Diary Two - October 1915.

Gallipoli - Lemnos Island,

Arrival at Embros Island,

1st October 1915,
Catch a Birthday Wish, That I was anywhere but where I am, because this "Princess Louise" turns out to be a starvation ship. Nothing to eat or drink. Rotten luck. Arrived at Embros this morning at 10.30. Party went ashore to get fruit &c. Saw some of our new Monitors, also a new airship in flight. At present 6.30pm we are moving full speed ahead for Helles again. A few "subs" about these quarters so have to make the pace somewhat. Destroyers on either side of us. Are to pack up the 1st & 3rd Batteries & then Westward ho for Anzac & more fun.

2nd October 1915,
Loading 1st & 3rd Batteries most of the night. Arrived at Anzac about 3am. Got the right section of the 3rd ashore but headed back to Embros again because it's too risky to hang about that quarter after day break. Believe we disembark tonight. Left Embros at dusk. Landed at Walker Landing later. Had a good view of a destroyer shelling the enemy positions by searchlight. Disembarked at 4.30am. Got ashore at 5.30am, 31st 1915.

3rd October 1915,
Acting Q.M.S. all day. Had a screw around and managed to strike gold in the person of a Staff Q.M.S. who fixed us up royally with food stuffs. Great position here. All cliffs and ravines. Had a swim off the pier and some insignificant Bty shelled us to blazes. Got a few also some mules. Snipers fairly plentiful too. Rest of right section get ashore later tonight. Slept like a log. Had none for three nights. Taube amusing itself by dropping bombs.

4th October 1915,
Very hot day. Awaiting orders to shift into position somewhere. Edwards, Gilligan & Glover old members convalesced joined us today. Chas & self went for a stroll this afternoon. Couldn't see anything to shoot so came back before 8pm. Have just got orders to shift. Awaiting teams. Mail arrived. Caught a few. Don't know where we're off to but believe it's Anzac way. Anywhere for trouble suits us.

ANZAC (Walkers Landing) and onto Shrapnel Gully,

5th October 1915,
Arrived at destination (Shrapnel Gully) some unearthly hour this morning. This place doesn't belie its name either. Had a good view of the guns shelling one of our batteries perched away up on a ridge to our left. Awaiting orders to go into action. No water in this place Get issued with a gallon a day which is to do you for washing, drinking & messing generals. Don't want to spit much. Some talk of being relieved & going away to Lemnos for a spell. Some of our chaps (what's left of them) don't half want it either. Out of 98 men to land 76 are casualties.

6th October 1915,
Lovely day today. Was down at the beach this morning when a gun nick-named Blacky Bill sent over a couple, & snuffed a couple of mules & a driver. Got news (good) that we are leaving here for our spell. Been getting gear &c packed preparatory to leaving. Things pretty quiet. A few stray shells about. Left bivouac at 9.30pm Got down to the beach (Walkers Pier) at 10.30. Boarded a lighter at 12pm & pulled alongside of a small steamer & embarked later.

Aboard 'SS Elkahera' and onto Lemnos Island (Rest & Relaxation),

7th October 1915,
On board SS "Elkahera" heading for Lemnos. Great beano all morning. Great after scrapping. Quite a diversion from slaughtering. Arrived at Mudros West and proceeded to our Rest Camp. Had a most amusing happening on the way. All of us (about 250) had to wade across a stream about ½ a mile wide. Take off all clothing and prepare for immersion. Great, saw a ("nurse") some species of an unforgotten race I once knew. Arrived here ok and attended a concert at a YMCA. Didn't half enjoy it either.

8th October 1915,
Great day. A bit rainy but is a welcome change. Had a bath in fresh water. Used a bar of soap during operations. Struck several boys from Nelson, who are spelling here after playing the good old game on the P. Saw Bob Woods & had a long yarn to him. At night went over to Queen Alexandra House with Chas, and saw Sid James. Had a long yarn to him and while there a squall came up, and we had to hold the tent up for some time. Coming home after the fun I saw about a dozen tents blown down.

