Garrett WWI Diary, October 1915

Garrett War Diary - OCTOBER 1915 Mundros/Lemnos

1st October 1915 Friday

Main Guard.

We fell in two deep and at the slope to hear a Court Martial Sentence read out, this morning. The prisoner, an Australian was escorted by two sentries and he was charged with having been drunk on sentry duty and having stolen two tins of condensed milk from Government Stores. The A.P.M. read the charge first and then the sentence. He was sentenced to 3 years penal servitude. The prisoner flinched at that. Reading on the A.P.M. said that the sentence was commuted to 3 months field punishment. The man was so dazed that he had to ask afterwards what he got. One silly fool told him 3 years and 3 months. The shock of hearing himself sentenced to three years stunned him and he failed to hear the rest.

The Greeks and Gipoes had a bit of a scrap today. Sticks and knives.

There have been some fighting on the Peninsular during the last few days and a lot of prisoners have been taken I hear. The Border Brigade (86th?) comprised of the Borders, K.O.S.B., S.W. Borderers, and Inskillings (Skins) returned to the trenches today..
News from France. 120,000 German prisoners taken.
Graham WHYTE shot in Tower for leading air raids over London (this is a beaut).

2nd October 1915 Saturday

Saw Dentist this morning, whether he could refix my bridgings. He said he would have to send away to get the job done and to come around in the morning. What does that mean?

"Pay Bob" this morning. Paid 2 Pounds and all in new silver shilling pieces. Bought 2 tins of salmon, 2 tins pineapple (1/- per tin), a pipe (1/-), worchester (6d), and biscuits to make up 7/-

The Greeks have packed up and the new canteen has thousands of pounds worth of stock, 10,000 Pounds worth I hear. The Major running it reckons he has lost 1,000 Pounds in transit. Broachit, hardly believe it. He has eight or ten marques packed to the roof with stock. Supposed to be run at cost price.

Something going to happen on the Peninsular I fancy. Very heavy bombarding going on last night. Weather warming a bit after the cold spell a few days ago.

Turkish prisoners guard tonight. One I was talking with and who asked me, "Haf you any bread?" and, "Haf you any jamba?" "Jamba very good." Says, "Turky prisoners no good, me Greek." He was at Gaba Tepe. "Warships bom, bom, Turkish dead plenty." "Machine Gun Germans." He could talk a smattering of English and some French.
He had another Greek with him, "English fight for cross, Turk for moon and star.", pointing to a dozen Turks praying he laughed sneeringly, "for Mohamet."

One of the Turks was singing or praying in long drawn out notes, reminds one at times of a bagpipe. Some of them have good voices and at nighttime it sounds not too bad tough a trifle weird. There are many long drawn out notes where it seems that the singer is trying to see how long he can keep going without drawing a breathe.

3rd October 1915 Sunday

Dentist says he can not fix my bridging at present, alright.

Latest is. Two Monitors have managed to get up the Narrows.
At sunset tonight there was a terrible din going on in the direction of the Cape, so I went up on the hilltop. Could see clouds of white smoke rising from Asiatic side opposite W Beach, but hard to say whether this was result of shell-fire. Got up there a bit too late. Can see Suvla, Anzac, Gaba Teppe, Archi Baba and the opposite side of the Narrows plainly. Could make out Turkish shells bursting over the trenches and beaches. Also, I saw our planes on the aerodrome coming to earth, a fine view.

****** DRAWING OF PLANE ******

Band from the HMS Cornwallis playing at the YMCA marque this afternoon. Marines dressed in white with peaked caps bearing red bands

***DRAWING OF CAP BADGE***.

The bandsmen have to join as boys and one or two were well in their teens.
Re French victories, 23,000 is the number of prisoners, as the War sheet has it today, (not 120,000!)

SPECIAL ORDER OF THE DAY October 2nd .
The King sends his appreciation of good work done and trusts our health is excellent.
Replying the Brigadier Ian HAMILTON says, "Thank you regret unable to render favourable account of health of troops, and the Kings good kind words will spur the men on to fresh deeds etc."
Rumours of things doing on Peninsular but heard nothing definite.
A Royal Army Medical Corps man, with prisoners, tells me some of the Turks have got consumption. One bloke had the top of his finger blown off. He was invalided in Constantinople for 3 days! We have a Sergeant Major who was in the Suez camp area. He is allowed a batman and a separate tent.

