Egypt

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 5, 6 May 1915, Page 8

Egypt

OUR SOYS WITH THE BAYONET. Particulars of an action in which portion of the Australian troops took part are supplied by Corporal F. Setcbell, of the Itli brigade, 2nd Australian Expeditionary force. Writing to his brother, H. G. Setcbell, oi Carrington Street, W est Maitland, from Heliopolis field Hospital on March 11, he says:— “You will see by this that I am in hospital. We went into action yesterday and I was wounded, but it is only a small wound, just enough to make me lie up for about a week. I was hit on the head with a ville butt in a bayonet charge and put out of action. J was unconscious for sixhours, hut ! hope to bo about in a few days. Wo had about o(J wounded, mostly by bullets, but had none killed. ' •

“It was an awful action out in the middle of the desert, with no water and lying in the broiling sun, the temperature being over TOO deg. W r e had no trenches to get in, and had to double about two miles under artillery (ire. and then when wo came in contact with the enemy* they wore strongly entrenched in the side of the sand ridge. We wore on the open plain. W'e lost a good few men by sunstroke and exhaustion. They wore dropping out all along the line of advance. We dug slight entrenchments with the entrenching tools we carried and gob into them. All the time we were digging the air was full of lead, which was flying all around us. The bolts of our rifles clogged with the constant firing, and we wore all glad when the order came to fix bayonets and charge. “it was a grand sight. On each side was one long line of men all rushing on with bayonets fixed and cheering like mad, for yon do become mad when yon get the order to charge. But after the charge, when you come to your senses again, is the awful sight of men lying around with heads split open and mangled, and you find yourself covered with blood from other men.