9th October 1915,
Lovely day after last night's squall. Things in general look very fresh, except some of the tents which are perfect peaks of nature. Norman, Pearce, & self went for a stroll to one of the villages & speculated in several comforts particularly in the eating line. Possessed of an absolutely ravenous appetite nowadays. Struck Billy Lucre in one. Greek village. Bob Woods came over for tea. All of us went to a concert in the NZ lines at night. Very good. Saw some more "women". Gee, they are strange.

10th October 1915,
Chas and I running around the Greek villages all day. Very interesting. Enjoying life to the utmost. Its great to be existing these days. Played 500 at night. Chas & I still experts at the game.

11th October 1915,
Playing the Wandering Jew again. Been to every village within a radius of 5 miles from camp. Struck Lucre again. Enjoying this spell to the full. Dr [Driver] Jackson, who was badly wounded some time ago returned to the Bty today.

12th October 1915,
"Villaging" all day. Saw W & G Everiss tonight.

13th 1October 915,
"Villaging" all day. Lucre came over at night for tea. Spent the evening with us. Dog tired. Tramped about 15 solid miles today.

14th October 1915,
Very quiet day, and cold. Lucre came over tonight. Sat up yarning till late. Enjoying spell immensely.

15th October 1915,
Another quiet day. Played 500 all morning. Still as cold as C [Charity].

16th October 1915,
Very quiet day. Had a look at a soccer match in the afternoon, and had a stroll to the top of a hill at the back of our camp to see why they should build houses up on such places. Found out that this one is a shrine used by some of the Greeks who inhabit the villages.

17th October 1915,
Great celebration today. Pay day. Speculated lavishly amongst the many fruits & other "weak points" all afternoon. Lucre came over at night. Played 500 again.

18th October 1915,
Accepted an invitation from the Officers of the HMAT Argyllshire. Had a real good old day. Had the best meal of meals I've had since leaving Sydney. Kicked around on board, had a screw at the hole starboard side aft where a French Cruiser rammed her 60 miles out from Port. Came back in their 40 HP motor boat at night. Awfully pleasant day. Today is the Anniversary of our leaving Sydney. Very few of the old Battery left to celebrate it at present. We haven't an officer sergeant major, or sergeant, of the old crowd left. Sergeant Short the last of the Sergts to get knocked was wounded in 3 places by Shrapnel at Anzac 3 days ago. Hollis & Pearce are on the OK list again.

19th October 1915,
Villaging all day.

20th October 1915,
Villaging again. YMCA concert at night with Lucre & Chas.

21st October 1915,
Villaging. Saw both Everiss at night. Cold as Charity here.

22nd October 1915,
Bitterly cold. Took on several short walks to handy villages.

23rd October 1915,
Orderly Cpl today. Managed to get hold of a few "wantables" tonight in the person of a watch, toothbrush and strop &c. Still bitterly cold. Expecting 5000 wounded from the Bulgarian Frontier. Wish we could get up there.

24th October 1915,
Sunday, and no change in the temperature. Villaging again.

25th October 1915 (Monday),
Took on a long walk today. Visited 2 villages one being the largest we've seen on the Island. Done a bit of sea fishing during our ramble. Caught a few. Beautiful day.

26th October 1915,
Very wintry day. Too rough to "carry on" same as yesterday. 1st Brigade Infantry left this morning, destination unknown. No news of leaving as yet.

27th October 1915,
Still wintry nothing great doing. Attended concert in YMCA at night.

28th October 1915,
Two wintry to go villaging today. Kicked around camp instead.

29th October 1915,
Better day today. Villaging & visited the no's 1 2 & 3 Australian General Hospital. Saw some more of those almost curios, women.

30th October 1915,
Villaging &c

31st October 1915,
Joe Everiss sent over a bundle of luxuries in the form of Auckland Weekly's. Being Sunday have been perusing them all day.