4th October 1915 Monday

I see the Turks are on the Gipoes job of road making today.

Heavy bombarding going on, wonder how the two monitors are getting along.

Main Guard.
Got posted over a tent at the Military Police camp containing a young Dutch A.B. He was employed on the water boat, a steamer of 8,000 tons running between here and Lemnos. He was found in possession of a camera and had taken a photo of our airship and hospital ship, and was arrested on suspicion. He understands English perfectly but talks it like a Dutchman. Been all over the world and boasts he is a proper sailing ship man. Served in Dutch Army and Navy and was in some East India expedition. Lived for two years in the States and has been in Alaska. Very interesting chap to converse with and he likes talking alright. He has got a black eye, a fellow sailor, a Greek, gave him with a broom before he was arrested.

5th October 1915 Tuesday

"Fritz" has been over this morning and dropped a fine large bomb, quite handy to us, and just as we were discussing the latest Buzz. Peace Conference with Turks and the leveling of Chanak. The anti-aircraft guns did not give a very brilliant display.

LATER
Fritz did no damage that I can hear of. The two monitors got back safely and did even better than was expected. They silenced several forts and nothing has been heard from Chanak for a day or two.
"Drake" has just introduced me to some real navy baccy. The whole leaf is rolled into a round tapering plug and bound round with hemp cord. The sailors have a particular name for it. It is very damp and strong and is rum soaked. This plug weighed 8 ounces and cost 3/- per pound. Canteen is selling smoking mixture at 1/- per tin of 4 ounces.
Austria has intimated to Romania that munitions must be allowed to pass into Turkey and Russia has given Bulgaria 24 hours to decide on to which side of the wall she is going to jump.

6th October 1915 Wednesday

Saw an Australian paper today, August 2nd, where a big recruiting campaign has commenced in Australia. HOLMAN was to open it in New South Wales, with an appeal at Sydney Stadium. Returned soldiers entered the ring and were received with cheering. Holman was howled down.

7th October 1915 Thursday

Water Guard tonight.
Spent 9/- at canteen this morning. Cambridge sausages 1/6 for ½ dozen, tin of pineapple 1/-, salmon 1/-, butter Irish 2/3 per pound tin.
Met a RFA man who was a reserve and was called up in Australia. He is glad he joined in Aus. He has 150 Pounds to his credit and it makes 10/- difference per day to his pay. He is probably a Sergeant but can't understand why the difference is as much as 10/-.

8th October 1915 Friday

On Water Guard today. Four water tanks, barge shaped, are filled from the water ship, which lies about 300 yards from shore and pump the barges full. She in turn is filled with Alexandria water I think.
Duties, only authorised persons to use tanks. List and amount to draw kept by sentry. Challenge all persons after 9.30 p.m.

H.M. Ships "Cornwall" and "Cornwallis" have relieved the "Exmouth" and "Lord Nelson".
Fine dinner, roast joint. Roasted in suct in ordinary dixie. Essex man good cook entered France August 11th. Wounded in June. For overstopping his leave he was sent out here. 29th Division after 2 months in hospital.
Bit about a well-known regiment who were boomed for a stirring charge at beginning. He reckons that their behaviour was anything but commendable. Like S.M D- of L Battery RHA which kept up a fire under great odds, two men and S.M. left to man gun everyone else ousted. S.M. now a V.C. and an Officer. Men D.C.M. S.M. was behind a haystack. Men kept the gun going.

9th October 1915 Saturday

PEARSON left us for the Peninsular (via the Medical Board Lemnos), this morning.
I turned down a chance of G.H.Q. orderly.

Conversation I over heard:- An old Indian Soldier, a regular, conversing with a little Welsh Corporal. Regular is from Lancashire.
Lanc: "What gets me is that these Australians get 6/- a day and we get a lousy bob. And some of them can't handle a rifle (means can't always do 'present' or 'examine' with exactitude, I spose).
Welsh: "But they don't get any bounty."
Lanc: "Oh! We will all get a bounty, it was 10 Pounds in the Boer War."
Welsh: "No. Instead of a bounty the Australian Government gives the 50 Pounds when they go back and six months full pay."
Lanc: "Australia must be a good place."

