Diary of Oberlin Herbert Gray, May to August 1915 - Part 1

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F.S. Gray
Westbourne
76 High St
Hobart
Tasmania

OHGray 2552 AMC
3^rd Field Ambulance
Gallipoli Peninsula
C. Section 

May 6  We got in  dug outs - Every ½ Min
or so a distant roar - a whiz & burst
& I could see the outer cover of shell
fly off towards ground, a cloud of smoke
at first fell beyond then over us,
Some near shore - some 50 or 60 within
radius of 200yds, some into burrows
2 chaps in one wounded - some mules
on beach killed- I was in burrow
& chap told me to get out. Later I saw
where 2 min after a shell had gone
through bank where my head had
been & buried itself - bullets, through
biscuit tins in Kitchen - a lot fell
beyond us & 6 were killed & 20 or so
wounded- a whole one would hit &
a cloud of earth rise up, we had a
hot time most of afternoon & after
tea 2 fell close to - One struck 10
yds from me - Another 20 yds off shifted
several chaps & soon after 2 fell in 
same spot. One chap had one pellet thro hand anoth
through side - a beautiful sunny day - the
warships in bay were replying - I got pick & 
shovel & we dug a bit further into hill - Fitz
& Ford dug near us but it fell in & they went
back to old spot - everyone digging a bit further
Had tea - biscuits & meat & tea - very hard biscuits
Turns very cold night after sun goes down
I went down to shore after tea to have a wash &
clean mess tin - spent cold night - found an
overcoat & 2 or 3 cast off [[trous?]] - slept in overcoats
with haversack pillow - w.p. sheet underneath -
7 May. Rose 6. another warm bright day - Went
out & got some wood - Fatty made some tea - got a
small rug & an onion - stray bullets whizzing
by - machine gun & batteries working ½ mile
away - can see smoke rise - Turk explosive? bullets
going off? 

Cooked a potato & 2 onions & bacon for breakfast
& cup tea. Fresh troops coming in - Fatty & I are at
highest bunk on hill about 100 yds in front is
water - ships lie in long line in front - British
fleet in transports 5 miles to Sth. Sun rises behind
our hill - islands, in front - some 12 or 14 exploded
shells came over hill during morning - struck
water close to shore, every now & then an exp.
spent bullet sing by - 9AM Turk battery
started on us again- while at break, a bullet went
by, raised earth 6yds away. The first 3 or 4 exploded
over shore- then some into hill 80 yds away in line
with us - some beyond us - about 14 or 15 - 2 last one
hit 5 yds just above us - I was sitting in front of our
burrow got some dirt in this book, & a shower fell
down on us as I hopped in - got shell out after
lyddite - went 2 ft 6" into bank - then some
warships opened fire on fort & kept them quiet
boom bang boom all morning- British fleet
to Sth firing - a captive baloon floating
above them for observation. - glorious
Spring day - guns sending death & destruction
2 fellows smothered in night by a fall of earth
in their dugout - lot of shells dropping 150 yds Nth
near pontoon boats - one hit - water showered
all round - twice. bits of shell came whizzing
over hill & struck into ground among us - Several
snipers about - Come in during night -  12 AM a
bullet whizzed by head struck earth in front -
Wonderful not more hit.- At 1. mules come up
water & cooks put dinner on - 1.15 Turks again
open shrapnel fire on us  - 3 & 4 shells a minute
a hell of sound, roar of gun & whizz of
shell close onto it, hear it pass above us, &
most burst just beyond us, See the end of
shell hurtling through air after burst -
Several burst near shore, & a few mules &
3 men hit - boom of warships guns on
aft. heavy firing from 2 guns contd on hill
900 yds away - Turks 2 miles were bombarding
them with shells - dozens of them - clouds of
dirt going up - warships heavy fire all aft.
dead beasts dragged out to sea by launch.
40 killed yesterday. rumour that Turks are
short of water Turk officer in camp yesterday
under wht flag - Queen Elizabeth last wk
was bombarding forts - She is 27,500 tons -
& 4 15" guns- She is near Mth of Dardanelles -
warships using searchlight all last night.
In afternoon men got guns & ammn up hill -
tremendous cannonades going on this
afternoon, shells whistling over us & heavy
bombardment by warships - sea plane
buzzing round - number of wounded men
brought down & some walked- Another
bombardment after tea - shells every minute
or so & warships replying - I went down
to have a wash a shell, burst & showered
water & beach just as I had regained shelter
under bank.
At 8 Fitz & Ford retd  Cannonading till I went to bed
Only one wounded in aft. on their station. Made
our bed & spent a pretty warm night - O'Coats
on - and an old overcoat over feet - woke up once
or twice - Searchlights playing about bay - & firing
or exp. bullets bursting - heavy firing early in morng
8. May - Sea plane buzzing round about 5 - great
many of ships sending up smoke - very calm -
break 8.15 biscuits & bacon & jam - Went out before
& got wood - Machine gun & others firing on other side
of gully - 7 oc Turk guns opened heavy fire on Aust
guns, to SE of us - Shells bursting over hill & also
coming from NE into water near boats & jetty.
After break - SE battery changed fire to us &
burst 20 or so all over us - 6 fell in 5 secs.
An awful whistling  - Crash - cloud of smoke &
cloud of dust where shell hits.  intermittent
Shelling from battery during morning & reply from 
warships - busy morning - 12.30 put up
flagpost - Union Jack on top & big red +  diagram - see original document
on wht ground. Some enormous splashes
in sea from shells - 

