WITH THE TURKS. 
493 
The artillery on both sides was now firing shrapnel; in the case of 
the Turks the bursts were so varied that it was hard to see whether 
the enemy’s infantry or guns were their target. Some of the Greek 
shrapnel burst well, though, owing to the scattered nature of the 
attack, without any very evident effect. 
At 4.15 the Turkish infantry attack was completely checked by the 
heavy and concentrated fire from the Greek trenches, the men lying 
down in the corn 500 or 600 yards off and keeping up a desultory fire. 
The Turkish batteries on the left now advanced and seven of them 
came into action independently and in a very irregular line to the east 
of the ridge and about level with it, at ranges of from 1800 to 2500 
yards from the Greek trenches, with the object, doubtless, of supporting 
the infantry attack. 
At 5.20 three batteries made a further advance of 500 or 600 yards 
under a very heavy fire from the enemy’s guns; at the same time two 
batteries moved to the west end of the ridge and in line with it at the 
same ranges as before. Perhaps it was intended that these batteries 
should move sufficiently far to this flank to obtain an oblique fire 
against the Greek trenches, but this they failed to do and their fire 
had probably no great effect. 
The Turkish infantry being re-inforced, made a fresh effort to 
advance, but was met by withering volleys from the trenches and 
again checked. 
At 5.45 two guns of the more advanced batteries on the left were 
temporarily out of action and at 6 o’clock all three of them retired to 
about their former positions; almost at the same time an explosion 
occurred in one of the Greek batteries caused, as I thought at the time 
(and was able to verify next day), by a limber blowing up. 
The Turks now made better practice from their artillery and the fire 
of the Greek batteries seemed to slacken. My impression at the time 
was that one at least of their batteries retired from its position. 
At 6.50 the Howitzer Battery of the corps artillery was brought into 
action in front of the ridge and commenced firing; I noticed that it 
was equipped with smokeless powder, but was unable to observe the 
bursts of its shell; possibly its fire was directed against the guns of 
position on the heights about Dhomokos. 
In the meanwhile the main attack had been practically at a stand¬ 
still, every attempt of the Turks to advance being met by a very heavy 
fire from the Greek infantry, who continued at 7.30 to hold their 
ground, with the exception of one or two of their advanced and exposed 
trenches. 
At 7.40 it was beginning to grow dark and the Turks, again re¬ 
inforced, made a final desperate effort, supported by a shrapnel fire 
from the batteries to the west of the ridge, more dangerous, I should 
imagine, to them than to the enemy. Only the flashes of the rifles 
could now be distinguished and when the fire slackened my impression 
was that the Greeks still retained their positions. 
At 8.15 it was quite dark and the artillery was retired a mile or so 
to the rear along the road, the baggage of the division having during 
