ly involved, although the whole line took part
in the preliminary bombardment. News came in that the first attack
failed, but that by 7.30 the first line of the Turks was captured. On
the top of the Observation Hill at H.Q. I met an interesting fellow,
who said he was the only civil surgeon who had got permission to join
us. He had a Government appointment in the Soudan, and having three
months' leave he was allowed to spend it here without pay. He said he
would have been ashamed to go home.

The General feels better to-day, and by lunch time looked as if things
were going well at the Front. However, the French have a most
difficult piece of work before them, namely, the capture of Kereves
Dere, which has blocked their way since April 28. This gully runs in
a S.E. direction from the foot of Achi Baba to the Dardanelles, is
flat at the bottom, and about 400 yards wide, with steep perpendicular
cliffs on both sides, nearly 200 feet high. At the bottom each side
holds a trench facing the other, while there are others half-way up
wherever there are slopes. In a spot or two the French are said to
have pushed through before, and for a time held a piece of the other
side, but the difficulty is to get the Turk entirely out and the
position consolidated.

The enemy submarines would like to do some mischief to-day, could they
find something worth a torpedo, but all our shipping has gone, except
three hospital ships and the torpedo craft. Within the last fifteen
minutes a destroyer has given a long blast on her whistle, followed by
two short, the signal that a submarine has been sighted. Three
destroyers are at the present moment grouped together evidently having
a conference.

6.15 p.m.--The battle has raged the whole day, but less violently from
11 to 4, but at the latter hour, a warship, lying close in, with all
our field guns, raised a great roar, and a solid mass of smoke and
dust rose high in the air enveloping the whole of the Turkish lines
from the west of Krithia to the Dardanelles. The Turks have replied
all day, but feebly in comparison.

Most of the day I had been watching the battlefield from the
Observation Hill, then at 5 went to tea in the mess where I was alone.
General Hunter-Weston entered in a few minutes, and sitting opposite
me said, "What an extraordinary thing war is". The progress of the day
had greatly satisfied him I could see, and he was in great glee.
"Yes," I said, "but I wish to goodness it was