Letter from M Dunlop to the editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, 25 April 1916

"Kilwinning"

Croydon Av.
Croydon Pk.
25-4-16.
To the "Editor" of the Herald,
Dear Sir, 

I feel after reading in this morning's paper
the account of the landing at "Anzac"
again, that it is a great mistake especially
as it has been mentioned in the school

childrens' books, & all papers, that New 
South Wales' men were not mentioned as in 
that landing party. I read it in one 
of the "Despatches" from the front that there
were about thirty of our 1^st Field Comp.
Engineers attached to the famous 3^rd Brigade 
& were with them training at Lemnos 
Island for the coveting party. I have it 
from my own brother as well as 
hearing from different people  who had 
relations in the f 1^st Field Engineers & think
it is only right to our staff that those few brave.

[*sappers should be mentioned. I would be pleased if you

would take the facts from my note & the letters enclosed & put

them to gether & at some time find space in your valuable

paper to publish them & oblige  H Dunlop.*]

H Dunlop

Newspaper Article - see original document

PR82/8

"Mizpah"

"Alhayat Hotel"

Helouan

Convalescent

Hospital

Egypt

16^th Sunday May

My Dear Mother & All At Home

Well I suppose you have heard of us being in

action by this & pretty hot it was

the reason of my being here is because

of my back. It took crook while I 

was working in the trenches was

sent down to the beach & from there

on to the boat & then on to here.

I hope to be back in the trenches

very shortly & doing my little

bit for in this fight every little

helps. After we left Cairo, which 

was about 2 months ago, we

went to Lemnos Isle which is

near the Dardanelles. We built

a pier & several wells & a reservoir

for the Hospital. Altogether

we were there about 7 weeks

(2)

& I don't know wether the climate 

agrees with me or what but

I weighed myself while there &

I went 10 - 12 which is over a 

stone since leaving Sydney

It was the 25th of April that

we landed at Gallipoli

We left Lemnos the day before,

about 3 o'clock P.m & landed

at Gallipoli at day break.

Lots of our chaps were hit on

the Destroyers long before they

landed. It was the 3^rd Brigade

that were the landing party &

we had to land with them.
Never in history has such a
thing been done. In the face
of Machine guns, & Turks all
along the beach & in the hil
The country is something like
that at National park but
all scrub. All those that
landed later in the day
Marvelled at the position

(3)

that we had maintained.

As soon as our chaps landed

jumped into the water up 

to their necks & waded

ashore fixed bayonets & went

up the hill chasing the Turks

All that Sunday & that night

it & the next 2 days was like a

Hell on earth. The Enemy pouring

shrapnell in all day long

with/ ceasing.  One thing we

are having plenty poultry

Turkey on one side & duck

on the other. It eigther makes

a mans nerves like iron or

shatters them to bits. We have

lost about 13 killed & 17 wounded

& making about our casualties up
to 28. that was when I left

I & Any man there will tell

you it is much safer in the 

firing line than it is down
on the beach, & it is on the

beach & all outside

(4)

firing line that our Co

is getting chopped about

I think I could go on for

an hour but I am reading a 

good book & will let you 

have another line before I

leave again. I say about

those 2 parcels I got the cake

before I left for Lemnos, but the

Parcel & the knitting I have

not seen them. I went into

the Post Office & thy don't know

a thing about them. While I

was in Lemnos, I received

all your letters & also one from

Uncle Tom giving me some

real good advice this all

for the present as this leaves me

in bosker health & hoping it find

you the same. I am your Loving

Son & brother Tom. & a kiss for Jack

P.S.  [[Aughie?]] remember me to

all the boys