Diary of Herbert Gilles Watson, DFC, 1914 - 1916 - Part 1

Front of diary - see original

No 523: Sapper, Watson H.G.

2nd N.S.W. Signal Trp.

2nd L.H. Bdge

A.I.F.

A.J.

Lately Nestle & Anglo Swiss

Cond. Milk Co

53 King St

Newcastle

N.S.W.

Mgrs. No. 511 N/cle

Also Wandilly

Belmore. Rd

Burwood

Sydney
N.S.W.

Diary of War.

1914 - 15

German Austrian Turkish

Bulgars

V

Allies & 2nd NSW Sig. Troop

In the event of my being killed

if lost by me. Kindly forward

this book to

Mr J M Watson

"Elmside" Wandilly

Fitzroy St. Belmore Rd

Burwood
Sydney

N.S.W. 

By Sapper Watson. H.G. 523.

2nd N.S.W.S.T

A.I.F.A.G.

1914.

Left N/cle. to enlist 15th Oct. 1914

Sworn in & accepted. 19th -    -

Went into camp same date: period

uneventful for month

Left for Melbourne Monday 29th

Nov. by 10.5 pm. train: great send off

Arrived Broadmeadows. Tuesday

30th. 11pm: arrived camp 12pm & 

bivouacked in rain: fun start

Commenced serious training both

signalling & horsemanship 1st Dec.

had 3 or 4 good days in Melbourne

in company with friends: saw

St Kilda etc:

Aunt Kate called to see me Sunday 

20th Dec:

Left Melbourne for Colombo ex S.S.

Borda on Tuesday 22nd Dec

had exciting trip through main

streets riding one horse & leading one

got great send-off:

Arrived Albany. Tuesday 10.AM.

29th Dec: 7 days at sea.

Left Albany. Thursday 31st Dec

9AM. New Years eve. spent it 

on board: no leave at all at 

Albany: fleet consists of 17

transports: with 15000 men & 

1 submarine. evidently scace of

enemys boats dead: 400 men &

200 horses on our boat. I am

appointed permanent mess orderly

for trip with Cooky as mate for

our mess: of 11 men

Jan 1. New Years day started badly

Private Acreman of A.I.F. died

at 5AM of typhoid, body buried

at sea 11AM: with Military honors.

indignation at way he was

treated: carried on board at 

Brisbane on stretcher & altho

dying, was not landed at Albany.

so much for the Authorities value

of human life in War time: S.S. Borda

Jany 3: All our Troop innoculated

for typhoid:

Jany 4: All Troops Vaccinated: it

seems that Authorities either want

to kill or cure. the whole bunch.

tucker on boat OK. we all sleep

in hammocks swung from the

beams: or sleep on deck.

Jany 6. All Troops innoculated for

the second time: one of our mob

washed & hosed down by us. for

dirt: reported that we go direct to

England from Colombo.

Jany 7. 6 degrees from Equator: Our

troop turned out of bunk at 1.20 AM.

to attend to horses. who were 

reported as dying of thirst. temp

87 deg. very warm: custom to

wear trousers only have hose

turned on at intervals to keep us

warm.!!!

Passed the Cocos Islands where

German Cruiser "Emden" was sunk

by H.M.A.S "Sydney": loss of 

life "Emden". 200 killed. "Sydney" 5 

killed: 17 days at sea to date:

Convoy of warships ahead: Sub

reports every evening.

Jany 8. Father Neptune boarded

boat. I am barber: Corporal Harman

is Father Neptune: Feeney is Mr &

Corry is the Doctor: we ducked

all & sundry who had not crossed

the line before, officers & men alike.

my duty was to shave & haircut

all & then rub in softsoap & treacle

all over head & body. great fun we

were treated likewise in the end

Jany. 9. Crossed Equator at 7am

wet & windy. Sea fairly rough.

6

at 8pm. the whole fleet was stopped for

the burial of Private Campbell: on 

board the H.M.A.S. Willochra, 2nd

death since leaving Australia: this

is our third Sunday at sea. 10th

Jany. 1915:

Jany. 11: Heat terrible. we received

our 1 d pay. & books: rate 1/- per day &

5/- banked: at 6 o'clock all boats

stopped to bury Br Williamson R.A.E

of S.S. Themistocles: 3rd death at sea

Jany. 12: Vaccinations start to play

up with us.

