17 - September 18-October 10, 1915.

17 - September 18-October 10, 1915.  
Gallipoli Diary, by John Graham Gillam.  
Even during the horrors of the brutalizing industrialised slaughter of the First World War the Gallipoli campaign stands as a benchmark for the awful conditions and savage fighting that occurred. The narrow strips of land that the British, Australian, New Zealand and other Dominion troops tried to wrest from the dogged Turkish defenders was under constant shellfire and every item had to be dragged to the frontline under this hellish barrage. Captain (as at the time) Gillam was part of the supply service who risked their lives to get, food, clothing and ammunition up to the troops in the front-line. Gillam gives a clear, concise account not only of the dangers that he faced, but also the men that he served so ably in the front-line.  

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Section seventeen of Gallipoli Diary. This is the LibriVox recording.
All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording
by Sue Anderson. Gallipoli Diary by John Graham Gillum, section

(00:21):
seventeen September eighteenth to October tenth, nineteen fifteen September eighteenth.
It has been very quiet this morning. The work of
getting supplies on shore, carding them up to the main
supply depot, and from there to the several divisional depots
goes on now day and night like a well managed business.

(00:45):
The main supply depot is rapidly accumulating a reserve of
supplies for us to fall back on should bad weather
set in and prevent us landing. On some days, I
learned that we now have sufficient preserved food in the
main depot to feed six twenty thousand men and five
thousand animals on shore for a month, and soon there

(01:05):
will be stores for six weeks. At five o'clock the
Turk sprang a surprise bombardment on to the left of
our line, and simultaneously, just as I was walking the
few yards from our supply depot. To our men, four
eighteen pounder shrapnel burst overhead. All about the depot dive
for cover, and many of them rush into our dugout,

(01:27):
it being the most handy. A minute only and four
more come burst overhead, the bullets rattling on the shrapnel
proof roof. Folly is with me, Weigh and Carver are
up on the cliff in the safe spot. Petro is
up on the high ground behind our dugout, having gone
there to watch a battleship firing on to Burnt Hill,

(01:48):
while Phillips is down on the beach looking after a
water cart. Never before have we had eighteen pounder shrapnel
burst as far up the promontory as this, and we
are naturally surprised how the Turks could have pushed one
of their batteries so close up to get the range.
As fast as we put our heads out to see
if Phillips or Petro is about, a salvo of four

(02:11):
shells arrives over, most of them bursting in the neighborhood
of our depot, and a few on the beach further
over to the left. No one is about. All have
gone to ground like rabbits. They give it to us
hot and strong for fifteen minutes and then stop. All
the time the battleships have been firing, and I think

(02:32):
must have got on to this particular battery. We cautiously
come out of our dugout and look about. Gradually, men
all over the beaches appear from all directions and go
about their respective jobs. Petro turns up from a dugout
close by, beaming all over his face and says that
he had done a hundred yards sprint over bowlders and

(02:54):
rocks in record time. At the finish, making a beautiful
head dive into the nearest lug out that he could
see onto a half dozen Tommies crouching inside. We then
see Philips limping up from the beach, being helped by
two Tommies. I run down to him and we go
to the eleventh Division casualty clearing station. We unwind the

(03:16):
putty of his left leg, which had been hit when
a shrapnel bullet rolls out and runs along the floor
like a marble. I pick it up and put it
in his pocket. It had drilled a hole clean through
his leg, just above the ankle, through which blood is
pouring freely. He is bound up, and though in great
pain perspiration pouring off his face, keeps smiling and cheerful.

(03:41):
One of the most painful parts of the body to
be hit is just above the ankle. When the first
four shells burst, he fell flat behind a big boulder
which protected all of him but his long legs. And
after the third or fourth salvel he felt the sledge
hammer blow of a bullet and knew he was hit.

