By 2 p.m. the whole of the troops with the exception of the Drake
Battalion had been absorbed into the firing line. The men were
exhausted, and the few guns landed at the time were unable to afford
them adequate artillery support. The small amount of transport
available did not suffice to maintain the supply of munitions, and
cartridges were running short despite all efforts to push them up from
the landing-places.
Hopes of getting a footing on Achi Babi had now perforce to be
abandoned--at least for this occasion. The best that could be expected
was that we should be able to maintain what we had won, and when at
3 p.m. the Turks made a determined counter-attack with the bayonet
against the centre and right of our line, even this seemed exceedingly
doubtful. Actually a partial retirement did take place. The French were
also forced back, and at 6 p.m. orders were issued for our troops to
entrench themselves as best they could in the positions they then held,
with their right flank thrown back so as to maintain connection with
our Allies. In this retirement the right flank of the 88th Brigade was
temporarily uncovered, and the Worcester Regiment suffered severely.
Had it been possible to push in reinforcements in men, artillery,
and munitions during the day, Krithia should have fallen, and much
subsequent fighting for its capture would have been avoided.
Two days later this would have been feasible, but I had to reckon with
the certainty that the enemy would, in that same time, have received
proportionately greater support. I was faced by the usual choice of
evils, and although the result was not what I had hoped, I have no
reason to believe that hesitation and delay would better have answered
my purpose.