Letter from Alfred Frederick Jordan to Mr Shotton, 10 June 1915

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • ANZAC
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2017.6.41
Difficulty:
4

Page 1 / 11

CR82 Kabatele Galieli Peninenlon Fachy 10/6/13 Dean Sholton Nodoubt for well remark that it is about time I wrote to gon, but the fast is I have had 2o time for witing until torlan, & you are one of the fire ting correspondest You will have to exeunse the stattery (leaves of a Pst boot) & e percilled scrawl, as we are Ihave pasted for even such things. As you will observe from the heading hereof we are pight in the thik offit, & I suppose you wil have heard all above the agnificent work done by the Aushdeass I calander heve. Nothing can be said too highly in their praise & they wall be perer bood for time innenrul I nause my had to the Custratian depentry alhoush we we part & Parcel of them sort & wil doing duty with then if the same capacit. we are envercted along front in find of to unaable large
Turk. Si close are we hat n place our trenchs are only 10ads absent oo coure the gave is a not omernjose Billt-doue in the shape of Bonbs & Hand grerades are iiste occurnc from dawn tul dawen. Busoset attacks we likewise fegres ouwrenad. This is the same ot on which the Greeks landed $30000 cn done yeare ao, during the Graco Turish War, know pefuled I driven off. We Lave lander, driven them t ha continue todo bo. About a fortnight ago the Turts recsed 10000 peforcements fon Condantehofle & that dave coevery a midnight that wade a Bayond attent bu were refulsed with heavp loses. They again renened the attact w 3 am just
before dawn. Thy rulhed over their trackes (which in front of us are about to os away) & raw forworwd in a soledt & an thorting their to chanacda Wargry, Al. Ale. To hames Allak Allah. &blowing bagles, & genrally dating a fearsone ovise. They were bd by German officers. We waited liaht they were about Ia away when nl peed on them with toachere ye &taple ffire, & ovrry them doan like Chaff. Sone of them got upto our parapets over to be caught in the burbert were exting leaert ente Afew got into the brenches but lasted ball apenents. The attack lasted alto gether about domerts & the retull was 3000 Kiccel, & the Lord know her dany wourded dying takregertly
H the las in heap of 50 tbo till lelong the whole fose & the lawd there for ten days in a broiing te cistil the dench was abomenable to wreh do that the tarks abted for an Winishil to bary their dear This hea granted from Jan to 4/ they came one with the hed Crescert Flage, & we delaitled ? with helbwss flags. Eciles Ide were allowed to afferwach neavr than half was aerod be less, hour fellow had to dray the deconposed borhies ueress to them. They buried them o hobs of 30 &40. I was a stra Ligh to see one fellow fatering with them & excharging legarett et
Heorly bias has were land offest were te fern officers Who wstd not fouterme i all They were very eroroe, & the surts do not like them at acl, br they teen to have a trenadous hold over them the turk themades are wrrageous fighters, but they have had the heart taken one if ther lately thorgh by ou fellows. Io cting affert erote of fighting tany thng ever before seen, was far as I can dee favalry days are over tyoe for ever Napolion dnd an Army nares on it somach. That is true, & me ought to mank a vong long way for a better calved for army or ented. The following is our daily Nation:- Tea, Sugar. 33 Bawon of Ham 3 Churc H2 Jams. Frisk Gorze Buf bre day & BullyCef He sett Pas
intingited hpl. of hard Intritous brsints. ohee a week we all 3ples of Cyerttes, of Cobei or in tien of he latter & estra Agareltes; & twice a week Run is dened this is mapifient & I do not suppore any other Aring is worked after so well. Our one voulg trouble is Water. Hereis purperes but A sufficiency for Drinning for washing hove. Nobody is allowed to wash under any corcumstances tearly chane we agt is cang days we go down in vatele wthe beach & batke. It is a fearful fot walking over a tharf febbly beael into Hewater & telas day I vaked as soon as me got into the sea they sarted in to shell us & you should nawl sen the Kisgede fer behose. It took us. hrs weet baik to be brades about t tileof the ilside. Ths is a vory interasting place from a historie
Abort Bile Sonh four operen. Cape Helle at the i with of he Cy on Durderels, &or te ober live of the mosth lore the pus of roy Cape Hallas is the ferous Hellesfort across which candes dwan is it not ? Si rules North ous are the ruins of Durdanns Oberse I have not deen these place edpl Cape Hellos, but hope to get be thanc cates on D.S. The fellows are in excellent ffors, &in Perfect health & as hard as were & po as wory. When not in the forin brench we lay in duey-vnto just a few yard beterd in communication trenches. There duy outs are sinply holes in the ground made bont - & shell Brof of posible. It & for all He
I World like a rabbit burrow & to see the cheps diuve on when Helling conmignces ntersifin the smile. It is a wondiefully pretty sight to bee our Sterators ply overs ther lives, & to be the arti-arrerag puss Hill hem. of crrle it is a vey differentt m alles to rane a gun on an boye hyt in the aiy & the arratos tre gute inpertuted torply proce oor their weay us if nothing happens. the Tirds gor into a pearpal Stamonr when they see one ceft Yon all manner of hots at them A Tanbe plew lover us a far day baik odroppe a biller done ore in the Thae of a bont Killne four fillows by chance. I was a
I witen that ofell za wile cost of it Mark, Killing this pror chaf thas weas ditting on the fabuse at the time. Well old char, there is a great deal more I csed tell you but Im agart but I hipe to be able peronally to pelate this all to you. Please giveny kind regurd to Mr Parkhill & also to ther Hor Go. Fuller yor Horle Sc him, & ang of the Hlaff whon I Know. Tell Mr Daller his broke Coln is well, &ask Mr Parkhull to excuse one not writing as I ave reither time not stationen Lyou wouldlett him peruse this Ophjed peatly shorld be
Wwelbell Cape frend All my & give my regares to particularily litte In condsur dear Stoth Mr Thotton, I hope thes will perfert state ind you in a of health & fous, & thal for Will continue in same condition peroest wish the Sincerely your lordar ffe. I Hor b Jrsons ddr pbe. obo
Seyld 8 Didwell Shilten Esq. To. The fiveral Association Rowvens faralla Chambers Pitt Street Sydney & N. S. Wales Austratia