Jany. 13: Arrived at Colombo. Ceylon

very pretty place. took in walk:

as a result of hundreds of men

from various boats breaking leave

six of our Troop. including Corry &

self. put on armed guard all

night: innoculated for third time

Jany. 14. Left Colombo Hbr & anchored

outside: 3 men on S.S. Themistocles

died of pneumonia & were buried at

sea: 5 dead to date: very hot &

muggy: we are waiting till the 

balance of the deserters arrive. to 

sail for Alexandria. Egypt. whence

we get further instructions.

Jany. 15. got first war news for three

weeks: left Colombo at 4pm: no

lights allowed at night. we are

in the danger zone: any necessary

lights are covered up. 4 German

warships between us & Aden. our

first port: great excitement, we

are hugging the coast of India.

Jany. 16. Passing south of NW

coast of Persia. due at Aden on
Friday: 4 weeks at sea:

Jany 18. Lieutenant Peter's dies

at 4am. on S.S. Themisocles. body 

buried at sea 7AM: whole fleet

stopped: deserters at Colombo tried

all confined to S. at next port

whilst remainder get shore leave

Jany. 19. Aftermath of third

innoculation passing off: I have

been put on the bridge as Signaller

for the rest of the shift: picked up

a touch of influenza.

Jany. 20. All fleet stopped at 3pm to

bury Private G.I. Bych on S.S. Themistocles

5 deaths on 1 boat. 7 in fleet

Jany. 21. Uneventful. Sports held on

board. I managed to run a good

last in the 3 leg: Bun and Treacle. & obstacle

so cant growl, due at Aden 12 hours

my watch from 8 to 12. instead of 12

to 4.

Jany 22. Fleet stopped to bury Pte

Ahern, S.S. Themistocles. 6 deaths 1 boat

Lieut Col Bean transferred from

our boat to them to try & deal with

the heavy mortality: written in dark

Jany 23 Arrived at Aden 10 AM

passed large extinct volcanoes 3.

Left Aden for Port Said 4.30pm

Coast of Arabia very baren & desolate as 

is Aden: rock & sand very strong fortress

with 5000 permanent soldiers quartered.

Jany. 24. Fleet stopped at noon to

Consign to the deep the body of Pte

P.E. Carlton: S.S. Ceramic. passed

Coast of Africa & Arabia entered Red

Sea. 8AM. passed P & O Liner for Sydney

also warship Russian:

Jany .25 Sent to ships Hospital ill

Jany 28 Left             "         "        Arrived

at Suez: sandy barren romantic sort 

of spot. we leave here for Port Said

at sunset. via Suez Canal. Troops

are to disembark at Cario & march to 

Alexandria: a distance of 80 miles.

we heard this morning that ours

& another boat. A37. are to proceed

direct to England: I hope so: news

of fighting along the Canal. between

Turks & our men is confirmed: we are

busily preparing by barracading the

bridge etc. with sacks of chaff. all

portholes blocked & armed guards all

over ship. in my position on bridge

I will be fairly exposed

Jany. 29. Entered Canal: wonderful

Sight: passed N.Z. & Ghurka troops

entrenched all along the side: had

fun bandying words with the shore 

troops. Looking at ships ahead

gives one the impression that the

other ships are sailing over earth.

we are now in the fighting zone.

the N.Z's had a brush with an

Arab outpost last night. 1 NZ & 2

NZ soldiers killed & wounded resp.

