“In our immediate front the Turk’s trenches ran out on to a steep cliff, 80 yards away, and a little to the right front were their trenches again, about 400 feet up and 150 yards away. The bullets used to come rather thick at night, and things were interesting at times, as we were lying fully exposed. Fortunately, I never lost a man the ten days there, but the day after we were relieved one poor chap was sniped through the head on the same post.

The bullets were nothing to the stench that floated down the Gully from the dead. It was awful — make an iron monkey sick. From the top outpost I counted 47 of our dead. The morning the Turks charged all along the line was the ‘best ever,’ and they left between 3000 and 4000 dead in front of our trenches. I’m not exactly callous, but I will admit I was delighted with the slaughter. The running man target at Randwick I seldom missed, so you can imagine the chances the Turks had when they were on top of our parapets, and ducking about only 80 yards away.

They were such clear targets, and big men, and our boys did mow them down. The Turks asked for an eight hours armistice to bury their dead, which was granted. It was a sight never to be forgotten that day. I was out with a burial party and was all along the line. It was strange — yarning to the Turks and exchanging cigarettes, etc, and a few hours later using all your cunning to ‘wing’ one.”
-Sgt. Frederick Arthur Elworthy, 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment. Gallipoli. September 1915.
—————-
As I always say here at Battles and Beers (TM) Every soldier has a story, and every story deserves to be told.