Photostat copies of letters from Charles Albert Barnes to his mother, 1914-1915 - Part 6

Monday 5^th

Very rough all day & unable

to do anything. We are alongside

the Molda & I again went to dinner

this evening. McWhae the Doctor

man is on board also another

W.A. Major Francis of A.S.C.
Tuesday 6^th

At work all day with Molda

taking in waggons on one side

& on the other receiving horses from

the shore. There are to be about 350

put on. Will be working very late
7^th

Turned in at 1.30 a.m. Shick

up all night. The Molda has gone

away & left us to allow the Suffolk

to come alongside. Busy all day

transhipping stuff. The other

transports are beginning to arrive

again. It almost looks as if there

is a liklihood of moving. Saw

all of our fellows on the Suffolk

Expect to join them tomorrow

No chance of going out for a row or

on shore these days.

We are to go over to Suffolk
35

tomorrow so we're all busy getting

ready
Thursday 8^th

On Suffolk, came over just in 

time to get settled in time for lunch

The mens quarters are better than on

Nizam but I dont think they will

like it so well as on the smaller boat

Said Goodbye to Capt Benson &

Mr Morrison (Chief Engineer) of the

Nizam The latter is a real Scot &

very entertaining with his yarns

& the Skipper too has some good ones

Im sorry to leave them. My cabin

on the Suffolk is not so good as the

Nizam but is not so bad, one bad

thing about them all is that they

open direct into the Saloon which

certainly is old fashioned to say the

least Have spent the afternoon

getting things settled down for

the men.

35

Friday 9^th

The Engineers who were on this ship

have left so we are the only troops

on board except for a few A.S.C.  Have

not been ashore but was able to do a 

little drill on board. Wonder when

a mail is coming there ought to be

another few letters roaming round

f somewhere for me still.  Have been

going thro the last batch over &

over again.
10^th

Went ashore today & very glad to

stretch my legs again I can

assure you.  Ships are arriving

continually & the Divisional H.Q.

have now arrived in the Minnewaska

a boat belong to the Atlantic Transport

Line who not own the Manhattan

She's a very fine ship much different

from my old friend. Have not heard

yet of South & Co since I left Egypt

Spose he will be along directly

Sunday

Had Church Parade by Capt

The Ven. Archdeacon Richards

who I think I've referred to before

No band but the singing was

vigorous to say the least.  Have

been overhauling my personal

gear. Several more ships are

in today among them some

huge Atlantic liners.
Monday 12^th

Had to pack up all spare stuff 

today so Ive said goodbye to

bunk & camp bed simply keeping

the valise, will be very short of

clothing from now on which is

inconvenient to say the least

Imagine what happens if I

lose the only spare set of

underclothing left. Spose we'll 

get through.

The 16^th Bn is now in, on the

Australind a ship well known

in Fremantle. Portions of them

I hear are on the Haida Pasha

a German prize. Have packed 

away all developed films (about 

36) in the trunk I hope they

don't get taken while at the base

I have no hope of sending them

as its not allowed.
36
13^th Tuesday

There's nothing to talk about 

except preparation. This is going to

be a tremendous  effort & I think it

will need every man English

French & Australian that can be

put in to the firing line. We hear

that the Peninsula is very heavily

strongly held & entrenched from

one end to the other as I expect we

will get a very warm welcome

from Mr Turkey & Co. However you

will have heard all about it long

before I am able to send this

spasm along. We now have

maps of the Country & it looks to
say the least a dead tough
proposition Hope its not going to
be a very long job as I would
personally like to be sent on to
the French & Belgian front

36
Wednesday 14^th
We are now getting more busier
every day The scheme so we hear
is for us to be placed on warships
& taken up to wherever it is decided
to land & then we are to be towed
in Ships boats as close as the big
the naval piquet boats can get
After that we will be left to our own
devices Hope we manage to get
ashore all O.K. as I think it will
be job to shift our [[?]] when they
do get there. We are going to do some
practising getting into boats from
warships so that every man will
know where his place is  Oh its
great fun when the Colonel
directs these operations.
15^th
It has been decided that our
Brigade goes first Two Companies
go on the London (battleship) &
two on destroyers Doctors & nurses
are to be on the latter so we will
have a giddy time of it when
we get near the within range of
the enemy's big guns but a source

