Papers relating to the service of Stewart Murray Hansen, 1915 - 1917 - Part 5

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
AWM2020.22.119
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

ll ackngh thy are somean We are still nesting in Resere Cilly prepmatory to again entering into active i with the for of camn the not oi Reshue Sully, only whote force am small porsion he get a few actroynd shells over anr reas thut carnlti have been solight o festerday tw vad comparr shille intinded on anr sarad but beyond hiking the poina all round me and thy near me, they unt t everying caused intrse gmuser in renforcement just arrived but king their first experience of bullet flying nery than without kitting the caused them &7 - ar marvelled that want 300 laxpillits could bunt amogst 100 me mrbody. e continued anr was a little sower down the sliff We have been parading for 3h a day lately to get back some off an old train & tinstel same of it aut dny renisiemnt but the nature of our home maker the differnet Ho have poledig ont the in hoes and fnly steep Wills for ]I hauth cut alog the diff out in tills as that we parade the mes anal gamps. I aupese fom the bothm of the fully which have bee and eov
AOE oanae is i o at& Road at aaa aeaumane m
er arroptomes came edw san them drapping bunt enmg paetin the Surt by vey haid to bing them down with shell but jeneally wher you se bunst in the an it a purgle to find the accoptane for aiy do the sot The aroplartes fly very lay over oth monry &fthe crembuts re fanly oe of the incuacyo the erumyt f anutld against them In the midst af imhabitated Kill we have construfed a aug out city where every body lives ore above the atter When a str shyp anww we indus in andinsed milk. He are generally paco with pert mea Our inall prations are 6 Cisents (hard slaye tonned cned beef, sie of bai will pen of cher tha mpast tadvel & tll game her day ctes atobous onl itbut fairrly frequently and mateher gs siled us One of our blis goo mant- Te a was expecially traked coned to a we andicipited seeing how and efforts had been leaged on Cuntrat ad after the full fact her been Sm Csal dn I hope at Ser letters were I
was PeWOEn oae T reos i on at Boodas Date icease w rem
4 bert at a hy the sam wire mentent for andd I e tty copes ae hoore see t HHamiltons Rady who was at Seard are teated wed to clathe having been implitety fiffed ant again snc yaut off the f We are weak soneter like boyect but considering the climateis we feel much more comfortable The chural tere is eailly amilon to Cstration as I know H Gue dangeable will pam oe cirte and doun the re The open an life seem to gree all mind, expecially of lal as we are able where the Henks narty & still the beart to bathe fairly often each day except whon or duly are not get got proprety ot the e offiers but thav been head ft inropered that tan sitspretrily lep to now I ceamily hon less trali wad but more responsibility At present DCay houe thrte left out of bx oficers the others ar havty short ttsell wit np leave the Apton
X Pce a ose neo4 or apd AAA 22 LM
We are very short of leteratore I can in friend would forward a my occauially it would be very accetable with the papers litter we receive lven in the trenchs we find sime to read it segs and mana nonnal Io regard to Jhnny Link (as a case him hea a fine plyncal specimen well built & fanly by in fact they ea very sedurly. hat alie Ifue a very son in compariion o the I amount if sleep fined and the communition in tha rad appeas to ve comentat run out. But Jnny Link is very bad in he pelt bullets at your parget tenbels dut into rrtea of you s taig he many you woe on yourr Bnew wlll a hole is made lays murgh torstand up or without sering your head While sr in he ceels gou or when paades to mades av fact her a pert of the fe That he the water. I ao not snow of us because we do not let him as ayingat all hi whl but as long bating senped we mate hi as that and leave l we are 42 satisfuld to dande his bac The smajors appear but y
Mea t an and Pianaie. M tcunded aaA o
ty ber then they bubble with joy. tthe best five Br tas fir the them agaletter, ever lighting them for then We rced a captined wdish pape ently which on tranitation of on ielar portin ead as foll never in the Lostoy as Luney ha Gallissoll bean overson by white the Ansationt mbat first week here they certainly sem I as judply by bery much apraid then half hepiled atacts the mote for the man & dose wly antis await tme ate pt W Yours
E anaw M OBonaia MA the revone or as pax aa

2
& smoke although they are so near.
We are still resting in Reserve Gully
preparatory to again entering into active
operations with the foe. Of course the
whole force is not in Reserve Gully, only
our small portion. We get a few
shrapnel shells over our heads but
our casualties have been slight in
comparison. Yesterday two bad mannered
shells intruded on our parade ground
but beyond hitting the ground all
round me and those near me, they
caused intense amusement to everyone
but some new reinforcements just arrived.
Being their first experience of bullets
flying near them without hitting them
caused them to think. In fact I also
marvelled that about 300 lead bullets
could burst amongst 100 men & miss
everybody. We continued our work a
little lower down the cliff.
We have been parading for 3 hrs a day
lately to get back some of our old training
& to instil some of it into our reinforcements
but the nature of our home makes this
difficult. We have holes dug out the
fairly steep hills for our homes ("dug
out") & tracks cut along the cliffs
in tiers so that we parade the men
in small groups & supervise from the 
bottom of the gully which have
now been converted into a road.

 

Form - see original document

 


3
Our aeroplanes cause us some diversion
as we can see them dropping bombs
in the enemy's position. The Turks
try very hard to bring them down with
shell but generally when you see a
burst in the air its a puzzle to find
the aeroplane so far away do the shots 
go. Our aeroplanes fly very low over
the enemy & the aeronauts seem fairly
sure of the inaccuracy of the enemy's guns
directed against them.
In the midst of uninhabited hills
we have constructed a "dug out" city
where everybody lives one above the other.
When a store ship arrives we indulge in
eggs & condensed milk. We are generally
supplied with fresh meat once a week.
Our small rations are 6 biscuits (hard
& large) 1 lb tinned corned beef, slice of bacon,
small piece of cheese, tea, sugar, salt
potatoes, onions & ¼lb jam per day
cigarettes & tobacco are distributed
fairly frequently also matches.
One of our blessings failed us this week
- no mail - This one was especially looked
forward to as we anticipated seeing how
our efforts had been recognised in Australia
after the full facts had been made
known. Some Australian mail
- it is rumoured - was burnt accidentally
at Lemnos so I hope none of my
letters were amongst the ruins.

 

Form - see original document

 

4
Our greatest drawback is shortage of
stationery as you can see by the
government forms we are using.
Envelopes are priceless and I was lucky
to get some given me by Norman Bean
who was at xxxx on Gen Hamilton's Body
Guard
We are treated well for clothes having
been completely fitted out again since
coming out of the firing line.
We all wear knickers like boy scouts
but considering the climate is summer
we feel much more comfortable.
The climate here is exactly similar to
Australia as I know it. Just as
changeable; as rain will pour one
minute and the sun will stream
down the next.
The open air life seems to agree all
round, especially of late as we are
able (when the Turks do not get
nasty & shell the beach) to bathe fairly
often each day except when on duty.
I have not yet got properly into the
swing of being an Officer, but I have
heard it whispered that I am doing
satisfactorily up to now. I certainly have
less routine work but more responsibility.
At present "D" Coy have three left out of
six officers. The others are having a 
short spell with minor complaints
This leaves me as understudy to our Captain
xxxx xxxxx x xxx    xxxxxx  xxx 

 

Form - see original document

 


 5
We are very short of literature. If some
kind friend would forward a magazine
occasionally it would be very acceptable
with the papers & letters we receive.
Even in the trenches we find time to
read it keeps our mind normal.
In regard to Johnny Turk (as we call
him) he is a fine physical specimen,
well built & fairly big, in fact they
appear very soldierly. Their artillery
fire is very poor in comparison to the
amount of shells fired and the
communication in that regard appears
to be somewhat run out.
But Johnny Turk is very bad mannered
he pelts bullets at your parapets &
knocks dirt into your tea. If you start
to dig he makes you work on your knees
until a hole is made large enough to stand
up in without showing your head.
While swimming he shells you or when
doing some parades he makes you
move. In fact he's a pest of the first
water. I do not know what he thinks
of us because we do not let him do
anything at all. His whole time is
occupied watching us but as long as
we make him do that, and leave
himself no time for himself we are
satisfied to chance his bad mannerisms.
The majority of our enemy appear
middle aged, but as far as we know

 

Form - see original document

 

 

only smile when they become our
prisoners then they bubble with joy.
The boys feed them on the best, give
them cigarettes, even lighting them for them.
We received a captured Turkish paper
recently which on translation of one
particular portion read as follows:-
"Never in the history of Turkey has 
Gallipoli been overrun by white
cannibals" referring to the Australian's
first week here. They certainly seem
very much afraid of us, judging by
their half hearted attacks.
This must close my note for the mail
as censorship duties await me in
connection with company mail. I am
like Johnny Walker - Still going strong
Yours
Stewart

 

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