Diary of Wilfrid Wanostrocht Giblin, 1914 - 1915 - Part 6

fire, the Turks having been driven from the neighbouring
hills; only a few badly aimed shrapnell . On landing
we found plenty of work for us on the beach. We
were allotted a small area about 21 ft by 21 ft for
a clearing station & we all had to keep on the
constant go to keep up to the numbers of wounded
who constantly streamed in.  As soon as possible we
loaded them on boats & sent them off to the 'Gascon'
Hospital ship & Clan Mc Gillivray improvised hospital
ship for lightly wounded. There was no time to
fix things up properly owing to rush of work, just
first aid & pack them off. About 1000 cases passed
through our hands by 2.30 next morning when we
had the beach clear of wounded. Leaving a detail
on duty we laid down & the rain began. One could
keep fairly comfortable in a blanket with a waterproof
sheet above & below. Before long however I was
roused up to say four boats had arrived to
take off Clearing Hospital. I went along to Col.
Howse & he knew nothing of it so I turned in again.
The firing all round which had been going on all
night seemed much closer as if our men were being
driven in. Just as I got off to sleep again I 
was roused up to hear that the Admiral (The naval man told me the Admiral did not land) had
landed & had just gone by to Headquarters & as he
passed he had given orders for us to embark at once.
I got up again (thank goodness I had not taken off
my boots) & orders my men to pick out the most
valuable part of our equipment & get into the boats with
it. I then went along to Howse again and roused him up
for orders.  We found a consultation going on between General 

Birdwood, Bridges & the Admiral as to whether we could
hold on or not.  After waiting awhile Howse got his
orders & I was instructed to turn in again.  This was 
impossible as everything was soaked with rain by now &
we had to sit up & wait a couple of hours for
daylight.  Then our work began again.  I found 
the most trying part was the stooping as we had not
had time to fix up stands for putting stretchers on 
& so we had to fix up every injury practically
on the ground. We were nearly as busy on the 
26^th & 27^th as on the first day. Most of the cases
had been shot on the first day hit with shrapnell.
One very pleasing feature, which was remarked
on especially by English surgeons, viz. Fleet Surgeon
McMillan, HMS London who helped us on the 26^th,
Major McAllison I.M.S. & the Staff Surgeon of Marine
Field Amb, was the cheerful way the Australians
bore their pain. They all came in more as if
returning from a football match than from a battle.
There was no complaining, no grousing, all keen to get
back & have another go at the Turks. In this they
differed materially, from the R.M.L.I.  & Naval Division
who reinforced us on the fifth Day.
On the 29^th we had a days holiday as the marines
landed & their medicos were very anxious for work.
In afternoon Corbin, O'Brien & I went off to 'London'
& had baths & a delicious afternoon tea. After biscuits
the bread was excellent. Our appetites were so good
that McMillan gave us six loaves to bring off
with us. Most acceptable.  While on board it 
was interesting to watch the effect of naval guns
through a good telescope. We were fortunate in
escaping from any severe casualty among our

*Improvised Hospital ship
Major Zwar M.O. in charge

personnel for our station on the beach was exposed to 
daily shell fire. Only two men were slightly wounded
before I left & I hear two have had to be
sent away since. There is more protection now
by means of a shelter of sand bags.
About May 1^st I began to feel seedy, apparently an
attack of influenza. As I could not lay up it got
worse & I became very weak. On 5^th I was sent
off to Gloucester Castle * Four days in bed did me 
good but temperature kept up. Cough troublesome
but no signs of chest being affected.
Ap May 8^th Reached Alexandria
9^th To Cairo by Hospital Train. Major Murphy
in charge. Lunched with him in his quarters on
board. To Heliopolis.  Met & welcomed by Maudesley
Turnbull & Sutherland.  Major Elliott, gunshot wound
of arm, in next bed.  Stayed one night quite
enough with nine others in small ward.
1st Col Maudesley & Irvine living at Hotel
opposite  Much more comfortable. Major Robertson
(Brisbane) 9^th Battn & Capt Stewart 5^th Battn (Melbourne) both very good
fellows staying there also.
One day I met Justice & Mrs McIntyre in Cairo.
17^th As Cairo is too hot came down to Alex.
19^th Major Gordon, O'Brien & Boddam arrived in
Osmanieh.  Very nice to see them. I called &
saw Col Hawley. Poor fellow his wound is through the
spine & he will be permanently paralysed. Probably
he will not live very long. Fix it Fixed up for him
to return to Tas. instead of England where they proposed
sending him.
20^th Col Howse arrived in Gascon to represent Gen.
Birdwood at Bridges funeral.  I wanted him to 
arrange for me to return with him, but he thought
I required another week. Egypt is not a suitable

