Diary of Percy George Rupert Parkes, 1915-1916 - Part 5

OCTOBER 1915

4 MONDAY    

We just got relieved this morning

& we got a real hot time from shrapnel.

It simple rained shrapnel into the 

gully. Trenches also suffered & few

casualties. Returned down in the

afternoon. First time been out for 6 days

for spell, 7 days provisions are brought

up to the gully in case emergency.

Areoplanes very busy one having machine

Gun & giving it hot to turks.

Large mail arrives.

5 TUESDAY    

Glorious day & take advantage of

answering letters.First issue of gifts

from Australia, chocolate, Figs, sardines,

socks, shirts, etc. Further good news

from France of Allied successes.

Turks very restless last night &

we were ready for an attack, but

nothing doing. Sudden storm last

night which nearly left us without

a roof over our Dug Out.

6 WEDNESDAY

Set to work & make a 'Dug Out"

very awkward at first cannot tie my long

legs up. Every time I pick get a mouth

full stick to it though. Looks very 

thundery.

Turks are asked to surrender. Provisions

made & orders issued in case some do.

1915 OCTOBER

7 THURSDAY   

Some supposed to have given themselves

up elsewhere. Mistake made with our

batch. General Birdwood & staff

visit our trenches. Kind word for us

all. Finish 'Dug Out' much to the

amusement of other Officers to see me

working.

8 FRIDAY   

"Spells" A bit of a storm tonight &

pretty heavy rain, nearly lost the roof

off our home. Things only middling for

awhile. Got news of Russia's ultimatum

to Bulgaria also Germany & Romania.

Turks gun very quiet today.

9 SATURDAY 

Prepare winter "Dug Out' getting good hand

at it. Have a bath badly needed

after last couple of days.

Censor letters in the evening for out going

mail tomorrow.

10 SUNDAY

General Legge's visit today in trenches,

"Well lads pretty quiet & not seventy fires was

k his remark passing Flett I.

OCTOBER 1915

11 MONDAY  
Walk all round "Lone Pine" position. Heavy

entanglements. Good view from Plateau sap of

"Olive Groves" & "Gaba Tepi" held by Turks still

Can hear Turks from our position hammering 

in stakes etc at night but cannot locate

them. They are getting very daring &

putting our strong entanglements along their

whole front. A daring flight was made this

afternoon by an areoplane.

From all appearances a large force of Turks are

entrenched in front of us.

12 TUESDAY   

Pushing on with winter quarters

any amount of Pick & Shovel work.

Very rough sea unable to land

stores etc. Half ration of

water (1 pint per man)

13 WEDNESDAY  

Heavy shrapnel in the Gully

without causalities

Things very busy towards Crator

Time to do some shovel work.

keep fit. Sea still rough & no

landing of goods

1915
OCTOBER

14 THURSDAY

No noticable difference in resuming

trenches today. Further news

from France.

Weather I think beginning to

break. Last two or three days very

bleak & cloudy.

Half water ration still on

no bread or fresh meat now for

days & shortage of biscuits. This

will become serious when the

rough weather sets in.

15 FRIDAY   

Very quiet all day.

The Navies boast of forcing Dardanelle

by 16^th pretty remote

Make preparations for stunt at

0400 tomorrow

News of Bulgaria declaring war.

16 SATURDAY   

"Stand to" 3.45AM. Rockets sent up signal to

start firing. Whistles & shouting with waving

of Bayonets drew considerable amount of

fire but failed to draw them out of their

trenches. The object we were after.

24 Battn catch it just after relieving, by

shrapnel. Letter writing for tomorrows mail

17 SUNDAY

Church parade this morning interrupted

by shrapnel bombardment. Pardre kept going

though & preached beautiful sermon. Men not

seen as they are in Dug Outs listening. The roar

& smell from shells very bad. Fight now setting

in for afternoon.

OCTOBER
1915

18 MONDAY

The Turkish festival "The Feast of Baeremi"

starts today. Precautions taken again

am fanatical display, 2 Enemy Officers

supposed to be in our lines as spies.

Managed to purchase 6 doz eggs at Beach

also cocoa & chocolate.

A lot of diarrhoea is prevelant among

men & Officers in bad form.