(04:01):
Lying there wounded while other shells burst overhead was a
beastly experience for him, and he thanked his stars. When
it was all over, With one arm around my shoulder,
he leans on me and slowly limps back to our dugout, I,
hoping that they won't burst out again. I lay him
on my bed. The swarms of flies that are with

(04:23):
us always now buzz round the wound, which I cover
up with muslin. I go up to O'Hara to tell him,
and find there some of our divisional headquarters staff just
back from the line, having had to clear quickly when
the attack opened. When O'Hara gets back with me, we
find Phillips has gone off, assuring the others that he

(04:44):
will be back in a month. The Turkish gunners were
too quick for old Phillips this time, giving him no
chance to read their minds. But thank the Lord he
is wounded and not gone west. I miss him to night,
and feel depressed, and wonder how long I shall remain
on this god forsaken place, or how long it will

(05:04):
be before my turn comes to get hit. It is
now a beautiful moonlight night, quiet, calm and still, and
an enemy aeroplane sails over, making a circle of the bay.
I have got an idea that the old Turk is
laughing at us. Now September nineteenth, a fairly quiet day, beautiful, calm,

(05:28):
moonlight night. Have to get water up from ay Beach
to Delile's Gully ready for the eighty sixth who arrive tomorrow.
Thank heaven it is moonlight. Go up first to headquarters
of Brigade by car. Country smells lovely. We have not
been here long enough yet to spoil the land. Hardly
a rifle shot in front. Go over to Delile's gully

(05:51):
and back to division headquarters. Up to brigade again, and
once more then to the gully, arriving home at midnight.
Actually enjoyed the trip, but looking at the calm sea
and moon, and the landscape of mountain and gorse, with
the continual chirping of the crickets. How I longed, craved
and yearned for the day when peace will be declared.

(06:15):
September twentieth Turk shell us unceasingly all morning. Several shells
coming near our depot, but they are only light shells,
and many of them do not explode. A Newfoundland regiment
joins our brigade. They get shelled while on the beach
just an hour after landing, and suffer casualties. They appear

(06:36):
to look upon it as a huge joke. Way and
Carver come back eighty sixth Brigade due from Imbros tomorrow.
Hear that Captain Cobal, who came over with me from
Alexandria at the end of July, has died of wounds.
We became great friends on board the Anglo Egyptian in July.
Go up to brigade by night, beautiful moonlight night again,

(06:59):
go up by car nothing doing. Latchard joins us now
in place of Phillips. September twenty first. Fairly quiet to
day so far, though just as I go over to
deepot this morning, several shells fly overhead. Horrid feeling when
you are in the open. Very fine day, but flies terrible.

(07:20):
All quiet on front exactly a month now since last battle.
September twenty second, All quiet up to three thirty p m.
When we had a very bad shelling and there were
several casualties in the valley. Fortunately it only lasted half
an hour. Our men are busy making shrapnel proof head cover.

(07:41):
One gun somewhere by. Serrie Bear is very fond of
chucking over to our camps on this promontory five nine shrapnel.
One does not hear the boom of the gun, which
I think must be a howitzer. The first warning one
has of the thing coming is a sound like someone
blowing with his lips, very softly. This gets louder and louder,

(08:03):
until with a catlike shriek and bang, it explodes over
one's head. Having to depend on being worn by such
a common sound is of course the cause of many
false alarms. In fact, a man blowing with his lips
is sufficient to make another man caught his ears and listen.
September twenty third a quiet day, but for the usual

(08:24):
cannonading on both sides. A few five nine shrapnel shells
coming our way. At four in the afternoon, reinforcements arriving daily,
a cold gale blowing all day. At six we have
another bout of shelling while we are loading up army
transport carts, one shell pitching right in our depot, and
one of our poor chaps being badly hit from which

(08:46):
he is not expected to recover. He has since died,
a nice boy only. Nineteen September twenty fourth, a quiet
morning news reaches us that Bulgaria is in but whether
for us or against us is uncertain. Naturally, therefore there
is a feeling of great anxiety prevalent. We hope to

(09:07):
have more definite news tonight. Heavy gale blowing this morning,
calming down later, a very quiet day, no shells coming
our way. At Anzac. At eight tonight a bit of
a severe battle took place, probably a Turkish attack. There
was a continual roar of musketry and shells bursting on
the side of Serre Bear. It was a surprise attack

(09:30):
on the part of the New Zealanders and so far
has proved successful. Firing developed along our front from Chocolate Hill,
and a feeble Turkish attack started in front of our brigade,
the Worsters taking the blow. It was with ease, beaten
off and died away. After half an hour we lost
about twelve men. September twenty fifth, a quiet day, just

(09:54):
the usual artillery duels, no shells coming our way. Walked
up to Brigade headquarters in the east. Evening Battalion of
the London Regiment joins Brigade. Lovely moonlight night rather a
lot of firing on our front and bullets a bit free.
Meets Stuart and Latchard at Brigade. Stuart, having come to
relieve Latchard, who is going back to hellas walked back together.