Sea plane going round baloon up &
warships active - S.M. reckons we can't
get shelled any worse for flag - enormous
explosion somewhere - Shells last night.
Killed one, wounded 10 ½ mile away - one poor
chap lost his leg. - Goeben in Sea of Marmora
10 miles off firing across Gallipoli Penin - 5 all the
huge shells fell in Sea- an awful whistling & a
tremendous cloud of spray - After dinner more
quiet - I went for walk over hill with A.R. down
steep gully & over 2 hills - trying to see where
Turk battery is with glasses - they commenced
shelling camp again we got in a fairly
sheltered spot, but couldn't move out - Shells
went whistling by - some into hill - many
near flag post- & others near jetty boats.
one burst above us & showered earth 5ft away
with Shot - we had dust all over us- came
out after about 70 shells had burst - warship
was shooting - we picked up 7 shell cases
close to hole- hurried back to camp one
chap hit thro' lungs - Had tea - Shells
had fallen all over camp- At 6 just as
finished tea. with an awful whistle & roar a
shell burst right over camp - 2 AMC hit, one in
side - he lost at lot of blood - didn't say a word
the other in upper pt of leg. every one rushed
for shelter - 6 others burst in quick succession
all over camp raising dust & one burst
inside shelter - frightfully shattering an officer
a terrible sight - I helped carry the body
to the Hospital - retd with Ludbrook - 2 shells
burst & we rushed for shelter - when got back
had to go, out on night duty - Took OCoat
sheet & bottle & went up Shrapnel Gully, 10
men, rifles cracking & echoing all around
explosive bullets bursting & bullets
whistling by above heads.
We camped in a dug out on side of hill -
very little sleep & dreamt a lot - rifles &
Machine guns going all night - 200 a
minute - during night a dead lieutenant
was carried down for burial - 3 wounded
walked down - Big explosion was a
magazine on one of of Aust batteries -
9 May Sunday Rather Cold - got up 5.30
chaps made fire & some tea & fried bacon,
a little bird was singing on a bush.
about 5 o'c - a cloudless day - several big
shells whistled over valley & out to Sea -
About 20 dead are lying outside trenches
can't get them in - a machine gun
opened fire when they charged 10 days ago
We were relieved at 9 AM.  Several shells
flew over us & made us run for cover -
One chap turned up- reported missing- he
was wounded & taken back to Alexandria
A captive baloon, is up over Ship - heavy
firing from warships. Somebody took my
cap & I picked up a hat with 3 Sh. holes in
65 ships now in Gulf of Saros. A quiet
day - warm & fine. a few shells fell near
us & in the water & a shell or two came over
hill behind us -  tried to get some sleep but could
not - quite used to explosive bullets going off
& others whizzing by now. There are many little
crosses near beach to show where graves are-
pine board. Only one gun from Sth. Battery
fired at us to day - they believe the battery is
being moved, & one gun to cover retreat (as I
write this Mon. morn, it starts on us again &
hurls a lot between us & the water 100 yds
away) Tea of biscuit & cheese & jam -
After I went for walk along beach with F 

