TCD MS 10516 folio 29 verso
[14th September 1916] opening fusilade. The Arab is a proverbially indifferent shot but, on this occasion when, unexcited by the absence of any enemy’s fire, and choos[ing] his own time and opportunity, he might have done better. All his bullets went high; even in rear of the main body, I heard many of them singing overhead.
In a few minutes an intense fire was directed on the enemy’s position. The main body moved up to support the advance-guard; the machine-guns and mountain-guns came into action; soon we were in the midst of the roar of battle, the hissing of bullets, the rattle of maxims, the shrieking of shells. I soon had my stretchers unloaded from their mules and distributed amongst the bearers. I moved forward with my regiment, leaving my medical