|
| 01/11/1915 |
On duty for 24 hours, starting at 9.00 a.m. Two
hours on and four off. SCHOFIELD now does all the cooking for us. A
terrace is being dug and after a roof is put on we will have to occupy
that instead of our dugout.
"Stand to Arms" has been altered from 5.00 a.m. to 6.00 a.m.
Eight thirty p.m. Turks are directing machine gun fire down this gully
and their bullets are going over, singing like a flock of birds. Bullets
are landing in the scrub on the opposite side of the gully all day. They
can do no damage there. The rough weather has strewn the beach with
wrack. A tugboat has been blown ashore near here and shells have been
going over at intervals towards it. Turks trying to make it not worth
our while to try and drag her off. Latest rumor - we may have a fly at
SALONICA. In any case we leave here shortly. Lemnos has been condemned
as a camp for troops I hear. On account of diphtheria outbreak.
|
| 02/11/1915 |
| ROLLASON of B Squadron, McFARLANE's batman was shot
in the rear portions while standing in the Dere in front of Regimental
Q.M.s bivouac. Not serious 'tis only a flesh wound. |
Cutting scrub this afternoon for our cook house.
Signallers paraded this morning for rifle inspection. Ammunition to be
kept free of dirt. We are not to use Mark VII ammunition, Mark VI. |
| 03/11/1916 |
Turks gave us a bit of a "hurry up" this
afternoon. Their seventy fives were bursting shrapnel over our bivouacs
and of course we all had to take cover. No one injured but Billie BOND
had a narrow escape from a pellet which penetrated the "dropensary"
roof. These seventy fives were captured by the Turks during the last
Balkan war, I believe, from the Serbians.
|
| Tonight (and it usually occurs as night falls) the
Turk are training a machine gun down this gully, on the off chance, I
suppose, of damaging the mules bringing up munitions and provisions. A
mule train scurried by this afternoon while we were getting schrapnel
and how they managed to escape I don't know. |
I had to take the daily statement to Head Quarters
and just hurried some.
Regarding the scrub fire in Sarfi Biet Dere on the 30th a Head Quarters
message tonight says that it was caused by carelessness. That had a
south instead of a north wind been blowing it would have swept our
lines, that lives were lost in extinguishing it, that C/Os are to see no
fires are lit in vicinity of shrubbery. |
| 04/11/1915 |
Had a swim in morning. Afternoon paid a visit on
Percy.
Very rough sea, beach strewn with rubbish. At Anzac completely blocking
road at southern end, pile of seaweed 5 feet deep over track. Mule carts
are having a time of it.
Rumoured that BULGARIA is having serious internal trouble. |
At 9.00 or 10.00 p.m. I woke wondering how soon we
would have to "stand to arms". War boats were firing and
vigorous rifle fire going on, on the left. It appears that the
underground trench we have been busy on for weeks was used as a firing
line for the first time two or three nights ago. All we had to do was to
break through the crust. This was dome and advanced out trench some
considerable distance towards the Turks. Tonight they tried,
unsuccessfully, to drive us out.
Received first mail from home since returning from Lemnos. Clive is in
camp in Victoria. Something to do with motors. Will and Mark BOTTING
have left for the Front. Doug has passed his primary, passed in all 7
subjects. Frank has entered for Senior.
|
| 05/11/1916 |
Jack WALSH (B Squadron) has gone away. That leaves
one out of the four reinforcements we received four or five weeks ago.
Perc (Pip) JENNER came in to see me this morning. He is in the 27th
Battalion. I'm to go up and see him at first opportunity.
The new fire trench, I hear, was a success. The 2nd Brigade Light Horse,
were in it. From the new trench, which was only a very short distance
from Turks they bombed Jonnie Turk out and took their trench. Casualties
were slight and they gave the Turks whatho when they counter attacked.