(10:18):
A bright flash from the swift Sure in the bay
denotes that she has fired one of her big guns,
and a few seconds after a loud report is heard,
and the rumble of a shell as it passed over
Serri bear on to somewhere goes on for a long
time before one hears the distant report of its burst.
I hear the sound of propellers overhead and think I

(10:41):
can see the airship from Imbrose sailing over towards Anafarta.
The swift Shure fires once more, and then all is
quiet for an hour. Then a Turkish battery puts a
shell over to us and follows this up with one
every ten minutes, continuing for an hour. September twenty sixth
awakened in the morning by the five nine shrapnel coming

(11:03):
over and bursting overhead, and we are subjected to an
hour of it. None of our men hit, but about
four mules hit. A beautiful day and sea calm work
of unloading stores precedes apace artillery duels, but no shells
come our way till four when one shell bursts uncomfortably near.

(11:24):
One feels a bit shaky for an hour after such
an event, but we have got to stick it. September
twenty seventh, a very fine day but a trifle hot.
The flies seem to be swarming more than ever, and
they are a great plague. Usual artillery duel from the
batteries on shore and the fleet in the bay. Seeing

(11:45):
a lot of Arthur mc dougall, now an awfully nice
boy in Middlesex Yeomanry. Here that O'Hara, our deputy Assistant
Quartermaster General, is leaving the division. All of us very
sorry to lose him. Has got a lieutenant ernalcy at
General Headquarters and deserves the push up. At seven thirty
p m. A burst of rifle fire started at Chocolate Hill.

(12:09):
All the batteries on shore took it up. The warships
in the bay joined in, battleships and monitors and the like,
and such an infernal din is now heard that the
whole peninsula seems to shake, and the evening sky is
studded with innumerable flashes right away to Anzac and beyond.
It is very impressive and lasts for an hour and

(12:31):
a half. It turned out to be all panic. There
has been good news of the French and Champagne. Somebody
in the trenches cheered, everybody else let his rifle off,
and then the whole pandemonium started. The Turk never replied
at all, and there was no attack. The moon, shining
peacefully above, must have smiled at the folly of Man

(12:55):
this night. Go up to Brigade with Carver and Stewart.
Moonlight night, the bay looking beautiful and quite enjoyable, except
over the bullet swept area. Called it eighty sixth headquarters
on the way back and picked up way and had
a chat with Thompson, who has just come back from
staying at Athens for a few days September twenty eighth,

(13:17):
Wood of the Essex Regiment comes in early and I
give him a bed and breakfast and have a long
chat about life here has just come back from a
month's leave. Now has his majority get up to see
O'Hara off. Peaceful mourning beaches represent hives of industry engineers,
busy making it peer out of a sunken ship their hammers,

(13:39):
reminding one of the happy days of civilian life. In
the worktowns of the north and center of England, an
Indian shepherd is guarding his flock of sheep destined to
be slaughtered for the Indian troops in front of our
dugout on the slopes of the hill, while the distant
roar of guns can be heard further south. Cook arrives
from Hellas to join us here. The collier is leaving us,

(14:02):
so that we are now without a major or a colonel.
Go up to headquarters in car At nine with a
London Regiment officer and Arthur MacDougall very bumpy ride find
Stuart there. A bullet has knocked Stuart's hat off, but
he does not seem to be upset much, and when
he gets back just calmly sews up the two burnt holes.

(14:25):
Getting water up to troops still in tailing a lot
of worry and work. The water is pumped from lighters
through a pipe which dips into the sea. Yesterday water
was very salt as sea water had got in was
very ill in the night through this called up in
night as water carts had gone to wrong place and

(14:45):
a further supply had to be sent up. This water
business is the worst of all all. The animals have
to be taken down to water at the usual times.
A transport officer from the depot here, who has been
down to see me one or twice on business, has
told me that, in his opinion, the most trying duty
of all is seeing the animals watered. The troughs are

(15:09):
in full sight of the Turkish gunners, and the long
lines of dust emerging from the transport gully give the clue.
He tells me that this is when he gets jumpy,
absolutely in the open water trickling into the troughs slowly,
and he has to stand and see that every beast
has enough. Then the shelling starts, mules fall, but still

