Handwritten transcript of diaries of Apcar Leslie De Vine, 1 January 1915 - 6 October 1918, Part 7 of 26

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • ANZAC
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000335
Difficulty:
3

Page 1 / 10

59 thest camp, nothing to do, quiet day. swinning 16/7/15 17/7/15 Rest camp, quinng jorades. Ordered to the finy line. tonitt os reseeves, as an attack is expected, nothin doing A ceman plane deepsed a bomb on our rest camp evel this moemny, dois no damage, another did not explode otherwise guie day 18/7/15 Sunday Landed 12 weeks. About 18 Jack Johnsons fell into our camp this afternoon, blowing up loge cratore, but otherwise doing veg little dawrage althaugh sore artitley men on our left were hit. This rest camp is in a Vee bad josition, as it is situated in part of Brifton Beach one the hills egullies in prent of it are full of guns, which are shelled at intervally with the result that all shells that mes the guns full into in pet the cargets every shell as the guns we the camp go we are still under fire, even when we are not hit, suffered to be resting, Mourted cany grvedat night est can, etale f ptyue draggin huge 19/7/15 water tarke from the beach up the hills where an attengl is to be made to store water owing to its great screty O Cor made pmanest ptyue co, all offis are sick except Mr. Llord, an attack was expeted toniht so we were gent up to the line as reserves, but we were not td as 324 stotoon told of RQe to carey up 60 loxes of ison rations to the line, fatyne losted untill mednight 20/1/15 Detailed as sapper at yam for dyging turnels etc, 8houson e 16 off. A los new find all rappers. We were ordered up into the refures ot right, bary attack expected
60 21/7/15 Sapped from 4 am till 1pm returned to rest camp. Resures again tonightttc exjected, rett hofpered 22/7/15 Returned to rest canp this orcering, fatiues all day on water colrying. Regeres at niht, hearg rifle fire durin cal meniy but no attack devileped, we are all ready it a moments notice as we all he down in our lquipment d to "stand too as we are infrmed that the tucks have been very heavig reinforced 23/7/15 Back to rest camp all day, vey quiet, no fatynee, reservee again at night 24/7/15 No3 plation remained with the reseves all don to furnish fatynes, we have been cligging in the machine gun sap all day, e cary amnition untill midnight, stann with the receives all night. A little rice issuea for dinner 25/7/15 Sunday Landed 13 weeks Returned to rest camp during meening, no fatiues, we have had two bathing pocades today, lay day, issue of rum this evening a10 fis also a little milk in the tea this evening for the first time quite a luxneys, rreserves again at night 26/7/15 Returned to rest camp in the moening, pitigues all day, manyed to be 6 9s for 3/- also a tino milk for y- te male mself a sice judeiy. We return to the reseeves evy niht, os the danger of an attack is not yet jost all precentions are teken for a nytt attack 27/7/15 Returned to rest camp por the day, pites during ofternoon, we are shelled in evening no damage clone, reserves ot night totueco issued, another rice juddey for tea
61 28/1/15 Rerrained in reserve all day at Bn Hdges, day a Lill store in the reseive trench. Again invocutated for second time for Chalora, vey stey injection over stemach 29/7/15 Returned to the frent line this meening at 109c umdetaited for night work, vey quiet day on the whole an a few benbs fallen near us, we have been away from the pring line for dent two weeks today. Loye pecell from mether acrived today containing pert of chocolate, -tolaced e fife which ae wath their weytt ingold here 30/7/15 tering line all day untill 4pm when wewent into the supports. Mountia guved all nytt to give the alarm in case of gas being used by the tucks. This is our just goss guard, all perecantions taken against gas attack as we sugject it will seon be used mut night 31/7/15 pupats all day untill 4pmn when we went back to the firing line, at the "dead end anclocking the Gully that seperates us from the 2nd Beyade. This morning a Toube machine flew ane our lives, edeopped berbs atherwise a quiet day, on jost untill 4am. off all rextday 1/8/15 Sunday Landed 14 weeks. No dutis all day, am on nitt wak, on a night post, we are shelled this evening by te 75mon gung, which knock our trenches about a bit 2/8/15 In supfferts all day, falynes, quiet day 3181eturned to the firin tine ot p ported at the dead end. French shelled by the 75mm guns during the evening. Major stoe bady hit y splinter of lage bemb thrown at Hd Brs. there are general other camatties
