e occurred
during the day, small knots of people might be seen at night down near
the beach, or on some other exposed slope, reverently interring a
comrade who had fallen. Here the padres performed the last offices for
the dead.

Early in the morning of the 20th occurred one of those incidents which
have often been narrated but seldom authenticated. Private G. J. Owen,
whilst standing on the firestep observing, felt a blow on the chest. On
an examination of his clothing it was found that a bullet had penetrated
his greatcoat and jacket, and also a wallet in his jacket pocket, and
finally spent itself in the centre of a small Bible that he was in the
habit of carrying with him. Owen was quite uninjured and has, since his
return to Australia, published his own story.

This day the Pinnacle was heavily shelled by our 6-inch howitzers in an
attempt to demolish the Blockhouse and a small redoubt behind it. Both
works were looked upon as serious obstacles to possible future
operations locally.

"C" Company having been in the line for seven days, was relieved by "B"
Company and moved into a reserve position. The following evening "A"
Company similarly relieved "D" Company.

On the 21st September two enemy shells accounted for five of the Western
Australians. This day Sir Ian Hamilton visited the Brigade, but as the
climb was steep, and the sun hot, he did not ascend to the Apex. In his
"Gallipoli Diary" he thus records his impressions--"saw the new
Australian Division--very fine fellows. Bullets were on the whistle and
'the boys' were as keen and happy as any real schoolboys. Memories of
the Khyber, Chitral and Tirah can hardly yield samples of a country so
tangled and broken. Where the Turks begin and we end is a puzzler, and
if you do happen to take a wrong turning, it leads to Paradise. Met
various Australian friends--a full blown Lord Mayor--many other leading
citizens, both of Melbourne and Sydney."

The next day brought trouble for the Battalion, the enemy's shrapnel
killing three and wounding 10 or 11. Sergt. J. Hodgson was also fatally
shot through the chest by a bullet, which entered the trench through a
crevice near a loophole. Most of these casualties were suffered by "D"
Company in reserve, and as the whole of the upper part of the Dere now
seemed to be searched by the Turkish fire, the reserve company was moved
lower down to ground in the vicinity of that occupied by the 27th
Battalion. During the first days