About 9.30 A.M. an enemy armoured train moved slowly forward from Shmakovka, followed by four others, which directed a flank fire at my position.  The shells all plunked into the marsh about four hundred yards short, affording much amusement and causing many caustic Cockney comments.  Next came a troop train which gave us great hopes of a real attack developing on our front, but our Naval 12-pounders on the Suffolk’s armoured train began to do good practice, and a shot registered on the front enemy engine caused volumes of steam to burst from her sides, and great consternation suddenly appeared amongst the trains’ personnel.  The Naval gunners did not seem inclined to lose the mark, and so the whole attempt fizzled out, and the trains steamed back to shelter.

The two old Czech field guns, which had been repaired by H.M.S. Suffolk’s artificers at “Vlady,” wheeled into position behind a fold in the ground on our right rear and began a duel with the two enemy batteries at Runovka.  This duel was most entertaining.  The enemy artillery searched our wood and works, and the line of trees occupied by the French was plentifully sprayed with shrapnel, but they failed to locate our guns, or get anywhere near them, or indeed to cause a single casualty either to man or horse.  During the night a peasant gave the guns’ position away, and in the early morning exchanges one gun came to grief.  The remaining gun changed position, and the duel became still more interesting.  By skilful manoeuvring the gun was got much nearer, and at once the range was obtained to a nicety.  Every shot was placed so near the mark as to rouse the infantry’s obvious excitement to fever heat, and finally a shell was planted right into the enemy observation tower, setting it on fire and burning it to the ground.  By placing four shells near to hand, and working like Trojans, the Czech gunners fired four shots so rapidly as to deceive the enemy into the belief that four guns were now opposing them, and after about two hours of this relay work the enemy batteries were beaten to a frazzle, and retired from the unequal contest with two guns out of action.  It was simply magnificent as a display of real efficient gunnery.  There is no doubt the enemy had intended to make an effort to cross the river at Runovka and that his artillery had been placed with a view to protecting the passage of his troops.  The young Czech gunnery lieutenant by his stratagem with one solitary field-piece had made this plan appear impossible to the enemy commander.  Never was deception more complete.

Having felt our right flank and found it too strong, the enemy continued his movement towards our right rear.  He could only do this with safety by correctly anticipating our strategy.  He took our measure to a military fraction.  He saw that, though he offered the most tempting bait, we made no effort to move forward to snap it up, and doubtless came to the conclusion that we were chained to our positions