10th October 1915 Sunday

Turkish Prisoner Guard. Turkish prisoners now have a galvanised iron shed to cook in. Sick men have an Ep marque to live in. They have been issued with blue serge or tweed suits and full kits are being given out to them, was watching the way they eat. About eight squat closely around each dish and they dip spoons.
Cornwallis band playing at Y.M.C.A. today. Mostly boys in Marine band. Peaked caps and red band, white top. Blue serge jackets with brass buttons and the band badge on the neck. White trousers.
About sixty men have left camp for the Peninsular in the last three days. No Australians. Whist German Whist Euchre Lights out.

11th October 1915 Monday

Got a job on "ordinance fatigue", about a dozen of us shifting boxes of boots, mess tins, service caps - bales of blankets, tents etc. - hard work.
Hear that the 1st, 2nd and 4th (not the 3rd) Brigades are resting at Lemnos. The 1st Brigade L.H. is at Suvla Bay. Also hear that the New Zealanders have left the Peninsular for a spell.
Saw a couple of redoubtables today. Admiral de Roebuck is in charge of naval operations and Flight Commander Samson. The former is tall and grey and neither fat not thin - clean shaven and would make a good C of E parson to look at.
Samson has charge of the R & C out here and is the airman that the Germans offered 1,000 Pounds for, short of stature, medium build and a Captain Kettle beard - blonde -
I hear that the Egyptians are all to go back, commenced a medical examination of them and the majority of the first dozen they went through were found to be infected with some form of syphilis.

12th October 1915 Tuesday

Ordinance Fatigue today.
Aeroplane fatality. The chap who does the fancy dives and banking or whatever they call "spiraling" over did it and turned turtle. Machine crashed to the ground. Pilot had both legs broken and the observer killed, almost every bone in his body smashed.
Am anxious to see what happens to "fritz" when he pays his next visit. On the cliff just above the pier is a 12 pound anti-aircraft gun. There are others on the opposite side of the camp too. The battleships are at a disadvantage because they have to wait until fritz gets into the opposite direction to the camp as the shrapnel may damage our own people.
Weather turning cold and have had one or two thunderstorms otherwise the sunshine continues. Ever since I arrived in May the sky has been as clear as if it were Australian.

13th October, 1915 Wednesday

Ordinance fatigues finish.
Asked Orderly Corporal therefore to put my name down for the 'peninsular'.
The Egyptians road making. Two rows of them standing facing the leader, who stands facing towards them. They are supposed to be ramming the metal down. "Halyar heyli." says the leader and swinging the rammers across in front of the other foot they drop them with a "Unmen dahlah" all together and so on chant and chorus. They don't put any weight behind the rammers but merely let them drop with their "unmendahla". Its heart breaking to watch them.

14th October, 1915 Thursday

**** **** ** today casualty post. Half the guard thickered on r***** ceg****
Bulgaria has declared against the Allies I hear.

15th October 1915 FRIDAY

9.00 a.m. waiting for whistle to face I am going to Mundros and if passed by Board of Medicine back to Peninsular. Barry wanted to get us all shickered on rum last night. Am sorry to say good bye to Heliditch, Barry, Grice, all good fellows and we got on fine together. Drake Battalion of Royal Navy Division, 11th Battalion of West Australia, 9th Battalion of Queensland, respectively.

Leave at 9.30 a.m. in a rough sea for Lemnos. Headed well out towards the Peninsular before turning and some were sick. Shells bursting south of Atchi. Hull trawler we are in told that both Imbros and Samothrace are volcanic islands. At sea a volcano can be seen quite distinctly among to mountains. This was active about 5 years ago. On Samothrace is a dormant volcano. There are thermal springs on Lemnos.
Got into Mundros nearing dark. Went to the "Arragon" the G.H.Q. ship for instructions. Transferred to another trawler and landed at West Mundros.
Walked about island until about 10.00 p.m. looking for our camp. Walked miles. Directed this way and then the other. It was a mess up. First glimpse of an English woman's face for months. Passing through the 3rd Australian General Hospital, which is laid out like a small town, we saw lots of nurses. Had a feed of bully beef and bread and dossed outside for that night.
The trawler was armed with a small gun mounted on a circular wooded platform, built well forward.