ASMEAD BARTLETT, so bulletin says gets 3,000 pounds a year and expenses,
why the salary for General GODLEY is only 1,700 pounds. |
( Later. The fire trench was occupied without any
trouble and from this fact it was imagined that the Turks have mined
under it.)
|
| 06/11/1915 |
| Captain VINEY, in charge of B Squadron is now Major.
Lt. Colonel J.B. MEREDITH is temporally in charge of the Brigade.
Brigadier General CHAUVEL has been appointed temporally in charge of the
1st Australian Division. |
Got some canteen stores today, very disappointing
only a tin of herrings and a bottle of Bovril.
SANDERS came back from MALTA today, also, TAYLOR who was at Imbros,
groom to an Officer. |
| Orders regarding self-maiming out. Anyone who does
this will be evacuated no further than MUNDROS, no matter how bad he is
and will not be removed from here unless case is very serious. One of
our aeroplanes were dropped today, by the Turks. She came down gradually
with her engine stopped, into the sea near Suvla, where two picket boats
from a hospital went to effect a rescue. A bomb arrived here today
somewhere near here with a very menacing whine, did not explode. Looking
up saw a German 'plane decorated with black crosses passing overhead.
They seem to think the Turks will give us some heavy bombarding any day
now, and preparations are being made to meet it. Big supplies are coming
to here through BULGARIA. The way I saw them firing at a sailing ship a
mile or more out to sea. Firing a couple of dozed or more big howitzer
shells seems to show they have plenty of ammunition. |
| 07/11/1915 |
Today the Turks fired with machine gun, rifle and
shrapnel every time an aeroplane comes near. Expecting to repeat their
success of yesterday.
Last night at sun down we subjected 'Snipers Nest" to a vigorous
bombardment with high explosive. Major "Annie" BARRETT went
into Field Hospital yesterday and went on hospital ship today. Major
"Bull" PRIESTLY, in charge of Regiment. SANDERS had an
experience something similar to mine coming away from Lemnos. A dolly
little English Officer in charge, he began to storm when the men broke
lines to get a drink, someone told him to "Go and get ____."
and the rest laughed. There upon he exclaimed "You're a savage lot
of cats." And the mob roared.
A new fire trench is to be opened up on Popes left tonight, and we are
warned to be vigilant as it is to be expected Turks will counter attack
in which case artillery will co-operate.
|
| 08/11/1915 |
One of Q.M.S. Bob PAPP's :- Was walking down the
Dere, moonlight, came across a chap lying in a stretcher bandaged up.
"Hello old chap where did you stop it?"
No answer.
"Did you stop one matey?"
He ventured once more.
"I say cobber...." he commences again and looking up he caught
sight of two chaps digging and one looking down eyes him and says
"Oh, he's dead."
|
| 09/11/1915 TUESDAY |
War Office advising that it may be expected on
reliable information that Turks will use gas. So that precaution of
carrying gas helmet on person is being enforced. Saw a fine gas helmet
today, with two round goggles which screw out and rubber tube
penetrating outside. You take the inner end of the tube in mouth and
exhale through it. Being a valve you can not use it to inhale.
|
| 10/11/1915 WEDNESDAY |
Party of three Officers and 60 men left for Mundros
for a months spell. Lieut. ROWELL (Adj) has gone away ill. Lieut.
MacFARLANE (acting Adjutant). Lt. Col. S.W. GLASCOW D.S.O. in charge of
Brigade party. Captain BELL D.S.O. in charge of Regiment. Captain
MAINWARING and Lieut. COXALL in party. No Sigs.
War telegram says Lord KITCHENER is to pay visit the theatre in the
East. Serbia seems to be getting a bad time "Retreating in good
order".
Transport "Ramadan" sunk in Aegean sea. About 200 Indians
Troops drowned. |
Heavey bombardment of the ridge opposite on the
other side of gully with shrapnel and high explosive of all calibres. It
lasted about an hour and at times six howitzer shells would burst on the
hill almost simultaneously. Played up havoc around Brigade and
Divisional Head Quarters. Wireless Station at the latter was blown
skywards and three men with it. A lot of 2nd Light Horse were killed on
old No.3 post.
|
| 11/11/1915 THURSDAY |
Lady Hamilton Gift Fund. Received some cigarettes
backseesh. Four packets.
