11th November 1915

The packet of cigarettes thrown between trenches, photographed by Captain

C. E. W. Bean & mentioned by the war correspondent below - translated, the

inscription reads, "With pleasure to our heroic enemies."

[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - G01345]

Thursday 11th Nov

Another quiet morning. A few shells scattered about our area. Canteen to-day for 8th Battery. Called in at Olly’s coming back & had a chat. It was nice & crisp and I enjoyed it. Had to dodge a little shelling.

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

11

(Captain Alan Percy Crisp, temporary O/C 7^th Battery)

Lieut Moody from attached to heavy Battery was attached for duty to this Battery + took over duties from this date.  Battery did not fire.

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

11.11.15

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

1315 Gun from direction of SQ.68-W-1 firing on Light Horse Trenches and over this position.  Engaged by 8th Batty.

1400 Gun from OLIVE GROVE firing towards BEACH.

Comparatively quiet on RIGHT FLANK throughout the day.  Observation has been extremely difficult to-day.

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

Nov. 11 Thurs.

(Capt. C. E. W. Bean, Official War Correspondent)

There has been a good deal of communication with the Turks of late.  We gave threw over some letters from prisoners saying they were well treated + some pictures of nice fat happily working prisoners in Cairo (our men don't much like doing this but I daresay the authors are right).  Anyway we got the folly answer: "A man who lives by charity is a swine.  We have plenty in our stomachs + something besides plenty; we have our hands on our bodies and our bayonets in our hands.  The English may have plenty of munitions of war but we have our bayonets + our thoughts.  If you are the great nation that you are supposed to be, why don't you act up to high principles + not descend to trying to suborn others from their loyalty to their Sovereign."

A most dignified answer.  We can easily overdo those attempts to make Turks desert.  Still - they - or the Germans - have tried the same thing on us.

Femez avec plesir!

Notre herox Ennemis!

(another notre cher ennemi)

Envoyez milk

Scrawled in indellible pencil

3 wks ago Turks had festival for 3 days.  They threw over 2 packets of cigs with inscription as above.  We sent over bully beef.  They threw back a message on stick + stone "Bully Beef non."  We threw some biscuits [illegible] + jam.  This was all about 8.30 to 9.15.  They called out "fini" + waved down with their hands (all had heads up).  Next morning same proceedings.  Interpretor spoke to them from our lines.  They were allowed to go over + get a pocket knife we had thrown over.  Third morning we had orders not to carry on.

1st morning one of our men nipped over parapet + got the cigarettes.

2nd morning one of our officers was on parapet for 2 or 3 mins.  He collected a bomb in mistake for a package (found it was wrapped round as they sometimes do, with white linen.  Bit of scare but found it had faulty fuse + had not gone off).

[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - Records of C E W Bean, Official Historian]