Diary of Oberlin Herbert Gray, January to May 1915 - Part 4

& waited there, 16 motors, drawn
up.  a crowd collected,- guards
about & mounted police - Soudan
police are fine built fellows & have
a very neat uniform - After many
false alarms train came in about
8 - trains look very long - have 3
red lights & travel like trains -
First train 150, influenza. xxxxx.
& minor cases - many of them
had not as much matter with them
as I - (xxxxx xxxxx) & all could walk
escorted them in batches to Hosp.
Where they were sorted out & drafted
off to difft places.- quite a crowd
of nurses orderlies & patients to
meet them - The next train came
in about 9 30 & all were on stretchers beds
& we had to carry them from out train on
stretchers & put them on cars - splendid
rail cars - wht enamelled - red Crescent
got all patients in by 11 & then got
cup of cocoa & to bed. - Up 6.30 next
Thurs  Up 6 30 busy all morning in
ward - abt 12 order came to
fall in - marched 28 of us down to
Luna Park & past garage & washing
place - Waited till 1245 - ordered to
fall in later - Back to Hospital for
dinner - Afterwards getting wards
fixed up with beds, cupboards
etc - Then paraded at 3 &
I was one of stretcher bearers
from the train - Some chaps were
on cars - waggon orderlies - 20
motor cars - 2 stretchers apiece
Serg & Corp receiving - Others stretcher
bearing in building for the
long corridors & stairs -
Bull Nicholls is in Hospital - also
Edgar Lord with gastritis - train came
in 3.30 & then work began. Wounded in
all places - they were made very comfortable
in trains - we carried those unable to
walk, in stretchers to the cars & escorted
those who could walk along platform &
road & up path & steps, round through
ward & handed them over to ncos
Some very bad wounds - all kinds -
limbs & scalp - Met Archie Reynolds
2 wounds side & foot - After papers were
made out patients had to be carried
or escorted to different wards.
Another train in later & a third -
Indian nurses - also Sisters on cars
very busy - half of 3^rd F.A. cut
up -? heavy casualties - landing
on Sunday - Shrapnel, bullet &
machine gun - many snipers
picking them off, prickly bushes -
first boat 550 - 150 worst wounds
left in Alexandria - 10 PM got
to bed after a cup of cocoa

hadn't stretched self out when
Gordon says. I want you on night duty
Dressed & reported - new ward
2 Sisters & 2 of us orderlies - 97
patients - many had to be have wounds dressed
wounds & we finished at 3 AM,
had cup tea - all tea washing
up - washing patients etc - knocked
off at 7 & got Ord Corp to get 4
day orderlies - very
Friday nice nurses in all our
wards, had breakfast then went off
to bed slept till 12 30 had dinner -
then another hrs sleep - Corp Gordon
came & told me I had to go on day
duty again In all wards room
was being made for more patients
Some slightly wounded are being
sent to Luna Park - Some are ^deaf & dumb
from shock - Some paralysed from
bursting Shell - one chap showed
me his pocket book, stopped bullet,
all kinds of wonderful escapes &
all kinds of painfull wounds.
Some had been several days
without fresh dressing & had
mortified - One chap had picked
Turk up on bayonet & thrown
him over cliff?, another bayoneted a
Turk & then shot himself - The
troops had landed under heavy,
fire - half of first lot hadnt fired
shot - Turks picked out stretcher
bearers? - One AMC recommended
for VC - Land was rough & hilly
& bushy - Turks strongly entrenched
& gave them hell - poor fellows!
Some frightfully hurt, lie without
a moan - Charlie Elliott - now
Major wounded humerus ^fractured, Some
chaps deaf - others blinded - Turks
gave no quarter - [[knifed?]]
[[?]] & took no prisoners [[ [*? me*]?]]
Aust. took prisoners & bayoneted
a good many - one Turk on boat
half dead - A train came in
at 6 also at 8 & 10 - very busy
escorting wounded - carrying etc - 
Gen Ford congratulated us on
efficiency & quiet work - German
officer got in Aust lines & made
them cease fire & retreat, but got
shot - Aust. drove Turks out &
occupied trench - Turks flooded
trench & turned machine gun onto
them as they came out.  Got to bed
at 12. after hot cocoa & biscuits
Several chaps in AMC say they are
going to carry rifles when they
get to Penina