16th October 1915 Saturday

Find myself in Base Detail Camp.
Reveille 5.30 a.m. and fall in at 6.00 a.m. I went off to the Dentist at Australian General Hospital No.3 Canadian Hospital in the vicinity. Acqutanias now with funnels painted yellow and the red and green stripes that denotes the hospital ships. Waited all morning and had one tooth filled and made appointment for December 1st to have bridging taken out and impression for plate taken.

Walked over to Greek village in afternoon. I saw Miss Asquith the Prime Ministers daughter out riding with her brother. Bought lemon drinks, dried figs, apples, brown bread (Greek pattern) and biscuits.

It is fine to be among Australians again.
The 1st 2nd and the 4th Brigades are on the island resting also Maoris and some New Zealand infantry. No Light Horse units here. My idea is to wait here and join the Regiment when they arrive. I'll have a week here at any rate and see what turns up though I could stop 2 months I believe.
Latest War News. Austro-German Force are in Belgrade and a Bulgarian attack upon Serbia has been repulsed.

17th October 1915 Sunday

After breakfast thought it about time I had a wash seeing that I had none since Friday morning. No water available in camp. So had a ½ mile walk to a well and had a shave. Church parade compulsory. Hundreds of Tommies lined up. When they got the order "Form fours" and "right" the heels clicked as one. One of our fellows (50 or so of us), remarked, "My word they drill well. We couldn't do it like that and I'm not going to try."
Singing was very half hearted although they brought a harmonium into action towards the end. Two whiskered old chaps officiated, though the Dean of Sydney (a well built clean shaven chap with glasses) was there. One of them said he liked to see us merry and bright and the other thought it fitting we should partake of the communion afterwards as it would perhaps be our last opportunity - (cheering words). First Church Parade I have been on since commencing to be a soldier.

18th October 1915 Monday

Latest War News. Greece had declared war on Bulgaria.

At 8.00 p.m. about 100 Australians and New Zealanders came in. From Malta and England. Board sitting yesterday but did not go up. Have just about made up my mind not to wait for teeth but to go back to Regiment at first opportunity. Little Ebenezer WARD of the 10th is here now a Lance Jack.

Village of Portianya. Main street merely a lane but paved with slate slabs. In center village opens onto a sort of court yard about 30 yards square in center of which is a spreading tree protected by a wall nearby is the village well. Greek cafes with gorgeous decorations. Houses are solidly built and all two story. Where convenient there is a big vine trained around the cottage. All the yards I saw were paved with slabs and surrounded with high stone walls. Most of the cottages have iron bars at the windows. Been round here been the scene of many a conflict with Turks who used to come in force and abduct the Greek women of marriageable age. Away back on the top of a high hill and perched on the very peak is a solitary big building white and which is a monastery.

20th October 1915 Wednesday

While having breaker Sergeant appears on scene and notifies all A Class men to parade ready to move off at 8.00 a.m. Fall in and I am handed web equipment, which has to be assembled, 30 rounds and 3 days iron rations. There is a very young English Lieutenant in charge. Afraid we will miss trawler.
10.00 a.m. He walks to fast to suit. Presently he is heading along the road at head of 16 men and about 40 well in the rear. Presently those men become aware of the situation and commence to fall back too. This makes the laughable sight of our Lieutenant striding along with swinging cane at the head of four men. The rest are 80 or 100 yards behind enjoying the joke. Presently he wakes up and halts and explains that we must hurry if the boat is to be caught. Anyway he had too much sense to rouse.

Get on what looks like a Thames ferry, thence to Khedival line packet. Small steamer. El Kahira. G.H.Q. "Arragon". "Packet of Woodbines" (five funnel Russian cruiser), Lord Brassafe Yacht now a hospital ship for officers. The proud "Acqutania" is another hospital ship. Two dismantled (or rather with guns stripped off) warships which are being used to transport troops from England. Two funnelled with funnels side by side. English and French man-o-war, latter painted enamel or grey blue. Dozens of French and English transports. An English gunboat whose deck seemed wholly occupied with one monster gun. Painted grey and white in triangles and zigzags, a bit futuristic.
Several fast looking cross channel Isle of Wight and Isle of Man packets being used to convey troops to the Peninsular. All armed with formidable looking guns. Twelve pounders I should say. One of these came close and we could hear the hum of her turbines. Twin screw with two funnels at a rakish angle. Painted black and around each funnel three black and around each funnel three broad red bands. This is the same packet that passed us going out of Mundros a few days ago. Loaded with troops whose khaki seemed to blend fine with the blackness of the boat and racing along at a good speed, she was a sight for sore eyes.
Some of the packets have had special platforms built projecting from sides of ships, port and starboard. So as to give the guns plenty of sweep.
Moving out we passed a balloon boat. The crew gave us a cheer and some of them asked as whether we were down hearted. Most roared "No." Some "Yes." One wag added to the "No" "But we soon will be."
I bought a feed of meat and potatoes from the Maltese cooks, for a bob after the officers' mess had been served. Maltese crew. Jack Tars aboard of course. Forward we had a cargo of hand and mortar grenades and ammonal cartridges for blasting purposes. Left about 4.00 p.m.

