20th October 1915

A trench on the Razor Back overlooking White Valley, in October 1915.  There were a

few scattered trenches similar to this in the scrub but the Turks seldom attempted to

defend them.  Many of the trenches were well constructed and often hidden with

brushwood.  This material, when dry, turned brown, the result being that a dry,

brown line through the scrub always indicated a trench.

[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - G00912]

Wednesday 20th Oct

Quiet – except the usual daily shower of Bullets & shells.

Apptd Temporary Corp to-day.

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

20

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

1530 No 3 Gun opened fire on a trench mortar pointed out by the 11^th Inf Battn on SNIPERS RIDGE – Sq 68-9-8.  26 rounds were fired but owing to the flatness of the Trajectory of the gun the effect was slight.  During the series the enemy’s artillery opened fire on our No. 3 Gun with one gun from GUN RIDGE + the other from the direction of SCRUBBY KNOLL the latter gun doing some damage to our parapets + unless soon located + silenced will cause us some inconvenience.

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

20-10-15

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

1900

0804 Hospital at foot of Kilid Bahr completely removed through the night.

1130 Party of men working on 38 R.

1430 Gun opened from Olive Grove,sounding like Right Section firing on beach.

1530 7th & 9th Batteries firing on Snipers Ridge and Razor Back.

1600 Gun from Right of Left Section of Olive Grove firing towards 9th Battery.

1605 Heavy Battery engaged Olive Grove.

1630 Considerable activity,both horsemen and men moving about 38.R.

During the day a fair amount of work has been done their, a lot of new earth can be seen.Horsemen came their from direction of Achi Baba.

1545 Cruiser fired one round at this target and men were seen about 50-60, running in all directions, also a few horsemen galloped away in the direction of Achi Baba.

Pack horses also are lead to and from this position there appears to be a road from Achi Baba to Kilid Bahr passing this position as men are observed coming from the direction of Achi Baba and going towards Kilid Bahr where they are lost to sight in a sunken road.

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