27th-28th Apr., 1915

27th-28th Apr., 1915] SECOND COUNTER-ATTACK 523
Majors Wagstaff and Blamey, of the Staff, gathered what men they could and hurried to the line with them. But they were not needed. The immediate supports of the firing line had been waiting all day close behind the crest of MacLaurin’s Hill, expecting every minute to make a bayonet charge. During the night these weary men were dragged out again and again to stand on the rear slope, their bayonets shining in the moonlight. Once a cheer was heard on the left. It was a local charge by some 200 of the 3rd Battalion and others for the purpose of clearing their front, but the nucleus of the 12th, now in the trenches near Wire Gully, thought this must surely be the great charge which was to meet the Turkish attack. They therefore left their trenches and ran forward a dozen paces. It was intensely dark ; no one could be seen ; and consequently they returned. But there was no sleep. Cries of “Stretcher-bearers on the left’’---“Another machine-gun man wanted”-“Turks massing on the right”- travelled constantly along the line. Margetts was found by a friend standing, one hand with his revolver resting on the parapet, his head on his arm, asleep. When daylight broke, it was evident that the Turkish attack was dead. Its only result had been that the Turkish snipers were again on Russell’s Top, and, as the light grew, the 12th had five men on the reverse slope hit within an hour by shots coming from the rear. These casualties were treated as trifles. The serious fact was that by Wednesday morning men and officers were reaching the limit of human endurance. Some of the steadiest could scarcely trust their eyes or decide whether the sights they saw were realities or creations of their imagination. The men were constantly looking for the appearance of British troops on Achi Baba and other heights to the south of them. At dusk on Tuesday Colonel Owen telegraphed to Bridges: “Men tired out and weak, but will do their best. Can I tell them that British will be up by morning to relieve pressure?” The reply was that he should tell them that fresh British troops were expected to arrive on the morrow.