DEFENCES OF 203 METRE HILLMap No. 5.
London: Hugh Rees, Ltd.
Stanford’s Geogl. Estabt., London.
[CHAPTER XII]
The author severely wounded—Final assault and capture of 203 Metre Hill on December 5—The hospitals—Death of General Kondratenko, December 15—Retreat from Interval Hill, December 25—Evacuation of Fort Erh-lung and part of the Chinese Wall, December 28—Japanese attack on the Chinese Wall, December 30—Destruction of Fort Sung-shu, December 31—Capture of Wang-tai, December 31—Surrender of the fortress, January 2, 1905.
Having finished tea and exhausted our conversation, we decided to have a rest, but shouting and firing quickly brought us out of the bomb-proof. It turned out to be a false alarm. I climbed into the connecting trench and made sure that all was right, though the men seemed to be in a restless condition and were obviously anticipating serious fighting. I went back to the road and joined a group of officers there.
We all of us noticed how the Japanese batteries at Shui-shih-ying were sweeping the whole of our rear. Just as I was ruminating over this ominous fact there was a tremendous roar.... I felt a fearful blow on the left side of my head, and was thrown into the ditch.
Dazed and all but unconscious, I was unable to struggle to my feet again. However, I was happy in the thought that I had not been killed outright. Some one assisted me to my feet and held me up, and I then saw Major Veselovski and several other officers lying dead near me, the former having half his head blown away. To my left, most of the men of the dressing station were lying piled one on another, and the remainder were already at work among their fallen comrades. Lieutenant Rofalovski, a very brave fellow, who had formerly been my orderly officer, suddenly appeared on the scene and helped to carry me below. I thought that I could walk, but was hardly in a fit state to judge.