Rising at Khartoum. HEATLY (Corporal) was telling me how a Regiment was
formed from the 1st Brigade base detail camp at Heliopolis to go mounted
to Khartoum to help quell a rising which had occurred there. The niggers
or Bedouins had slaughtered a company or more of Sudanese and captured
some of our guns. The full details will not be known until the war is
over and nothing was said of it in papers. A Squadron, I think, was
risen from the 3rd, but the rebellion or whatever was quelled before
they were needed.
Submarine during the week a submarine was sighted off here on two
consecutive days. The destroyers were rushing about in a great flurry as
a consequence.
|
| 12/11/1915 FRIDAY |
On duty. Very chilly and some rain wetting floor of
my dugout necessitating my having to improve the property. We got to
work and made a brazier out of an oil drum and put it in side of wall. I
took an axe out and collected some roots. It works fine.
Lieutenant ROWELL promoted to Captain.
Heard a band playing in the distance this morning. Belongs to Brother
Turk I think. We don't possess such luxuries.
|
| 13/11/1915 SATURDAY |
| H.Q Reinforcements NCOs and men arrived last night.
Four signallers among them. Alex CHALMERS among them. He has gone to B.
Squadron. Two men have come on Headquarters. KEANE and STEWART. |
| Request to Surrender. I remember the occasion on
which the following was tossed into out trenches, but have only just
been able to get a copy:- |
"Surrender. Your position is hopeless. Your
water supply is cut off, and all your transports, with exception of
three have been cut off. Three supply ships laoded with stores have been
sunk.
You are fighting under contract to the greedy English. Not for any
hatred of the Turks. If you surrender we have plenty of food supplies
and will treat you well.
The Triumph has been sunk, also another battle ship indispensible to the
Allies. Your position in the same as the Allies in Belgium, Russia, and
France.
There is not one of the Allies on German soil.
Surrender.
Why this usless bloodshed?
'Hurry up'." |
A Casual Customer.
A man out of the 2nd Light Horse was struck in the arm by a bullet
during the evening. He did not report to the Doctor but went on sick
parade next morning.
|
| 13/11/1915 SUNDAY |
Milk Issued Day. One tin "Ideal"
unsweetened.
Lord Kitchener arrived yesterday and the following will appear in Army
Corps orders (telephone message).
'During his visit to Anzac Lord Kitchener said that he had been
commanded by the King to say that His Majesty was very pleased with the
work done by the troops and that the whole Empire was proud of them'. |
| Gas Alarm today for practice purposes. Everyone to
turn out with rifle and full equipment and respirator on and fall in at
respective posts. |
| Cook is sick today and new man STEWART is helping
him. New man will probably be detailed as extra cook for H.Q. New Doctor
who took Dr MAINWARING's place has gone away with typhoid. Major
BARRETT's illness turned out to be the same and we have heard that Lt
ROWELL has it. CONIGRAVE has written, his illness it typhoid. A great
deal of it going about. |
| Bread pretty scarce lately and we have been living
on biscuits mastly. Our issue tonight panned out to be half a slice per
man. |
| 14/11/1915 MONDAY |
| Beachy Bill was opening out on Anzac beach today.
See four shells bursting simultaneously over waters edge. Maltese
selling 1 pound loaves of bread at 1/6 per loaf, candles at 1/- each. |
Court Martial of Private BURNS. Sleeping on outpost
duty. Sergeant MASON D.C.M., laying charge. Sentenced to 10 years by
General GODLEY. Sentence quashed by General MUNRO and BURNS acquitted.