PR82/8
Kaba Tebe
Galipoli Peninsular
Turkey.
10/6/15
Dear Shotton
No doubt you will remark that it is
about time I wrote to you, but the fact is Ihave
had no time for writing until today, & you are one
of the first of my correspondents. You will have
to excuse the Stationery (leaves of a Pkt book)
& the pencilled scrawl, as we are hard pushed
for even such things. As you will observe
from the heading hereof we are right in the
thick of it, & I suppose you will have heard
all about the magnificent work done by the
Australians & N. Zealanders here. Nothing
can be said too highly in their praise, &
they will be remembered for time immemorial
I raise my hat to the Australian Infantry,
although we are part & parcel of them now,
& are doing duty with them in the same
capacity. We are entrenched along a
large front in front of the unspeakable

 

2
Turk. So close are we that in places
our trenches are only 10yds apart, & of
course the game is a hot & merry one.
Billet-doux in the Shape of Bombs &
Hand grenades are minute occurrences
from dawn till dawn. Bayonet attacks
are likewise frequent occurrences. This is
the same spot on which the Greeks landed
30,000 men some years ago, during the
Greco-Turkish War, & were repulsed &
driven off. We have landed, driven
them back, & shall continue to do so.
About a fortnight ago, the Turks received
10,000 reinforcements from Constantinople
& that same evening at midnight they
made a Bayonet attack but were
repulsed with heavy losses. They
again renewed the attack at 3 am just

 

3
before dawn. They rushed over their
trenches (which in front of us are about 60
yds away) & came forward in a
solid mass. shouting their Mohammedan
War Cry, "Ali! Ali! Mohamed! Allah!
Allah! & blowing bugles, & generally
making a fearsome noise. They were
led by German Officers. We waited
until they were about 30yds away,
when we opened on them with Machine Guns
& rifle fire, mowing them down like
chaff. Some of them got up to our
periscopes parapets only to be caught in
the barbed wire entanglements & bayonetted.
A few got into the trenches but lasted but
a few moments. The attack lasted altogether
about 20 minutes & the result was
3,000 Killed, & the Lord Knows how
many wounded, dying subsequently.

