Diary of William Gordon Farquhar, 1915 - Part 1

AUSTRALIAN WA
RECORDS SECTION
CLASSIFICATION SUB SECTION
E 253/3 /.
WORKS Diary
QUINNS POST
Farquhar
xx Lt
Field Coy
xx2^nd Aus Div
The Official War Historian of the Commonwealth
Government (Dr. C. E. W. Bean), after his study of the
collection of private war records preserved in the Australian
War Memorial Library, wrote:-
"The private diaries in this collection furnish some of its most
valuable historical records, but, like all private memoirs which were
not compiled with any historical purpose, they should not be
regarded as first-hand evidence except where it is certain that they
are so. The diarist is almost always sincere in his desire to record
accurately, but he is subject to no obligation or inducement to
indicate whether he is recording his own observation or incidents
told him by friends or heard at third or fourth hand at the mess-table.
Thus, in some of the diaries in this collection, scenes described with
vivid detail, and without any warning that they are told at second
or third hand, have been found to be completely inaccurate in
important details. A certain number also have been written up
or revised long after the events, though doubtless usually from notes
made at the time. In most cases the student must rely on his
experience and on internal evidence to guide him in judging what is
and what is not likely to be historically accurate.

Monday. 13/9/15 Landed Anzac with Section at 21.30. proceeded to
Rest Gully and bivouaced.
Tues. 14/9/15 Section fixing up camp and getting stores up from
beach. During afternoon inspected Quinns with Lt. Butler.
Wed. 15/9/15. Started permanent trench party (1 N.C.O. & 3 Sappers).
Continuous shifts of 6 Sappers & N.C.O. Start at 17.00 repairing
and deepening main envelope. 50 bags tamping stored
in Rear Gallery. Enemy heard working at N^os 23 & 43.
Thurs.16/9/15. Shifts still working on main envelope. Find
arrangements for disposal of spoil unsatisfactory.
Enemy still heard working fairly persistently at same
places.
Friday. 17/9/15. Shifts up to 13.00 Still on envelope. 50 bags tamping
stored in and around N^o 25. First shift (9 men) of
fatigue party (1 Sgt 36 men) comes on at 13.00 and
with 4 Sappers start connecting up main envelope
on right of Post; working from both ends. Mullock
from faces raised through 1F & 1G Winzes and carried

out through Com. Trenches to M.G. position. Enemy
reported by listeners as being close to left arm of
N^o. 23. During the night reported that he was working
near N^o.38 but consider it was only surface sounds
that were heard owing to the shattered state of the
ground in that vicinity. All sounds of enemy at work
cease about 11.00. Ground exceedingly hard where  shifts
are at work. Rate of progress about 1 ft per 4hr. shift.
Supplying Infantry party on latrine shaft with drills
and explosives. L^t Butler leaves for left flank.
Sat. 18/9/15. No sounds of enemy during night. Shifts still
continuously on N^os 1 & 2 faces. Started 1 Sap
and 2 Infty, deepening main envelope near ID
Winze. Listeners report distant sounds at N^os 42 & 43
sounds commencing about 15.00. Slight delay owing
to shortage of candles. During the morning inspection
of Post made by Col. Elliott & Capt Sturdee. Heavy
rifle & artillery fire from enemy from 17.00 to 17.30.
Sunday. 19/9/15. No sounds heard during the night. Trench party
filling in some of the recesses which undercut the parapet
in N^os 5 & 6 Posts. N^os 1 & 2 faces still working. Started
N^o 18 at 21.00. No sounds heard during the day.
Mon. 20/9/15. Listeners report distant sounds during the
(1) night at N^o 43. One listener slightly affected with
bad air in N^o 44. Found the air there fairly good
on morning inspection. Trench party still filling
in undercuts and on ground repair work. New
mining fatigue replace old at 17.00 shift.
Same faces still working.
Tues. 21/9/15. Listeners report enemy at work near N^o 37
At 10.00 consider him about 4 or 5 ft distant.
Lay charge of 60lbs. Ammonal in face of right
arm. Tamping about 16 feet. Two electric detons
in Series and 1 safety fuse. Enemy ceases
work here at 12.30. Waiting for him to return
before firing. Mining shifts in same faces.
Trench party general repairs work.

