Like a long dark caterpillar
As soon as it turned dark on 6 August, Godley’s hidden assaulting columns began to stir. As with the diversionary assaults, the men would be ‘lightly’ equipped. Designated bombers additionally carried haversacks full of bombs, both the jam-tin varieties and the official ball grenades. Each man also wore an artillery distinction white calico patch on his back and one on each arm to help identify the units during the advance. It was vital that no lights were shown and that silence was strictly maintained to give the best chance of surprising the Turks. It was at this stage of the operation that clockwork precision was required; if one force failed, the whole attack would be in jeopardy of collapse.