Figure 3 Anzac Cove towards the end of the campaign
Arrived Anzac at 9.00 p.m. Got ashore in steam lighter to a pier, new to me. Not the old landing but nearly ¾ of a mile up shore. Walkers Ridge about opposite. Some new features. Maltese labourers. Hand truck railway. English officers. Marques and tents under shelter of cliffs. Guide sorts us out and we start off. Points out roughly direction and saps we are to take and leaves us after coming about 1.4 mile. Luckily I met a solitary 3rd Light Horseman who took me up to Regimental Head Quarters. Went into signal office and Bill BOYERii being on duty lent me his blanket and dugout for the night and I sleep the sleep of the just. Bill surprised to see me and asked what I had done with the rest.

21st October 1915 THURSDAY

Here we are again!
And on the Camel Hump and glad to be here and hoping that we don't go (If we spell at all) to Lemnos top do it!

Attached to B Squadron with Reg JEFFCOTTix, corporal now, in charge. Fine roomy signal cabin, which is our living room as well. Galvanised iron roof and three beds made of pine boughs. Good tucker cooked by Squadron cooks (a welcome alteration) three hours on and six hours off. Table made of box for phone and here I am pipe in mouth snuggled in overcoat and blankets one of Arnold BENNETTS books (The Card) to read. All sniping is done on premises. Just step about six yards and you can bang over parapet at Turkish trenches till hearts content.

Instruction for night, 4.30 a.m. call Sergeant Major SLATER, 4.50 a.m. call Leuit MacFARLANE. Report Squadron standing to arms when told to do so by Sgt Major. 5.30 a.m. pass on word to dismiss stand to arms. Parade when received from H.Q, during day and night report hourly. Do me. Phone to ear all time on course. Captain VINEY is now in charge of B Squadron. Tracked to beach for a wash in the briney this afternoon. A few shrapnels were bursting about 400 yards towards Suvla but very high up. Passed through No.1 outpost (1st Light Horse I believe) lines coming back. Firing very slack. Nothing like Monash Valley. B Squadron has 4 officers at present. Captain VINEY is the C/O. with Lieutenants DERRINGTON, COXALL, MacFARLANE. Jake CLARKE I notice is here, Captain Kettle beard. The other B Squadron signaller is named WALSH. I am taking place of man named YARRA , both strangers.

22nd October 1915 Friday

Weather cold, dull drizzly. Can't keep warm.
"Albion" put a broadside in just over our heads this evening. About six guns I should say and the shells burst almost simultaneously.
A few of the changes I notice:-
Major BARRET is Officer in Charge of the Regiment, Major PRIESTLY is second in charge, Adjutant Lieutenant ROWELL, Quarter Master Lieutenant KENYON late Q.M. Sergeant. Corporal MASON who got the DCM on Quinn's Post for engineering work is now Sergeant of No.4 Troop B Squadron. SCOTT who got shot through the knee on the first day had his leg amputated. MacKENZIE went to England with Enteric fever. OTTOWAY is in England. SAUNDERS got as far as MALTA. Blue went away with a red label marked "concussion from bomb", he had been taking a lot of phenacetin and had gone quite off his rocker.
A lot of out lads who went to England have got Commissions. The DOWS are on MP work in England. JACOB and HARRIS have gone home. PONSONBY has a postal job in Alexandria. BOOTH is a corporal in Heliopolis. ROBINSON is in England. MARSHALL has gone away ill. SMITH, BOYEN, LOMAX, HOCKING, DICKSON, Sergeant REED, and JOHNSON are still here. Some have been away and returned.
Drake of C Squadron is Regimental Q.M.S. Doc WILSON is now a corporal and such a hairy one that I did not recognise him. Captain LEWIS who was shot through the lung is said to be developing consumption. Major FULTON has not got back the use of his arm yet. Lt. DICK O/C of A Squadron. Captain VINEY now a Major.

