e we heard--probably about 4.30--that the
11th Division had captured the Turkish first line trenches which run
North and South of Hetman Chair. Real good news this. We were
considerably bucked up. Climbed back to Karakol Dagh but, from that time
onwards, could make out nothing of the course of the battle save that
Ismail Oglu Tepe was not yet taken. As to Knoll 70, it was completely
shrouded in dust and smoke. Sometimes it seemed as if the Turkish guns
were firing against it; sometimes we thought they were our own. Far away
by Kaiajik Aghala things looked well as many enemy shrapnel were
bursting there or thereabouts showing our men must have got home. By
6.30 it had become too dark to see anything. The dust mingling with the
strange mist, and also with the smoke of shrapnel and of the hugest and
most awful blazing bush fire formed an impenetrable curtain.

As the light faded the rifles and guns grew silent. So I clambered down
off my perch and went again to de Lisle's post of command where I found
him still sitting. He had seen no more than I had seen. The bulk of our
reserves had been thrown in. No more news had come to hand. All was
quiet now. Our _role_, in fact, was finished, and Marshall, the man on
the spot, by now held our destinies in his hands. Firm hands too. The
telephone was working all right and I told de Lisle to try and get a
message through to him quickly saying that I hoped he would be able to
dig in and hold fast to whatever he had gained. I have no fears about de
Lisle's nerve; nor of Marshall's.

Went on board and sailed for Headquarters, through darkness made visible
by the fires blazing on the battlefield. No shooting. Got on the wires
and found no news from Anzac nor more from de Lisle. Crossed backwards
and forwards the best part of the night between my tent and the G.S.
tent, but de Lisle had heard nothing definite enough to report. Brodrick
still has fever. Ruthven has been wounded.

_22nd August, 1915._ Suvla gone wrong again; Anzac right. Left G.H.Q. at
11 o'clock with Braithwaite, Commodore Keyes, Captain Phillimore,
Aspinall, Beadon, Freddy and Val in the _Arno_ and went direct to Anzac.
There I picked up Birdie and heard the Anzac part of the battle. The
Indian Brigade have seized the well at Kabak Kuyu, and that fine
soldier, Russell, fixed himself into Kaiajik Aghala and is holding on
there tooth and nail. There was fighting going on there at the moment
but Russell is confident. How d