Loose page diary of Clarence Herbert Dakin, 15 August 1915 - 12 March 1916, Part 4

discomforts the men are behaving Splendidly & after grumbling a lot &
relieving themselves they have a good laugh & joke about the next meal
the fact they will Soon be on the Hospital Ships that look
inviting out in the bay. When he thinks of it one can hardly
believe that our officers can enjoy themselves as they do at our expense
& see us almost starve.
9.11.15 Freezing all night & all day. the coldest night & day I think
most of us have experienced although the Sun Shines all day the hills
are Still covered with Snow & look very nice indeed there was a heavy
fall. xxx Hostilities commenced afresh at. midnight on the 27th but owing
to the Snowstorm it has continued until this morning when the Turkish Artillery
was very active indeed they put Some high explosive Shells right against our
A gun only missing by feet I was covered with earth & rubbish. I went down to
the Hospital to see one of our chaps who was sent away to day to the beach
to go on the Hospital Ship While I was there I saw where a large Shell came
through the canvas Tent roof & entered the ground right in the middle of the tent but did
not explode the tent was full of patients. there are a lot of the tents with
great holes in the roof from Shells. the Beach is in a terrible State
Snow & Ice on everything
30.11.15 Very heavy frost last night giving us great trouble with the guns
freezing them very quickly We have now put 1 pint glycerine in each gun
Nice Sunny day although very cold Snow still lying on the ground
We hear rumours of turkish Attack on Lone Pine yesterday mostly Shell
fire with disastrous results to our people reports of large number of casualities
1.12.15 Heavy frost last night, very nice day warm. Yesterdays rumours are greatly exaggerated,
rumours to day of a big advance on the left by our men we had ½ issue of
rice for lunch, this is the first hot meal for 4 days this morning all we
had was 1 dixie of tea to 30 men no bacon, until the officers roused the cooks
up & they fried us some bacon about 1 hour after the tea. Winter rations
are Supposed to start to day consisting of Curry, cocoa, more cheese, rum
every night & other things Most likely that is we Shall hear of it 
 

13
2 12.15 Heavy frost again last night & a fine Sunny day. A great number of men
are Suffering from Frostbitten feet. After all our Complaints about food the heads ha
Sacked the cooks & the new men are making a better Show giving us Machonicies rations
heated up for dinner to day. for tea we got 4 tablespoons of rice each. to do duty on
3 12.15 drizzling rain last night & all day Still an awful Shortage of water
Men offering 5/- for a drink & unable to get it the little drop of tea we get
once or twice a day is delicious. we are Still hearing rumours of mail but it
does not arrive We have official news to day that the tug Gaby foundered with
18 bags of our mail for Australia dated 14.15.16. November & only 4 bags Saved
4.12.15 Turkish Artillery very active all morning. Sending Shells every minute into the parapet
near our A gun no damage done everyone getting into the Shell Stations that is the Tunnells.
very heavy Bombardment on the right this afternoon I think the heaviest Since we arrived here
5 12 15 Weather not quite So cold. Still a great Shortage of water. Bombing has been very active
the past few nights especially with our men we have just near us a 3.7 inch trench Howitizer
which is very effective Sending large powerful bombs. it is a great pity that they are unable
to use them with more accuracy. At present it is Simply a process of dead reckoning
Church Service was held this afternoon just in front of the Shed by the Chaplain of the 21st Batt. it is
the first I have had the opportunity of attending over here All the time we were Singing the Shells
were whistling overhead continuously. it is the queerest Service I have yet Seen.
6.12.15 We received after waiting about 1 month for Some Canteen Stores about ½ worth each
man consisting of Salmon, Sardines & candles. the Turks exploded 2 mines last night at 11 p m
& we had to turn out & Stand to arms. the mines did no damage the rumours are Still
very persistent as to our leaving this month. We had 1/5 of a loaf per man to day & a small issue
of fresh meat. A Parcel mail arrived to day. with no luck for me letters expected tomorrow
7.12.15  We had Porridge this morning it was a fine change also another Slice of bread each.
Cruiser & a couple of Monitors just finished a Bombardment. of the Turk trenches it was very brisk
while it lasted. Another dissapointment large mail just come up Some getting 10 & 12 letters & I got none.
The feeding is improving a good deal mainly due to the new cooks. A little Cheese is issued every day now.
8.12.15  A lot of (37) the 18th Batt returned last night men who were Sick & wounded. Another Small
isuee of bread & fresh meat to day. Heavy Booming very constant on the right rumoured the Russian
troops are in Bulgaria. rumoured now that there is a big charge by us next Sunday.
9.12.15 Aeroplanes very active Turks doing some rotten Shooting at them. Monitors laying out from here
doing some firing. Heavy fire heard on right incessantly. Patrol from the 21st Batt went out at 6. p m
last night we had orders not to fire until further orders. rather cool weather at present.
10.12.15 Just occuring now the heaviest Bombardment Since we arrived there are 2 monitors 2 cruisers
& a large 2 4 funnell cruiser which Sends in Salvoes of 8 or 9 guns it is one roar of big gun fire Everyone is
looking & thinking of the awful effect when the Shells burst which we can hear in the distance there
are a few Shots dropping round the Ships & the big boat has moved out a little further. it is a grand
Sight to see broadside after broadside from these boats. The turks are Sending a few Shrapnell Shells
just near us without doing any damage. In the afternoon heavy Shooting from Suvla Bay.
11.12.15. 1 Company (20th) Came up to reinforce the 18th  went down to the YMCA Canteen & was lucky to procure
a cake at 2/-  a fearful Struggle it was. Coming back we heard the most unfortunate news. Majors
Jenkins, Harcus, Uther. were going to Russel Top. & a Shell exploded. Killing. Majors. Jenkins. Harcus. & Seriously
wounding Major Uther (.Later news) Major Uther dead.
12 12 15 Everything is upside down great changes being made 20th Batt going back to Russells Top
& the 18th move one company further to the right, the 17th bringing up a Coy to take its
place. Turkish Shells are very active this morning OVER 
 