Jany. 30 Along Canal: heavy fighting

taking place 4 miles from us. Can

see it clearly through glass: Turks

v Indians: Colonials & English Troops

Cruisers & armoured tugs flying

every where: some talk of us off here

to take a hand

Jany 31. Arrived at Port Said: very

big place. fine buildings & girls

hydroplanes scouting: etc: news came

through that in fighting near us. 19

British were killed. Left Port Said

12 midnight

Feby. 1:  Arrived Alexandria 4.30PM

5 others & self from our Troop were put

on Armed Guard on Shore. first time

on dry land for 6 weeks

Feby. 2. Left Alexandria for Kars.de.Nel

arrived 10.30pm. had to disembark

from Train & lead 3 horses each for 

12 miles to Ma Adi Camp. Arrived

5AM Feby 3. dead beat. no food or

sleep for 36 hours. had great trouble

getting horses off

Feby. 4. Got settled in camp. put

on to H.Q. telephone signaller with

Sap. Feeney. have to lead horses 10

miles a day to get used to land

very cold here niggers a hell of

a nuisance

Feby. 5. uneventful. very cold 

our camp is on the banks of the

Nile: the pick of camps: & 10 miles

from Pyramids: went into Cairo

& had several new experiences

Feby. 6. uneventful sleep & do horses

Feby. 7. Work at H.Q. all day

Feby 8 Training starts in earnest 

 -        9 Started Signalling

 -       10 Uneventful

          11      -

          12    -

          13    -

        14 Parade & review by

Govenor & Generals went to

Pyramids Sphinx: saw Geo Mann

& Brightie. Motor accident, 1 man

killed.

Feby. 15 Started pack training with

horses

Feby. 16 Uneventful

 -         17     -

 -         18 Good rides etc

Feby.  19. Went for ride with wireless

Seb

 . 20 Went to Napoleons old fort

& Granaries on the Nile: great views

of 23 Pyramids: passed over buried

City: through Convict settlements & 

native graveyards great links

Feby 21. Rode into Cairo passed

groups of Turkish prisoners with

guards: miserable tattered looking

crowd: all murderers

Feby. 22. After weeks abstinence

from smoking. have knocked it

off for good. until war is over as

I am satisfied a man needs all

his condition fitness for this game.

inhaling dosnt improve to such.

Feby 23. Various alterations in

our N.C.O's: good job.

Feby. 24: Various rows: good

"  25. uneventful

"  26. Got news that we are to

proceed to the Dardanelles: we are near

the real thing now.

Feby. 27: Long ride along Nile:

"  28 Went to old Mosques & 

Citadel. buildings hundreds of feet

high & thousands of years old: old

Tombs etc. everywhere. went to play

sat round tables & smoked & drank

while play in progress. plays etc all

open on Sunday & start late at

night: washed hands at the old

Moslem well:

March 1. New S.M. takes us over

             2 Uneventful

             3   - 

             4 Appl C.M our Stn

             5 Uneventful

             6   -

             7   -

             8   -

             9 Visited the Tombs of

the Mamalouks: Old Cairo etc:

informed that we leave for Turkey

in ten days. getting very hot

Mar. 10: Rode over Old Cairo buried

city etc real signallers writing

very rough country desert &

old graveyards

Mar. 11 Uneventful my horse sick

        12 Uneventful sore rudder

        13 Uneventful

        14      -  Sealed Church

Parade. Our Troop presented 

with small pocket Bible by

Chaplain:

       15. Route March

       16 Uneventful

        17   -

        18   - 

        19 Fought Trooper Walsh at

Maadi Stadium rotten condition I 

won in the 5th round. Towel thrown

in purse 100 P.T.

March 20 General inspection & review

of Brigade by Generals signs of

leaving for the Front within 2 weeks

hope so "sa yagona tiko i loma

ha owe sa mati vei oko lai lai'

Mar 21 Uneventful

        22 Went to Abbassia for 

remounts, passed Dead City etc, had

trouble getting fresh horses through

narrow streets

 of Native Towns

         23 Uneventful

         24        -

         25        -

         26         -

         27 Brigade scheme & sham

fight our wireless station (B) to

keep River Nile open for Communicate

         28 Uneventful

         29 General Parade.

         30 Uneventful

          31 Received news at 1.30pm

that 16 of us - wireless men - were

to proceed to Alexandria by 8AM

train next day. for Active Service
overseas: thought to be Dardanelles.
great excitement. also jealousy on
part of the Signal Stn. who were

left behind.

April. 1. Left Maadi for Cairo at
at 5. AM. Embarked with seb horses

at Stn. at 8. AM Cairo. left our
riding horses behind. deep regret,

left in the clothes we wore. no
change or any kit bags: evidently
we are for immediate service.

Arrived Alexandria at 8. P.M.
took horses to Camp A had tea

& saw town: Alive with French,
British Troops. camped for night

April 2. Embarked S.S. Paros.
German Boat: Easter Saturday

April 3. Easter Sunday. Same as
Xmas & New Years days spent

on Transport. bound for Lemnos