about ½m along in a gully was a
wireless telegraph station. (the shells are
whistling fast over the Hospital & bursting
near or beyond the warships are replying 
with deafening noise) - groups of men
in dugouts all along bank - gravilly
shore - ¾ mile stopped by a barb-wire
entanglement - loose wire tied to
stakes & guard close by - report that a lot of
Turks are ill owing to bad water - retd &
stripped & had a swim bath in Sea - retd to
Camp went round for water & turned in -
this aft. a lot of blankets arrived - we went
down to boat & got a bundle - 18 out of 36.
C Section 3 FA were killed or wounded in
first 10 days. -
10 May  Up 6.30 - breakfast 7 - not much
shooting going on till 10 when
Turks again shelled us at least 2
guns working - a cloudy day - few
drops of rain. before 7. A small Aust
mail came in yesterday - a letter was
here for me 7 days ago & sent back. I
hope it comes back again - Issued 2
field service p.cs. ready printed to save
censoring - the shells are coming thick
& fast - Several are falling at foot of hill.
During day a great many shells fell on
our hill, in water & on next hill where
2 batteries are, heavy firing from war
ships - a French m. of war & Queen Elizabeth
firing & another aeroplane was high up
over the Turkish lines & batteries -
Turks fired at it, we could see the Wht

cloud burst near aeroplane - She kept
very high & finally disappeared to Sth
after flying above fleet- The Seaplane
was also up & the baloon pt of the way
a warm day - Hear Turks have howitzer
in position - Have to go out to night - up
Shrapnel Gully - The Artillery are going to
plant a gun near our camp to shell the
Battery to Sth - Went over & got water
& up Sh. Gully - many exp bullets & a fair amt
of shooting - one dead man & two wounded
a lot of mules going up & down path during
night. nearly had an accident near dressing
station / heard of ross of Lusitania with
2000 Souls, terrible - dozing about
11 May  5AM, when a chap found, a Snake 2ft6
grey with blk spots just outside our dug-out.
pretty lively - soon killed it - Retd to camp 9
found they had shifted to next hill a/ct of
gun - They soon had heavy shrapnel fire & we
moved to side of a hill Nth - not a good position
moved all belongings - boxes of medicines etc.
Only bully beef & hard biscuit all day - a dull day
shower in aft. - everyone hard at digging out
holes to sleep in - we made one fairly good -
made a cup of tea & turned in after fetching
water & some tins - 6 Killed & a number
wounded on left flank - on duty in evg
one poor chap  killed - head shattered -
12 May Wed  rained in night - every thing
got wet - very uncomfortable - one
of the things that makes one realize what war
is - got out 6.30. bringing medical boxes across
hill -. made a billy of tea, biscuit & meat
I went for water, head of shell tore up ground.
quite close to me - remains of a Turkish
hut - dug out some more dirt - made a
bigger cave -  Cleared up in afternoon
dried our things. Started to build 

