Diary One - July 1915.

Gallipoli - Lemnos Island
1st July 1915
Had a glorious night last night. Those devils over the water did go some. Had 4 big howitzers in action and gave us salvos every half hour. One big shell landed 10yds away from the rear of our gun but covered everything with dirt but it happened at 12 pm, so all of us were well asleep in our respective dug-outs. Dug a bonzer big hole which we now use for putting scraps in, saves a lot of digging. Mail arrived here this afternoon. Caught a few. General Gourod wounded. A shell burst underneath him and blew off a leg and arm.
2nd July 1915
Had a great bit of fun last night. Got on the nail of 2 spies and after chasing after them for 4 ½ hours caught them in the fire trench of the Hawke Battalion in D. Great sport. Quiet day all along the front, but Asia still continues to make a nuisance of itself. A couple of destroyers went around tonight, and started an argument with their howitzers. Believe we are going to have a storm. Black as your hat, with tons of thunder and lightning. Got into action this afternoon, and stopped a few reinforcements from getting to their fire trench.

3rd July 1915
What a night we've had. Deluged with water and caked with mud. To make things worse some wag started singing HOME SWEET HOME in the middle of the circus. Gee it doesn't half rain here. Think a reservoir's burst. Rain ceased 10 am. Learned that the prisoners we captured are at present awaiting court-martial at British Headquarters. Wouldn't mind being in the firing party if it comes to pass. One of them said something about one of us in French while we were coming down from the fire trench that night, that under normal circumstances I'd wring a mans neck for. Received a promotion in orders this morning (Cpl).

4th July 1915
Another repetition of last evenings programme. Rain and mud galore. French magazine blown up, while the Turks scored a point by sinking a French transport. Luckily, the troops had been disembarked 3 days before. Sank in 3 minutes.

5th July 1915
Heavy attack by the Turks along our centre and right wing. They managed to take one trench but we got stuck into them this morning, retook the trench and inflicted awful slaughter on its defenders. All this morning we were in action, our friend the 4 inch Battery got on to us again, but did no damage, only blew a hole in our pit wall. Taube amusing itself by bomb dropping all afternoon.

6th July 1915
Fearfully hot day. Asia didn't want the beach this morning so we went for a swim. Their field batteries from Achi Baba wanted a portion of it though and made things just a fraction uncomfortable. A whole Scottish Div. landed here now. Have been expecting another bombardment. All crews on the guns at 4 am today but nothing so far. Went for a ride down to the beach at night on Challen's horse. Awfully funny to be mounted again. Great fun jumping trenches with a few shells dropping about.

7th July 1915
Another roaster of a day. Got orders to go up to (RD) (K O S13) observing artillery fire again. Mr Olding, Clearyland, Cairns, and party, left the Battery at 5 pm. Had you seen us, you would have taken us for a picnic party up Middle Harbour bent on staying no less than a month. Bill and I started cooking tea, made an awful mess of it, had a rotten attack of indigestion this evening. Things very quiet up here. To make matters worse, the K O S13 are all lowland Scotchmen and I can't understand more than 2 words they say.

8th July 1915
Observing fire all day. Watched a .75 Bty amuse itself by knocking sand-bags off the top of the Turks First Line trenches. Also had the pleasure of seeing a big store in Krithia blown up by our 18ins. The Turks were using this as an ammunition base. Didn't half make a mess of it too. A gun called "Quick Dick" paid us his respects about 5 pm and cheered us up somewhat. Peppered a few boards and planks from over our heads, but only succeeded in covering us with dirt. Quiet night.

9th July 1915
Got to be quite an expert at cooking. Bosker at boiling rice. Bill attends to the meat etc. though. Won't trust me. Up in our fire trench this morning. Got 2 bullet holes through my periscope. Got back to the Redoubt and our friend Q.D. got busy and planted 2 percussion and 4 shrapnel into us. Ripped things about fairly horribly. Capt. Callaghan came up to relieve us at 7 pm. Got back to Battery alright. Had a decent bath and a good innings at boiling macaroni. Quiet night.

10th July 1915
Heavy shelling all day, both the Turks and our artillery going strong. They've got a new Howitzer Bty somewhere about and they know how to use it. Have just got the order to draw 1000 rounds of fused shell for another big bombardment which takes place, I believe, on Monday. Bgr Filstead and Daily returned from hospital. Both O.K. again. A battleship came up early this morning and smashed things about in the vicinity of Kum Kale. Scrapping on and off all night.


French battery moving a 75mm gun (CPE)
11th July 1915
Sunday again and our friends have great memories. Always paste us somewhat. Asia has had a fairly good innings this morning. Landed some Lt 3 Howitzer shells on the flat in our rear. Went down for a swim this morning and saw the French 7.5 engaging Asia's Howitzers. Great. We could see the full effect of both sides fire, particularly Asia's because we were only about 800yds from where their shells were landing. No damage done to the French. They're still at it. Seem to have a never ending supply of ammunition. Quiet night.

12th July 1915
6 am. Have just got orders for the big bombardment. For the last 2hrs the warships and batteries on the left have been letting loose and already the air smells thickly of cordite and H.E. We are to open fire at 6:30 supporting the Naval Div. and the French left. Everything O.K. and feeling fit to bombard for 24hrs non stop run.

13th July 1915
Up at 4 am this morning. Turks counter attacked in force and gave us particular 'H' with vengeance. We've just stopped firing for the 3rd time this morning and as far as we can find out, the ground gained yesterday (1000yds) has been held by our chaps. 6 am. Had a glorious time. Started at 6:30 am, stopped firing at 9:10 pm. Worked the old gun til the springs broke and the piece itself was so hot that the bearings expanded with the heat and stopped the recoil. We fired 1160 rounds. My hands are burnt beautifully. Can hardly close my left. Got a whack on the knee which put me off the gun for half an hour but it's O.K. again. Heavy fighting all night. 8 pm. What a day. One of the hottest and best we've had. Got another 3 trenches in the centre, but don't know how the right got on. Have Clark, Adams, Cairns and 2 others all out of it. Later... Have just repulsed a mass attack by the Turks. Can't close my right hand, agony to write. We're all like beggars. Absolutely black with cordite smoke and dust. Like Mater to see me now.

14th July 1915
At it all night. Gee, these Turks are some fighters. They counter attacked all night. Their finest flutter was at 3:30 am. Lasted about an hour, but were beaten back with terrible slaughter all along the centre and right. We fired 100 rounds from our gun in one series only. McCormick wounded tonight. If this keeps on, the original Battery up till tonight who came away with us, we'll be nonest. About 70% casualties already. Got shelled by Asia tonight. Killed a lot of French troops who are in reserve trenches around our guns. Rec. mail, 1 from home, 2 Hossie Rene (?). Very hot all day today.

15th July 1915
Hot as 'H' with the lid off. Managed to get a swim today. About time too. Very quiet up till about 5 pm when the circus started again, the French charging and capturing the last trench this side of Achi Baba. What remains now is the big assault for the hill and when that eventuates there will be a few thousand men won't turn up for break the following morning. It's the worst hill I've ever seen, in some places resembling Mitre Peak or Baldy. Have got to the stage where I can sleep standing up. They don't try to kill us by letting us sleep believe me.

16th July 1915
Another roaster. Our major came down this morning and congratulated the Battery on it's excellent work. Had a ripping afternoon down at the beach. Had a dip and we all crawled out and went to sleep on the beach. Went down the waggon line in the evening and had tea with Rowling and Moore. Learned that Sheppard and Mechinson have died of their wounds. Got back to the Battery at 8, and got into some Turks who were making too much noise in one of their trenches. Quietened them.

17th July 1915
Awfully hot again today. Flies making things not much pleasanter. Got orders to accompany Clowes to the trenches again for observation work. Came up here, and are quartered in a 'H' of a hole. In the Turks original 2nd line. The trench for close on a mile is full of dead Turks with but 6ins of earth over them. The ramps of the trench are thick with dead. The odour is, well I won't try and describe it, but it's not eau de cologne. And we're here for 48hrs. HOW ROMANTIC

18th July 1915
Up at 2 am, can't sleep. The Turks won't let us. They're only 80yds away, and kicking up an awful din with rifles, machine guns, shrapnel and bombs. 7 chaps have just been knocked out with their shrapnel. Went down to the Battery this morning at 6 am. Back at 8:30. Went all around our first line and mapped out our next targets. Saw things. Won't put them down here. Down to the Bty again for maps etc. at 4 pm. Had a bath. Back again at 7. Got shrapnel poured at us all the way up. Didn't even stop when we got there.

19th July 1915
Good old round scrap last night. Didn't we give them something. The aerial torpedoes played particular 'H'. Got into one bit of a dust up. Great. Had a screw at a probable position for a 15 pounder. Had to crawl out of our 2nd line trench, and must have been spotted by one of their snipers, made things that warm that we had to get back again. Completed our map this afternoon. Got relieved by Mr Olding. Awfully sorry to get down here again (I don't think). Had tea down at the Bty. Quite a change to have a meal without 14 dead Turks within 5yds of you.


Landing at Cape Helles
20th July 1915
Got sent a 6 inch armour piercing shell which landed about a dozen yards away from our dug-out. Failed to explode as they usually do. Didn't hear anything of it though. Too tired. Hadn't had half hours sleep during the previous 48hrs so slept like a log last night. Swim this morning. Utilised a Turkish mine for a diving board. Doesn't go bad at all. This evening Asia started again and blew things about considerably. 2 destroyers have just gone over to see what's wanted. Believe the Turks are concentrating 100,000 men here. What a time they'll have.

21st July 1915
Up at 4:30 this morning, at our observation station on the look-out for early birds. Got a few. Relieved by the major at 9. Very quiet day, although there are a few thousand reinforcements arriving daily. Asia and Chanac woke up this evening and gave us a few, but they couldn't play well at all today. Big beano tonight.

22nd July 1915
Practically no sleep last night, our friends making things untidy by rifle or shrapnel. Fairly quiet morning. Swim ho this afternoon. Saw a destroyer engaging some of the Asiatic batteries. Got a few 7.5 armour piercing shells at us. Lobbed two quite close to the mine, while we were diving off it. Rotten ammunition though never explode. Had a great swim. Expecting great doings shortly. Turks are expected to attack anytime, but we're ready for them. Suicide to attack on their part.

23rd July 1915
Saw an interesting scrap between two beggars this morning. Ripping diversion from annihilating Turks, swim ho later. Been waiting for the Turks to attack all day, but they're not having any. Rec. photos and parcel from Annie and Nellie G. last night while we were in action. Those devils interfered again and put a bullet hole through a writing block they kindly sent me. Wrote them. Heavy shelling on the left tonight.

24th July 1915
Quiet night. Taube over this morning. Dropped bombs. Didn't hit anything in particular, only the peninsular. Got shelled by some insignificant Battery this morning. Got a fine specimen of a shell which I'll try to hang on to. Went for a swim, and Asia wanted the beach too. But we didn't go back until we had had our share. They put 3 H.E. 4.7 into the water, and when we were leaving lobbed one just 12yds away. We all got covered in sand and stuff but no damage done. We're all going to take a ticket in Tatts when we get back. Sent 3 over after us as we were going back to the Bty. But we signalled W.O. each time.

25th July 1915
Sunday again. Usually their day for shelling. Stifling hot and we can't get down to the beach during the day now, Asia wants it badly. One of our monitors came up this afternoon, and pasted Kum Kale again. Our friends must grow tired of bringing guns up there because immediately they do our chaps blow them out. The best bit of Howitzer shelling I've seen though occurred this afternoon. 2 big siege guns got onto our O.S. ridge. Fired about 45 rounds. We had a first class view of it from our gun pits only 700yds away.

26th July 1915
Heavy shelling by the Turks all night. Up at our O.S. at 4:30 this morning. News to hand that Cpl Evans, Dr Shepherd and Gnr Mackinon had died of wounds. Very quiet day. Feeling absolutely rotten. That fever again.

27th July 1915
Spent a rotten night. Couldn't sleep so sat up all night and read some paper printed 999BC. Went down to the Doc in the afternoon, told me I'd have to go out for a time. Beautiful, I don't think. Feel like you do after a night out, and as energetic as anyone with a temperature of 104! Back to Lemnos Island (Pyrexia illness)

28th July 1915
Was ass enough to go out to it last evening, and Olding and our Major ordered me away, so all last night they spent in getting me down to the beach. Asia couldn't stop firing even then. Got evil designs on me, I think. Got down to the base, and got plonked on a mine sweeper bound for god knows where. Feel awfully cheerful. Came along side an Australian hospital ship and was not allowed to go on board, although British Tommies, just ordinary cases were. Met a chap from the 8th Battery on board. He was awfully crook, so we asked the embarking officer if we could go on board our own countries ship, but were REFUSED.

29th July 1915
Arrived at Lemnos. Had to walk about ¾ of a mile to what proves to be the most perfect HELL I've yet struck. Was left lying on a road for 3hrs before we got into any sort of tent at all. Couldn't get anything to eat or drink and the tent was so full that we were put on the stones with only one blanket. All day today I've been waiting to see a doctor of some description, saw him finally. Ordered me straight away to bed. That was 2 pm. Nobody has troubled me so far. 3 of us dragged ourselves into a village this afternoon and bought some eggs which we ate raw. That was the only thing I've eaten in 56hrs.

30th July 1915
Somebody woke up that about 6 pm last night, we were on the island and they took us to some show which was once a tent. Anyhow I've still got a bed here. Find that this 'Hospital' is the 16th Stationary and British. Applied for a transfer to our Australian Hospital but was refused (only a few yards away). Before I'll come again to a British field hospital they'll have to shoot me. I am cutting out a few days here. Won't record anything. Want to forget this spasm.

31st July to 3rd August 1915
W.O. [Possible for WIPE OUT.]