Wed. 22/9/15. At 01.42 enemy explode mine above
face of N^o 18. Owing to depth of our gallery no
damage done. Start 09.00 shift on N^o 21.
Faces N^os 1 & 2 still working. Listeners report during
day sounds of enemy near N^o 43.
Thurs.-23/9/15. No sounds of enemy at work during night.
Start 1 Sap & 1 Inf. @ 13.00 opening out old sap at
rear of right of Courtney's Post for disposal of spoil.
At 17.00 break through main envelope. Start N^o 17
same shift and N^o 16. 21.00 shift.
Friday. 24/9/15 During the night no sounds of enemy at work.
At 08.00 he commenced again near the right
arm of N^o 37. At 09.45 explode mine laid
there on 21/9/15. Judging by explosion and the
small amount of back throw, consider the charge
has blown well forward and been effective.
Faces working. - N^os 21, 17 & 16. Sapping to edge
of cliff still proceeding.
Sat. 25/9/15. At 22.40 (24/9/15) enemy explode mine
a little to the left and above face of N^o. 17.
As before it blew to surface and caused no
damage. Sap. to cliff completed 01.00. Heavy
rifle and machine gun fire damage screens
considerably. Trench party occupied all day in
repairing same. Start infant. fatigue on
excavation for kitchens. Faces still working
N^os.21, 17 & 16. Enemy heard working during
day at N^os. 43 and 42. Some distance off.
Sun. 26/9/15. Trench party on screens & overhead
cover in support trenches. Sounds during
forenoon at 42 & 43. Faces working N^os
16, 17 & 21. At 20.00 listened at N^os 42 & 43 for 1
hour. Judge enemy to be some distance to left and
above face of N^o 42.
Mon. 27/9/15. At 08.30 Start 4 Sappers timbering Main envelope.
(2) Four extra sappers on trench work, fixing parapets
etc. 8 new fatigue men from infantry for mining.
(Total 44 - 1 Sgt), NO sounds of enemy mining.

Tues.- 28/9/15 - No sounds of enemy at work during night.
Trench party on screens and parapets. Fatigue
parties change over. At 17.00 shift start N^o 18 face
again; attempting to get beneath enemy's overhead
cover. Y's of N^os 16 & 17 proceeding. ½ doz. head lamps
procured. Finish food storage cut.
Wed. 29/9/15.- From 16.00 to abt. 20.30 enemy heard
working continuously at N^o. 42. Appears to be
to the left of N^o 42 face and above. No sounds
elsewhere. At 17.00 shift start N^o 21 again
N^o 16 being completed. Timbering main curtain
proceeding during day. Parapets and screens
being repaired. Inspection by Gen. Legge.
Thurs. 30/9/15. Repairs to screens & parapets as usual. Trial
screen of 1" piping erected. Appears satisfactory.
N^o. 17 stopped at end of 13.00 shift. N^os 18 & 21 going.
During night listeners reported distant sounds
right front N^o. 23. Timbering main curtain still
proceeding. At about 18.00 fairly close sounds
above N^o. 42; but work not continuous.
Frid. 31/9/15. 1/10/15. Trench party increased to 1 N.C.O and 20 men
Parapet work going fairly well. Found that
pipe screens are not satisfactory; two men cut
with flying chips owing to rifle fire on pipes.
During night face of N^o. 18 became very drummy.
Put augur hole in 18 ins. Probably so on account
of ground being slightly loosened by surface mines
fired by Turks. Work on screens becoming much
greater due to increased bombing and other fire.
During day no sounds anywhere of enemy at
work underground. Trenches inspected by
Major Sturdee.
Sat. 2/10/15. Bomb Screen party kept particularly busy
during day. Started sapping out to high ground
at right of post. Parapets & traverses being repaired.
N^os 18 & 21 still proceeding also timbering of
main curtain. At 13.20 enemy exploded surface
mine to right front of 17. Large crater formed
but no damage done to our workings. At 15.30
enemy again commences at N^o 42. About 10 to 15 ft
away. Also heard working at N^o 23 for short time.