62 4/8/15 tren line all day. Quit day. tolacco and matchr igined. C rempriements areive today 5/8/15 tie line wrtitl sam when we are relieved by the 8th Bn for a shod ret and to prepare for an advance which is to be made vey shortly, we do not krow when, the hearg gun fire hae been continues all day, thins are beging to weem up, we have a complete rest all day obsolutely no fatynes. The Turkish trenches ar being hearit bemborded with heay shells e howitzes all day 6/8/15 Had a good nights rest no stand too this momnine best nights rest we have had for a vey long time. He are all poraded before the CO. Colonel Menatter ot 10 am who vey trieff told us, that we were to have a fight that oftenon, we are to get over packs ready and stored bare wib equipment ony is to be caeried. without hoveesack or leyonet scolloed, entrencng tool to be fixed in the bett read for use, each man to carry inaddition two sand lays and to wear a loge white patch on his back and wide calies arm bonds. The 6o explained that A cos of the 4th Bn was to lead the chaige in the trenches known or The Lone Pine Fenche situced in pert of the 2d O porition, considerally to the Rd of the 4 B josition. The 4t BeAco of the B are placed on the left plank of the Bryc attack with C. Coy, supported by B.e.D. Coys. The 3rd are on ove immediate Plytt then come the 2nd Mn, with the 1st in reseve. Our joh is to rush at 5.30 the trenches in prent, joss over the first three lines e gump unto the third and attack the hks there, working backwards, ofter first blocking up all communicaton trenches, to pevent ORI
63 any reinforcements from being sent up, and so join up with the rest of the Prigade who will be naking foreward benvir along the 1st e2nd lines of trenches so we hope to catch them in a trap, as we wid be in pent and behind them at the sametime. Fodoy laptI G Mackay is gaetted a Major e Lieut A ELloyd a Ceptain. All the Bn is excited at the prosects of a jood dtant meanihile the bemledment inos in intensity, we get three good meals today a overylody given a good tot of ruin and all water wttly ore filled with water which we must hary on to in case of emergence, after everything is conflete we take up our posirions at 4.30 pm they operation totes a considerale time as our movements are slaw Iin winding eur way up the communication trenches, eventuall we acrire at ove "thoppiry off positions. Half the log leave the trench b the undeyhound saps new half way across no mans land this of cause gives them a good lead on the rest of the log. Mr Mlotcon 103 with Noy leave the old pont line e have to travell the whole distance across to their prent time At 430 pm we are all in position firall and the tenberdment is regrensideself inceesed, the whole of the Binish positith in pent of us is covered with burstin shells & smoke guns of all siges are pouey in an interse concentration of fire for the last heve, the trenches seem to be ry considelly krocked about. The barrage lifts excitly ot 5.30, and over we go, as we gpein over the porapet with a cheer the paks sove in a terrible hail of rifle and machine gun fire, with plert of shepnel into us, krocky cue men ever in dogens. I got held up in our barbed were e was held for a while fully expsed to the fire but fortunely was not hit, the ground was corceed with our dead e wounded lfter teang mself anx from the wie lavy jast of m cletty etc vehird. I manayed to gain the second
62 line of trenches, be runnny over the first which were covered with thick pine legs like railvey sleepies, and ad heref been tended by the heary bembedment thuis leaving ther garrison peactiall untenched. Arswery at the second line in attengtin to jump once found the distance too much, with beay ryfle etc stipped bad on the revr parados e fell in prtunoly landin on n feet amongst a let of tks a some o oue boys who were well mixed up, pralf the were disposed of and we stated to jain up with the rest of the lor. The Tuekish trenches were in anawfull condition the dead, due to our heave bombeedment las very thick, and the smell of the dead lodies rettir is singl awfull as the hove a gstem of bueyin their dead in the walls etc of the trench, ond heary bembartment dislodged may of them that had beenburied for sone time & well in averripe condition which made matters worge. The Tweks put up a good fitt, those that hadan fight left in them and accounted pratol of our men. In the part live of trenches they were all dead with the excepttor of those what managed to get into the saps for protection from the beary bombardment, all these were taken prisoner bey few showin any fiftt the were in a dayed condition. Itost teuch with the On duiig the d General mix up so jaired up with the which were being very heavity attacked e wanted some reinforcements. We had to make a baracade of bodies to keep the Tuuks off this maneying to hold on to what we had gained. We are attacked mear all night on one left so weare kept peety ad occuped. At midnett was told off with sevacl others and an officer to hold a communication trench ORI
65 leading direct into the Tueklish lines, we blecked it up by pattl julling the sides down e filling up with the with, dead lodies, any debeis that we could fird and a few sand lays, we are in a vey had position as we are situated between the fire of the Turkish trenches in prent and owr own directly behind us, when our first observer was told off to his pot, he only mounted a few minutes before he was shot by one of our men behind who did not know that we occupied the trench in frent, so we had to remain in this position untill the morning, the night eventuall became fafquid onf the eries of the wounded who ore Givy our in prent in dozing conbe head constantl erging fr water 1/8/15 Weary pressure and counter attacks on our rift so I was sent with a section to reinforce the R pank which was being heldy the 2nd n. The Welsadrancin on us vey thick at down and jut u a good fight using bembs peett freel e effectivel, we held oue own and remelsed them, the left hundreds of dead before our trenches, we are here in a vey difficult fosition as runnin paratell to us and one seperated by some bys is a trenchfull of tucks who bemb us fre cousing us y eary lones, we are being constarty reinforced to melle up the loses; the men being well spreadout they is the hottest carner I love been in jet, faturte not a sccatch. Get some vey good sipin all day as the seem to be mooring dont rather freelg. Lott in the day another detemined bembey attack on the trench repulsed, hit ba loye glirter of a tomb on the left brest fortunale on m time pocket in which I cvery m tetacco rox, lex plattered, not hurt myest When not standing too we occupt one time by makin the trench more defentible and safe
66 dyging fire steps itc sand bagging the perapett e deepeny therch, often cerrov dead to a sap we mike preporations for an exjected counter attac getting together ageod supl of tembs. We can easll hear the wells shortin to eachother, and matty a naise all the evening as if the were about to woke an attack, but the did not do so untill dawn. We stand to any all night 8/8/15 Sunday Landed 15 weeks We were attacked heavi on the Ryst at dawn, but drove them off with rifle fire ebombs killing many, They attack us very hoth usingvery many vembs with good effect thus cousing us may casualties, thy then withdrew attacking again at guin with the sume result, ofter chappey them up with maching gun & cifle fiee the again retired for obout two hoves, during the interral we were bomboeded with bombs veg badly on the riftt and infilated b a 75mm gun ceptued p the French, this and their heiry timbiry coused us to loose half the trench with re beay loss includn severd officers a Col Seobie. The shilling of the Frum gun was ree acurate as it was painted strugtt up the trench being placed in a position on some high ground on our R oreclockin the line each shell fell exacty on a post holdry from tog men each, these posts were picked off one b one, and given a direct hit, the shell intended for the post I was on just missed it direct, hitty it sideways on the left side, as I fortunety hoppered to be the first man on the reft the shell possed right behind me buisting ehit all the others on the jost, Killing most of them e woundy the remainder, I was the ony man
67 not teuched, thes is the hottest gector on our new prent too expersive to hold, orders later received to obandone this trench only a few guneoes get out At obert II am we were attacked again veyhevil the would no doubt hove succeeded in gaining or good footing in our sector, as we have been very badly knoked about, were it not for the puct that our artitley picked up their range exactly burstin plenty of seepnd amongst them, we stood to arms all day, expecting another attack, but the rest of the day remained quiet with good sniping, night very quiet. Torks mut hove had enough 9/8/15 Marajed to find a return to the 4th Orn about 10 am just in time for an attack on ove centre, which is now bein held the 4th. The Tuksused bembe petty preely, repated to Capt Llode detailed to be his battle orderl, job to cary messages and attend Bn Hd Les for the supply of lembs which I manage to get up to the Cor in time as we wee then runnig very short, we held our own the attack being repulsed. Our losses in this attack were not very hear as only the bomb throwere occupied the trench. The stench of the dead bodies now is siml awfull, as the hove been fully expsed to the gan for several days, man horse swoller terebly and have buist, making ove sucroundings very unjleasant, many men were their gas protectote which is in the form of agay held over the month a nosteils, there has been no attempt up to the present to either rerrove or buy them, te are stacked out of the way in an convenient place genetines theown up on to the parados so as not to block up the trench, there ae more dead than
68 tivin in perts of the line due to our heary casualtin we have been too buist to do anthey in the matter as we have spent all oay spare unc in degpy ete for our owr safety. Rumetea is seeved out peett freely which is peacticely all the nourishmort we hard received for the last three days. I marged to get a little rice today prem the 3rd O they is the first solid food toklen since the 6th About 3 pm was sent to Beyode Hldges as desputch corrier to the 4t Bn e was temp attached to Beyade t Irs. Te 4th Bn relieved from the trenches at 5 pm by the 7th Bn, the first relief since Ferday, was given agood feed and a nights rat the firt give Ferday the 6t tht ba gert willet on the rytt castudge poud no damage, very tired no sleep for 3days everything very quiet new on the Lore tine frent 10/8/15 A muster of the 4th Bn this morning, our losses here been very heary, onf 8 men left out of the originol C. Coz that reft Jdny Oct 1914 Cpl M Shee. Ats W Johnstene A Mctaiz. FA Rae. FMc Cormack Lilluyhy. W. M. Gillovraz and myself. 5 menonly left in ny plation. I am the onh sueveror of my section Nog. 19 men onl left in the whole of A coz. Ont 4 officers in Bn Copt Llogd lapt Scott. last Simpson e Col Moenatton, the padre Copt McKengie is also with us. The Bn is quite unfitt fray further service. The Bryade's lones here been very near Om resting today. While the roll is being called a shell fell among A Coy cousing us 6 more cosnolties, two wounded the rest sheek e buriol in the ddeis of a surken read oler which the fr was musteren wol cault myself e buried i feet ing been cupt jus as- wilked jort the get where the shill feel Wighting OR1

59 
16/7/15 Rest camp, nothing to do, quiet day. swimming

17/7/15 Rest camp, swimmg parades. Ordered to the firing line
tonight as reserves, as an attack is expected, nothg doing
A german plane dropped a bomb on our rest camp early
this morning, doing no damage, another did not explode
otherwise quiet day 

18/7/15 Sunday Landed 12 weeks. About 18 "Jack
Johnsons" fell into our camp this afternoon, blowing
up large craters, but otherwise doing vry little damage
although some artillery men on our left were hit. This
rest camp is in a very bad position, as it is situated
in part of Brighton Beach and the hills & gullies in
front of it are full of guns, which are shelled at intervals
with the result that all shells that miss the guns fall into
the camp, in fact the camp gets every shell as the guns are 
not hit, so we are still under fire, even when we are 
supposed to be resting, Mounted camp guard at night. 

19/7/15 Rest camp, Detailed for fatigue dragging huge 
water tanks from the beach up the hills where an 
attempt is to be made to store water owing to its great
scarcety. A Coy is made permanent fatigue Coy, all officers
are sick except Mr. Lloyd, an attack was expected tonight
so we were sent up to the line as reserves, but we were
not wanted. No 3 & 4 platoon told off for RQM to
carry up 60 boxes of iron rations to the line, fatigue lasted
untill midnight.
  
20/7/15 Detailed as sapper at 4am for digging tunnels
etc, 8 hours on & 16 off. A Coy now pinch all sappers. We
were ordered up into the reserves at night,  heavy attack
expected

 

60 
21/7/15 Sapped from 4 am till 1 pm returned to rest
camp. Reserves again tonight attack expected, nothg happened 
  
22/7/15 Returned to rest camp this morning, fatigues all
day on water carrying. Reserves at night, heavy rifle fire
during early morning but no attack developed, we are all
ready at a moments notice as we all lie down in our
equipment ready to "stand too"  as we are informed that
the Turks have been very heavily reinforced 

23/7/15 Back to rest camp all day, very quiet, no
fatigues, reserves again at night 

24/7/15 No 3 platoon remained with the reserves all
day to furnish fatigues, we have been digging in the
machine gun sap all day, & carry amunition untill
midnight, staying with the reserves all night. A little
rice issued for dinner 

