in our drink, and clustered on our faces, waiting in queues
to sip moisture from our eyes or lips; to live with relish on
bully-beef, Maconochie, tea, hard biscuits and jam; in short, we were
becoming able to fend for ourselves.

After dark on July 8th the Battalion moved back to our rest trenches
near Pink Farm and had an excellent night's sleep.

The following day we received orders to relieve the 7th H.L.I. in the
firing-line to the right of the Achi Baba nullah.

The move took place in the afternoon, and although we left in very open
formation--single file with distances of three yards between individual
men and thirty between platoons--the Turk spotted us and turned on his
artillery. Seven men of "D" Company were wounded, and more casualties
were incurred further on when we reached the communication trenches.

It is easy to write that between 4 and 7 p.m. we took over the firing
and support lines, but the relief itself was a difficult matter--those
reliefs always were, for trenches are narrow things through which a
fully-equipped and weary man passes with difficulty. Troops must not
leave a trench until the reliefs have arrived and taken over the duties.
This is absolutely necessary, but it means that until the relief is
completed the trenches are usually crowded out and one's passage along
them is a painful struggle.

The nomenclature of trenches is always interesting. Those we were now in
borrowed their names from battalion commanders in the Royal Naval
Division--Parsons Road, Trotman Road, and Mercer and Backhouse Roads.
Through this system of trenches ran two communication trenches--Oxford
Street and Central Street, in which latter Battalion Headquarters were
situated.

Our first night passed uneventfully, but the following day we gathered
that something was brewing. Orders were received to clear the western
portion of our firing line and support trench to permit of a bombardment
by the French artillery. (The French held the right sector at
Gallipoli.) Fire opened at 3.45 p.m. and for about two hours the
"Seventy-fives" kept at it, doing considerable visible damage to the
enemy's wire and trenches. The enemy replied with counter-battery work,
and also shelled our communication trenches what time Colonel Morrison
and Captain Simson, our Adjutant, had the unpleasant duty of
reconnoitring the area in which the bulk of the enemy's fire was
falling. They were searching for trenches in which the Battalion would