James Emil Huntly Vroland, Diary, 28 August to 28 November 1915 - Part 1

Diary Cover

 

Vroland
His Diary
 Sunday

August 29^th 1915

If lost (and found) please

return to Glenn Vroland

M G S 23^rd Batt

 each square fifty yds

If my light gets 

blown out, please 

send to M

Miss M. Bryant.

12 Tooronga Rd

Caulfield 

Victoria 

Sunday August  29^th 1915

Here beginneth Vroland -

- his Odessey –

The Brigade began to move

out at 4 pip emma — At

1.30 we, that is the M G S. and

D 23^rd began our march 

to Palais de Koubeh station 

which after much messing

Monday
about we left at 2.40 ackemma

we got a little sleep and after

daylight gazed on the green

fields of the Nile delta.

Reached Alexandria at 8 00 and

boarded ship, sailed at

5 pipemma.  Machine Guns mounted

at each end and M.G.S on guard

looking out for Submarines

Tuesday 31^st

Sea calm − nothing seen

we have been runing away out 

of the regular course  to avoid 

Submarines

Wednesday, 1^st Sept

We have turned to the N E and

are running to Lemnos, Zig Zagging

to avoid Submarines

Thursday 2^nd

Some commotion among boats

ahead. Destroyers etc

coming up in great style

– at noon we reached the

scene and found that

the boat carrying the 2nd & BG

23^rd had been torpedoed but had

not sunk though all the troops

had got off in a hurry numerous

lives being lost by boats

[*mostly killed by explosion

42 troops & 18 of them killed

+*]

being upset – we picked

up the mob off Aus upturned

boats —

We got orders to proceed

to Lemnos which we reached

about 5 pip emma.

The Harbour is a beautiful

one completely sheltered

and full of war ships & transports.

The country around is very dry

but there are patches of

green cultivated fields showing
numerous windmills and

several villages are visible

Friday 3^rd

The rumour that the

Brigadier (Col Linton) was

drowned has been confirmed

− bad luck for the poor

old boy he was a

decent sort and I should

imagine a good soldier
The torpedoed transport

did not sink and has been

brought into the floating

dock — about fifty lives

lost through undue haste

− Kismet - I wondered how

Charlie Batten and Jack Keelan got on

Had a good swim round the

ship − got down the anchor

chain but some up on a ladder

Fred Jacobs came up the chain

and was a "pretty" sight – covered

with rust -: 

Mauretania Aquitania came in with 5000

troops − Hospital ship went out

- it was a pretty sight   

being upset

Saturday 4^th
Orders for transhiping

at 1 pm. - drawn 48 hrs rations

embarked on "Pheasant Partridge" fairly

calm weather with everybody in

high spirits

regimental pup with A M C 

colors round his neck

We landed Sunday 5^th

Last night we landed in

horse punts about 10 pm

The impression of the place

was that of a pretty

lighted town when we

got ashore we wended

our way up the road

between steep hills

— I think it is Gaba tepe

judging by the number

of dug outs etc.

Rifles & guns going all

night - did not sleep

much on the cold hill side

-got up about 5. 30 - we

remained here all day

in dug outs or under improvised

shades made of blankets set

on rifles - this is called

'shelter gully' close to

shrapnel gully -.

In evening went to beach

for a swim - verrie clean verrie nice
- in afternoon Yank and others

were swimming under shrapnel

- it was rather unpleasant 

slept well - in spite of 

constant firing - many of the

chaps have met their brothers

& friends - the meetings 

were un demonstrative

"Hello face-ache" was the

way one man welcomed his

brother -
Monday 6^th

Fine cool morning - with

the daylight the rifle fire

has stopped- we are going

to "lone pine" trench about

9 am

Went to ''Brown's dip" and camped

there - some of us went

into the trenches

Tuesday 7^th

Had a fairly good time

on lookout - rather cold

1^st Batt Gun No 5 post 13^th - at present

I am allotted here - trench life

is not too bad when there

is nothing doing - but

wait till something is

doing

8^th Wednesday

Saw Arthur Stale & Roy Watson

yesterday - did not know

either of them - Arthur is going

away for a spell with the

rest of his brigade

A couple of 4.7" shells have burst

close to us but no damage

done - yesterday Crobsen got

laid out by a 7.5 but was

 unhurt - one of the reserves

was knocked about

9^th Thursday

Was on duty last night - nothing

doing - yesterday 21^st &  B Barricade

also hit. Sigs - got Mell Williams

account of the bombing of the

Southland - had a yarn to 

Green - 4^th LH -  have

been hearing great

tales of Pinney - And Pin

seems to be a sort of a hero

Have taken over 6 LH gun - begin

duty (in charge) tonight

10^th Friday

Nothing was doing last night

except for a "demonstration"

which stirred up a hornets nest

of Turkish bullets - they do

sing over our heads - like large

mosquitos. - plenty of bombing

going on at the Lone Pine

We are by no means comfortable

but the situation has its

humours - fighting the

flies for one's breakfast

is one of them

The usual artillery duel

about 4 p.m. ie. artillery

of both sides firing at

Infantry trenches - as far

as I know - no casualties

11^th Saturday

Nothing particular doing

last night the pioneers

went out and collected

a few corpses - the trench

mortar is going off continuously

with a devil of a row

Went for swim and secured

a piece of timber, off a sunken

barge, for the purpose of

making a loophole.