25/7/15 Sunday Landed 13 weeks Returned to rest camp
during morning, no fatigues, we have had two bathing parades
today, easy day, issue of rum this evening & 10 figs also a
little milk in the tea this evening for the first time
quite a luxury, reserves again at night 

26/7/15 Returned to rest camp in the morning, fatigues all
day, managed to buy 6 eggs for 3/- also a tin of milk for 2/-
to make myself a rice pudding. We return to the reserves evry
night, as the danger of an attack is not yet past & all
precautions are taken for a night attack 

27/7/15 Returned to rest camp for the day, fatigues during
afternoon, we are shelled in evening no damage done, reserves at
night. tobacco issued, another rice pudding for tea

 

61
28/7/15 Remained in reserve all day at Bn Hdqrs, dug
a QMs store in the reserve trench. Again innoculated
for second time for Cholera, very strong injection over stomach 

29/7/15 Returned to the front line this morning at 10 o/c
Am detailed for night work, very quiet day on the whole
only a few bombs falling near us, we have been away from
the firing line for about two weeks today. Large parcell
from mother arrived today containing plenty of chocolate,
- tobacco & pipe which are worth their weight in gold here 

30/7/15 Firing line all day untill 4pm when we went
into the supports. Mounted guard all night to give the
alarm in case of gas being used by the Turks. This is our
first gass guard, all precautions taken against gas attack
as we suspect it will soon be used  Quiet night 

31/7/15 Supports all day untill 4pm when we went back
to the firing line, at the "dead end" overlooking the Gully
that seperates us from the 2nd Brigade. This morning a
Taube machine flew over our lines, & dropped bombs
otherwise a quiet day, on post untill 4am. off all next day 

1/8/15 Sunday Landed 14 weeks. No duties all day, am
on night work, on a night post, we are shelled this evening
by the 75mm guns, which knock our trenches about
a bit
  
2/8/15 In supports all day, fatigues, quiet day
  
3/8/15 Returned to the firing line at 4pm, posted at 
the "dead end" . Trench shelled by the 75mm guns 
during the evening. Major Stacy badly hit by splinter of large 
bomb thrown at Coy Hd Qrs. there are several other casualties

 

62                                                                                       
4/8/15 Firing line all day. Quiet day. Tobacco and
matches issued . 6th reinforcements arrive today 

5/8/15 Firing line untill 8am when we are relieved
by the 8th Bn for a short rest and to prepare for an
advance which is to be made very shortly, we do not
know when, the heavy gun fire has been continuous all
day, things are beginng to warm up, we have a complete
rest all day absolutely no fatigues. The Turkish trenches
are being heavily bombarded with heavy shells & howitzers
all day 

6/8/15 Had a good nights rest no "stand too" this morning
best nights rest we have had for a very long time. We
are all paraded before the CO. Colonel Mcnaghten at
10 am who very briefly told us, that we were to have a
fight that afternoon, we are to get our packs ready
and stored bare web equipment only is to be carried.
without haversack or bayonet scabbard, entrenching tool
to be fixed in the belt ready for use, each man
to carry in addition two sand bags and to wear a large
white patch on his back and wide calico arm bands.
The CO explained that A coy of the 4th Bn was to lead
the charge in the trenches known as "The Lone Pine Trenches"
situated in front of the 2nd Bn position, considerably to
the R of the 4th Bn position. The 4th Bn & A Coy
of the Bn are placed on the left flank of the Brigade
attack with C. Coy, supported by B & D. Coys. The
3rd Bn are on our immediate Right then come the
2nd Bn, with the 1st in reserve. Our job is to
rush at 5.30 the trenches in front, pass over the
first three lines & jump into the third and attack
the Turks there, working backwards, after first
blocking up all communication trenches, to prevent

 

