"We were one of the closest to the beach and just before 10 o'clock we were surprised to see shells dropping around us.

They were apparently Howitzer shells fired from a hill some three miles inland.

The sound of a large shell flying overhead is not a pleasant one, particularly when dropped into the water only a few yards in front of our bows. The inclination to "duck" is quite irresistible and we went down to it every time.

As soon as possible we were moved to a position further out, and in the meantime the warships plugged into the hill on which the gun was mounted and apparently silenced it.

The noise of the firing was terrific, literally hundreds of shots were fired from the big guns at this hill, and also with shrapnel at the hordes of Turkish soldiers on the other hill, while the Turks, of course, replied to the best of their ability."

"Then I got up to the firing line. I was lying next to a Major who was shot in both legs. He asked me what sort of shot I was so I told him not bad, so told me to try the range at 500 yards, but my shot went over their heads so tried 450 and got right on to them. It was awful hearing the wounded crying out and seeing the dead lying round you."

MAJOR VIVIEN BENJAFIELD