Jaundice also very bad

19 TUESDAY

Very cold & bleak throughout night

& today. Very quiet & getting extremely

monotonous playing this waiting

game. Enemies Hotch-kiss guns

begin playing today on our trenches

followed by .7.5's. Turks are using a

new kind of bomb about 5 to 6 ft long on

end of stick. These always fall short of

our trenches & never do damage.

20 WEDNESDAY

With 100 men in local Reserve if wanted

transferred to any part of line immediately

Great view at Sea in moonlight

Turks blew up LP s sap last night this in

the 2nd this week having got under our saps.

We blew up 13 sap last night.

These saps are dangerous or they lead to Turkish

saps. Men with loaded revolvers watch

1915 OCTOBER
21 THURSDAY
2 or 3 shots from new Turkish position make
things awkward today. Aeroplane of Turks
this morning must have seen numbers of
men working on this spot. Much warmer
today. Turks broom-stick bombs
are getting very nasty.
22 FRIDAY
Visit today from officers of
59^th Div at Suvla Bay. Usual
procession etc of Rifle &Periscope
bringing up the rear.
Attack by 4^th L.H. on right &
gained some trenches
Heavy bombardment assisting
from Monitor.
23 SATURDAY
Making new Hd Qrs for 'A Coy'
in trenches. Keep warm by
joining sappers.
24 SUNDAY
Relieved this morning 100. Attend
with Marshall lecture by A.P.M.
 

OCTOBER
1915
25 MONDAY
Very quiet in the Digs
Oslers go for walk but I do
not feel up to it owing to shivers
Awful blunders made
which we hear of at Suvla.
26 TUESDAY
Had rotten night coughs which
somehow, hot yet shivering. Recon
getting what ½ men have already
had. Advice from Kitchner
re Turkey getting munitions from
Bulgaria. Extensive overhead cover
being built in trench. Very heavy
bombardment on Olive Groves
27 WEDNESDAY
Feeling worse could not finish
my shift on. Rested in
Dugout all day.
A number of "Gurka" Officers
pass through our trenches to
see them. Very much like
Chinese to look at but very
solid built
 

1915 OCTOBER
28 THURSDAY
Relieved by 24^th, at 12 noon
with no bombardment
Go straight to Dug Out & rest.
29 FRIDAY
Nothing doing
30 SATURDAY
Sent to 6^th F.A. as the
beach worse than where
I came from. Lie on stretcher
which stretcher-bearers use for
2 or 3 days was about full up
at last.
32 SUNDAY
Shells are flying over the
Hospital today 3 pieces going
through our tent.
 

NOVEMBER 1915
1 MONDAY
Terribly quiet & slow
2 TUESDAY
3 WEDNESDAY
No improvement. Sent to clearing
hospital about 1 mile along
beach & from there to Hospital
ship. Had my first hot bath
for weeks. Found it a relief
to get between sheets & pillow
We steam out tonight
Feeling very ill & no more
Diary until Conssn
 

[*This diary was continued
after my arrival at Alexandr. & when
convalescing so it is from memory*]
1915 NOVEMBER
4 THURSDAY
Dr & sisters seem very kind &
do all they can for us.
The Saloon is turned into
Officers Ward with swinging
cots. Arrive at Lemnos to
very rough all day would
not tranship any patients.
Leave Lemnos for Alexandria.
5 FRIDAY
Nothing fresh to relate
Dr cannot find out my
complaint yet after examining
me.
6 SATURDAY
7 SUNDAY
Arrive at Alexandria. Sent to Raseltin
Hospital in afternoon
 

NOVEMBER 1915
8 MONDAY
This is an English Hospital with
Eng Dr. & Sisters very few Australians
here. Only one other in ward.
Nearly all Australians go to
Cairo. We are right on the
edge of the Sea. Its nice to
see the trees through the
window & hear the hose going
on the lawns.
9 TUESDAY
They find out I have Typhoid
only slight attack checked
by onoculation, at least they
suspect its fever -& starving 
me up for a bit.
10 WEDNESDAY
The only thing that interest
me is the talk of a
couple of these English chaps
I would like to take them
to "Lone Pine" for a week.
They would talk then
 