Sat  Awoke 6.25. In ward 6 30
ward duties - patients breakfasts
they are fed well have chicken etc dinner.
Busy all morning - Doctor was round
at 10 & I assisted him & Sister
with dressings etc & looking on - An amp.
finger, one chap with 7 wounds - one
wounded thro' head one thro side - one
a toe nearly off.  poor fellows bear it
well - one injured in back Shrapnel
& paralysed - Some of 2^nd & 3^rd Field
Amb. come in - want amb. men badly
Hear we leave to-day Corp Gordon
says parade at 10 in full marching
order - Busy in ward in afternoon.
A lot of volunteers from Zeitoun Camp
come in - (writing - the flies are a xxxxx)
Get my Kit ready - had tea & then with
Serg Edwards & Ludbrook down to
Detention Barracks at Abbassia to
hale out one of F.Amb. Fine spin
on splendid asphalt road - retd &
paraded man. asked for leave but
couldn't get it so took it & went round
to American Mission & said goodbye
to Miss Stephens & Miss Robertson - sent
off some stones & p.cs.  At 10 fell in
& soon after we got on cars 7 apiece with
Kits & set off to Cairo Station.  pretty
long run, & car went at good rate
Entrained at Cairo 11. & came thro' to
Alexandria - through mud villages
along banks of nile - bullrushes
date palms marrows maize etc. - crossed
nile & stopped at sundry stations -
A troop train passed us at Express
Speed going to A. - Arrived at A
6 30 & sat outside station - Crowds
of Arabs. vendors of oranges etc.
Sunday 2 May. Vincent went off to
see about a waggon - We hung
about - talked to a well educated
Egyptian, mechanical engineer
Said he was getting £6 month -
asked where he could get a brush &
I gave him my clothes brush - he
shouted a lemonade, wanted to take
me out to dinner & show me round
asked me for my knife in a most
natural way - & told me how he
loved me - he said that the other
chap I met in Cairo was his friend
went round the block, wrote a
note home - Waggon came for our
Kits but as it didn't return, we
got another & followed it - through
the streets of Alexandria - till we
we reached the docks - An
immense amount of shipping -
got off & unloaded Kits at one of
the big sheds - Got driver - & then
stacked Kits & took only Coats &
small kit bottle etc - Motor Car
came along & ran over basket of
oranges - native bemoaning his
loss, chap kicked basket. & upset
lot & took some - xxxx xxxxx xx
xxx & xx xx xxxx - Washed Mess
tin in Nile - Transports in
all directions - Several

German boats - We marched
round a mile of wharf as came
to Lukzow - a German boat captured
marched aboard & took up quarters on
deck - About 80 on board wounded - One
showed me 2 bullet in his shirt in
front - no injury - one red cross chap wounded
in leg & scalp ^by Shrapnel, was carrying a
man in when hit 2nd time - terrible
firing - took one hill & then another
& carrying wounded in to shelter - this
chap was helping on boat 4 AMC, 400 wounded
We had tea - meat bread & jam - then
swept deck & lay down in blankets
& overcoat - took off boots & puttees - We
left Kits on shore only brought few
things in haversack & water bottle &
tin - We left wharf at 515
a tug pulled our head round -
Steamed out of harbour - great
amt of shipping - dropped dead
horse when few miles out - good
many horses on board. - steamed
due North Saw Sun Set in the
Meditteranean Sea.-
3 May Had splendid nights sleep -
All of us slept well after late
nights lately - Out of sight of land
Sun rose on starb bow - Seems quite
at home on Sea again - Saw
Swallows near ship - AMC chaps
say they are going to get rifles at first
chance - Ern took one he saw
They soon changed their minds -
on deck - A wounded AMC
says they want all the stretcher
bearers from Egypt. - paraded at
9 30 & had all names taken -
? no felt hats to be worn on shore.
Heard many stories of what is going
on, usual thing for a general after a
defeat is to be courtmartialed & shot
he usually commits suicide - After Mons
Kitchener threatened to withdraw all
troops from France if 2 French Gens were
not shot for leaving him in a hole
Aust. have not been taking any
notice of wht flag - On Sun - wht flag was
put up - officer "didn't see it" & went on
firing from boat, A number drowned
from landing parties - No of Turks
threw up arms & then were shot.
One AMC was shot after bandaging
up Turk - A dove was flying
round boat in aft. - Had
lime juice for dinner - Passed
Crete about 4 - also Hospital
Ship bearing back wounded -
more land in sight & 2 steamers
passed Islands of Kokos & Kathamos
In Aegean Sea now -
Had stew for tea of meat & potato.
4 May  Rose 6.  Going Nth -
land in distance -
Parade in morning - passed
3 grim looking warships at
noon -

passed a good deal of land.
Islands, mostly only a few
miles long -, one a snow capped
mountain rising out of the
Sea - Several vessels sighted
A cool Nth wind - chaps lying
about on the deck - Had a
chat with Brown from Tas - his
father had Dover State School
before Bert Solomon - Had tea
corned beef & biscuit - Rations
issued for 2 days - little tea &
Sugar 2 lbs biscuits & 2 - 12oz