7 p.m. Two men killed & one

badly wounded within a

yard of me by a shell

it was a rather rotten
experience -

Sunday 12^th

We have been here a week

- I wonder when we will get

any of the M.G.S blown out

 - a 4" shell smashed one of

our other guns & last night and would

have smashed some men

if it had exploded

Monday 13^th

 The usual thing last 

night - a few men killed by

shell - one gun emplacement

blown to the devil - gun was

not mounted - fortunately -

This morning there was a slight

shower of rain - a foretaste of

joy to come - no shelling in 

the evening - only a little

about noon

Tuesday 14^th 

Things quiet last night

this morning skylark is singing

over the trenches

Wrote Mater, Jack, Cecil

Wednesday 15^th

Quite a number of shells about

our position ^last night - but only one killed

the bombardment was rather

unpleasant-

Today Abdul seems very busy

 - we stirred him up with shell

Slight rain in the morning

Thursday 16^th

No bombardment last night - to speak of

but this morning several men knocked

out in the "bomb pit" by shell

It is glorious day & the sunrise was

beautiful. The larks are singing

received letters Ailsa, Meg, Puss, Poll
Ava Cecil, Milly, May, Eve, Amy
Wrote Ava,  Wilf,  Milly, Eve, Amy.
Friday 17^th
Nothing wonderful
last night except that we
gave Abdul a "demonstration"
of "three rounds rapid"- he replied
in great style, sending

up flare rockets to
light the scene and

blazing away in great

style for about ¼ hour
Today about noon we got
tuned up by the "75" but
no one who seriously hurt
Saturday 18^th

Came out of trenches

for couple of day's spell.
the shells knocked out a few
Webb nearly got it - stopped

a piece with his ribs -

Have been listening all the

afternoon to "Scotty" telling the

tale of his life - parts are 

quite like a "story book"

Wrote DM

In the evening Abdul gave us

a particular Hell with shell of 

various descriptions, we

were in our dugouts and stayed

there till the storm had passed
- it appears that Abdul was
working an attack on the left

which was repulsed. Truly a

bombardment  is not good for the
nerves

Sunday 19^th
Glorious day. Wrote
Eve, Amy, Puss.  Shells knocked

out several in the firing line

Monday 20^th Wrote Meg & Poll

Weather chilly

returned to trenches, several

men killed by one of our own

bombs - exploding prematurely

Tuesday 21^st

Once more a perfect day

Another man killed by bomb

accident several wounded

Received letters Mater, Wilf

Lieut Atkinson shot in sap

- Turks broke through floor

Wednesday 22^nd

Received letter Ailsa

Wrote Ailsa, Jack

Thursday 23^rd

Nothing much

doing. bits of shell falling

around for a while,

Wrote Harold, Mater.

a few more knocked out
by shells

Friday 24^th

Went for a long walk down

beach with Scotty last night

preparations for tremendous

bombardment on the left

Enemy - Our howitzers are giving

abdul something to go on with

to our direct front

Saturday - 25^th

Last night out guns gave

abdul a fair old doing - then we did

a "bit of a stunt" and Abdul came to light

with a furious Machine Gun fire - silly fools

Received Letter Ava + parcel CP.T,  Heard GB is Well

Sunday 26^th

Appointed Corporal, glorious

day, Wrote,  CJ, Mrs K,  R Grn, Ben

beautiful sunset 

Monday 27^th

"Abdul" is doing

his best to knock out one

of our batteries, - our guns

are replying and there

is a fine old row.

Wrote Helen, Jack

It has been a beautiful day

there has been a very

heavy bombardment on the left

and like Johnnie Walker is still

going strong

Tuesday 28^th

Abdul is still

getting "Hell" from our guns

It has been a particularly

warm day

Wednesday 29^th

Last night was

exceptionally warm - 

nothing of importance

Thursday 30^th

Still warm, met

Bill Newton & Thewlis - not

so much bombardment as normal

Went for swim in evening

Friday 1^st October

Dense fog in early morning

went looking for 8^th L.H. in afternoon

and found them not, Wrote Wilf, Puss
Saw C Batten, J Gilsham &  Ces Chase

Saturday 2^nd

Weather still warm

- things quiet - feeling rotten

Sunday 3^rd

Feeling much better

Received letters, Mater, Pater, Wilf, [[Whge?]], Puss, Poll, Fred

Mrs F, Amy & Jess , Cecil, Ailsa, Bess

Monday 4^th

Abdul gave a fine old