10th October 1915

Eggs were a much sought-after delicacy amongst the Australian trenches at Gallipoli

(below) - British officers of the Royal Naval Division kept chickens near their dugout

on Anzac, and were thus supplied with new laid eggs each day.

[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - G00618]

Sunday 10th Oct 

The day opened up nice & fine. The ocean looked very calm & peaceful in the distance. Recently we have been able to obtain eggs here at 2/6 dzn & it is wonderful how palatable they make anything. I have boiled a little condensed milk mixed with water and this with heated up eggs & cornflour made a delicious dish. For a change beaten up eggs & flour fried in fat was also added to my menu occasionally. I am now more able to do a little cooking having the cook house near my store. There was a good deal of shelling in the afternoon. Our guns exchanging shell for shell with the enemy. A burst near the 7th L.H. trenches caught 9 men about 4 of whom were considered mortally wounded. I had a bad toe – it was really a corn which ached very badly & I felt a bit off. Rumour has it that the Navy will force the narrows on Tuesday m=night.

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

Oct. 10

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

0900 Number of White tents and Red Crescent flags observed on slope of Spur 48-N-8 + S2.

Barbed wire entanglements in front of SNIPERS RIDGE noticed to have been considerably strengthened and new barbed wire entanglements erected in front of trench which appears to be “reserve firing line” for Turkish LONESOME PINE position Sq. 68-B-6-9.

1420 No. 3 gun fired 15 rds. P.S. + 2 H.E. and s at sandbag parapets on SNIPERS RIDGE 68-B-6-8 in retaliation for enemy guns firing on LONESOME PINE.  Portion of parapets knocked down.  Range 775^x.

1720 No. 3 gun fired 2 Sh rds P.S., 1 rd. Fuze 1.8., + 2 H.E. at barbed wire entanglements in front of SNIPERS RIDGE 68-B-6+8 (Range 750^x) in retaliation for enemy gun firing on LONESOME PINE.  A small gap was cut through entanglements.  Best effect obtained with H.E.

17.25 Gun observed firing at our aeroplane.

19.00 Alternative pit (covering No. 3 gun’s zone) improved.  Not sufficient sand bags yet available.

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

10.10.15

(Major Francis Augustus Hughes, temporary O/C 3rd Field Artillery Brigade)

1100 Flags flying at Gully to right of WHITE RUINS.

1515 Gun firing from WINE GLASS RIDGE on.7th.Battery.

1537 Observed burst of enemys shell above BRIGHTON BEACH near CLARKE’S GULLY evidently from GUN RIDGE.

1623 Traffic on road at foot of KILID BAHR on Southern Section.

RIGHT FLANK comparatively quiet throughout the day.

[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - Official unit war diary, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade]