| 6th August 1915 Friday |
Shifted camp today. - No. 15
Stationary Hospital, 200 Enteric cases here. Sick men coming in
tonight tell us that the Australians have taken some trenches and
that the Turks counter attacked in mass at dawn this morning.
2,000 Tommies have landed at Anzac and are going to make an attack
on 971 tomorrow.
Heavy bombing going on day. |
Splitting sick headache today and
when we got up to No.15, found we were put on a milk diet, bread and
milk.
|
| 8th August 1915 SUNDAY |
Took a walk down among the French
camp today, saw some 100 or so Turkish prisoners under guard, looked
as if they had been lumping coal.
|
| 9th August 1915 MONDAY |
| We were (some ½ dozen out of our
tent) bundled into motor lorries and deposited at the convalescent
camp, about a mile out of Mundros and at the foot of the hills among
Greek rusticity. Some hundreds of wounded are coming in from Anzac
and tell of fierce fighting there. |
Saw beautiful panorama of the bay
and the surrounding hills from here.
We file into a big tent for our meal and sit at a table, quite a
treat after the other arrangement.
|
| 10th August 1915 TUESDAY |
At 10.00 am this morning we all
lined the front of our tents and were inspected by the Doc,
"Whats wrong with you?"
"How long have you been here?"
"Put out your tongue."
And the result was that was that all of us were nearly booked to
leave for Imbros, - presumably to guard prisoners, of which it is
said we have captured thousands. So we were paraded at 6.oo p.m. and
marched off to the shore, arriving there at about 7.30 we crossed
over to an island connected by a causeway to the mainland and
bivouacked for the night. |
I slept in my overcoat with
knapsack for a pillow.
|
| 11th August 1915 WEDNESDAY |
Roused up before daybreak, issued
with iron ration and rifles and boarded a tug which took us out into
the harbour and deposited us on the destroyer "Bull Dog".
Passed the "Aquitania". Harbour full of transports and
vessels. Russian 5 funnel war ship "Asrold" was in harbour.
Two lines of buoys running across the mouth of the harbour, marking
the submarine nets.
"Bull Dog" is the fastest destroyer out here. We went
along at a fine pace. She carriers 96 men, sailors fine men and
treated us well, plenty of bread and butter and tea. Arrived
Kephalos advanced base somewhere about eleven a.m. passing a couple
of monitors and a French war vessel and several destroyers.
Monitor's principle features big tripod mast in centre with small
single funnel behind it. Big turret carrying 14" guns. False
upper deck and false bottom. |
| Sailor told me the French were very
dirty people the way they kept their ships, "offal" he
called their boats, "old fashioned". I saw a big ship
cruising about without escorting destroyers and they say that there
is only one submarine to account for. There were seven altogether.
Lots of war boats and transports inside the booms. Harbour small but
deep. A transport had been run aground to form a landing stage. |
We were marched inland about ½
mile, lined up and lectured re going outside camp bounds and
saluting. I noticed 6 men have been awarded 6 days field punishment.
In afternoon we commenced 'light duties', carrying the wounded from
the shore to the hospital. I had a big heavy officer to carry and by
the way he was talking I thought he was going to be generous. Sieks,
Gurkhas and all sorts. Mostly flesh wounds to legs and arms. Lots of
10th and 13th Division who made the new landing. A lot of us were
out again in the small hours of the morning stretcher bearing. |
| 12 August 1915 Thursday |
| Getting pretty good tucker here. We
are being equipped with web equipment. Carrying more wounded all
day. Swimming parade after tea. Twelve men to a tent. I hear there
is a likelihood of going to Malta or Alexandria with Turks. |
| Diahoria still bad though I'm
feeling stronger. I could never have done stretcher bearing a week
ago. Am getting a sort of desire to get back to Anzac again, which
means I'm picking up strength again. |
| 13 August 1915 Friday |
Breakfast at 6.15 a.m. this
morning. Everyone fell in immediately afterwards with full
equipment. About 60 were drafted out to proceed to the Turkish
prisoner's compound as guards.
At 10.00 a.m. a couple of dozen of us, of which I was one, marched
up to camp commandants quarters and a young officer (a young
Scotsman of large proportions and carrying one star) took charge. We
marched about ¾ of a mile out to the foot of the hills bordering
the camp and amidst a lot of tumble down farmhouses we found three
tents, which we occupied. Here we spilt into two parties, one
occupying a tent about 200 yards higher up. |
After dinner, which was, a scratch
meal we struck camp and proceeded along a stream and about 20 or 30
yards up the side of the hill. Half a mile up we pitched tents, one
for the officer and two for men, in an old garden between the track
and the brook.
Our duties are to stop all British subject and only let pass those
bearing a line signed by Camp Commandant or APM. Greeks we don't
trouble about unless suspicious. As prisoners compound is nearby we
have to keep our eyes peeled for escapees. |
Started first shift at 8.00 p.m.
(to 10.00 p.m.) Second starts at 2.00 a.m. to 4.00 a.m. Double
patrol from 8.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. and single patrol in daytime. We
patrol the track back as far as the camp boundaries where we report
to the other half of our section. Carry 15 rounds of ammunition, 5
in the magazine. At 5.00 p.m. I went back to camp and got over coat,
haversack etc. And made enquiries regarding pay. But got no
satisfaction though our books were handed in before we left.
|
| 14 August 1915 Saturday |
| Our officer is a good sport. He
gave our corporal 6/- to buy some tucker for the men. So we have
been living on eggs @ ¼p. a dozen, and tomatoes at 6p. a pound. |
| I did my patrol 10.00 a.m. to 12.00
and don't go on again until 8.00 p.m. tonight, when it is a double
patrol. Lots of pack ponies pass along the track during the day.
Slender little ponies, but very sure footed as they have to be to
navigate this track. The high hills on either side of us are covered
with thick scrub and undergrowth and big boulders. |
| Our tents are under spreading
almond trees and almost touch the tall bracken, which grows along
the brook in profusion almost hiding it. All along the valley there
are neglected gardens. Vines, pears, apricots, almond, plum and
other fruit trees straggling in unkempt profusion. Scattered upon
the hills are a few Greek farmhouses surrounded by walls made of
heaped stones. An occasional orchard is surrounded by a fence
constructed of heaped up brush wood, which makes a good barricade.
This afternoon a couple of us went out to forage and came to one of
these orchards. We went right around it but the brushwood and piled
stones kept us out better that any fence would. The second orchard
we came upon nearly foiled us in the same way. Still we didn't gain
much, barring a few sour grapes, plenty of black currants though. |
| 15 August 1915 Sunday |
Got some "bachseesh"
tomatoes and grapes from passing Greeks with donkey loads of
vegetables. Couldn't help laughing and sympathising with one little
lad of about 12 in charge of a pony load of tomatoes, my mate who
was some distance away sang out for me to double up, something
suspicious approaching. Then the boy who had halted apprehensively
came up and began jabbering vocally while the pony clattered all
over the path with nervousness. As it was all-Greek to us, couldn't
understand, but I think this gist was he had already given "backseesh"
to the sentry at our camp. Anyway we took toll and just then the two
patrols from the inner picket came doubling up attracted by the
noise and asked what was wrong. So that was 5 "bachseesh"
the poor lad had to dole out before getting to the camp boundary. We
are getting "backseesh" every time a gardener passes
through. I bet they would avoid doing it if they could. Camp
sergeant major came up to today and took four men away from us, men
are short at the base so that now we have only a corporal (acting
bombardier) and six men left.
|
| Said that Bulgaria and Greece are
flying at one another in a day or two. Also that the heavy
detonations we have been hearing is an 18 inch howitzer we are
using. Stuck up and asked a Lieut. Colonel for his pass while on
patrol today. As I had been instructed to stop all British subjects
I was in the right. Fortunately our C/O came and cleared matters up
much to my relief and the officer's too I think. |
| Down swimming on beach this
afternoon and found a good issue shirt in water. Also got a loaf of
bread up at rest camp, and bartered these to a Greek shopkeeper for
one tin condensed milk, one tin sardines and one packet of biscuits.
MacDOWALL bartered his clasp knife for one tin milk, one tin
sardines. Shifted from patrol to sentry duties and now do two hours
on and four off continuously. |
Patrols brought in a Greek who had
been acting suspiciously. He tried to dodge them and when caught was
in dire terror and declared he was "English police". So he
was brought in. His credentials were OK however, and it appears to
be a case of Greek meets Greek. He is probably one of the agents we
use to watch the inhabitants and camp followers.
Four men have been taken from us so our strength is now six men, 1
bombardier or corporal and one officer. Lieut. WATSON of Scottish
Rifles. They seem to want all the men they can get from rest of
camp, guards, orderlies, batman, military police etc. |
| 16 August 1915 Monday |
MacDOWELL (Officers' cook City of
Glasgow Howitzer Battery Terriers) opened his tin of sardines last
night for tea. He handed me the almost empty tin with a bit of juice
and one sardine inside.
At 1.00 a.m. I woke with a terrific headache. I felt that I would
have to spew or die, so I kept my fingers done my throat until I had
emptied myself. Went on duty at 4.00 a.m. feeling fit for nothing
but gradually began to feel better. MacDOWELL, when he came on the
same shift also complained. It was not long before he was on the
ground groaning and twisting. Cramped in limbs, terrific headache,
and no control over bowels. Diagnosed it as ptomaine and Lieut.
WATSON, after administering warm whisky, sent me with a line for the
M.O. rest Camp.
At the same time I had to try and get some rations for breaker.
Brought back some bacon, beef, onions, and potatoes. |
| We have a real Irish Sergeant down
there. For instance he says, "give this man some vegetables and
onions". Then again telling us we can go for a dip the other
day he trots out with, "you can be as long as you like but be
back in about half an hours time." |
| However, Mac got into hospital
nearly as soon as the note did because they managed to find a pack
pony. Brought pint of goats milk today and am going to have it for
tea with rice. Also had a nip of Greek Cognac (cognac) out of
inquisitiveness. Last night we had some lemon drink colored with
Greek claret. |
| 17 August 1916 Tuesday |
| Orders this morning to shift back
to original camping ground at camp boundary. Lieutenant WATSON has
left and a Corporal from 5th Battalion is now in charge of the two
guards. Six men and two N.C.Os. Cookie has to go on duty now as we
have 2 sentries to post and so we take turns at cooking. Can't get
my stomach right and often feel as bad as when I was in hospital |
| 19 August 1915 Thursday |
| Enough rain last night to send us
all under canvas. |
Officer, I think is Colonel HAWKER,
rode up this morning, flash, red plume in helmet.
KYLE, an Australian Artilleryman, was on sentry guard, without a
jacket, socks or puttees and did not give the "present".
So the Colonel complained to our Corporal that, "the man was
half naked and did not know how to salute".
He said little to KYLE, however, bar asking him whether he was an
Australian. The answer, "Yes", covers a multitude of sins. |
Our cookie begrimed with grease and
soot and wearing a felt which was minus a band and had been used
pretty frequently as a pad to lift pots off the fire, and looking a
trick generally, was on guard when two Lt. Colonels
"passed". IRISH, a 'Dublin Fusilier' and a regular went
through the motions like clock work but Cookie with equal zeal hit
his heel on a stone bringing his foot back and nearly overbalanced.
The officer gave a grin and turning to the other remarked, "How
thoroughly Australian"
|
| 20 August 1915 Friday |
| Still hanging out at the same old
spot. Stopping all Greeks without permits. Most of them, however,
are gardeners and producers with mule loads of produce for canteen.
After a bit of lop-sided haranguing one side in Greek and the other
in English we get some 'bachseesh' tomatoes, grapes or pears and let
them go. |
| Garrison relieved at 6.00 p.m. and
we are now back at Rest Camp. Two aviators killed yesterday,
aeroplane turned turtle. |
| 21 August 1915 Saturday |
At 6.00 p.m. I fell in for main
guard. There are four barb wire enclosures and posts.
No.1 enclosure contained two Soudanese for smuggling liquor into
camp.
No.2 held six mongrel Egyptian mostly one or two very cheeky.
No.3 had four smart merry little Ghurkhas, "always merry and
gay" great favourites. They were looked after by a guard of
their own.
No.4 contained 11 soldiers, mostly Australians.
This was my post and I had to accompany them down to the beach on a
fatigue and again with a fixed bayonet when they were put on
stretcher bearing. A lot of wounded coming in again.
|
| 22 August 1915 Sunday |
The 29th Division are just about
wiped out I hear. All the fighting is going on now around Cape Sulva
at the new landing. The objective appears to be to cut across the
peninsular. The 29th were settled advancing on Chanak Ridge in open
formation. Bush fires settled the wounded. The 5th Australian
Brigade of infantry landed this morning and from the quantity of
their wounded here, they have seen some desperate fighting. It
appears they advanced and took three lines of trenches on Chocolate
Hill, but owing to lack of reinforcements, had to fall back. They
were supported by the Ghurkhas. One man told me that at the time he
left they had only mustered 100 men of the Battalion. What happened
to the rest of the Brigade I have not heard.
The Naval Bridging Train has also arrived. |
Paid 2 Pounds today. The A.C.C., an
old Scotsman, reckons us Australians want too much money. Lots of us
ask for 5 Pounds. He points to Kitcheners men and remarks,
"These men are satisfied with 10/-". Some of them have the
guts of a louse. Going to do great strokes until they get up to the
table then it is "10/- please, Sir."
|
| 23 August 1915 Monday |
| Called out at 10.30 p.m. to carry
wounded. |
At daybreak this morning we were
all called back to quell a disturbance among the Egyptians. They
were refusing to work on account of one of their members sentenced
to a flogging, (not true as I found out later). They were very
threatening and commenced to come at us with sticks and stones.
Five men were picked and placed in front. Several received cracks
from the stick. |
First a volley of 2 rounds were
fired overhead, then 2 rounds at their feet.
Then the Officers gave the order to let them have it. Five were
killed and 9 or 10 wounded. This settled them. Most scuttled up
among the reeds wailing and praying and pulling their hair. I never
heard such a frightful row in all my life. Some of the Ghurkhas who
witnessed it went into estaties, "Good boy Johsinie". |
| In my opinion the order to fire
into them should have been given while the Gypos were using their
sticks not after they have seemed to have cooled down. Of course all
the palavering was going on in their own language and with
principally their own officer. So it is hard to form an opinion. It
was an awful sight, and the effect of the sight of blood on the
Egyptians was instantaneous. Even our officers turned their heads. |
| The R.N.A.S. have formed a camp a
little up from ours and are hauling aeroplanes up from the pier all
day. New ones too and by the number of them a raid on Constantinople
of some dimensions must be contemplated |
| 24 August 1915 Tuesday |
| Eight Egyptians buried yesterday.
Two this morning so that their casualties must have been pretty
heavy. Never heard such a wailing in all my life before. |
| Went on main guard at 6.00 p.m.
yesterday. Eight posts and eight extra men supplied in case of
trouble with Gipoes. Camp Adjutant, when inspecting us told us to be
extra vigilant and to have our equipment always at the ready in case
anything happens. The guard which has been over the camp all day was
being withdrawn and the mutineers given a chance. Nothing happened
during the night and I noticed them hard at work early this morning. |
I was on number 7 Post which is the
Field 'Casualties' tent. Plenty of saluting. One of our posts is new
created, it is a guard over a German Officer. At about 5.00 p.m. a
very heavy hail fell. Hail as large as shrapnel.
|
| 26 August 1915 Thursday |
| Paid another 1 Pound today, and
didn't the old Scotsman, Captain WILSON Ast. C.C. rouse. To one man
he said, "Four of these notes! (10/- ones) Why mon, that would
be enough to keep myself and family for a fortnight! And you want
that much here!" |
| Heavy rain set in this afternoon
and I had to get to work and trench tent. Have been away from camp
nearly all day with Lance Corporal WATSON, Innskillings. Excuse for
a sick man. Keeping out of sight here. He is certainly in demand for
fatigues and guards. And some how I can't get well, am always
upsetting my stomach least thing I eat. |