tins beef - I put on my
spare clothing - At 7 o'c, came
abreast of entrance where
French landed - entrance
of Dardanelles & Embros Is
on our port bow - going up
Spxxx Gulf into Anzac Cove & soon after
heard boom - boom like
thunder - big guns going off -
Saw 2 ships under shore -
Soon saw flash after flash along
shore - & continual boom -
Went to bed before we stopped -
restless night - boom boom all
night long - In morning
5 May
rose 6 15  All around lay transports
& warships - We had dropped anchor.
On sea all looked peaceful with
the sun shining, while on shore the
booming - bursts of smoke where
shells were bursting showed where men
were fighting - xxxx xxxxx - breakfast
early very fat bacon & hard bis. Soon
after hear a humming & a sea-plane
- (biplane) came in sight &
circled round the fleet - it dipped
to its ship but soon after rose
again with a loud humming -
Counted 53 transports, warships etc, To
the SW lay Is of Embros, another Is to West
& on E & N.E. stretches coast of mainland -
very hilly & rugged & patches of
green - sign of Spring - An ugly
looking torpedo destroyer passed
our boat - During morning heavy
firing on hills opposite - heliographing -
shells bursting - aeroplane flying round
Had field dressings issued - Colonel
has had no orders concerning us
doesn't in fact know we are on board
We had left Heliopolis with instructions
to report at headquarters Alexandria
under Vincent - He hunted Alex. for
them & had got the NZ. headquarters
Colonel to give him a waggon on
word that we were going to the
Dardanelles - He had sent us to
transport & there we stayed -
xx xxxx xxxxxxxx xx xx
However we go ashore with others

in a Mine Sweeper - with 2 flat bott.
pontoon boats alongside - got into
these when close to shore - As we
were going, a big report & the
cruiser near fired then the report ^of burst
over the hills - She fired several
times 8 or 9 - We landed at one of
2 jetties made with boards on
bags of dirt with several pontoons
alongside - Marched along water
front - steep hills - gravelly with
heathy bushes among which Turks
had been 10 days before - had
biscuit & meat - then the diff F.
Ambs were separated & we joined
our unit - All over the hill in
little dugouts were men - Diff
Sections in diff parts - the rattle
of machine guns - crack of rifles &
boom & bang of guns was terrific
Reported to Captain - then found a
dug-out just being vacated by
2^nd Brigade who are moving tonight
to attack a hill which the
Turks are holding - Suddenly a
shell burst in the air 400 yds
away & showered the sea with
shrapnel, another shell plunged
into the sea & then followed,
many others, some plunging
into Sea & sending up cloud
of water - others bursting &
showering sea - one hit the
pontoon wharf 150 yds away
right over our heads &
soon after another hit a 2nd
boat with a loud crash -
Others fell within a few yds
a chap ran out & put the fire out
The the warship opened fire - see
flash after flash foll. by loud reports
& enemy silenced for a time - The 2^nd
Brigade collected on shore to leave to
take a position - Warvessels playing
searchlights on point - Crash & rattle
all night long, See stray bullets
striking the water in front & hear
them ping over our heads - Mules
going by laden with ammunition
6 May  On a hill facing the Sea - Is.
not far off - Ships lying all
over water - near shore a tug
on its side ½ out of water.  On horizon
to Sth. dozens on Eng. transports -
had a cold night - I had spent
some time enlarging our burrow -
only had overcoats - Thought would
have to march so didn't bring blanket.
Rose 6 went round collecting wood &
made fire & some tea & cooked potato.
Lots of rifles broken - accoutrements Kit
clothing &c lying about got 3 tins of meat - The field
Amb had a kitchen - dixies cooking -
We can supplement it - whish of
passing Shrapnel - One chap had one
not gone off - he had been out
all night, rough time - Jones a Tas.
was wounded badly - gone back

deafening roar of big guns from
battery on hill - Indians had
taken a mtn battery up first day -.
For 2 days - Breakfast of biscuits
& bacon & tea - xxxxxx xx xxxx -
filled my water bottle with Fatty down
at pump on beach - Shells bursting
into water - a dead mule - lines of
mules, hardy animals - I had to go
with a stretcher party up to the
dressing station at the firing line,
passed camp of Indians - Up the
Valley of Death as it is called, a
winding track made at bottom of
a gully steep in places, winding to top
of hill - ping of bullets, big report
of guns - roar of shrapnel & burst
a flash & shower of hail - one
patient which last squad took down
I went up to near firing line - Shrapnel
bursting on opposite hill - talking to
some chaps when shrapnel burst
right over head - bullets went forward
3 chaps went to firing line could see
nothing but Turk Trenches 400 yds
away - Aust. not firing - Turks
using explosive bullets - Lots
of shrapnel - plunging into opposite
hill - bursting in valley - or
going over hill near our Amb.
Station, it killed 7 horses & 14
mules - I saw them lying on
beach - A poor chap with
[*GOES ASHORE
GALLIPOLI
5^th MAY '15*]