 

4
They lay in heaps of 50 & 60 all
along the whole front & they laid there
for 10 days in a broiling sun until
the stench was abominable so much
so that the Turks asked for an
Armistice to bury their dead.
This was granted from 7am to 4pm.
They came out with the Red
Crescent Flags, & we detached them
with Red Cross flags. Neither
side were allowed to approach
nearer than half way across the
lines, & our fellows had to drag
the decomposed bodies across to
them. They buried them in
lots of 30 & 40. It was a strange
sight to see our fellows fraternizing
with them & exchanging cigarettes etc.

 

5
The only ones that were standoffish
were the German officers
who would not fraternize at all.
They were very morose, & the Turks do
not like them at all, but they seem to
have a tremendous hold over them.
The Turks themselves are courageous fighters,
but they have had the heart taken out of
them lately though by our fellows.
It is entirely different mode of fighting
to anything ever before seen, & as far
as I can see Cavalry days' are over
& gone for ever. Napoleon said "an
Army marches on its Stomach". That is
true, & we ought to march a very long
way for a better catered for Army
never existed. The following is our
daily ration :- Tea, Sugar. 3oz Bacon or
Ham, 3oz Cheese. 4oz Jam, Fresh Frozen Beef
one day & Bully Beef the next. & an

 

6
unlimited supply of hard nutritious biscuits.
Once a week we got 3 pkts of cigarettes, & ½ oz
of Tobacco, or in lieu of the latter 2 extra pkts
Cigarettes, & twice a week Rum is issued.
This is magnificent & I do not suppose any other
Army is looked after so well.
Our one & only trouble is Water. There is
a sufficiency for drinking purposes, but
for washing none. Nobody is allowed to
wash under any circumstances.
The only chance we get is every few
days we go down in batches to the
beach & bathe. It is a fearful job
walking over a sharp pebbly beach into
the water, & the last day I bathed as
soon as we got into the sea they started
in to shell us & you should have seen
the stampede for the shore. It took us
1½hrs to get back to the trenches about
a mile up the hillside. This is a
very interesting place from a historic

 

7
point of view. About 12 miles South is
Cape Hellas at the mouth of the famous
Dardenelles, & on the other side of the mouth
are the Ruins of Troy. Cape Hellas is
the famous "Hellespont" across which
"Leander" swam is it not? Six miles
North of us are the Ruins of Dardanus.
Of course I have not seen these places
except Cape Hellas, but hope to get the
chance later on. D.V.
The fellows are in excellent spirits, & in
Perfect health, & as hard as wire &
just as wiry!! When not in the firing
trench we lay in "dug-outs" just a
few yards behind in Communication
trenches. These dug-outs are simply
holes in the ground made bomb - & shell
proof if possible. It is for all the

 

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world like a rabbit burrow, & to see
the chaps dive in when shelling commences
intensifies the simile. It is a wonderfully
pretty sight to see our Aviators fly over
their lines, & to see the anti-aircraft guns
shell them. Of course it is a very
different matter to range a gun on an
object high in the air, & the aviators
are quite unperturbed & simply proceed
on their way as if nothing happens.
The Turks get into a fearful
Humour when they see our craft, & fire
all manner of shots at them.
A Taube flew over us a few days
back & dropped a billet-doux
in the shape of a bomb Killing one
of our fellows by chance. It was a

 

9
rotten that & fell ½ a mile short of its
mark, Killing this poor chap that was
sitting on the Latrine at the time.
Well old chap, there is a great deal more
I could tell you but I may not, but I
hope to be able personally to relate
this all to you. Please give my Kind
regards to Mr Parkhill, & also to
the Hon G.W. Fuller if you should see
him, & any of the Staff whom I
Know. Tell Mr Fuller his brother
Colin is well, & ask Mr Parkhill
to excuse me not writing as I
have neither time nor Stationery.
If you would let him peruse this
I should be greatly obliged.

 

10
All my Muckbell Cafe friends
give my regards to particularly little
Scotty. In conclusion dear
Mr Sholton, I hope this will
find you in a perfect state
of health & spirits, & that you
will continue in same condition
is the fervent wish of
Sincerely yours
Alfred F. Jordan
P.S.
Address as before
& add please forward

 

Sidwell Shotton, Esqre.
c/o The Liberal Association Rooms
Faralla Chambers.
Pitt Street
Sydney
N.S.Wales
Australia.
[*Passed by Censor*]
PASSED BY
No 2203
CENSOR
Dej.Cross.
1ST AUST INF. BDE 
18 JE 15

FIELD P.O.

 

 

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