Personal war diary of Nathaniel John Wakeham, item 61

• February 4, 2018 18:39:43 Robert Morgan

  Ill, El Irish Redoubt, El Berg Beach, Post --

  We hold Rafa Belak Ridge, Ramusad ---

  occupied.  Rafa Redoubt not yet taken! Oor

  troops now occupy Shiek Hassau casualties

  not known at present.  At 9am Turks commenced

  a counter attack which Staunch and us repulsed

  one of our tanks hopping along the beach got a

  fair smack and put her out of action but she 

  did some fine work before it happened.  At 9:30am

  French Cruiser Requin reported having 8 killed and

  30 wounded.  At 10:30am Turks again made a

  counter attack which we again repulsed and made

  sure that none too many returned to their

  trenches.  We ceased firing at 11:30am.  At 8:30pm

  we opened fire on a larger body of enemy making

  towards Shiek Hassau and not many of them

  returned.  At 6:15pm we took up position on left

  Flank of our army to give them a hand during the

  night also to turn searchlights  on enemies trenches

  At 7:30pm we received following signal from

  GHQ 21st Army Corps. Our present line is as 

  follows  Sheik Hassau, Gun Hill, Pebble Beach

  Rafa Redoubt, Nawailzawid and El Buy trench

  and El Aish redoubt. Canbrelle Hill is in our

  possession Enemy hold Island Hill creastor 

  rock and El Belak trench.  Destroyers Comet,

  Staunch are covering left flank tonight. ----

  jar for excellent work work of Flanking Destroyers 

  Comet and Staunch which have rendered ----

  valuable assistance and on repelling 2 counter

  attacks on Sheik Hassau from Sheik Redman this

  afternoon A counter attck is expected at about 5:30

  tomorrow morning. 

  Nov 3rd   At 5am Turks opened fire on us with

  about a 4" gun shots were very close. At

  6:30am a British aeroplane fell in the sea near

  Shiek Ajilin we proceeded to his assistance but he

  must have sunk.  At 9am  ---- Balloon broke 

  adrift but came down about 6 miles south of Gaza.

  We were firing all day at trenches and enemy

  positions, Turks were returning the fire. At   --- 

  received a signal from RA Grafton congratulating 

  us on excellent work done on the flank  Raglan 

  fired at and blew up a bridge over Wadi Hessi 

  At 6pm we retired to our left flank ----

  and burnt searchlight during the night. Our troops

  were out trying to pinr  HMS Leon ------  --- 

  Nov 4th   We left flank at 6am for Port Said arrived

  11:30am completed with oil and a new store of 

  pills.  Left Port Said at 6pm arrived on left flank 

• February 4, 2018 18:39:30 Robert Morgan

  Ill, El Irish Redoubt, El Berg Beach, Post --

  We hold Rafa Belak Ridge, Ramusad ---

  occupied.  Rafa Redoubt not yet taken! Oor

  troops now occupy Shiek Hassau casualties

  not known at present.  At 9am Turks commenced

  a counter attack which Staunch and us repulsed

  one of our tanks hopping along the beach got a

  fair smack and put her out of action but she 

  did some fine work before it happened.  At 9:30am

  French Cruiser Requin reported having 8 killed and

  30 wounded.  At 10:30am Turks again made a

  counter attack which we again repulsed and made

  sure that none too many returned to their

  trenches.  We ceased firing at 11:30am.  At 8:30pm

  we opened fire on a larger body of enemy making

  towards Shiek Hassau and not many of them

  returned.  At 6:15pm we took up position on left

  Flank of our army to give them a hand during the

  night also to turn searchlights  on enemies trenches

  At 7:30pm we received following signal from

  GHQ 21st Army Corps. Our present line is as 

  follows  Sheik Hassau, Gun Hill, Pebble Beach

  Rafa Redoubt, Nawailzawid and El Buy trench

  and El Aish redoubt. Canbrelle Hill is in our

  possession Enemy hold Island Hill creastor 

  rock and El Belak trench.  Destroyers Comet,

  Staunch are covering left flank tonight. ----

  jar for excellent work work of Flanking Destroyers 

  Comet and Staunch which have rendered ----

  valuable assistance and on repelling 2 counter

  attacks on Sheik Hassau from Sheik Redman this

  afternoon A counter attck is expected at about 5:30

  tomorrow morning. 

  Nov 3rd   At 5am Turks opened fire on us with

  about a 4" gun shots were very close. At

  6:30am a British aeroplane fell in the sea near

  Shiek Ajilin we proceeded to his assistance but he

  must have sunk.  At 9am  ---- Balloon broke 

  adrift but came down abbout 6 miles south of Gaza.

  We were firing all day at trenches and enemy

  positions, Turks were returning the fire. At   --- 

  received a signal from RA Grafton congratulating 

  us on excellent work done on the flank  Raglan 

  fired at and blew up a bridge over Wadi Hessi 

  At 6pm we retired to our left flank ----

  and burnt searchlight during the night. Our troops

  were out trying to pinr  HMS Leon ------  --- 

  Nov 4th   We left flank at 6am for Port Said arrived

  11:30am completed with oil and a new store of 

  pills.  Left Port Said at 6pm arrived on left flank 

  
  

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