War Diary Gallipoli
- Extended Description
- We are all ready to go ashore. Just waiting for the boats to come and take us off. Then we will be into it. The Australians have captured 3 Krupp guns & sent back word to say they are knocking hell out of the Turks. We are not allowed to take blankets or waterproof sheets. Ill bet it will be cold. Thank goodness I have got my oil slik coat. It will be a great comfort Im sure. I have got a good red beard to frighten the enemy. Well we are off in a minute. Bye Bye. Baynet Charge bye bye
That bayonet charge was called off, but there was no respite. The next page of his diary describes how he
dug in & waited in firing line. The Turks came good & hard . Position looked very serious. Naval guns great help. No packs cold wind slept on wet clay. Turks attacked all night. Jolly glad when day came no sleep calls for bayonet charges all night. N Zealanders lost heavily. Sniped at all day. Very lucky
Henry Kitson. Diary entry 25-26 April 1915, MS-Papers-11292-6, Alexander Turnbull Library
More Anzac information here http://natlib.govt.nz/blog/posts/it-s-just-hell-here-now