The redtape of R.A.M.C. as illustrated
by my interview with Capt Gilmour
R.A.M.C. [DADMS to Col N
re attaching a good surgeon to
such improvised Hospital ship

Headquarters ship Aragon.
Enormous expense.
No adequate communication with the shore
telephone.  Not replaced when carried away
by trawler.
Story of men ridiculing staff officers of
Aragon by looking over side & saying 
water on this side too
When about to sail was stranded on 
empty bottles thrown overboard.

place to convalesce in.  I eat well but do not gain
much in strength.  Attended Gen Bridges funeral.
While in Alexandria I saw Col. Syme at the Victoria
Hospital No 17.  He had poisonned his hand while
operating & had very severe illness.  When I saw him
he was very weak but arm was slowly improving.
Capt McWhae of W.A. from 3^rd Field Ambulance, was also
at same hospital.  He had lost his eye with a
shrapnell bullet.  Snowden I saw several times.
Bullet through calf of leg.
The other members of Clearing Hospital returned
to Lemnos in 'Derfflinger'.  When seeing them off
I met Capt. Hove on his way to port.  After
they had gone Alex seemed very empty.  Fortunately
I made acquaintance of some very decent
English Officers of A.S.C. Lieut V.G. Evans, Morrison
& Binage-Morton
I arranged to return to Anzac by Hospital
Ship 'Sicilia'.  Lt Col Gimlette OC. Lt Col Bird Consulting
Surgeon Major Wilcox.  Sisters Radcliff & King from
Tasmania & Birds' nurses on board.  Had a
very pleasant voyage to Lemnos.  Sighted
a ship imitating the Inflexible in appearance.
The Dummy Fig Tiger was sunk by submarine
near Lemnos about this time.  Arrived at
Mudros Bay May 31^st & remained for night
in outer harbour just inside boom.  There is
a second boom now placed there since
last I was there.
June 1^st  Moved to inner harbour.  Reported on
headquarters ship 'Aragon'.  Royal Mail Packet
Line.  A very fine ship.  Removed to her in afternoon
with my stores to pick up mine sweeper which
left leaves every evening for Anzac.  When she

Most of stores went to Anzac on the
Newmarket. Much to my surprise
they all turned up safely.

* Story of Col Bimell DDMS & fly papers

arrived she (the Aacton Newmarket) would not wait for me
to get all my stores on board & I was left on Aragon.
June 2^nd Lunch with 1^st Stationary Hospital at
Mudros.  Met Capt Atkins having a change &
Boddam who had come back for stores.  Left
by mine sweeper Clacton at 7.30 pm.
June 3^rd   Reached Anzac at 1.30 landed about
3 a.m.  Found state of things very different
from when I left.  All ships battleships transports
& supply ships had left on account of
submarines.  Only Hospital ships & small
craft left.  Triumph sunk by submarine
a few days  before.  On shore the Casualty
Clearing Station still working at same spot
on beach.  More protection had been afforded
clearing station by erection of sandbag walls
& wooden roof but space is still very confined.
All rest of unit on shore.
June 4^th  While having breakfast a shell burst
just overhead & the shrapnel wounded Swinton
& Westwood, two of our best men, & a couple of
bluejackets.  The number of wounded coming in
is small owing to good communication trenches
having been cut in which one can walk with safety
in places previously swept by fire from snipers.
Weather perfect.  Large number of men bathing
daily.  We go in nearly every morning.  Flies 
very bad*.  Have to use mosquito net, also formaline
to kill them.  Water supply chiefly from Malta by water
ships, condensed water.  Also wells on shore chiefly for the
mules.  Mule corps, Indian, working splendidly.
Capt Alexander in charge of one company.  Fresh meat
twice a week.
June 10^th  Mattie & Capt Lowry of 1^st Stationary Hospital
came up for day from Mudros.  We had a number 