(15:32):
the others must have their fill and not be hurried,
and it seems like ours and some of the beasts
all unconscious, appearing as if they will never finish. It
must be a merry job, and it has to be
done three times a day. An officer has to be present,
or the overwhelming temptation to hurry up and get off

(15:53):
becomes too much for the men and no wonder. September
twenty ninth, Camp come Commandant comes to inform us that
we have to clear out of our place, which is
comparatively safe, and move to an exposed position further inland
in full view of the Turks. We shall be absolutely
shelled out if we have a supply depot there, with

(16:16):
army transport carts and motor lorries coming to and fro
from main supply depot all day, and it will cripple
our work. Hope to get this order canceled have told
Division Headquarters, who have promised to see Camp Commandant. Usual
artillery firing all day and ship's guns joining in. Submarines

(16:36):
have been busy. One French transport sunk and two British,
one empty and one containing Gurkhas and Punjabi's swiftsure had
a narrow escape the other day. Two torpedoes just missing her.
September thirtieth, a very fine day, not a cloud in
the sky, very hot, and flies now in myriads, perfectly appalling.

(17:00):
See camp commandant as to moving our supply depot to
the exposed part of the peninsula. Finally he gives way
and finds another and safer place for us at the
foot of ninth core Gully. Hardly any shelling from Turks,
but our guns busy, and battleships as well go up
to brigade in the evening, quiet night. And so in

(17:21):
September a deadly month. No movement on our part, all
the month, no action except little miner stunts such as
straightening our line, digging SAPs, bombing expeditions, and artillery duels.
All the time we steadily lose killed and wounded, and
a seriously large percentage of sick, and we drift and

(17:45):
drift on to where. October first, a very misty morning,
everything hidden in the valleys, also the ships in the harbor.
At one o'clock we are shelled by high explosives and
five nine shrapnel, and it lasts an hour, very unpleasant.
I hate the shelling more and more as time goes on,

(18:08):
some mysterious move is going on the eighty seventh now
at Imbrose have wired for their machine guns, and rumors
that troops have left here during the last two nights
are about. Has Bulgaria come in against us? October second,
a beautiful cool summer day, but flies still swarming about,

(18:28):
artillery very busy on our side. In afternoon, walk up
with Stewart to Brigade head quarters. Beautiful country, walk through Gorse,
little hills and dales, trees and olive groves. On arrival
at Brigade headquarters and looking back the scene is beautiful
with the bay shimmering in the sun and the fleet
and transports lying at anchor. The formidable hills in front

(18:52):
look beautiful also, and hardly a rifle shot comes from
the Turkish lines, but all the time are shore batteries
and the ships are booming away but feebly replied to
by the Turks. On the way up, we just miss
coming under the beastly five nine shrapnel. We stay to
Tea with Hattaw, the staff Captain now major, and have

(19:14):
a nice walk back. Arriving on the promontory, we see
them shelling the road that we have passed along. We
find on our return that the beaches have been strafed
again by high explosives, killing and wounding a few October third,
a quiet, beautiful Sunday morning, the sea like glass. I

(19:35):
have lunch with McDougall, half way up the high ground
of the promontory outside his dugout, right behind large boulders
of stone. He provides us an excellent lunch and we
might be on holiday together. No firing of any kind
after lunch, however, shore batteries and ships get active, while
the distant rumble of guns is heard from Hellas. At

(19:57):
four we have our daily ration of the five nine
shrapnel or whistling rufus. We move our supply depot up
to the foot of the gully at the head of
which is ninth Core Headquarters. October fourth, heavy Turkish bombardment
takes place at nine o'clock this morning over Anzac, developing
towards Chocolate Hill. At ten, rifle fire starts denoting a

(20:21):
Turkish attack, but in half an hour it dies away,
the Turks having been beaten off. During this time, we
are shelled by high explosives and remaining in our dugouts
as we hear each shell coming over our way we
cannot help gently ducking our heads. It is instinct, but
yet very funny. We must look like nodding Chinese idols.