Not a bad one:
A man was taken down to the beach ill. After the Doctor had examined him he turned to one of his mates who had come down with him and said, "Is he married." (the man must have been pretty crook), "No so, he told me this is the worst he has ever been." Answered his mate.

Major GLASCOW is now Lt. Colonel in charge vice stoddart who I hear has returned to Australia. Lt. METTLETON of 1st Light Horse was killed. Col. ROWELL's complaint was meningitis (something like that). Colonel CHEVAL in now the Brigadier General.

23rd October 1915 SATURDAY

Still very cold. Some of the things I notice on the beach.
Absence of shrapnel such as we had it in old times.
Maltese Labor Corps camped in marques.
Hospital for sick men minor cases.
Egyptian civilian labourers.
Yankee contraption drilling machine being assembled on the beach under supervision of Yankee civilian, who I heard was drawing 40 Pounds per month.
Lt Col. MIELL's grave, a wooden cross and a big stone.
Light Railway.
Ghurkha fatigue parties.
Steam tender rigged up and painted like hospital ship and flying big red-cross flags, conveying sick and wounded to hospital ship.
Y.M.C.A. canteen selling cake, groceries etc.
An engine room and pump to pump water from the water boats.

24th October 1915 SUNDAY

YARRA has left with scarlet fever. MORTIMER had enteric. I am using two of the blankets MORTIMER left behind and one of YARRA's. Met a chap up in the trenches today who's face was familiar. He afterwards came round to look me up, but I had gone to the beach. He left an empty envelope postmarked MORGAN S.A. and addressed to Pte. N.P. WATSON 4th Reinforcements 3rd Light Horse. Afterwards recognised him as an old Morganite.
Who should I see on the beach drawing water today but Percy BOTTING. Went and spoke to him. He has been here some time and has been away ill. He left Abbassia went to Alexandria.

25th October 1915 Monday

Mixed lot of Reinforcements arrived during the night. Some were from 7th Light Horse and 8th Light Horse. Wounded men returned and other old hands. Corporal JONES and Jerry PHILLIPS are two I know. They say our 9th and 10th Reinforcements are at Heliopolis. SANDERS was detained at Lemnos marked "B". Don ERQUARDT, who was acting Regimental Sergeant Major at Helioplis and has joined up with this Squadron. Also, HEDLEY who was acting Q.M.S. and is now the Sanitary Sergeant here. Bill BLUE has died of meningitis. Neglect Corp. HERTZON and Sgt ROBERTS returned to Regiment.
Artillery has been very busy on both sides today. Shrapnel and high explosive continually are bursting on the flat. Probably after guns. We have a light railway across there somewhere. At about 7.30 p.m. Gun Boats and artillery around the extreme left were giving it what ho. Then the Turks threw in some big howitzer shells over near the Indian Mule Transport. It is anticipated that we are to go to Lemnos for a spell in two or three week's time. WALSH bought a safety razor from JEFFCOTT for 5/-. I paid 12/6 new. WALSH went down to HQ said he paid 10/- and got 12/6 for it. Some business. Turks are sniping over this Camels Hump a lot at nighttime. According to map we are camped in Sax Li BIET DERE and the spur up ahead in CHANAK BAIR. Fishermen's Hut is the battered stone walls about 400 yards down the gully.

26th October 1915 Tuesday

Corporal JONES has returned.
Greece has been informed that we don't agree with her interpretation of the treaty between her and Servia.
Watched our batteries bombarding a new line of trenches near Chanak Bair, great sight. One of the fellow located a sniper on snipers nest (the position Eyr P. Wanted to take) and we gave him some "hurry up". We have the superiority of force, that is we can fire over the parapet from Camels Hump with comparative safety, whilst they do not dare show a finger. It is quite mild tonight after the last 3 days of chill.