of shells round the hospital in the afternoon,
which caused them much frustration.  Mattie
had more shelling in two hours than he had
in two years in South Africa.
June 13^th I went out to Hosp. ship Sicilia for lunch
Had a bath.  Saw Janet.
June 14^th Wakened about 5.30 by new gun near
Ana Fata enfilading the beach especially at our
end.  Shells fell all round; about 6 one landed
on the shelter shed built by patients to wait in.
It was high explosive, burst on hitting roof &
cap penetrated the sand bag wall. A stoker
was killed, one of our men.  Allanbrook, got
piece through the leg & subsequently died at Malta
& another man wounded,
Shelling continued about an hour several
dropping within a few feet of hospital.
Shells were 15 or 18 pounders.
June 15^th Three high explosive shells fell near
hospital.
June 16 ^th  In afternoon more shelled for 2 1/2 hours 
about 50 shell falling in neighbourhood, but fortunately
none touching us.  Two men killed & eleven
wounded most of them severely.  Mostly shrapnel
used which we dont mind as our roof is capable
of keeping the bullets out.  The Turks have used more
ammunition today than for some time, dividing
their attention. xxx  Some barrels of wine
drifted inshore probably from (Triumph) Greek boat breaking up. 
They were eagerly consumed by the men who
were oblivious of shell fire which at once opened
on the crowd.  Two men were killed.
June 17^th Had a quieter day as far as hospital was
concerned.  Aeroplane dropped three 100 lb bombs on the

Turkish trenches.  Tug boats shelled while bringing in
stores.  Three shots very close.
I have visited Lt Col Smith 12^th AIF on our right.  His
trenches dug by West Coast & Broken Hill miners are the
best here.  In addition to the line of trenches, he has
sapped forward about 20 yards and then dug an underground
trench parallel to the other.  Man holes for 3
men to fire from are made at frequent intervals.
The Turkish trenches are well away from our lines
in this part.  In some places they are only 50 yards
off & constant bomb throwing occurs.
Another afternoon I went up to the 5^th Battalion
under Col Wanliss.  He showed me round his trenches
& the view in front through a periscope.  Our men
were firing Japanese bombs with a mortar.  They
go a couple of hundred feet into the air &
explode on contact with much affect.  In a
strong wind they are apt to float back on our
own trenches.
June 18^th  Our station shelled again.  Two men killed
& eleven wounded fortunately none of our unit:
Some talk of moving us to a safer situation.  In
afternoon went up to Capt Phillips battery.  He was
away observing.  Had a good view around.  Also saw
holes who where shield of gun had been pierced
by shell in two places.
June 19^th 3^rd Field Ambulance lost seven men with
one shell today
June 20  Have had quieter days on beach
June 21  To Hospital ship Gascon Lt Col Hugo O.C.  He is
the brother of the Hugo I knew at Barts.
Our unit had one of its men Cowtan picked out
for distinction, by receiving the D.C. medal.  He has
worked well but not better than a dozen others.
June 22^nd Turks began to shell us at breakfast time
about 10 dropping all round us. Several did not explode

