Very rough in the harbour last night, and I notice that a paddle steamer has been blown ashore. Spent the morning reading English papers. The "Daily Mail", has been reduced from 4d to 3p. Reading up the Russian retreat. Serious, the capture of Kovno.
Afternoon spent on fatigue. Unloading cookers belonging to the 88th Brigade and taking them up to their headquarters.

Was to report to Ashmead Bartlett at War Correspondents camp this morning at 6.00 a.m., but was not woke until that time, and when I and the other man, who was detailed, arrived, A. B. was just leaving camp with his cinema etc. Packed on a donkey. I think we were to give him a hand to the wharf.

After breaker I cleared out. Had a swim in the breakers and a "lousing".

Latest War News.
We have had to stay our advance over Sair Bahr on account of Chanuk guns making position untenable. Italians are said to have landed on the Asiatic side and to be encircling the Fort. Japan, in a note, ask for permission to attempt the Narrows. They reckon they can do the job in 18 hours. Russians are still moving slowly back but are making a stand in Galicia.
Sergeant REED is in No.54 Stationary Hospital. A big green canvas structure has been put up on the cliff, south of the harbour during the past few days. Intended as a dirigible shed I believe.

Warned for main guard tonight.

Submarine E11 came in this morning amid cheers. He exploits in the Sea of Marmora deserve them.

Met another 3rd Light Horseman today. Says that when he left ANZAC 2 days ago the Regiment was still at Quinnn's Post.
Lance Corporal WALSH of Inniskillings (Skins) went to Lemnos today to go before the Medical Board, prior to returning to the Peninsular. Colonel ROWELL died of gastritis and pneumonia. Lieutenant MOSSOP got his discharge, gone deaf. ACKENDEN has had his hand blown off.
HABDITCH put a word in for me for a job as orderly at the camp Commandants office. It would mean staying here at the advanced base for an indefinite period. I could step into it Sunday morning. As I am beginning to feel that its about time I was with the Regiment again I did not accept. Am beginning to feel quite well again.

Regarding Submarine E11, it was away for 20 days and sunk a ship for each day, besides having a landing party demolish an outpost of some sort.

Am on No.4 Post, 1st Relief. The Well is for use of Greeks only, duty to prevent soldiers from drawing water at same well. 2nd Watch was done on Egyptians Officers' Camp. Had to prowl around on the watch for prowlers. They are afraid an attempt may be made on the Officer's life, the one who gave the order to fire on the 23rd August. A revolver has been stolen. Guard turned out twice. 9.30 last night and 10.30 today.

The War Telegram for today states that on 27th, 28th and 29th we captured Knoll 60 at Suvla after severe fighting, loosing 1,000 men and inflicting 6,000 casualties an Turks. The Regiments participating were (as far as I can number) Welsh Borderers, Connaught Rangers, 4th Bde, 5th Bde (18th Battalion especially) Australian Infantry, 9th, 10th Light Horse A.I.F. Added over 400 acres Turkish soil to our Turkish possessions.

YMCA gave its first concert. Saw Curly Allan this afternoon. Says he heard Lieutenant KELLY died sickness on way to England. Sgt. Mjr COXALL now a Lieutenant. Reckoned it was correct about BULL volunteering to head the 3rd L.H. in a charge. Barry left for Lemnos today. Six Turks and 2 Turk officers. Lieut. a Corporal and 2 men guarding prisoners.

Over heard MP Sergeant complaining to an Officer of PMs dept that no records were kept at our light duty camp and Sgt. K was unable to tell him whether any men were missing.

At 5.00 a.m. this morning was woke by orderly sergeant and told to fall in for Turkish guard and that we would march off at 6.00 a.m. I asked him whether this was a penal settlement and he said that I would parade to medical officer and get sent back to the Peninsular.

At 9.00 a.m. I paraded to the medical tent.
Doctor asked, "What's your trouble Garrett?"
I said, " I'm fit for duty Sir."
"Oh!" say he, "You're the first man that has said that this morning. Alright Garrett."
And he marks me "A"

At 3.00 p.m. No go.
I am warned for Turkish compound tonight, and Orderly Sergeant says that no men are to be marked "A" out of this camp, as it is very undermanned. I should think it was. Roll call three times per day and no man is to leave camp without permission unless he wants to be crimed.
News of Russian success. Hope it is true. The continued reports of German victories against the Russians are beginning "to put the wind up" some of us (as the regulars would say) to make one or two feel uneasy any way.