(20:45):
In the afternoon we have nine inch shells thrown over
to us, but it only lasts half an hour. Go
up to brigade headquarters. Not much firing in front. October fifth,
a beautiful summer day. Again. Turks shell us from eight
am till ten a m. But all duds, no news,
and no prospect of any progress in this campaign. Are

(21:07):
aeroplanes up At nine thirty a m. The Turks begin
and are busy all day with their shells. Our batteries
do not reply much, and the battleships are practically silent
all day. We have no shrapnel, though, but at four
o'clock about a dozen nine inch high explosives come over,
and rather too near us to be pleasant. One shell

(21:28):
pitched right in one of my battalion dumps, the first
London just derived from Malta and attached to our brigade.
We are therefore moving them to a safer place in
our camp. Now we have two supply sections of the
eighty sixth and eighty eighth brigades, and representatives of each
regiment in the brigades consisting of a quartermaster or his

(21:49):
sergeant and a corporal and three privates. They look after
the interests of their respective regiments on the beach, drawing supplies, ordnance,
royal engineers, stores, letters, and baggage, which they escort up
to the regiment each night by the mule carts. New
officers arriving and officers returning from hospital use our camp

(22:11):
as a half way house to the trenches. All drafts
arriving are met by these battalions representatives and looked after
generally by day and guided to their units by night.
Had a lovely bathe this morning with McDougall, tooth Carver
and Way at the foot of the cliffs. Very peaceful
and beautiful, and it was hard to realize that there

(22:33):
was a war on. In the far distance. Across the
Gulf of Sorrows could just be discerned the coasts of Bulgaria,
the country on which the eyes of all the world
are turned at the moment. In a day or two
we shall know whether she has joined our enemies or not.
October sixth woke up at seven by a shell whistling

(22:54):
over our dugout, but no more follow Curious how when
one is sleepy, shells do not step fearing one. A
perfect summer morning, artillery on our side, very active. Go
on board Swiftshire for lunch with Carver, guest of fleet,
surgeon Jeans, a charming little man. Had a glass of
beer and the lunch nice white tablecloth, attentive stewards, excellent

(23:20):
food and cheery society topping fellows. Half an hour after lunch,
had a pooka hot bath the luxury thereof, and then
take snapshots of the ship and of a group of officers.
We get a good view of Suvla from the deck
the sandy beach and to the left the three landing places,
crowded with lighters, launches, et cetera, and with khaki figures.

(23:45):
Further to the left, the rocky part with its fringe
of surf, and the frowning crigs above, towering away in
masses into the blue distance. Behind the landing places, the
ground slopes abruptly up to the gorges, crowded with dugouts
and transport lines. To the right Lalla Baba with its
sandy cliffs, and the low plateau beyond with the salt

(24:08):
lakes stand out clearly. Further to the right, one catches
a glimpse of sea Beach with its white hospital tents
along the sea's rim, and in the offing silent and
slim loom the three hospital ships taking in their freight
of broken humanity. There are never less than three such
ships of mercy here, which gives one some idea of

(24:31):
the daily human wastage. When one remembers that they are
big p and O and British India liners, we are
told by one of the gunnery lieutenants that at four
p m. Ship is going to fire on a block
house just by the Pimple on the left of our line.
While on board, the ship's guns loose off. It is
a curious sensation. We watch their shells bursting inland and

(24:55):
realize for the first time the difference between shelling and
being shelled. Get back on smart pinnace at two thirty,
get shelld a bed. At three thirty, go up to
British headquarters to watch the Pimple bombardment. At four precisely
swift sure pops off with twelve inch and six inch guns.
Also Prince George and a monitor and the shore batteries

(25:20):
up the Gulf of Sorrows. A torpedo boat, destroyer and
monitor are firing in flank. Poor old Pimple can't see
it for dust and smoke. Prince George has a premature burst,
splinters doing ducks and drakes across the bay. Hear machine
guns at five, cease fire at six, and we go
back home. The little coves at end of Point are

(25:42):
now absolutely altered from their original geographical formation by the
engineers during the past months. Breakwaters, piers, dugout offices, stores, depots,
landing stages, et cetera. Have come into being, and they
are now hives of industry, never slacking night and day.

