is shallow grave, produce on
one's first experience of them an emotion of inexpressible horror. It
was still more trying to look on the unburied dead lying in groups in
front of the parapet; and further away, near the Turkish lines, the
bodies of so many of the Scottish Rifles who had been swept down by
concealed machine-guns only a week before in their gallant attempt to
advance without artillery support.

It is well that this acuteness of feeling soon becomes blunted. One
quickly learns to regard such things as an inevitable aspect of one's
everyday environment. Thank God for this; life in the trenches would
otherwise be unbearable.

Major Fisher, commanding the 2nd Royal Fusiliers, was good enough to let
us have a perusal of his _Trench Standing Orders_. Afterwards he allowed
Capt. Simson to make a copy of these, which we always referred to as
"Napoleon's Maxims." As a record of practical experience in trench
routine they proved invaluable to us later on; when we had to hold
trenches of our own we used them as the basis of our organisation of
duties.

[Illustration: GULLY RAVINE, CAPE HELLES.]

During this instructional tour "D" Company sweltered in its reserve
trench under a blazing sun, vainly seeking shade and refuge from the
flies.

Evening brought the report of the Battalion's first "killed in
action"--Pte. Wallace of "A" Company, who had been shot through the head
while on look-out in the firing-trench.

If possible the heat became more scorching. We all suffered an
unquenchable thirst upon which gallons of tea when available made little
or no impression.

The drinking water was unpalatable, being heavily chlorinated to
sterilise it. Our modest ration of unsweetened lime-juice sufficed to
remove the unpleasant flavour from one fill of a water-bottle, but would
not stand further dilution. In any case water-bottles could not be
refilled at will, and it was a long walk to Gully Ravine from which we
drew our water. It may be recorded here that this "trench thirst," as we
dubbed it, remained with us for our first few weeks on the Peninsula.
Thereafter it gradually disappeared until our craving for liquid became
normal.

Meanwhile we were rapidly learning to adapt ourselves to circumstances;
to sleep soundly on the fire-step of a trench; to extemporise fuel and
cooking appliances; to endure the myriads of flies which swarmed over
our food, pursuing it even into our mouths, bathed (and drowned)
themselves