MASON now has Pte EDWARDS also of B Squadron on same charge. To get the
necessary evidence he brought Sergeant UCHQUART on scene and told him to
take his rifle. Then woke the man and asked him what had become of his
rifle.
|
| 16/11/1915 TUESDAY |
Some shells burst over C Squadron terraces today,
causing us to take shelter. Stomach upset today eating McConachies
ration.
|
| 17/11/1915 WEDNESDAY |
One of the Engineers camped next door (5th Field Coy
Aust Engs) stopped one. Corporal Ray WOON stopped one yesterday. Strong
gale today with very rough sea running. At about 8.00 p.m. heavy thunder
shower fell at the same time vigorous bombing and rifle fire commenced
from the direction of Walkers Ridge, and the Regiment stood to arms. I
have noticed that a sudden squall or storm has often had the same
enlivening effect before. Owning to the fact that there was no water to
wash dishes this morning SAUNDERS and REED had an argument re the cooks
and REED threatened to run SAUNDERS. Result heart to heart talk re our
cooking system and REED gave us the chance to do our own cookery. Food
has been very much off of late and making fellows discontented. However,
we have been drawing little to cook. Haven't seen an onion or dried
vegetable for a week or more. It is months since we last had fresh
potatoes. Still we are getting frozen beef pretty regularly. Although
bread supply often puts us on biscuits for two or three days at a
stretch. McConachies ration upset me yesterday. I paraded sick today to
get the benefit of the sick diet which our AMC dish up. It was arrowrs
at teatime. "Funk hole" a term I learnt today indicating a
cavern like excavation in which to shelter from shell fire.
|
| 18/11/1915 THURSDAY |
Anzac is a wreck.
Only one pier (Williams I think) that opposite Walkers Ridge is left
intact and the steamer which was purposely grounded and filled with sand
just outside saved it. Director of works boat we call it because those
words are painted in big letters in its side. This steamer is split in
two pieces and all the sailors had to come ashore a small tug is sunk
just near this pier has been wrecked during the night two men were
drowned and the waves are washing across her deck. The shore is
sprinkled with dead mules washed up. Further round I saw a mule with its
hind quarters blown of by a shell. At old Anzac proper all piers are
gone though a good portion of them (Wilson's I think) is left.
Heartbreaking litter along the beach. Broken pinnaces, cases, spars,
etc., etc. Mule traffic difficult as waves have washed the road almost
away. No loading or unloading being done and only war vessels and one
hospital ship in sight. All the lighter craft have taken refuge
elsewhere. |
| The tug Gaby is said to have been sunk going
outwards with out Xmas mail to home. Nuisance. I had a lot of stuff
written. |
| Turks are taking advantage and making it a hell
along the beach with their shrapnel. I saw several hit. There will be
plenty of fatigue parties on the beach for a while. Saps full of water
and mud after the heavy rain last night. Saw one or two 'funk holes'
with a foot of water in them too. At Divisional H.Q. these funk holes
are a feature. You descend down a deep trench until the surface is 15 to
20 feet above you, and then into a cavern. Everybody's doing it. In
expectation of the extra shells Turkey is going to get from or through
Ferdinand's little country, these holes are being made everywhere. Saw
Max JONES today. Spoke to me but I could not place him. He is a Corporal
and has a Charlie Chaplin mo. 11th Light Horse reinforcements and is
being drafted into the 9th. |
| Visit to 27th Battalion. Pip (Percy) JENNER asked me
to come up and see him. Found them at the top of Walker's Ridge in Rest
and Reserve Gully, which is where the Greeks were bayoneted over the
cliffs by the Turks. They are in reserve. There are 24 signallers and
all are on H.Q. now though they are still on Company paysheets, (the
original company signallers). One Lieutenant (1st), and Sergeant and 4
Lance Jacks or Bachseesh Corporals. They work 2 men to each shift so
that they have twice the number of men on duty that we have. They have
not been in a charge yet. Every ten men and one of them is jaundiced.
They are on half rations. |
Health Precautions. Latrines are to be made fly
proof by means of box seats. No food to be left by men in their dugouts.