6.00p.m. went on Turkish prisoners guard until 6.00 a.m. Number 2 post on 1st relief. West side on entanglements. Time passes quickly on this job. Watching them pray, cook, wash clothes etc. When I was on at 12.00 p.m. one chap was boiling his clothes. He did garment by garment until he was naked and had to wrap in a blanket. They wear a lot of stuff under uniform. This chap had ample, waistcoat officers and a shirt. He was still going at 2.00 a.m.

Main guard tonight at 6.00 p.m. Paid 1 Pound today.

Barney came back tonight and says he witnessed the torpedoing of a transport off Lemnos. All Australian troops aboard and a lot were drowned. Also heard that our aeroplanes, 32 of them, raided Constantinople after giving three days notice and set fire to it. They all returned safely.
Got No.2 post which is a beat on the main road outside the stores. Scored when night fell, you bet.
Duties mostly paying compliments to officers and keeping marauders off the eatables (and drinkables)

The 88th Brigade have been going past all day and I got regular tired of saluting.
Sour bread and boiled fatty bacon - the food of the Gods.

500 civilian Egyptian labourers arrived. Dirty scum.
I think the Engineer fellows are returning to Egypt this week.
Dodging guard today successfully.
I'm fed up with it.

The Fusiliers Brigade of the 86th of the 29th Division have been filing in today. Dublin, Munster, Lancashire and Royal Fusiliers I believe.

Very heavy bombardment coming from the Narrows, I believe something must be doing. One of the HQ Sergeants (an Australian) came over and wanted 4 men to go along with him to peg out a road. Australians preferred. Much activity going on at the top end of the camp. GHQ has to be removed there. Our present site is underwater during winter.
There were 3 Lieutenants, one Sergeant, two horse holders and four privates, and between us we put in about a dozen pegs each. In Australia two common blokes could have done just as well. Only about six chains of it and we knocked off. Barry and I then started an excursion among the Greek's gardens, after figs. Had to run from the patrol before we were safe. Fine figs.

Stood by for the afternoon in case the Sergeant wanted us on the same job again.
Trouble getting enough men for the guards. Barry and I lay low and after tea went for a stroll. Coming into camp Barry was caught and told he had 5 minutes to get ready for Guard. He argued and getting annoyed told them to lock him up. Real Australian, Barry.

So Barry is in the clink.

The Sergeant was making enquiries after Garrett too, but Garrett disappeared to the cookhouse and laid low, the time in boiling a cup of cocoa.

Went across to see Barry in the clink this morning. He is quite satisfied with himself and reckons he will get off without having to pay any fine. The defaulters seem to be much better off than us.

Am warned for guard tonight.
Weather has turned. Very cold night
Egyptian engineers have left and a miserable crowd of Arabs have taken their place.

I got No.4 Post and 3rd Relief. Officers' quarters during night and Greek Well during day. My shift from 4 to 6 didn't trouble me. Overcoats supplied for Guard. I counted a dozen hungry looking lice on one and so I was glad I had a coat of my own. These guard tents are swarming with lice and one has to go through his clothes as soon as he wakes.
A lot of Yeomanry that were in Egypt while we were there landed dismounted at Suvla. Heard a Tommy ask, what part of Australia New Zealand was in. Another was speaking to a New Zealander about New Zealand and he remarked, quite suprised that they must able to talk very good English there.

Barry got 21 days.

Very dusty and windy today and cold during the night.
Biscuits are very scarce in camp and for days the Greeks had none on hand. Today one of them got a tin or two in about the size and quality of "Marie". That morning he was charging ½d per biscuits. Perhaps the Military Police put in their spoke, because by dinner time he had come down to ½d for two.
Examples of Greek extortion. Grapes used to be 6d per pound and yet the Greeks could afford to reduce them to 3d, because the Officers complained.

How and Egyptian gang works.
Was watching a couple of them ramming a metal road they are making. They stand in two lines crossing the metal patch with one man standing out from the rest in front and facing them. Each has rammer in hand and the man in front chanted in monotone. After every line the gang wails out a refrain, which sounded to me like "onion tart", and all the rammers came down together. The shorter the verses and the more often the chorus the more blows that metal patch gets per hour. The stone collected from off the hills in baskets, not as big as carpenter's and the nigs sit and place them in position one at a time, making them fit by hitting with another stone. They do a lot in a long time. I see of late their jemadar has been getting into some of them with a whip.

The airship came out for her trial spin today. Body all silvered. Elevating and rudder planes at tail. Two red distinguishing rings painted on underside of elevating planes, which are yellow. Car like the body of aeroplane with propeller at the head. Said to be of Russian design and manufacture. Shark like body. She was dipping fore and aft a lot on this trial spin but that will be remedied by tomorrow I suppose.