Hospital dug out a big lot in side of hill
heavy clay & many roots - 1 lb jam & cheese
issued  heavy shells firing all afternoon - 
30 or 40 shells whistled over us from 2m away
burst in opp side of hill - Lot of LtHorse
men arrived from Egypt - turned into infantry
as horses cant be used for a month or
and about 30 of transports that have been
waiting in Harbor have retd to E. with .
horses to wait a month or so - Issued with
tobacco. Everyone in Camp ½ tin Capstan
- pkts cigarettes & box matches - universal
rejoicing - At night they had a drop of rum
issued -  Went over & had a wash in Sea
Another miraculous escape - a shell burst
above us on hill & showered where we were
bullets whizzed by on each side & missed
me & three others near - Queen Elizabeth
in Gulf - heard that 2^nd Brigade had
taken a position in 3 hrs on right flank
that Tommies had failed to take in 4 days.
Austns dont mind if all their officers are gone
they dash forward, when Tommies would
be waiting for orders & get mown down
13 May  6.30 heavy dew - break 7.30. about
10 or 12 more transport boats gone, a
warship was torpedoed last night - a submarine
came down the narrows - A2 captured
in the Sea of Marmora - Some more heavy
shelling from battery to Sth - 60 or 70 shells
more burst 200 to 400 yds away mostly - few
fell close to us - we were soon in our holes.
One burst right over us - One shot hit
4 ft away from where I was sitting - 3 shots
hit one chap in clothing & grazed -  One chap
got one thro' left forearm & another one
through shoulder - bad - C1 Squad carried
him down to Beach -
2 more casualties for 3 F. Amb. - Harbor now
fairly clear - Eng are advancing 8 m. from
Pt. on duty in morning - good many wound
at Beach Hospital - poor little donkey killed
200 yds away - Made good sheltered hospital
near top of hill facing West - Cooked few
potatoes picked up for tea - the sun sinks behind
an Is. in West - looks very artistic - another
glorious day - Had a chat with a Tasm in
Artillery - More shelling after tea -
lay in my little dug out & thought of home.
After sundown went over to shore & had a
cold bath / more trenches dug near Shore.
14 May  The Squad out last night was very
busy - Turks crept up to trenches & threw
in hand grenades - 10 killed & wounded -
Another Squad out at, 6 30 & one at 8.  After
breakfast 2 shells burst just above camp -
word went round "Keep close to Cover -
Several casualties amongst light horse on
left flank - At 10 A.M.  A shell burst
150 yds away, in gully - 3 or 4 were in it
at time near Indian Red Cross Camp. A
call for Stretcher - 4 of us & a doctor went
round - poor fellow lying in a pool of
blood - killed instantly  struck in
base of skull, a minute later another
shell struck 4 yds away & tore up some
roots & earth  if it had burst it would
have killed the lot- 4 or 5 Indians came
up & carried the poor chap (an engineer) away
nearest to their shelter - Later went
to Beach for water - fetched  in Kerosene
cans - returning several shells burst
near, one all round me. When got
back found that 2 more F. Amb were
wounded.  A Shell right in a dugout
burst & shattered one chaps thigh & 