Sun. 3/10/15. Screens & parapets as usual. Party sapping
N^o. 3 Sap (N^o 1 Post) on day work only. Allan on
timber work N^o 6 Post. Timbering main envelope
still proceeding. Faces 18 & 21 still going.
At 18.30 enemy starts work again at N^o 42 &
works continuously for about 6hrs. Do not yet
consider him close enough to blow. Sounds also
reported heard front of N^o 38. Nothing continuous.
Also worked intermittently during day right front
N^o 23. This may be a source of danger to N^o 21.
Visited Hd Qr. D.E with plans.
Mon.4/10/15. Screen & Trench repairs as usual. Infty party
(3.) 1 N.C.O and 5 men take over job of erecting screens.
Started work on overhead cover for M.G. Site.
Progress in faces 18 and 21 very slow. Timbering
main envelope proceeding During afternoon.
listeners reported sounds at 38 as though
tamping was being removed. Sappers work
double shift here cleaning out tamping as far
as the "Y" and listeners told to watch it carefully
during the night. In all probability it was
surface noises as ground about here is very
much broken. Party on N^o 3 sap absent
during day. No sounds at N^o 42 but enemy
works fairly consistently during day at
N^o 23. After dark recover 9 lengths 4" x 4"
attached to French wire in front of parapet.
Tues.- 5/10/15. Making and repairing bomb screens as usual.
Resetting up trenches & parapets also new M.G.
loop hole and overhead cover for same.
At 17.00 started new shifts (1 N.C.O & 5 men) on
Surface Tunnel; work commencing from I^D Winze.
Party on Sap N^o 3 still absent. Timbering &
cleaning out main envelope & N^os 44 & 38.
During afternoon enemy heard right of Face N^o 18
& a good deal above. Cannot be heard from 17.
At 19.30 he again starts at 42. Distance here
estimated at 7 or 8 feet.

Wed. 6/10/15. Parapets & loopholes and general trench
repairs. Bomb Screens as usual. One fitter on
pipe work at Monash Tanks 17.30. Two tumbler
hooks for Capt Arnold finished. Overhead for
M.G. still proceeding. N^os 18, 21 and surface
tunnel progressing. Start 17.00 shift cutting recess
at head of N^o 18 for charge. Timbering main
envelope & cleaning out tamping. Enemy heard
during day at N^o 23. Tamping taken out of N^o 38
as far as Y & light timber put in. Ground here
very much broken. No sounds during day at N^o 42.
N^o 18 completed at end of 17.00 shift.
Thurs. 7/10/15. Overhead cover for M.G. completed also
loop holes & parapet N^o 1 Post. Started new
bombing position in N^o 3 Post. Surface Tnl.
proceeding slowly; N^o 21 also going. Shifts which
usually work in N^o 18 put on cleaning out
tamping from N^os 44 & 37. Timbering main
envelope proceeding. During day enemy only heard
working opposite N^o 23. Indefinite sounds heard
in N^o 38 but most likely from surface.
At 21.00 Division reports enemy using gas on
right flank. See that all parties are supplied with helmets.
Frid 8/10/15. Last nights report re. gas inaccurate. Apparently
gas bombs were used. Trench and screen parties as
usual. Timbering and deepening Main envelope
proceeding. Parties on cleaning out tamping
from N^os 45, 37, 31 and 32. Bombing Pit in
N^o 3 Northern Post completed. Timber repairs to
Bomb Proof. N^os 21 and Surface Tnl. proceeding.
Enemy heard working consistently some distance
to left and above face of N^o 21. Also heard
from N^o 23. Probably same party. Started
party on officers shelter in N^o 1 Post support Trench.
Sat. 9/10/15. Work in N^o 21 ceased at 01.00. N^o 20 started
to take place of N^o 19 which was blown on 29/8/15

Withdrawal of tamping in N^os 37, 31 and 32
proceeding. Timbering Main envelope also going.
Small footage in Surface Tnl. owing to shifts
engaged in widening and deepening same.
Trench & Screen parties as usual. N^o 3 Sap
going slowly. Sprayer damaged by bomb
repaired. Only place enemy heard working.-
Right front of N^o 23 & left of 21: still some
distance away. Explosion felt at 17.15 which
was afterwards found to be one of ours at Courtney's.
Sun. 10/10/15. Withdrawal of tamping from listening
galleries already fired still proceeding; also
repairs to Main envelope. For part of the 24 hrs:
shifts still engaged in enlarging Surface Tunnel.
N^o 3 Sap progressing slowly. Repairs to parapets
and Bomb Screens. Finding that Screens are taking
a fairly large quantity of 3" x 3". Enemy still working
consistently between N^os 23 and 21. Officers shelter in
No. 1 Post completed. Sap Brownlee still on water
supply work.
Mon. 11/10/15 Work on Main envelope & listening Galleries
(4.) still proceeding. Face of N^o 20 into broken ground
caused by N^o 19 blow. Turning to left. Surface Tunnel
& N^o 3 Sap. moving slowly. Parapets & loopholes
in N^os 1 & 2 Posts. Bomb Screens still suffering.
Enemy still going hard between N^os 23 & 21. During
afternoon shell fire on M.G. in N^o 1 Post. Very
little damage to overhead cover. Inspection by Col. Elliott
Tues. 12/10/15. Work on N^o 20. Main envelope & listening
galleries still progressing. Timber work below
about complete. N^o 3 Sap going slowly.
Parapets, loopholes & Bomb screens as usual.
Odd timbering jobs in Fire trench. Enemy still
going hard between N^os 23 & 21. Now within
hearing distance of 22. He was also heard
from present end of N^o 44 some distance to
the front. During afternoon discovered him at work.
on excavation revetted with large rectangular mud bricks.
about 100 yards from N^o 2 Post. Considerable damage done
with Garland mortar. Trench catapult used for first
time & did excellent work