Most of the permanent guards are Colonials and the Sergeant Major is an Australian. When they want the prisoners to fall in on the parade ground, they drive them out of the tents with a stick, shouting "Charbuck" which means "double". But it is all done with the best of humour and only once or twice have I seen the stick used in earnest, and then I don't think it was the stick that was used (which is Irish) but a good hold of neck and breeches.
The guards get as much fun out of their job as they can, and are not in the least overbearing and the Turks smile and shrug their shoulders then fall in. They will dodge it if they can though.
I saw a Turkish Red-Cross man taking temperatures. He was an Egyptian and spoke good English and was a prisoner. The Turks seem satisfied with the grub and make a lot of bully beef stew. They get bully, biscuits, jam and vegetables and perhaps other things such as rice but which I am not sure of. Whatever they haven't got in the way of clothes they are provided with and of course sleep in bell tents.
Most are voluntary workers and get paid 2p per day, I am told. Every third day they get a trip across to the aerodrome to work there a different party going each day and leave their camp for that at 6.00 a.m. At 2.30 a.m. the cooks are up getting the fires lit to make stew. "Cosma" means work. "Asta" means sick. "Asta no Cosma" is then quite a common complaint and means, "I'm sick and can't work".

Compulsory examination of whole of camp by Medical Officer, and I was marked "A", meaning fit for duty.

The airship passed over our camp at a low altitude today and we got a fine close view of her.

Was on Turkish perimeter guard tonight. Saw then lined up praying towards Mecca at sunset. One big fine fellow in a blue uniform with red facings is a policeman, they tell me. Another prisoner has only one eye. The prisoner's interpreter is a Romanian who enlisted in New Zealand as a naturalised subject. I heard him address the parade in Turkish and I thought the language didn't sound too bad. It doesn't sound harsh and guttural as Arab spoken by the Gypoes. But they are a brass throated crowd Gypoes. Some of these Turks have quite musical and soft voices and their singing isn't bad to listen too, though it is of the Eastern monotone type and a bit weird like. But still it is more European that anything else I have heard from any of these Asiatics so far. You can't tell them Atchi is ever going to fall, they shake their heads vigorously.

AIR RAID

At breakfast this morning we all tumbled out of our tents to see what the war ships were firing at, and the loud bomb like explosions were.

Away aloft, almost among the clouds (It was dull and cloudy) was an enemy aeroplane and she was dropping bombs and darts around the vicinity of General Headquarters. After a while one of our monoplanes went up and commenced soaring towards the intruder who was being shelled heavily by the warships.
After being in sight for about 10 minutes or more she disappeared among the clouds and our man came to earth again and we went back to our tucker imagining the danger had passed. Five minutes later more banging and extra vigorous this time. Another raider was in sight and this time two big clouds of smoke raised showed he had managed to get his bombs into G.H.Q. Our monoplane went up again. Heavier bombardment from the harbour this time and the enemy sheared off. But before he got out of sight another came into view, and we waited in suspense to see what happened. The boats waited until she got well within range and then, my. Didn't they let her have it. One Pom-Pom arrangement was bursting six shells almost instantaneously around her, rattling the six off like a machine gun. There was nothing for him to do but to bear off and he circled off Lemnos way within doing any damage with bombs. By this time our monoplane had mounted to a good height, but was still far lower that the intruder who made towards her. Presently we heard the distant rattle of machine gun and at first I did not take too much notice of it because a lot of our M.G.s had been firing during morning. But soon after we saw out man dive headlong to earth. I was afraid his machine had been injured. However she righted and came to earth and the air raid was over, and we went to our breakfasts with very poor ideas of our airmen.

Fifty machines here and seven or eight hundred mechanics and greasers to look after them and yet a couple of Turk or German airman can come and taunt us under the fire of a dozen or so warships. Who ever those airmen were they were down right plucky.

But we learnt afterwards that our pilot was seriously wounded by machine gun fire from the raider, and also that our plane had no other defence than a revolver and that these light machines are not fitted with machine guns. The general opinion is that there were two raiders but I believe there were three. After the first plane had cleared off no one imagined he would be back for more. And our monoplane came to earth. Instead of that it was the second arrival that did the damage. Seven men and an officer were wounded at GHQ. Three of them seriously.
Of course it was the dirigible they were after, but the harbour full of man-o-war settled that project, as the shed is as close to the harbour as they can get it.