1915 NOVEMBER
11 THURSDAY
The hospital is right on
the shore of the harbour
Last night it was very rough
& the roar seemed right
on top of us. The Ward
Mascot causes much
amusement in its antics.
Its a Carmelion belonging to
one of the sisters.
12 FRIDAY
A concert party gave an
entainment just outside
the ward this evening.
13 SATURDAY
Pretty quiet & finding it slow
Matron brings round
cigarettes.
14 SUNDAY
Write letters home. They find
out I have ParaTyphoid by the analysis
 

NOVEMBER  1915
15 MONDAY
16 TUESDAY

17 WEDNESDAY
 

1915 NOVEMBER
18 THURSDAY
Get outside today for an
hour. Fine to see the green
trees & flowers.
The verandah about 75 yds
long is asphalted & very wide
from this we overlook the
garden very well kept &
some lovely flowers are growing.
19 FRIDAY
Two Camelia's are found
in the garden most peculiar
creatures with tongues about
6 miles long
20 SUNDAY
21 SUNDAY
Christmas mail sent home 

 NOVEMBER 1915
22 MONDAY
Wilson very interesting & rather
amusing talk of each others
country. Ross my Australian friend
in next bed is a jovial beggar
having been here 4 months with
a bad leg wound & unable to
get out of his bed.
23 TUESDAY
9-4 Kahki Drill with buttons
Indian tailor 28/- , Tunic & slacks
Able to crawl about now
a bit. Get round the back into
shelter shed overlooking the
Sea.
Some new patients arrive
carried in on stretchers next
half- hour they are walking
about as large as life.
9-4
24 WEDNESDAY
Hear a lot of news off from
Officers of Cape Helles &
Suvla interesting to know
what has been going on
up there as we heard nothing
at Anzac.
 

1915 NOVEMBER
25 THURSDAY
Sea very rough, breaking
over breakwater into the
harbour.
26 FRIDAY
More new patients arrive.
Sent home cable
27 SATURDAY
28 SUNDAY
A gentleman here takes patients
out in his yacht for a couple of hours
on Sunday. Not allowed to go.
 

NOV. & DEC. 1915
29 MONDAY
Very rough & cold today.
The breakers dashing over the
breakwater is a fine sight.
Boats going in & out a tossing
very much
30 TUESDAY
Dr. thoroughly examined me
today punched & thumbled
me all over, soon got full
up with it & asked him what
was wrong. Enteritis & back
to lud at once
1 WEDNESDAY
Back to bed again rotten luck
have to lay out straight & keep
quiet. Don't like his chance
much I feel to well to keep
quiet. Wonder how long this
will last
 

1915 DECEMBER
2 THURSDAY
3 FRIDAY
About 5 hospital ships are in
the harbour. The sick from
Gallipolli is enormous two
thirds of the cases dysentry.
They have had severe weather there.
I am told my Regt. has been
getting knocked about badly, the
Lone Pine trenches being heavily
bombarded. Another Aust arrives
here whom I know from 21^st Regt.
4 SATURDAY
Went for my first drive Through
City which is better than Cairo, to
the gardens & back round sea shore
Some very nice buildings are to
be seen here & the place laid
out well in the business portion.
Same filth exists in Egyptian quarters
 

DECEMBER
1915
6 MONDAY
An officer Capt Reid 21^st Batt
arrives here from Anzac. Tells
me of casualties at Lone Pine
& bombardment they have had
pretty well destroying the

trenches. Various rumours
of evacuating the Dardanelles
Cold has been terrible there
7 TUESDAY
Talking to Naval landing
officer from Salonica, All
kinds troops in Greece &
difficult to tell one from
the other as all are in
Khaki
9-11½
8 WEDNESDAY
Walked round Light House &
had view of harbour Two
large cruisers in harbour which
is very congested with ships
etc.
 

1915 DECEMBER
9 THURSDAY
Davis comes home with
(Croppyitus) obtained at
Afternoon Tea shop at Alex.
Very amusing to see how
patients temperatures go up
after their first few trips to
town.
10 FRIDAY
Ask Dr to get out now as
I am feeling pretty fit.
Won't like leaving as it has
been like a home everyone
being so kind
11 SATURDAY
Am sent to Convalescent home No 1
A German Baron's residence at Victoria,
suburb of Alexandria about 4 miles
from city on hill. Beautiful view
of Alexandria  & Sea. Arrived here
about 5.45 pm with Selwood & Bird
12 SUNDAY
Found Wilson here & wandered round
the gardens which are not looked after
very well. Went to Alex in afternoon.