Body lice are not so bad as they were during the warm weather, but fleas
are more plentiful then ever I have seen them before.
|
| 18/11/1915 Continuation |
Corporal WILSON and two men brought a prisoner in
early this morning. Proclaimed himself as an "Arabic Turk" and
a bomb thrower. The neat little device fastened to his tunic over the
left breast and the bomb attachment on shoulder straps proclaimed this
latter fact. The device was for striking match-head bombs and consisted
of a sort of sand paper surface enclosed in a leather wallet with a
cover flap which lifted upwards. I was to guide the party to Divisional
Head Quarters but owing to having to wait for daily statements did not
do so. Ragged black overcoat. Puttee on one leg, piece of cloth wrapped
around the other. Small green fez. French boots someone said. No rifle
but ammunition pouches full. About 30 years and no size. No less that
seven garments on, but mostly thin. Covered in mud and looked as if he
had been lying in slush all night. Gave him cigarettes and a drink of
tea. Handkerchief tied over his eyes. Afterwards got quite cheery and
laughed when walking through puddles in sap under guidance of two
guards.
As all his bullets were snipped (dum-dum) we should have shot him. Came
into outpost waving a green handkerchief on a stick as a flag of truce,
at Camel Hump.
|
| 19/11/1915 |
At a little before 10.00 p.m. we got a message to
the effect "696 Bty will shell Sniper's Nest at about 2200
hours" D Battery Howitzers.
Scottie went up to ridge above and watched the sight. We were close
enough to get the burnt cordite into our nostrils. SANDER S went to
Field Hospital tonight and I shifted into his dugout on the assumption
that he has typhoid. I came on duty in his place. Weather calm again and
fine today, bit chilly out of the sun. For the last three days I have
been getting "diet" from the medical orderlies, consists as a
rule, of arrowroot or mazina and rice and milk also beef tea. Mail to
hand today. Five handkerchiefs small and a mysterious piece of crochet
which I afterwards learnt to be a face washer.
Latest - Clive, (according to Mum) has bought a two seater motor car.
KEANE tells me he is an old Gawlerite. Archie and Harry K. are his
brothers. |
| 20/11/1915 SATURDAY |
| Cook, SCHOFIELD, has got jaundice and may go away at
any time to Field Hospital. Very cold and windy today. |
| 21/11/1915 SUNDAY |
| NO ENTRY |
| 22/11/1915 MONDAY |
| NO ENTRY |
| 23/11/1915 TUESDAY |
Arthur SCHOFIELD gone with jaundice. Lot of it
about.
Scottie has gone offsider cook.
There was an attack made on the Apex last night and of course Turk got
the worst of it.
|
| 24/11/1915 WEDNESDAY |
Weather clearing up again.
Corporal JONES, JOHNSON and Roy DICKSON have returned to C Squadron and
are manning the night phone in the trench in SAX LI BIET. LOMAX, George,
is transferred to A Squadron Signaller in charge or acting Corporal.
HOPE from C Squadron accompanies him. Only six signallers doing duty on
HQ now so that we get duty every other day. I learnt today that I was
recalled from B Squadron by Brigade orders. SANDERS, Frank, case has
been diagnosed as consumption and he had gone on to England to be seen
by a Specialist. He had pleurisy a month or so ago and that was what was
giving him trouble here. WALSH of B Squadron has gone with malaria
fever. We are to be very careful as to lice and the Doctors say it is
the cause of typhus. |
| Captain LAURIE brought in an aero bomb, which an
aeroplane tried to kill us with a few days ago. It stood about a foot
high and weighed about 20 pounds. The outer skin of cast iron
electrically welded. A brass cap on top with Turkish characters on. The
outer skin was of some alloy familiar to white metal. We are burying
though I think MASON wanted to take it to pieces (MASON got a DCM for
hazardous mining operations). But considered highly dangerous. |
Turks bursting shrapnel over the bottom of the DERE
causing two Second Light Horse men to be killed and several wounded.
