olera. On going over at 6.15, the appointed hour, I found General
Hunter-Weston had gone some hours before, along with Col. Yarr, to
Lemnos for a much-needed rest. I inoculated two other Generals and
forty-five others, finishing up with a dose for myself.

One of our men had a letter from a friend who is with the 2nd Highland
F.A. in France. He spoke about them retiring out of shell fire for a
rest, and after pitching camp a shell fell in the next field. They
then struck camp and went back another 5 miles. "Good God," some one
heard him declare, "an' here's his, we could na gang five inches."

_July 18th._--Last night about 11 o'clock seventeen shells came over
from Asia, and one hit a huge pile of cartridge boxes and set it
ablaze. It burned furiously, with a very alarming sputter, bullets
flying everywhere, although their velocity was not great. They were
flying over our heads and we had to go underground. Several about the
fire got rather badly wounded. When fully alight the noise was the
most earsplitting I ever heard, not that it was so very loud, but
there was something painful about it. This pile was composed of
cartridges taken off our own dead and wounded, and those picked up
about the trenches, where a sinful waste goes on, although I believe
the big half was captured Turkish ammunition. Many millions were
burned.

In the morning I was asked to spend the day at H.Q. to relieve Col.
Yarr's successor. Major-General Stopford (afterwards in command at the
Sulva landing) was acting as G.O.C. Everything seems very quiet at
present, as if we were to be in no hurry to make another attack--a
pity, I think.

At 9.30 p.m. I went over to the "River Clyde" to guide an ambulance
that was coming out from England. They landed at midnight, and are to
encamp with us--we fondly hope and believe for the purpose of
relieving us. Asiatic shells were flying as they landed, and for some
hours afterwards, an unfortunate and alarming experience as all were
raw to warfare.

_July 19th._--For some days we have been looking for orders to go
somewhere for a rest. The order came suddenly to-day at 8 p.m. and we
were ordered to be on board at 10 at V. Beach. A tall order indeed,
all had to pack up and stow away what we were leaving behind. The most
of B Section was at Aberdeen Gully, 4 miles away. Word was sent to
these, but the note miscarried, and by the time they were able to come
in it was long past midnight.

_July 20th._-