fractured leg came in from
firing lines - fract. femur - from
shrapnel - doctor bound it up -
rifle splint - We brought him down
& took to Hospital on beach -
3 wounded there - a bullet through
arm & chest - one dead - Retd to
Camp 1 P.M. - Others had had dinner -
I got some meat & biscuit stew. - On
way head of Shrapnel whizzed past
me - threw dirt on to me & went
thro' overcoat lying on ground - chap
picked it up - While at dinner
another went into ground 4 yds away
Just after dinner Turks began shelling
us - After first Shell or two every 
one ran for their dugouts &
we crouched in ours -
Orders before leaving Lutzow
Lifebelts to be given out before 9 AM
Parade at 9 AM & a list of all
names taken - On parade sounding
all men fall in for disembarkmt
Water rations to be filled & all men
to drink as much as pos. before
leaving - 24 hrs rations
issued  Men cautioned
against wasting food or
water - Only caps to be
worn - 3 days iron rations
issued & rifles to be charged
blankets to be left - wp sheet

El Azhar Cairo - The Moslem
university - Young men from whole
Mahommedan would flock
to study Koran.
Edfu on Nile between Luxor
& Assanan - temple to Horns
in state of perfect preservation
Most complete building of
Ancients extant.
Dynasties - 30 dynasties bet.
earliest known time 3 300
& Greco Roman period 330 BC
Desert to W & Sth of Cairo the
Libyan to East & Sth
Arabian Desert.
Dendera near Kench on Nile
crypts & roof temple.
Collossi of Memnon at Thibes
opposite Luxor - 2 Gigantic
statues 65 ft. not well preserved
Citadel Contains Mosque of Mohamed
Ali - garrisoned by 1000
Brit. Troops - Train from the
Continental - (amta el Khadra)
½ PT.  Entrance to Mosque 2.
Cheops King 4th dynasty -
built. great pyramid
of Ghezeh.
Bedouins are the Nomad Arabs
inhabit desert - 100,000
Birds Egypt Hawks are everywhere -
Egypt Kite - Green Bee eater
Barrage 4m. South of Assanan
1¼ m. long - holds enough
to irrigate 1000 000 acres. at
low Nile.
Assiont & Assonan B's Cost 3,750 000
Cost of maintenance heavy.
Assonan 585 m Sth of Cairo -
lovely town 1½ m. river
frontage - Driest & healthiest town
in Egypt - finest place in
world for invalids - gorgeous sunsets.
Aquarium Ghezira Cairo.
tram from Continental - cross
Nile ½ PT. - turn to right &
follow road. 24 tanks.
American Mission in Egypt does
a great deal of good -

History Step Pyramid built
King Soser BC 2850
Great Pyramid Cheops  2800
Nubia conquered Sesostris I  1900
Egypt   —  by Shepherd Kings  1580
Israelites oppressed Ramses II  1220
Egypt under Assynians  700/600
—           —       Persians  500
Reign of Alexander Great  332
—              Cleopatra  51
Egypt under Roman Rule BC30  AD 395
—  Byzantine                  —  626
—   Mamchukes  1250
—   Turks  1700
French occupation  1807
Egypt under Khedivial Rule  1863
Suez Canal  1869
Egypt Campaign Arab's rebel 1882
Sudan - Gordon died  1885
Omdurman - Khartoum re-occ  1898
Opening Assonan Dam  1902
Lord Cromer resigned Consul  1907
Heliopos Egypt Govt granted
to a group of financiers an
expanse of 6000 acres - Oasis of
the Abbasia Desert - on condit
that on this land be constructed Villas
Hotels - cheap dwellings - roads
etc. - Also concession of Constn
& working a railway & a tram way
Company formed 1906 - Extent
equals urban district of Cairo.
Near the Ancient City of the Sun
Heliopolis is being slowly const.
wide avenues & streets - Only
¼ of land to built over -
Heliopolis Palace Hotel - 600 ft front.
Electricity supplied from Nile.
Water Mains all along streets.
Only remains of Old City are
a few blocks of granite & the
Obelisk.
Guizeh Province of Egypt W & SW of
Cairo - Pyramids.
Esbekiah Gardens living in Centre
of City. Eng Mil. Bands play
Tues & Friday -
Faryoum fertile district
81 m - SW of Cairo.
Esna S. of Luxor - Ancient
temple & modern Barrage 1909
Electricity  Cairo is up to date
Elect. trams. & all street
lighted.