putting a Shell right through my gun position the gun had just
taken down to be cleaned the tripod had a very lucky Shave
made a horrible mess of the parapet. we got the empty Shell it Shows
on the driving band that the gun that fired it is much worn.
The 5 & 6th Batt. with a Battery of Artillery a coy of engineers
400 L. Horse & some A M.C. departed last night for Some place
unknown. Also other things point to Something going to
happen in the near future. This afternoon they have been lobbing
Stick Bombs all around us they are very powerful. but beyond Shifting
a lot of sandbags & earth they have done no damage 5 or 6 have failed
to explode. 
 

14
13.12.15 
Sitting in my Dugout at Turks Head. at. 7.30 pm.
After a most exciting & tiring day. first thing this morning
we were prepared & expecting to Shift from Courtneys at
any Minute, We, Started out after dinner & while in Rest
Gully by the 5th Field A.M C. Shrapnell Shells were exploding
all round us. we came on all of us loaded like mules with
guns etc. & came up through Broadway where we were astonished
at the transformation since we were here last, due to Shell
fire we had many narrow escapes. as these Shells were
dropping all round us Sending dirt all round. Just a
little further on Lieut Dodwell was in a dugout & a Shell dropped
Killing him making the 6th officer of the 20th Batt in 3 days.
We got over to Turks Head without mishap & I think we were all
very much Surprised at the Change in the place. every
preparation is being made for a very early evacuation &
practically only M.G.S. Snipers & Bomb throwers are manning
all the trenches. All the Infantry going away. A lot went last
night. all the 7th Brigade. As I write now I can See 3 ofairly
large Transports just close into Shore everything is in a very
disturbed state & all sorts of rumours are floating round.
the large ordinance Store on the Beach has been thrown
open & anybody may go and get anything at all. Mess tins
Razors.Clothing Boots & all manner of things being given 
 

15
14.12.15
We have been very busy all day getting rid of all the
Spare gear belonging to the different Sections who have gone
in a hurry only taking the gun & tripod with them, we had
here. 3 gun cases & rods. 4 spare part boxes with lock & feed
block in each - & boxes upon boxes of belts. etc. We had to get
them over to the Q M Stores, Heavens Knows what will happen
to them if we are going as Soon as rumours Says we are.
All our lines are undermined & a good lot of the turkish trenches
also as our tunnels extend under all their front line & enormous
quantities of Amerol. waiting to be touched off. We received one
more case of Mortons Comforts. for the Section exactly the Same
as the other Large quantities of goods from Imbros are down
on the Beach being given away as they are not able to get them
to their owners. There is also I believe a large mail for us
that is not going to be delivered to us for Some reason
or other. I Suppose it will be lost. We are not able to write
& send letters away at present. Smaller boats are very active
out in the bay. We have Idea as to when we get out it might
be to night or may be in a weeks time. troops are certainly
going off every night Went down to the beach this afternoon things
are in a pretty awful State.. barges are being loaded & taken away..numbers
of Small jettys are being built to enable us to get into the boats. also a
long Jetty is being built out to the Director of Works. for the purpose of embarking
from this boat. Stores that have been brought over from Imbros were being
resold to any one willing to have them, cases upon cases of Tunics
Shirts & numerous other things were being broken open & everyone helping
themselves. After a time it got too willing So an officer put a 
Stop to it a had all driven away.Ordinance was closed today
with Sentrys all round. the prevailing opinion is that we are here
for another week or more. four large boats were Seen in close last
night no doubt.they took away a good number of men