|
| 25/11/1915 THURSDAY |
| Pieces of skull and brain lying thickly in a spot on
the track indicate a dangerous zone, which I didn't waste any time
moving over yesterday afternoon. Had a pretty close shave from shrapnel
getting over it. |
A 48 hours period of voluntary quietness on our part
commenced yesterday. Turks have got it into their heads we are going to
evacuate and to kid them on to attack we are encouraging them by only
indulging in artillery bomb and rifle activity when a favourable target
presents itself. An advanced has been made in the southern second by the
52nd Division near Krithia. A good length of trench and some bomb stores
were captured. Different combinations of colored rockets, red, white and
green have been arranged to signify upon which post the Turks are making
an attack.
Pretty strong rumour that the 27th Battalion are embarking tonight under
sealed orders (probably for Salonica).
Later: Re 27th Battalion they are still at the Rest Gully so that the
rumour was a "mulga". |
| 26/11/1915 FRIDAY |
NO ENTRY
|
| 27/11/1915 SATURDAY |
Rum issue on account of cold. Drizzly, wet night
with a heavy thunderstorm preceding.
Owing to Jim KEANE being a very bad scholar and writing undecipherable
messages he has been put on cooking and SCOTT is taking his place.
I am in charge of one station and Licker SMITH in charge of the other. |
| 28/11/1915 SUNDAY |
This morning when Scottie woke me at 3.00 a.m. to go
on duty he invited me to come out and see snow. It was then bitterly
cold and had been snowing for about a couple of hours. Daybreak
presented a beautiful but unpleasant sight. Its snowed off and on during
the day and being off duty I got into my dugout and kept well between
the blankets. Blowing bitterly and the terraces are terribly slushy. My
dugout lets the cold in and it is impossible to get warm with all my
clothes on and with 3 blankets and a canvas sheet and a ground sheet
underneath. Spent a horrible night trying to sleep.
Rum issue on account of the cold.
|
| 29/11/1915 MONDAY |
On duty today. Get duty every other day now.
Daybreak, clearing sky, frozen mud and pools of wet. Peculiar sensation
to me, expecting to go slushing through a pool of mud to find it as hard
and as unyielding as rock. The snow stayed on the ground all day and
thank goodness the sun was not strong enough to thaw the mud or would
have been an awful mess. Snow still on ground (11.00 p.m.) but
evaporating slowly. It is not running away as I expected but dissolving
slowly, mostly into the air. I scratched around among the engineers
dugout next (just vacated) and got a lot of bags etc. and a blanket and
then set about trying to make my dugout (bomb-proof shelter in military
parlance) more cosy. |
| Another Rum issue tonight. But rough weather will
see us without bread and raw meat for a few days I'm thinking. |
Arthur SCHOFIELD has returned from the Field
Ambulance and is to go on duty on the phone. Ernie JONES had gone away
now.
|
| 30/11/1915 TUESDAY |
This morning, having to go to the ADMS with medical
report, I unthinkingly took road running parallel with the beach while
on my way back all of a sudden I heard bullets zipping all around me.
The Turks were potting with a machine gun from SAIR BAIR ridge. I
commenced to run to get into the sap. The zipping ceased and I slackened
up. Then he opened up again nearer this time and there was no stopping
me until I was safe in the sap. I suppose some German was grinning. A
pretty close call I consider it was.
The 20 pound pear shape bomb was exploded by a party of which I was one.
We dug a small cavity under a bank well up a vacant gully and placed the
bomb cap inwards and base outwards and wrapped in paper so as to make a
suitable mark. Got well under cover 30 to 40 yards away and shot at it
with rifle. About the fifteenth bullet must have hit the vital spot and
exploded it. Though I think at that close range every bullet must have
hit the bomb. The air and earth around us simply shivered with
concussion. We dug in the loose earth afterwards and found the cap and
fragments of the outer skin which we saw was some soft metal similar to
white metal.
Fine today. Very cold and now snow is very slowly disappearing from the
ground. |
|