63
any reinforcements from being sent up, and so join up
with the rest of the Brigade who will be working
foreward bombing along the 1st & 2nd lines of trenches, 
so we hope to catch them in a trap, as we will be
in front and behind them at the same time. Today
Capt I G MacKay is gazetted a Major & Lieut A E Lloyd
a Captain. All the Bn is excited at the prospects
of a good stunt,  meanwhile the bombardment increases
in intensity, we get three good meals today & everybody
given a good tot of rum and all water bottles are filled
with water which we must hang on to in case of
emergency, after everything is complete we take up our
positions at 4.30 pm this operation takes a considerable
time as our movements are slow of in winding our way
up the communication trenches, eventually we arrive
at our " hopping off" positions. Half the Coy leave the trench
by the underground saps now half way across "no mans land"
this of course gives them a good lead on the rest of the Coy.
My platoon No3 with No4 leave the old front line & have
to travell the whole distance across to their front line
At 430 pm we are all in position finally and the bombardment
is very considerably increased, the whole of the Turkish position
in front of us is covered with bursting shells & smoke guns
of all sizes are pouring in an intense concentration of fire
for the last hour, the trenches seem to be very considerably
knocked about. The barrage lifts exactly at 5.30, and
over we go, as we spring over the parapet with a cheer
the Turks pour in a terrible hail of rifle and machine gun
fire, with plenty of shrapnel into us, knocking our men over
in dozens. I got held up in our barbed wire & was held for
a while fully exposed to the fire but fortunaly was not
hit, the ground was covered with our dead & wounded
After tearing myself away from the wire leaving part of   
my clothes etc behind, I managed to gain the second

 

64
line of trenches, by running over the first which were
covered with thick pine logs like railway sleepers, and
had hardly been touched by the heavy bombardment
thus leaving their garrison practically untouched.
Arriving at the second line in attempting to jump over
found the distance too much, with heavy rifle etc
slipped badly on the rear parados & fell in, fortunately
landing on my feet amongst a lot of Turks & some of our  
boys who were well mixed up, finally they were disposed
of and we started to join up with the rest of the
Coy.  The Turkish trenches were in an awfull condition
the dead, due to our heavy bombardment lay very
thick, and the smell of the dead bodies rotting
is simply awfull, as they have a system of burying their
dead in the walls etc of the trench, our heavy
bombardment dislodged many of them that had
been buried for some time & were in a very ripe
condition which made matters worse. The Turks
put up a good fight, those that had any fight
left in them and accounted for a lot of our
men. In the first line of trenches they were all
dead with the exception of those that managed
to get into the saps for protection from the heavy
bombardment, all these were taken prisoner very
few showing any fight they were in a dazed
condition. I lost touch with the Bn during the
general mix up so I joined up with the 2nd which
were being very heavily attacked & wanted some
reinforcements. We had to make a baracade of
bodies to keep the Turks off thus managing to
hold on to what we had gained. We are attacked
nearly all night on our left so we are kept pretty well
occupied. At midnight was told off with several
others and an officer to hold a communication trench

 

65
leading direct into the Turkish lines, we blocked it up
by partly pulling the sides down & filling up with the
earth, dead bodies, any debris that we could find and
a few sand bags, we are in a very had position as we
are situated between the fire of the Turkish trenches
in front and our own directly behind us, when our first
observer was told off to his post, he only mounted a few
minutes before he was shot by one of our men behind
who did not know that we occupied the trench in
front, so we had to remain in this position untill
the morning, the night eventually became fairly quiet
only the cries of the wounded who are lying out in front
in dozens can be heard constantly crying for water 

7/8/15  Heavy pressure and counter attacks on our right
so I was sent with a section to reinforce the R flank
which was being held by the 2nd Bn. The Turks advancing
on us very thickly at dawn and put up a good fight
using bombs pretty freely & effectively, we held our own
and repulsed them, they left hundreds of dead before
our trenches, we are here in a very difficult position
as running paralell to us and only separated by some logs
is a trench full of Turks who bomb us freely causing us
very heavy losses, we are being constantly reinforced to
make up the losses, the men being well spread out
this is the hottest corner I have been in yet, fortunatley 
not a scratch. Got some very good sniping all day as they
seem to be mooving about rather freely. Late in the
day another determined bombing attack on the trench
repulsed, hit by a large splinter of a bomb on the left
brest fortunaley on my tunic pocket in which I carry
my tobacco box, box flattened, not hurt myself
When not "standing too" we occupy our time by
making the trench more defensible and safe

 

66
digging fire steps etc sand bagging the parapett &
deepening trench, after removing dead to a sap we
make preparations for an expected counter attack
getting together a good supply of bombs. We can
easily hear the Turks shouting to each other, and
making a noise all the evening as if they were about
to make an attack, but they did not do so untill
dawn. We stand to arms all night 

