On May 15 I deeply regret to say Major-General W. T. Bridges,
commanding the Australian Division, received a severe wound, which
proved fatal a few days later. Sincere and single-minded in his
devotion to Australia and to duty, his loss still stands out even
amidst the hundreds of other brave officers who have gone.
On May 18 Anzac was subjected to a heavy bombardment from large-calibre
guns and howitzers. At midnight of the 18th-19th the most violent
rifle and machine-gun fire yet experienced broke out along the front.
Slackening from 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. it then broke out again, and a heavy
Turkish column assaulted the left of No. 2 section. This assault was
beaten off with loss. Another attack was delivered before daylight on
the centre of this section; it was repeated four times and repulsed
each time with very serious losses to the enemy. Simultaneously a heavy
attack was delivered on the north-east salient of No. 4 section, which
was repulsed and followed up, but the pressing of the counter-attack
was prevented by shrapnel. Attacks were also delivered on Quinn's
Post, Courtney's Post, and along the front of our right section. At
about 5 a.m. the battle was fairly joined, and a furious cannonade was
begun by a large number of enemy guns, including 12-in. and 9·2-in.,
and other artillery that had not till then opened. By 9.30 a.m. the
Turks were pressing hard against the left of Courtney's and the right
of Quinn's Post. At 10 a.m. this attack, unable to face fire from the
right, swung round to the left, where it was severely handled by our
guns and the machine-guns of our left section. By 11 a.m. the enemy,
who were crowded together in the trenches beyond Quinn's Post, were
giving way under their heavy losses.