Papers relating to the service of Stewart Murray Hansen, 1915 - 1917 - Part 7

& every yard gained in distance is

supplemented by yarns of superiority

over our enemies fighting qualities

which certainly ineffectually but surely

decreasing day by day. At present

the Turks are celebrating the Turkomans

Rammedan or Lent month during

which time inhouse religious excitement

is demonstrated and naturally this

sort of thing must tell on the man

who celebrate the event.

     Since last Wednesday I have ben

[[?]] to [[?]] [[?]]

of a section of work being performed

during the dark hours of the night.

This I told you in last mail. The

work is not yet finished so am still

employed all night with sleeping hours 

4am to 8am when the flies become too

troublesome for further rest. Some days

ago our Battalion left the peninsula

for an island not far distant for

the purpose of a spell away from shot

and shell but through being temporarily

[[?]] [[?]] behind a

Officer in charge of bivouac with about

100 men. Unforeseen work as usual

sprang up entailing considerable personal

supervision. Correspondence, men

returned from Hospital and above

all a large batch of reinforcements

took up, in addition to ordinary

routine duty, all my usual rest 

hours. Probably had the amount of

work been forseen another officer

besides my self would have been left

behind to either take charge or assist.

Happily our senior major returned

this morning and relieved one of 

all responsibility and certain amount

of routine duties. Several senior

non commissioned officers wounded

during first week have returned and

are carrying out part of the work

which previously I did personally.

A Board of Inquiry to determine

something definite in regards to

men reported missing was instituted

during Battalion's absence and

being only officer present on bivouac

I had to attend as Battalion

representative. For a Lieutenant

of six weeks standing the responsibility

alone is somewhat taxing to say

nothing of the personal exertions

required through lack of competent

non-coms. However things have

                       5

worked satisfactorily and when the

Battalion returns tonight I will be

able to hand over all diaries,

[[?]] and duties fully

prepared and up to date besides

all men in camp working smoothly

& organisations complete.

The view from our Sea Vista home

is changed somewhat. The last

Hospital boat being relieved today

by a new one. The same islands

are visible but a scorching sun

has caused a heat wave which

distorts the vision into all sorts of

shapes.

A large and somewhat delayed

mail arrived yesterday with letters

& papers dated up to June 6^th.

but the probable reason why

                      6

no word has been received about me

or that all letters were delayed

by censor for about 3 weeks

during the first months. You

will certainly have received

plenty of letters by the receipt of

this one. Tell every body to

write because a mail only comes

about once a fortnight and unless

they are large they do not provide

sufficient diversion. Some people

seem to have forgotten my existence.

If I get hurt you will know

soon enough long before publication,

so no excuse will be accepted for

non arrival of letters. Also I

cannot write to every body at once

but will endeavour to send some

acknowledgement to all correspondents

                              7.

(2)

The only diary kept by me since landing

here, has been contained in my

home letters so please keep same

intact for future reference &

consideration.

The Williamstown boys are gradually

being reported as casualties. Of course

I have known of them all the while

but would rather let it be officially

reported in case of error.

Poor old M^cWilliams is finished

picked off by a sniper while

directing operations from trench.

He was buried six weeks ago

while I was on way road to see

him, but did not mention it

previously until you got official

list. Rogers the V.C,, man has

just arrived having been

                       8

stationed in Egypt all the time.

Whithead is here somewhere about

a mile away.

Perhaps I may manage a holiday

for a day or two to one of the near

by islands shortly, if we do not

take a place in the trenches within

the next few weeks. Of course

when a trench is captured from the

Turks it only takes the men

actually in the firing line to do

the trick. The General Reserves

being only used as a last resource

on either attack or defence.

During my work at night I have

several mule carts and native

drivers to contend with but usually

have an interpreter to issue commands

Until next mail yours

            Stewart.

                      1

On Active Service                  Anzac Cove

20/7/15                                         Reserve Sicily

                                                       Gallipoli Pens

                                                            Turkey

Dear All,

            Like Johnny Walker - still going strong

but managed to catch a slight cold.

The weather is terribly hot during the day with

delightfully cool during the night. In fact

swimming about 11pm is generally

popular - of course bathing in daylight

exposes one to the dangers of snipers & shell

fire both of which are distinctly unpleasant

where a crowd are concerned. Last mail

I think I mentioned the fact that our Regiment

was away for a spell and that being the

only Officer remining in bivouac, I fell

to my lot to work all day regimentally and

all night on my temporary Divisional

tasks, giving e four hours sleep per diem.

Having returned to duty from their tour

abroad, the regimental duties which fell to me

have now been automatically transferred to the

staff, giving me all day to rest.

Inoculation against cholera is proceeding

as the period this disease is most prominent

is at hand. Up to date contagious diseases

have been unknown amongst us so we

hope this state of health will continue.

Blank MESSAGES AND SIGNALS form

                         2.

A large mail arrived during the week

consisting mostly of papers & parcels. The latest

dated paper was June 5^th. The chocolate

arrived safely and in perfect condition.

the wrapping up was unharmed and 

we soon made beasts of ourselves.

No other parcel arrived.

The Company Officers took pity on me during

their trip away by bringing back a large

quantity of luxuries. Eggs, lemons, tinned

fruits, writing paper, ^milk, cigarettes & sweets & rice

We have been living very high of late and

with the amount of bread baked by the new

Field Bakery our meals are taking on some

dog. Pancakes with additions of baking powder

have improved enormously in quality and

necessarily in quantity. Porridge made

from broken up wheaten biscuits & taken with

delisted tinned milk & sugar makes a good

start for the day.

In regards to the general position we are

simply marking time waiting till Johnny

Turk has another go, then we propose to finish

him. Their feast month passed off without

any fanatical demonstrations although our

comrades "down South" near Ache Baba have

been steadily gaining ground, and although

we have not moved we have kept them very

busy at certain points. Our artillery

has been belting away every day for some time

and must been disconcerting to our friend

Johnny Turk.

Blank MESSAGES AND SIGNALS form.

                       3

In places of comparative safety the old style

A "Hang out" has to give place to the healthier

and better organised terrace. These terraces are

really wide roads cut out of the sides of the

hills, one above the other with steps up

from the main roadway made of boxes

spiked to the ground. The men may

protect themselves from the 

weather by means of

a waterproof sheet                Diagram of trench labelled

fixed to two poles                    Section thro' slope.

at outer end & spiked 

to hill at upper end.    

If it rains it becomes necessary to occasionally knock

the collection of water off the bulge in the sheet.

Insufficient slop has of necessity to be given

the protecting sheer on account of its length

otherwise it would not cover the occupants' feet.

Each man takes up approximately a width of

3 feet. This system allows of each company

being housed together without unnecessary

splitting up of Sections & Platoons. When

in Reserve the Companies can go through

drill exercises with rifles on the terraces by

temporarily removing the sheets and 

rolling up the packs & equipment. Of course

the green scrub will be practically wiped out

but fire wood is scarce so it will come in hand for 

that use.