27th October 1915 Wednesday

At about 11.00 a.m. today Turks bombarded with shrapnel and high explosive all along the line. Very vigorous and a great din. Splashing up the earth on the hills and in the gullies all around us.
Sea was very rough today. Too rough to send sick and wounded men away. Meeting of heads of Regiments today re the Brigade going away for a spell. Whether to go as a whole or in parties.
The wind has changed from north to south and it is quite warm again. I did not think such a sudden change if temperature possible. Previously the wind was from the north and penetratingly cold.
Crook in the stomach again, we all are. What ever is it in this place that upsets us so quickly. The Reinforcements are as bad as the old hands. In some cases they are away sick after one week only of this climate.
King is now appealing for everyone possible to come forward and enlist. The end is not in sight. It is far from it here. The task we have here seems an impossible one now that the Turks have dug in.

28th October 1915 Thursday

Paid 10/- today. Weather quite mild again.
has a swim and a walk to Anzac, went over the hill to Brigade Head Quarters, passing an old Turkish fire trench on the way. Picked up Turkish cartridge cases and some card boxes or cartoons showing plainly that the Turks are getting cartridge ammunition from Germany. Printing in German and Turkish. "Deutch Ammunition Fabrickin Karbshrue".
A steamer, an old one, is being grounded and filled with stone etc. Just outside number 7 and 8 piers. So that handling of cargo at the piers can be facilitated during rough weather. The Mule Transport Indians make rings out of copper from the Turkish shell cases and selling them

29th October 1915 Friday

Saw what is called a "Wallaby" rifle stand or loophole. Very clever idea with a little curtained loophole. Like the periscopic rifle we are using, it is, I should think, an Australian idea.

They tell me Corporal COX has gone away to get an idea of his in reference to machine guns, patented. A chap named STEWART in the Machine Gun Section who is a draftsman put the idea on paper. COX was a private. He was made Corporal and when Lt. SMITH left he had charge of the Section. A photographer by trade and only about 20 or 21 he knows more about machine guns than any man in the Regiment. In fact he is machine gun mad.

Lt. SMITH has returned to Australia, Sergeant WELS has been promoted to his position. We have been issued a silencer for working with that wallaby loophole, also telescopic sights.

30th October 1915 Saturday

Called upon Percy BOTTING in Anzac Gully. He is very snug, with a roofed dugout, lined with blankets and a wooden bunk. On the way back had a swim and saw one of the New Zealand Howitzer Battery Guns in action. She is located behind the Maltese Labor Corps camp and was firing indirectly at the blockhouse on Chanak Bair. Hear that a General MUNRO had been appointed in Sir Ian HAMILTON's place. Hamilton has gone to Salonica. MUNRO some how did not turn up and now our General BIRDWOOD has the job. So PERCY says. Frank B. coming to Light Horse as a sergeant. Mark and Stanley are coming as sergeants too, so he says. Will B. is also on the way, Percy is a batman to an Officer. I returned loaded with papers and a loaf of bread. Haven't been issued bread for three days.
(5.11.15 according to signature on a Field Force order Major General C.C. MUNRO is in charge)

31st October 1915 Sunday

Sergeant REED has notified I am to return to Head Quarters. This is because I am the only telegraphist in the Regiment and am considered worth having at H.Q. It seems that being able to operate is to be a disadvantage to me. It is only in the squadron that I have a chance of promotion. Going up into the trenches to have a few shots with WALSH. We saw a Turk on Snipe's Nest look over the parapet. He wore one of our hats. After someone had a shot he ducked. Fired a few rounds at a Turkish periscope peeping out of the trench. Rather difficult shot at 200 yards. Perc BOTTING came up to see me in the afternoon, and I showed him over Camel's Hump.
The Wallaby Loophole is in place. It is used on conjunction with a rifle fitted with telescopic sights, curtained loophole. Rifle clamped in, swings horizontally by means of pivot, adjusts vertically by thumbscrew.
We got word from Brigade that a Turkish officer was expected to surrender to us. If he gave himself up to our patrol or outpost we were to take him to Divisional H.Q. straight away. He was to be put to no unnecessary inconvenience. Packed gear and returned to H.Q., occupied Harry CONIGRAVE's old dugout. LOMAX Geo. has taken my place.
Fire occurred in scrub near Fisherman's Hut and the men putting it out were harassed by snipers. I hear the wired buzzing with request to keep Turkish fire down.