peaceful
citizens ear-mark for sleep. I had one or two absolutely hair-raising
messages. Not only were the French troops broken but the 29th Division
were falling back into the sea. Though frightened to death, I refused to
part with my reserve and made ready to go and take command of it at
break of dawn. In the end the French and Hunter-Weston beat off the
enemy by themselves. But there is no doubt that some of the French, and
two Battalions of our own, are badly shaken,--no wonder! Both
Hunter-Weston and d'Amade came on board in the forenoon, Hunter-Weston
quite fixed that _his_ men are strained to breaking point and d'Amade
emphatic that _his_ men will not carry on through another night unless
they get relief. To me fell the unenviable duty of reconciling two
contrary persuasions. Much argument as to where the enemy was making his
main push; as to the numbers of our own rifles (French and English) and
the yards of trenches each (French and English) have to hold. I decided
after anxious searching of heart to help the French by taking over some
portion of their line with the Naval Brigade. There was no help for it.
Hunter-Weston agreed in the end with a very good grace.

In writing K. I try to convey the truth in terms which will neither give
him needless anxiety or undue confidence. The facts have been stated
very simply, plus one brief general comment. I tell him that the Turks
would be playing our game by these assaults were it not that in the
French section they break through the Senegalese and penetrate into the
position. I add a word of special praise for the Naval Division, they
have done so well, but I know there are people in the War Office who
won't like to hear it. I say, "I hope the new French Division will not
steam at economic, but full, speed"; and I sum up by the sentence, "The
times are anxious, but I believe the enemy's cohesion should suffer more
than ours by these repeated night attacks."

CHAPTER VII

SHELLS

To-day, the 4th, shells were falling from Asia on both "V" and "W"
Beaches. We have landed aeroplanes on the Peninsula. The Taube has been
bothering us again, but wound up its manoeuvres very decently by
killing some fish for our dinner. Approved an out-spoken cable from my
Ordnance to the War Office. Heaven knows we have been close-fisted with
our meagre stocks, but when the Turks are coming right on to the assault
it is not possible to prevent a spurt of rapid fire from men who f