of joy is that th our naval
guns will be firing over our
heads to cover the landing
Bns of A & C Coys which go on
the London have been
practising today.
Friday 16^th
Wish I could get ashore again
We have taken a lot more troops
on board & everyone who is anyone
is beginning to wear a look of 
mystery writ all over him
Wonder when we are going to move
This is a temperance ship now
At first they had a small stock
but its all gone the first whisky
then beer champagne other wine
brandy gin & liquours in the 
order named. Our choice is 
now Coffee tea lime juice &
water, very extensive isn't it
Some more practising stunts
today.
37
17^th
The Colonel & Adjutant are daily
going to & fro from the flagship
& as we are a store ship we are passing
out stores of all kinds night & day
Shick & Jackson are in good form
but like the rest of us would
thoroughly appreciate a drop of
Swan or Emu. Wonder when
we will get one Ast
Sunday 18^th
Archdeacon again today & he
particularly asked us to
remember the text 2 Tim. 2. 3
This afternoon Carter & Miller of
the 16^th came over to see us South
is with Miller on a ship apart
from the others & Miller tells me
he is quite well now. Very glad
to hear it. Wish I g could get over
to see the old beggar but our
old man is not very friendly in

37
regard to boats. Its most difficult
to get away except on duty Far
different from the Nizam.
I think I told you Reilly has now left
me having taken over the Signallers
I now have as Second in Command
Capt Tulloch who came on here with
some of our reinforcements  He is a
good fellow & I think a fine officer.
I told you in one of my letters that I had
seen Dirk Warnecke. He came with
Capt Tulloch & tells me that Arthur
South has joined the 16^th
Monday
Some more practising disembarking
today & I had a long yarn with a naval
Officer Birney by name who is connected
with the Birneys of Welshpool. Good
chap too. Going ashore tomorrow for
which accept my thanks.
20^th Tuesday
Had a fine run ashore  Took the
Coy & did an eight mile march
with a good deal of hill climbing
The wind has got up hard again
& it took a long time to reach the
shore. When we got back to the
beach found the sea rough &
only one of our boats had been

able to get away from the ship
I had 180 odd to get back & there
were two other Coys of ours there
too. While waiting for the boats
we yarned with some Officers of
the Munster Fusiliers 1^st Battalion
& there was a happy meeting between
Croby & them as he knew them well
as did also Darnell The wind got
very cold & by the time we got back
to the ship we were almost perished
The other Coys had to wait for a
mine sweeper (North Sea trawler in
private life) to come & take them off
The Munsters were in a bad way
as they bot were in shirt sleeves
having just came as gone ashore for
a walk & to wash. Their Second
Battalion has had a fearful
time After the Mons retreat & the
fight on the Aisne they had 1 officer
& 20 men left. The Officer was wounded
& in a lunatic asylum Small
wonder.
Wednesday 21^st
Woke up finding it raining very hard
& the wind stronger, than it was last
night. A destroyer came alongside
& the Chilimer & we had to go aboard
38
Am glad to say the rain was
holding up for the time being &
we got through all right Its been a
beastly wet day tho & accordingly
pretty average miserable. This
evening some of the 16^th Bn came over
& told us that there's a big mail on the
Hymettus which arrived today. She
by the way is aground & up to the
present is has not yet got off.
We have an idea that we will
probably be off tomorrow so I sent
a lot of stuff post cards to you all
as I dont know when there'll be
another chance. We anticipate a
lot of trouble when we try to land
but of course might easily be mistaken
The men are all as keen as
ever. Two Confc The West Australian
Coy of the 12^th Bn has come on board
so we they were in Blackboy with
us.  Capt Lalor is in command

38
of them. The Colonel, Major Roberts
& the Adjutant are over on the Molda, gone to
a pow wow with the Brigadier & its nearly
11 p.m. Wonder if they will bring anything
definite with them. Anyhow I'll say
Goodnight & go to bed. Their orders can wait
until morning.
Thursday 22^nd
Today I had another practise disembarking
into a Destroyer the Chilmer & then to
small boats. had a very good time in
the process This evening the Colonel
read a Proclamation which is published
to the Turks promising all sorts of things if
they behave We have all drawn
ammunition & 3 days rations & it may
be we move tomorrow. I am not allowed
to carry this diary on the person so am
sending it back to the base in charge
of a reliable man with instructions to
send it to you if he has an opportunity
We are apparently in for a hot time
from the intelligence which has
come to hand. Just for fear of a rush
will conclude this with my best love
to you Mum & all.
Your affectionate Son
Charlie
Am in fine form & absolutely well
so dont worry

Friday 23^rd
Have left Mudros Harbour 2 p.m.
& am getting outside to watch our
escort to battleships cruisers &
submarines with destroyers. Its a
beautiful sight & one I'll never
forget. Am just packing this
up to send back to the base at
Alexandria
Best Love again
Charlie
Every [[one?]]  [[            ?]]  that we
will probably be fighting before
dawn [[tomorrow?]]
Captain C A Barnes
11^th Bn 1st A.I.F.
Please forward to
Mrs W. Barnes
Johnson St
Guildford
Western Australia
[*Diary of the late
Capt. C.A. Barnes*]