7th December 1915

Dugouts along Artillery Road at the top of Victoria Gully, in December 1915 - Will

Sparkes unloaded his canteen supplies near here, before they were carried through

to Headquarters (below).

[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - J02555]

Tuesday 7th December

To-day I went down to Pier to meet Gunner Eltham & we took the cases ashore this time safely. Wagon was loaded up & the broken Pole had been mended during the day. I let Eltham go to his Battery & get a change & wash & I stayed on & had tea with the Lowland Battery Q.M.S. McLaren. When the Horses arrived after dark to take the stores we started on our round journey to Headquarters. We had to unload a number of cases at Victoria Gully & then took the others up to the top of ridge & unloaded there. With a big fatigue Party the cases were carried up to Headquarters. Unfortunately one of the Ammunition Column got away with a case of milk & we had other losses in items getting broke etc

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

7

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

The Battery did not fire.  One man rejoined Battery from Hospital.

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

7.12.15

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

0950 Enemy gun from OLIVE GROVE unlocated fired on Beach.

1130 Enemy guns from OLIVE GROVE fired at intervals along the Beach.  Unlocated.

1340 Observations were made for H.M.S.Grafton on Square 56-Q-1-5 from F.C.O.

1400 Enemy gun from Square 47-M fired on Grafton.

1420 Navy ceased fire.

1420 First Infantry Brigade reported that enemy were moving heavy guns South of OLIVE GROVE, an officer from 7th Bty and Bde Forward Ob.Officer visited Observing Post of 3rd Btn from which the movement was observed.  The observer stated that the guns were drawn by four horses (White) teams and left OLIVE GROVE after two rounds from Navy and disappeared in fall in ground estimated at 48-M.  None of our Observers had seen these guns although horsemen were seen leaving the GROVE on white horses.

1430 Gun from Swuare 56-Q-4 fired on cruiser.

1545 Navy asked for observation on Turkish guns firing on Grafton and Monitor 3500 yards south of OLIVE GROVE.

1550 Ships fired two rounds in vicinity of Square 48-M but as no target could be observed by spotting officer he informed the Navy accordingly.  The ships then fired a few more rounds.

1615 Enemy guns from the direction of SCRUBBY KNOLL shelling in direction of 9th Bty Observing Station.

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