Wed. 13/10/15.  Bomb Screens, Parapets & General trench repairs.
Deepening & cleaning out Main envelope &
listening galleries. Stopped work on N^o 20 at 13.00
& started left arm from N^o 18 to cover front
of N^o 19. Surface Tunnel & N^o 3 Sap going very
slowly owing to difficult in getting spoil away.
Enemy working consistently at 23 & appears
to be driving parallel with our Main envelope.
Also hear him occasionally at N^o 44.
Thurs. 14/10/15. Bomb Screens, parapets & general trench
repairs. Finding that nearly all traverses of under
5 ft in width have to be cut right out &
replaced with sand bags owing to weight of parapets
causing them to break away from interior slope
of trench. Cleaning out & deepening of galleries
still in progress. Left arm of N^o 18, Surface
Tunnel & N^o 3 Sap still going. About 11.00 enemy
ceases work in front of N^o 23 & has not been heard
there or elsewhere since. A few stick mortar bombs
came over during day close to terraces but no damage
done. (see sketch)
Frid. 15/10/15. General trench repairs and removal of
earlier traverses. Not so busy with bomb screens.
Party on at night recessing N^o 3 Saps (2 - 2 men)
& building parapets. 10 Screens from N^o 4 Coy.
Main & listening galleries still being cleaned
out and deepened. Flynn's Party starting from
I G end. About midday enemy again commences
work underground. heard periodically between
N^os 35 & 34 & is working fairly consistently in
front of N^o 23 his nearest point at this place
being estimated between 6 & 8 feet.
Sat. 16/10/15. Demonstration @ 03.30 which draws heavy
rifle fire from enemy. Right arm N^o 18 and Surface
Tunnel progressing. Parapets & general trench repairs.
N^o 3 Sap loopholed. Deepening & cleaning out of
galleries still proceeding. At 03.30 enemy
ceases work at N^o 23. Listeners report hearing
sounds close to N^o 26 R, but very spasmodic.
From abt. 12.00 he has been working in a opts an
intermittent sort of way over our fronts between
N^os 21 and 38.

Sun. 17/10/15. General trench repairs & replacements of
sandbags on parapets. Two more loopholes in N^o 3
Saps. Surface Tunl: N^o 18 R. and work in galleries
still proceeding. Repairs to Firing line gas lamps.
Started on Magazine just inside mouth of Main
Tnl. During the day enemy has done very little
work underground & has approached no nearer to
N^o 23 R. He did a little work about 17.30 immediately
above face of N^o 18; probably digging in his own
trench.
Mon. 18/10/15. Parapets & general trench repairs.
(5.) Magazine excavation completed. Extending
dump cap in Courtney's towards the right on
account of lumps falling on kitchens below.
Started 09.00 shift on extension 16 L last
shift having completed N^o 18 R. Surface Tunnel
still proceeding. During the day enemy very
quiet below. At about 19.30 he starts in front
of N^o 23 & works fairly consistently for some
hours but does not appear to be getting
much closer. Has not been heard elsewhere.
During forenoon hostilities suspended while
exchange of goods (tobacco, jam, bully beef etc).
are made.
Tues.19/10/15. Sap in Courtney's completed. N^o 16 L and
Surface Tnl. proceeding. Parapets, traverses
and general trench repairs. Deepening of
Main envelope progressing. 350 lbs Ammonal
brought up & stored in magazine. Brownlee
still on water supply. During afternoon
enemy has worked fitfully on front between
N^os 23 and 21 but appears to be driving parallel
with our gallery. Still working here at 21.00.
Also reported as heard in the distance between
to left front of N^o 44. Bennett & Howells
leave.