11th October 1915

Brown's Dip, showing Artillery Road and Shell Green cemetery.

[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - A00855]

Monday 11th Oct 

It was sultry to-day & threatened rain in the morning. Just near my quarters a position is used as a Grave-yard & those killed in the trenches just in front are carried to the rear & layed away. Several killed yesterday were buried early this morning. It certainly looks as if the [illegible] season is here – it’s what we have dreaded. The heavy black clouds hung about very ominously all the morning and about noon the sea was obscured from view & the echo of distant thunder the first I have heard since leaving dear old sunny Qld. It came over the hills. The wind also rose and with it came the rain. I had to go to Ordnance & just at the present I am sitting in my dug out store catching the drops of rain which are oozing through & waiting for the squall to abate.

It fined up & I went to Ordnance.

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

Oct. 11

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

08.00 Observed that new barbed wire entanglements had been erected on crest of PLATEAU 400 68-B-6 during the night 10/11^th inst.

1000 Continual movement of small parties observed in trench on GUN RIDGE 68-V-3

15.15 Smoke of an enemy gun firing from behind GUN RIDGE was observed.  Sq. 68-N-6. – Engaged by Howitzer.

1610 No. 3 gun fired 6 rds. PS + 2 HE at mud brick parapets and wire entanglements on crest of PLATEAU 400, N. end of SURPRISE GULLY 68-B-6 in retaliation for enemy gun firing on LONESOME PINE.  Range 940^x.  A portion of parapets was knocked down, but little damage done to entangle entanglements.

1900 Work on alternative pit continued + wall of No. 3 pit, which had been partially knocked down by Turkish shelling during the afternoon, rebuilt.  One of the No. 3 working party – No. 1737 Gnr. Haseman W. was slightly wounded under the armpit by a bullet while working on the outside of the pit.

There was more than Turkish rifle fire than usual right through night of 11/12^th.

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

11.10.15

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

1410 Mule Transport on KILID BAHR ROAD going South.

1445 Gun firing from WINE GLASS RIDGE in North Westerly direction.

1655 Mule Transport on KILID BAHR Road going South.

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