(26:02):
As at Hellas, star shells sail up and down gently
all night along our line. In the darkness of the
sky Overserrie Bear, the reflection of the rays of Channak's
searchlight plays, but not so brightly as seen from Hellas
October seventh. Ships firing very early this morning. Swiftshure left

(26:23):
last night. Soon after ten this morning, Turkish eight two
gun opens fire on the Prince George and at the
third shot hit her. Prince George and the other ship
open fire. Later, the Prince George is hit again. This
time just beneath the funnels, causing wreckage among boats. She
alters her position, the duel still continuing, She is hit

(26:45):
twice again and then moves further out. Turkish gun then
shuts up. Soon after eleven a m. The five nine
shrapnel comes whistling over to us, and nine of them,
one after the other, at short intervals of two or
three minutes, burst over our camp and the beaches, causing casualties.
A beautiful summer day again, but flies as bad as ever.

(27:09):
I walk with Way to Brigade, his brigade headquarters, having
moved just in front of ours. As we go up
we hear a wopping big shell go over to the beach,
and looking back we see it burst, kicking up a
great deal of dust. Have tea with Thompson and General Percival. Afterwards,
call in at eighty eighth and walk back at dark.

(27:29):
A bullet hits a bush at Way's feet. Just as
we are walking over the little bit of hillock after
leaving eighty eighth headquarters, a few others drop near by.
Way tells me that when bullets are about, his head
always feels ten times as big as it really is,
Yet he never worries at all when shells are about.

(27:50):
It is curious, but shells make me feel very uneasy
and limp, while bullets don't bother me at all. Now
the ways of nerves are difficult to under stand. When
we arrive back, we find that the beaches have been
strafed a lot in our absence. Nine p m. A
bit of a strafe is taking place at Anzac, heavy

(28:11):
rifle fire and shells bursting. Very fine sight seeing the
white flashes of flame bursting out of the black night
October eighth. All today there have been ceaseless artillery duels,
warships and shore batteries taking part. Never before have we
had such shelling from the Turks. At Suvla. It has

(28:34):
been one continual roar of guns from early morning till dusk.
At last dusk arrives, which is welcomed with general thanksgiving
by the majority on the beach. News has just come
in that Bulgaria and Russia are practically at war, and
this means that in a few days Bulgaria will be
an active enemy of ourselves as well. The Bulgars, no

(28:57):
doubt will join the Turks at once, and life on
the beaches will become a hell in the true sense
of the word. I hope that we shall keep our
end up and not be ignominously defeated on this peninsula.
There have been about sixty casualties to day, killed and wounded.
Yet the work on the beach has to go steadily

(29:17):
on all the time. It has been much colder to day,
and some rain has fallen at night. We have very
heavy rain. October ninth, a cool summer day, shelled at
nine thirty p m. Troops arrive in large numbers. They
should have arrived last night at dark, but it was
too rough to land. Lord Howard de Walden comes down

(29:40):
with news that drafts have arrived unexpectedly for us as well,
and we have to prepare for them. Cannot reconcile the
arrival of all these troops with the opinion that we
are here for the winter. Looks as if we are
going to have another battle. Turks very quiet this morning,
yet they must see all these troops s arriving. We

(30:01):
wonder that they do not shell them. Go up to
eighty sixth and eighty eighth brigades with way in the afternoon,
and it makes a very pleasant walk, delightful country, and
up at the brigades. It seems quite RESTful after the
shelled beaches. Pass General Delisle on the way up, have
tea at eighty six and call at eighty eighth. On

(30:21):
the way back, General Cayley had a narrow squeak, a
splinter of the case of shrapnel coming right through the
roof of his dugout, just missing his head by inches.
He won't have his roof sandbagged. Water question for our
division now settled, as we have found wells all over
the place. Just as it is getting dusk eight two

(30:43):
Turkish gun opens fire on the HMS Glory, but does
not hit her, and Prince George replies. Walker arrives from
hellas I am now officer commanding the twenty ninth Division,
Army Service Corps at Suvla, as Carver has gone back
to Hellas large coveys of birds, I think they are
duck and crane keep on swooping about over the peninsula,

(31:07):
and our Tommies pot at them now and again. October
tenth colder this morning, but flies still damnable. Usual artillery duels,
but not so heavy as usual. Several officers leaving to
join Allied troops at Salonica, but later we hear that
they have not been allowed to land, as it is
uncertain whether Greece is coming in against us. Not much

(31:30):
shelling all day. Colonel Elkin, first London arrives at night
and we put him up, giving him dinner and a
bed in our dugout. Very decent old boy. He comes
along with the most wonderful rumors, which we drink in.
End of Section seventeen.