tore muscle on leg

slightly wounded, another - just above our
dug out. Hear that Turks are being drivein
back towards here, & a battle expected
next week - two balloons up - a round
one & a Sausage - a beautiful warm
day, picture to yourself a pretty landscape
hills clothed in green & gullies. all bathed
in Sunshine - a clear sky above, & dotted
about on a hillside little dug outs, a wp sheet
for roof - the sea in foreground, scattered
with shipping. a whistling thro' the air
preceded by a distant boom, a crash &
a cloud of wht smoke in the still atmosphere
& a man - a human being - struck down
in the prime of life, a dark stain
on the ground & his life has ebbed
away - his spirit has gone to meet his maker
& this is war!  Surely there is some other way
to settle the disputes of nations than by
thus sacrificing life, despoiling happy homes
& engendering hatred that will (take
long to die out -
A difficulty to get water it is getting scarce
on shore - After tea of bis. & cheese we
(4 Tas) went down to Hd Qrs to fill our bottles -
Water nearly all gone. Could get only a drink
had a chat with some Indians on way, smoking
a big pipe, inhale smoke thro' water - one spoke
good English - 1000 Ghurkas 3000 other Ind.
further down Penina. 2 Divns here -
Coming round beach, a shell came along
we ducked into dug out for cover - it struck
the ground, 40 or 50 yds away, we had to
wait there while a dozen shells fell within 100
yds of us- some striking the water- Turks
always rake the beach before sundown
Watched the sun sink behind the Is in
the west, a glorious golden sunset.
Ventured out & across the hill thro' a
deep trench. I was near old hut, others just
emerging when suddenly a hail of
bullets whizzed all round us - a
miracle I wasn't hit - I ran & dropped under
a bush, a pointed bullet struck through the
bush behind my shoulder, & dropped to earth
I picked it up, it was quite hot -another escape
ran across gully & round to camp -
15. May  Turks commenced shelling us at 6.15
shells, felt along shore to West & beyond
us towards Hd Qrs -half rations tea- no water
for dinner - Some of the engineers sunk a
well in one of the gullies - got bottle filled
there, a bit dirty - rather amursing the chaps
are reduced to using bits of newspaper for
making cigs - We 4 Tas. reinforcements all
put in C4 squad owing to other casualties.
Another to warm bright day - deepened dug out
& made wall on one side with tins etc of
earth - Several casualties in limbs - News
that Lusitania was torpedoed 800 out of 2200 saved
much feeling in America - Congratulations
from Eng. to Aust & N.Z. & reply messages -
Hear that Italy has joined allies & mobilised
1500,000. Turks shell round our camp - twice
shot up earth near our dug out - There
are often mistakes in trenches - a N.Z. who had
been out to bury dead - had muffler on, was
mistaken & sbayoneted - Several spies have
been found among troops & 2 of LH. were found
with plans of hd Qrs- Undoubtedly spies have
been in the way Shells are falling - After
sun down went down to shore & got water -
always large nos of troops moving on shore.
Many Indians taking mules about, good lot
of firing on left flank -
16 May  A shower of rain last night - I was
reprimanded for having at light
Sunday - Turk commenced shelling hills
to West where trenching is going
on - 20 shells fell in short time - no 

damage done  I think -  fairly quite, I
went up gully past pump, several shells fell
in it & others fell into sea - I stayed. there
awhile - Artillery has put 2 Turk guns out
of action - 2 Indian mtn batteries on
hill - Up Shrapnel Gully for aft. to 8 PM, a
storm of shell when we went up- bullets
showering on other face of gully - quieter
later - only expl. bullets & stray bullets.
Aust battery over crest of hill hurling
shells over - heard a Turk. trench was
blown up yesterday - Several injured.
The dressing station is going to be moved
up close to the trenches, 2 big snakes
were seen 4 ft long -
17 May  A cloudless day -2 or 3 transports
in - troops coming ashore - heavy
shelling from Turk. battery - most of it fell
into the water, a few fell in our gully, issue
of lime juice - bearers passed with a stretcher
covered with a sheet - Hear 2^nd Brigade
has retd 1600 out of 3000 back, - 125 or 150
killed  - One of chaps who came on Runic, AMC
shot in arm, another through kidneys - 
I went to Beach to get some water for tea
& several shells fell on hill facing water - one
poor fellow was lifted right into air - a
shell burst & hurled a piece just behind me.
Big party digging place for howitzer close
to our camp in gully - At sundown
went down to shore for water - borrowed.
paper from Hospital - wrote letter home
18 May Disturbed night - men bringing.
howitzer up from shore, dreaming of
shells bursting - Woke at 5 to hear shells
bursting over our camp & heavy, firing
going on, - a cloudless day - several shots flew
past as having breakfast of biscuit & bacon
Battery from West fired 6 salvos of four
guns each; fell in water or burst
above - no damage done - The howitzer below
us fired 3 shots at noon - deafening
reports - Hear that further down peninsula they
are tunnelling into hill - intend to blow up
with dynamite & then will have clear
passage (?) up to Constantinople.
Afternoon off duty went over & saw some of Runic
chaps heard about charge of 2^nd brigade - Aust
good fighters but no discipline - took 1½ miles
country - Met Norman Duke, in the
artillery, much surprised to see me, had
wash in sea.  encountered an octopus 3ft
across, retd & found mail given out. hurrah
a letter from Eng enclosing letters from Tas
before I left - took 24 days to reach me -
evening heavy artillery fire on both side
shells burst in Water, along shore - & all over
hills, lyddite & Shrapnel, occasionally a shower
 of Shrapnel into our Camp - Some big
Shells bursting on hill to Nth ¼m. off,
immense cloud of blk smoke - howitzer near
us fired 6 or 8 times - ₤30 shot - the gun
jumps recoils a lot. - 2 shells exploded in
trenches of 4^th brigade - Considerable
damage done - it is terrible to see all
the poor chaps wounded - Monoplane
above us, also last night, flew high up
over Turk lines & retd very pretty sight
tap tap, tap of machine guns - a huge
flock of wild geese flew Nth over us this
morning - several poor things shot. - 
Started to go for water at 7.45 but shells. started
bursting along track - sheltered under bank
with some others / Shells were hurtling
above us & tearing up earth on opp. hill
others bursting above us & showering in
front - a heavy piece struck ground
6ft from me - All through night
heavy rifle fire & machine gun 

