Edward Catherall

Stoney Hill, Bannel & Pentrobin, Hawarden, Flintshire.

Just a few lines to let you know I am going on alright, and am in the best of health, but am in the base hospital with a slight wound in the forehead. I shall be alright in a few days.

We thought we were coming out for a rest, but we found our rest was digging reserve trenches and that was where I got hit.

We had an awful time on Tuesday in getting to the firing line. We were shelled as soon as we arrived on beach, and when we got within range of rifle fire, the Turks mowed us down like grass. It was an awful sight to see to see the fellows going down, but we weren't the least bit afraid.

Both officers and men went into it with real British pluck. We hadn't any cover at all, and the "bullets" were raining about us just like "hail-stones." We simply had to rush through it and trust to God that they would not hit us. Our Colonel, that is Colonel Phillips, and our Major, and two or three officers were killed outright, and when we came out of the trenches on Saturday and called the roll, we had only eight officers left out of the whole lot, remainder had been wounded more or seriously. I was with our Captain when he got hit; we both kept together until we got close to "firing line"; we got down behind a stone after making a rush, but a sniper spotted us and managed to get Captain BESWICK through the arm. I bandaged it up and as soon as I had finished, another bullet struck the stone, and a splinter knocked the skin off my face and head, but did not do any harm. I tried to persuade the Captain to go back to hospital, but he said he would stick it a bit longer. We made another advance and then the Captain got another bullet wound which nearly put him out.

Just at the time the whole line retreated back to the trenches, and about six of us were left there entirely on our own with the Turks about 200 yards from us. I would not have left the Captain if I had been by myself, but two or three of the others stayed with us with me, so we managed to get him back to an old ruined barn by the front trench.