8/8/15 Sunday Landed 15 weeks We were attacked
heavily on the Right at dawn, but drove them off with
rifle fire & bombs killing many, They attack us very
hotly using very many bombs with good effect thus
causing us many casualties, they then withdrew attacking
again at 9 am with the same result, after chopping
them up with machine gun & rifle fire they again
retired for about two hours, during the interval
we were bombarded with bombs very badly on the
right and infilated by a 75mm gun captured from
the French, this and their heavy bombing caused us
to loose half the trench with very heavy loss including
several officers & Col Scobie. The shelling of the
75mm gun was very acurate as it was pointed
straight up the trench being placed in a position
on some high ground on our R overlooking the line
each shell fell exactly on a post holding from
6 to 8 men each, these posts were picked off
one by one, and given a direct hit, the shell
intended for the post I was on just missed it
direct, hitting it sideways on the left side, as I
fortunatly happened to be the first man on the
right the shell passed right behind me bursting
& hit all the others on the post, killing most of
them & wounding the remainder, I was the only man

 

67
not touched, this is the hottest sector on our new
front too expensive to hold, orders later received to
abandone this trench only a few survivors get out
At about II am we were attacked again very heavily
they would no doubt have succeeded in gaining a good
footing in our sector, as we have been very badly knocked
about, were it not for the fact that our artillery
picked up their range exactly bursting plenty of shrapnel
amongst them, we stood to arms all day, expecting
another attack, but the rest of the day remained
quiet with good sniping, night very quiet. Turks
must have had enough 

9/8/15 Managed to find & return to the 4th Bn about
10 am just in time for an attack on our centre, which
is now being by held the 4th. The Turks used bombs
pretty freely, reported to Capt Lloyd & detailed to
be his battle orderly, job to carry messages and
attend Bn Hd Qrs for the supply of bombs which I
manage to get up to the Coy in time as we were then
running very short, we held our own the attack
being repulsed. Our losses in this attack were not
very heavy as only the bomb throwers occupied
the trench. The stench of the dead bodies now
is simply awfull, as thy have been fully exposed to
the sun for several days, many have swollen
terribly and have burst, making our surroundings
very unpleasant, many men wear their gas protectors
which is in the form of agag held over the mouth &
nostrils, there has been no attempt up to the
present to either remove or bury them, thy are
stacked out of the way in any convenient place
sometimes thrown up on to the parados so as not
to block up the trench, there are more dead than

 

68
living in parts of the line due to our heavy casualties
we have been too buisy to do anything in the matter
as we have spent all our spare time in digging etc
for our own safety. Rum & tea is served out
pretty freely which is practically all the nourishment
we have received for the last three days. I
managed to get a little rice today from the 3rd
Bn this is the first solid food taken since the
6th. About 3 pm was sent to Brigade Hdqrs as
dispatch carrier to the 4th Bn & was temp
attached to Brigade Hd Qrs. The 4th Bn relieved
from the trenches at 5 pm by the 7th Bn, the
first relief since Friday, was given a good feed
and a nights rest the first since Friday the 6th
Hit by a spent bullet on the right cartridge pouch
no damage, very tired no sleep for 3 days everything
very quiet now on the Lone Pine front 

10/8/15 A muster of the 4th Bn this morning, our losses  
have been very heavy, only 8 men left out of the original
C. Coy that left Sydney Oct 1914. Cpl M' Ghee. Pts W F Johnstone
A McNair. FA Rae. F McCormack . L Murphy. W. M' Gillovray
and myself. 5 men only left in my platoon. I am the only
survivor of my section No 9.   19 men only left in the whole
of A Coy. Only 4 officers in Bn Capt Lloyd. Capt Scott. Capt
Simpson & Col Macnaghton, the padre Capt McKenzie is
also with us. The Bn is quite unfitt for any further
service. The Brigade's losses have been very heavy.
Bn resting today. While the roll is being called a
shell fell among A Coy causing us 6 more casualties,
two wounded; the rest shock & buried in the debris
of a sunken road along which the Bn was mustering
Nearly caught myself & buried my feet only being caught just
as I walked past the spot where the shell fell. Everything 

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Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
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