At about 8.00 p.m. three loud explosions were heard in the direction of the harbour and then three more towards the aerodrome. Nothing doing as far as we were concerned.
No searchlights, no firing and none of our planes in the air. So that the enemy had it all their own way. The night was a fine moonlight one with the moon at the half. The hum of the engines sounded quite low and the cry went over the camp to put out all lights. No damage done.
I hear that one of the raiders in the first raid came to grief. One of our seaplanes went up and drove him into range of the warships at the camp and consequently he was brought to grief.

About 12.00 p.m. aeroplanes were heard in the air. Then came the sounds of loud explosions. Three of them followed by a good deal of machine gun fire. The warships remained silent and no searchlights were used. It appears that two of our seaplanes were already in the air and engaged the enemy aeroplane with M.G.s
I heard that they settled him but can't vouch for it.
No damage done so they say.
One of those wounded in the first raid has died.

Can't understand what has come over my feet. Pain in ankles and especially the left foot. Imagine the No.7 Post has something to do with it.

Both feet went crook so went to see the quack. He never even looked at them but told me to rub and move the ankles about. I'm a bally malingerer I suppose. He marked me A of course.
I was warned for guard. So I determined not to and told both the Sergeant and Corporal they could clink me first. I saw the Corporal at the R.A.M.C. tent attached to this camp and he put it down to sunken insteps, immediately and advised wearing supports. He came over and convinced the Sergeant that I was not fit state to go guard duty and so I won the day.

Another air raid this morning at about 9.00 a.m.
Two enemy aeroplanes. Too high up for ours to have a chance. Our Pom-Poms and other anti air guns pumped it in but without apparent effect. Fair wind blowing and sky almost clear. About half dozen high explosive bombs dropped, one did not explode.

Paraded to Doctor. Feet giving me trouble, would it be sunken instep. Took off boot.
"You haven't got flat feet you have rather a good foot."
So that settled it , I had to go on guard. Turkish prisoners. Bitterly cold. The cold weather is setting in with a vengeance now and the camp is preparing for the winter months in earnest.
GHQ and other officer's positions are being removed to sheltered positions among the hills. Walls of stones are being built (loose stones) around lots of marquees on the windward side.

On fatigue duty this morning erecting tropical marquee tents for English canteens going to open here. In the afternoon we were messing around the provost marshals head quarters on fatigue.
Plenty of big MPs here with revolvers on their belts. Here resides the Greek of Honour what ever that most high panjandrums is. The Greek Governor I suppose.

Paraded to Doctor again this morning. He "suspects" I am developing flat feet and prescribed pads of wadding to be worn in the small of feet, inside sock. I must keep exercising feet or else the complaint will become firmly lodged, so I am marked "B" which means duty.

VENIZLOS the Greek Prime Minister has been a GHQ for some days I hear. Also that the airship went to Lemnos some days ago and stayed there.
The 86th Brigade of the 29th Division moved out a couple of days ago and today the 87th is coming in for a few days spell.
Went for a dip this afternoon, but it was mighty cold. Extra blankets have been issued and each man has two now.

Very welcome news from France. The French have broken through the German lines and advanced between 30 or 40 miles. I hope it is true.
Bulgaria has mobilised on the basis of an armed neutrality and Greece has followed suit.

Sick parade and marked "no duty" on account of feet.

Air Raid this morning. The enemy, however, took a twoer because the old milk can was not in her shed. She came scurrying in from over the hills after it was all over. Couldn't sleep this evening and at about 12.30 a.m. I thought I heard an aeroplane down low. Sure enough a couple of loud explosions told me the tale.

I went outside and found about a dozen big search lights searching the skies. A very striking sight. I watched for a while and then went back to bed and as I heard no firing I hardly suppose they located the raiders. There was a raid yesterday too so that they are becoming quite common. Unless they hush up the extent of the damage, which is quite probable they do not appear to cause a great deal of harm as they have to drop from a great height to avoid the guns of the warships in the harbour.

Sick parade this morning and got another day "no duties". Diarrhoea pretty bad today, and between the blankets most of the time. Saw a couple of bombs go very close to the airship shed this morning.
Commander SIMPSON had a very narrow escape. He was walking over a field near the aerodrome when a bomb burst nearby, and killed his orderly, who was accompanying him.
This is the fourth air raid with in two days.

Another day "NO DUTIES".

Duties today. Main guard. Canteen opened today.
Sergeants got into trouble today over having separate mess, which they practically do. Adjutant caught the cooks frying steak for them. He said that on active service the Sergeants have the same as the men. If the Sergeants want roasts then they can have them if the men have roasts as well. He wants to look into the rum question too. Bould of the Connaughts has got his ticket to Alexandria. Bould was a Larkinite, an Irish Protestant of English descent. Married a Roman Catholic. A Dublin man and was for years call boy at the Dublin Theatre Royal.