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - C01642]

Thursday 30^th 

Went to Ordnance. It was warm to-day – Well the flies know it. They seem to come from nowhere as while we had the cold spell you could not see any about. Now they are in droves & how they cling. I think the Turks must have given them instructions. In the afternoon one of our Cruisers poured shells into part of Gaba Tepe Look Out Point. How they raised the dust & earth! I can assure you it is good to have them on our side. The Turks sent some shells over on to our ridges and also towards the beach. It may seem strange to say we just watch – or perhaps I should say follow the sound of the shell – as it hisses through the air to see where it will fall or burst. You can always tell if the shell is going well overhead. Of course if it going to burst very near you well – you don’t have time to follow any sound as it is on you before you can move. You generally do a dodge after the danger is past.

[Courtesy of State Library of New South Wales - William Sparkes diary]

Sept. 30

(Lieutenant Sydney Francis Hodgens, temporary O/C 7th Battery)

0715 to 0745 No. 3 gun fired 15 rds P.S. at an Observation Station and Overhead Cover on slope of PLATEAU 400, N. end of SURPRISE GULLY, Sq. 68-B-6, in retaliation for enemy gun firing on LONESOME PINE.  Ranges 935^x-940^x.  Effect – Portions of parapets and overhead cover destroyed.  Three enemy guns engaged No. 3 gun damaging our parapets.

14.45 Small party seen working in communication trench on GUN RIDGE, 68-N-6.

[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - Official unit war diary, 7th Battery]

29th September 1915

"A Turkish high explosive shell bursting alongside a dugout. The officer who took this wasted

quite a number of films trying to get a burst and this is his best.  'A nasty one' (A lucky snap).

The burst of a Turkish High Exxplosive 8.2 inch shell alongside a dugout and right amongst

our stores at Suvla. Note the tramway rails blown on end" (Original inscription). Taken in

September 1915, this image is from the second of two albums relating to the service of

Lieutenant Commander Leighton Seymour Bracegirdle RAN (later Commander, DSO),

Officer Commanding the 1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train at Gallipoli.

[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - P11165.002.001]

Wednesday 29^th 

A little sultry. The Turkish Artillery opened up on us about 5 o’clock and made it warm for about half an hour. Our guns replied and the bursts and crash was deafening. One of our men named Gnr Turner a recent transfer from the Ammunition Column was hit in the legs and several L Horse men just near my store were wounded 2 of them died about an hour after. One shrapnel shell burst about 190 yds from my dug out door & a shower of bullets scattered over a space of a ¼ acre.

[Courtesy of State Library of New South Wales - William Sparkes diary]

Sept. 29

(Lieutenant Sydney Francis Hodgens, temporary O/C 7th Battery)

09.00 Party of Turks working at Sq. 55-K-5.

10.30 Small party working in communication trench on GUN RIDGE Sq. 68-N-6.

13.30 Party of Turks working 68-C-4.

15.55 Guns observed firing from 56-Q-4 + 56-W-1.  Smoke only visible.  Reported to 3^rd F.A. Brigade.  Another Field gun of high velocity was also firing but it could not be located.

17.35 Party of Turks (120 counted) seen moving out of communication trench above “Boomerang Trench” on GUN RIDGE Sq. 68-R-8 – heads only visible. 

[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - Official unit war diary, 7th Battery]

28th September 1915

The Turkish trenches on Sniper's Ridge, showing the unstable ground heavily reinforced

with a mud brick retaining wall, which the 7th Battery guns repeatedly demolished

(below) - one a series of photographs taken on the Gallipoli Peninsula under the direction

of Captain C. E. W. Bean of the Australian Historical Mission, during the months of 

February and March, 1919.

[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - G02095]

Tuesday 28^th 

I had a quiet day. In the evening there was a very heavy bombardment taking place both on our right & on our left. The sky was lit with the bursting of the shells & the searchlights from the man-o-war vessels. Towards midnight one of the enemy’s Taubes flew over our lines very low and dropped some bombs happily for us without any serious effect.

[Courtesy of State Library of New South Wales - William Sparkes diary]

Sept. 28

(Lieutenant Sydney Francis Hodgens, temporary O/C 7th Battery)

0920 No. 3 gun fired 5 rds H.E. + 4 rds. P.S. at small gun emplacement on SNIPERS RIDGE (Sq. 68-B-8) completely destroying sandbag parapets which had been rebuilt + overhead cover.  Range 760^x.  Retaliation for gun firing on trenches N.W. of LONESOME PINE.

10.05 No. 3 gun fired 7 rds. P.S. at Observation Stn on slope of PLATEAU 400 N. end of SURPRISE GULLY (Sq. 68-B-6) pointed out by 10^th Battln. observer, in retaliation for a gun firing on LONESOME PINE.  Range 940^x.  Effect – Sandbag parapets destroyed.

11.15 Smoke from 2 enemy guns firing from behind OLIVE GROVE observed.  Sq. 56-Q-4.  Engaged by 9^th + Heavy Bty.

16.15 Movement of Mule transport observed at Sq. 48-N-6.

17.10 Camel transport observed moving Southwards.  Sq. 48-N-6. 

[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - Official unit war diary, 7th Battery]