* Beachy Bill
one fell on causeway of our jetty, a high explosive
4.5 & sent things flying, rocks & water.  No one hurt.
A Zepplin is reported to have passed overhead
very high up for Helas.  We got warning about
lights being extinguished at 9 p.m.  Just interrupted
to watch the shelling of two trawlers bringing in
water barge.  About a dozen shots two fairly close
June 23^rd Sarg. Bryce hit by shell while bathing.  His
left arm was shattered at elbow.  He immediately
compressed brachial artery & walked ashore with help.
Arm had to be amputated.  Bryce has been a very
good worker & will be greatly missed.
June 24^th Beach shelled from gun at Anna Farta.  One
shell hit 14 men killing one & severely wounding several
others.
June 25^th Turks got a new gun ^* into position in the
south about 9 or 10 thousand yards away.  It is a five inch
Howitzer & drops high explosives with great accuracy
on our little beach.  Several men killed & wounded & 
a good deal of damage to stores.
June 27^th Our evacuating station was inspected by
Surgeon General Babtie V.C.  I only had a few minutes
with him asking for special piquet boat for our use
& one or two other things .  He had them put down on his
list.  Unfortunately, our old friend the Howitzer began to
shell the beach & he beat a hasty retreat without
ceremony.  Much to Col Howse's amusement.
I went up to the 5^th & had dinner with Col. Wanliss.
It was a lovely evening & the sunset after dinner especially
beautiful.  Sitting up on the slope of a very steep hill
one looked out at Imbros & Samothrace with more distant
cost coastal outlines of Turkey & Lemnos faintly visible.  
The foreground consisted of the bold outline of Pluggy's
Plateau with deep ravine between us & it beautifully
vegetated with low trees.  Being exposed to rifle fire
this part of the beach had escaped devastation.  Numerous
bivouacs of various units visible in valleys below.
About 9 I returned home.  Interesting to see the mule 
trains (Indian) taking stores & ammunition up the
hill tracks to trenches on the top.

June 28^th  There are sounds of a heavy artillery fire
down south.  I went to observation post & saw the
Don Talbot & several T.B.D's Scorpion & Wolverine pouring in shells about seven
miles further down the coast.  Also huge columns of
black smoke & dust from French mortars.  xx We heard
later the 29^th Division had advanced 1000 yards.
Our army corps was ordered to demonstrate to keep the 
Turks from reinforcing those in the south.  Our Rt
wing took a trench which later had to be evacuated.
It cost us 250 casualties & we are said
to have inflicted very heavy loss on the Turks
whose supports were well caught by artillery fire.
June 29^th  In evening a sudden storm occurred just as
we were evacuating two boats of sick & wounded.
19 stretchers in horse boat & about 50 others in cutter. 
After leaving shore in tow of piquet-boat the
hawser parted & they came ashore on Hell Spit
so called from frequent shells falling there.
With some difficulty they were all removed from boats
& had to be given blankets & rum.  No one the worse.
June 30^th Awake at 5 to look round at many shipwrecks -
as changes.  Beach covered with wreckage barges, water
tank, horse boats, cutters & our jetty also gone. Waves
breaking over most of beach.  Only a few shells
fell on beach today.  Evacuated 25  stretcher cases
in morning & about 200 in evening.
July 1^st  Moving into new hospital quarters
July 2^nd At 10.30 am I took case of bullet wound of
abdomen out to Hospital Ship Sicilia by special
piquet boat.  Also Col Howse who required a
change.  Heavy weather springing up soon after
we were cut off from communication with shore
As the Sicilia sailed at 9 pm I was taken on to
Mudros.  Used Red Cross pyjamas, toothbrush
& towel.
July 3^rd Reported to Col Maher on S.S Aragon.  Visited

1^st & 2^nd Australian Stationary Hospitals, bought
20 dozen eggs at 1/6 per doz.  Caught Fleet Sweeper
Clacton back to Anzac at 7.30 arriving at
12.30 & on shore by 2 am.
July 4^th Hospital working in its new position
which affords better protection against shell fire.
July 5^th A new gun an eleven inch howitzer began
to fire from somewhere near the Dardanelles.
Several of its shots fell very near beach.  One on the
crest of the hill threw large stones for a hundred
yards round one of which fell falling beside me while I was
on jetty evacuating sick.  Fortunately a no one
injured.  Submarine seen in our neighbourhood
20 torpoedos Destroyers, T.B's & mine sweepers scouting
for it also aeroplane.  
July 6^th Our new dug-outs are a success.  They are
situated on a terrace about 30 feet above the level
of the beach.  We have three single & two double
'dug-outs'.  They are dug back into hillside about 7
feet & the walls made up with sand bags.  Roofed with
corregated iron covered with earth to keep out
shrapnel & open in front.  Mine is 7 ft wide.
One gets a fine view of the sea with Imbros
ten miles in front.  Samothrace in distance.
Yesterday we got a mail the first the Clearing
Hospital has had for 6 weeks.  Even then I only
got one letter from home.  I cannot think where
the others have gone to.  I also got a cable about
dated May 15^th saying all was well at home..
Today I wrote to Egypt to have cable sent out stating