at 10 30 Corporal woke us up to say that
might be wanted to go out any minute
got boots & putties on - disturbed night, dozed,
continued roar of inf. & m.g. fire. Turks
have brought up heavy reinforcements.
19 Wed May  At 4 30 dawn roar & boom
of heavy guns, A tornado of
Sound . Shells falling over all the hills
bursting above us & showering earth in
all directions. Machine guns, rifles,
explosive bullets, big naval guns firing &
the boom of guns on the hills & from
Turks - At 5.45 called to go out with
stretcher, a fresh burst of firing - many
shells falling in sea & sending up
huge clouds of spray - Up Shrapnel 
gully where machine gun was playing
shells bursting every where - a miracle 
we weren't touched - One chap 3FA shot
in wrist.  Some dead lying about
many wounded, a hell of firing &
noise. Working hard for some hrs
one poor chap with arm torn off at
shoulder, they bear their wounds bravely
Turks nearly turned left wing. great s
slaughter among them - very warn day
On second trip up, a hail of shots from machine
gun - one of 3^rd FA with a small donkey
wearing red + going up, smiling, he has
done a lot of work  On next trip up he
was shot through the heart- Simpson - 
saw him lying - with a smile on his face
Later after dark  at an open grave, the
chaplain read the funeral service C of E
"The Lord gave & the Lord hath taken
away." "Forgive us our trespasses as we

[*SIMPSON'S DEATH
19 MAY '15
3rd*]  

forgive those who trespass against us"
a lot of the AMC there - a number of
others buried also - 30 killed & 50 or 60
wounded alsoday - much shelling into trench
Had dinner & up again got back at 5 30
Two wounded Turks - they are trying to
get information from them - Later went
down to beach for water - much firing
didn't get to sleep till midnight. -
20  9 squads out last night - we were
out at 8 AM - several wounded 10 or
12 mules killed - aeroplane up last night
a German taube up, dropped a bomb at
warship - & were fired at, but retd over
Turk lines. 39 dead up here yest. was
at funeral of a lieut. The Chaplain
a big man, was an officer in the Sal Army, held
the service & prayed that this bloody war
would soon be over, Colonel seemed cut
up & took away a piece of golden gorse
blossoming above grave - The Chaplain
is a splendid fellow, sympathetic &
bighearted, reminded me of Charles
Aiken - Dined off biscuit, cheese & beef
a lull in firing very quiet during afternoon
A lo,t 2500 Lt Horse turned into Infantry
arrived to reinforce - about 5 a Turk Officer
came with wht flag, &  held conference with Eng
officer wanted time to bury dead, we went
up to watch them - see moving figures on
distant hill & Turk trenches - after ½ hr o
firing recommenced.  very heavy - big guns
& machines - tremendous cannonade - They
believe that Turks used the time to get
Snipers into cover & get ammn off wounded
During night snipers came right up to