Diary for Arthur James Adams, 1915-1916, Part 2 of 10

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Part of Quest:
Diary for Arthur James Adams, 1915-1916
Subject:
  • War Diaries
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000195
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

March 5 Monday Raving oligttey in moning. Rots. to Toman to lake mails, after dinner afterward rowing pound the naval brats & bousding the Lord Nelson for 2 hrs, get a fraguent hit of shrnell from him as she was fiw time iy shells. The being th soccond time she has been in for sep. Afterwards we rowl three men acros the Huffol Feel OK after the Hereise MMarch 3n. Sunday Prsemburgation practice at 10 an when there w pen from waste water from ship vents also un when getting ashore from boat charch through two & take boats again at 4 pm villiage hard race back, our boat just lavea pet paid 13/ at nigh winning March 10th Wd Prefare to disembar but owning to bad weather are prevented and get physical training instead, Kew through ay out I world letter in day S.Cman short hemself thoouy foot H is arrested in ship hospital for neglegence, Kain War news published March 14 Thurs Renonat t French naval bout t tranpty & hospital ships anchor here roimbark I march through villiages bagk at yo &gt Thort making himself a muscine In MMarch 12 Wasthines day for 3d 4 Cr. flest 90 flen taken ill. Row. found ashor boys as the conser, known to the Psion pennels of Woodberis or a/e of Packet
13 Mar Sat. & see more of the island, Jaming Eff March on to Kcl. L I men who have been Antwerp bock at 4.30 fm. Law bad accedpent wh unloneling ASc. horses uto barges for shore Concert at night San March 14th Pot ARCH. desembard Write onmorning & churgh parade at 230. sen) out of hospital March 15th Oon Dde day with 3rd March about 10 m. sin Cudros villiage, up hill where we got a gloryous niew of our bay I surrounding with fing panorama of Shippin whee I tak) a light sketch of. Dandlentles visible in distance W.. Wew Orderly March 16th Dies Reville pt. 3.30 am when we discoutia ashore with powing rain, the no parade soon counding & we return like drownion rats, Physscal Kenise in morning and afterwards go for a vow taken. our officers across to the Cnnie Kichuers which was tpedoed (cargoe of copra tumber & lately used as a seaplan transit Hole starld bow about 1 414 tumber gargs saved her from Combeing Return about 7 pm. Taking poulty & young mutton aboard: from Greeks March 14 WC. Hakeall patent whore at 10 ar to pt ftat Spend a few hours in Mudoos Vllegge with French iroofs, Algenan, Freign Vegion, &enegalor etc. Fine body of men. St Patorck concest aboard at night
March 18 Jhuns Fatues loading barges for A.H.i morning & finish day carring fifes ASC/& ACH go ashore Sir March 19 Pelevr. Washing day for 3d I c take W Davies a voats crew very dough more ACt ashore sheft on quarter from No 2 4 N5 hold Mar 20 Pat foo frough to go whose, many boats uoon transports get washe ashe from aft mooring I strasked upo beach Kan at interals no parades. Char 21st Hn Bad pews of Excan & Prreorotal Donvet Aneythast cosing 30 kelled wondend & Presistable beached. All these ere boats were lying to few doys ago March 22 Little dome Hasty press for y Birdwords inspiction out he did not very cold. MOrder board i Mar 23rd Fus book fatyin, a few bosing bouts afternoon in March 22. W. A.S.C. remainder went ashore takeng Jack Limpson place in boo crew. Charch 25th Ss. Foo rough for divembashing Mar 26 In wohon held work compay done Biy day & long march MMar 24th Saty Gq adhore & practioe embarking wounded but weither fets. so rough they we return before dinner
Sun March 28 Go ashore to wash clothe i crech as o fresh water aboard is ather fow back to denner & later ron vol of acft to Tomian March 29 Mon M.Bdely our Coyo go ashor aboard. We take suppliesf ofay Taffy chip March 3d 442 Daneleging, Physical Wll, lectures ct March 314t Wed. he worting our waggons mate tail boards for distencted Lare Atnotzalia mail Homes abourd first since Cain Apal 15t The Jokes galore over 1st Apr. Big mail in from Alexandoia get 11 letts & I paps wagons. while toep go yohos Wokon Affr 2nd Fri Wrte Ae parides bhurch venree at 2pr answers to all letts received Afor 3rd Pat. 8 vorkon Doys go ashore in morning & Sports in afternoon Den waggons enter for several have hand tcktong wim thee regaed race: boncert night when prizes we given by colonel. Aff 4 Su Ven wet and windy. Chyam comis alongse to tranfer troof & horses parade in morning, worton Church wagons in afternoon, Itewa night. Sleep in froad stlles with dies at Gerling & Echotalt Shep
April 5 Manday Din 5 Awful wit monune make coffin in Mo Ehold tween dick & finish late at night act 10/ backsheesh Apr 6th & nsdng screw coffen down, when he itatien ashore for. Crinal April 7th Wdoesly alda& I Sif purty come aboard ashin we transnp to Joman, and setting about all day everthon brutche for upside down S whore tt to my mutton and have a food tim with Frenchies Affit 8th Mirs Ye whore be stores with Cstenned have a & good time. with yars off Hussar & Dovat Gosik solen & sailors Home at Apnt ea of Malda. (nerlystin hat April 3 for Farate momoe when your men and laught rifle, etc. Transpat all ffulling of the use of Coate & looking business like. shall a leave comes alongside & aga in tun &Cha Suffol comes alongoide Affet 10 So Large Imperial troopshi Comp M. orderly in Rose bet over onr moving out to date Appril 1. Sun Chuch panade at Iam more Den hot day J Faser rluon comingin to the old squel Taking on fsh hores Seaplan giving a fin drsplanm] hasboun. AApril 18 M Went whon & did extended Reven and did a tittle washing the hill the brook Home at 6p
Afr 13 Tues Het day_ no parades April 12th Wed powed acron to Dirsm fr days landng Lacle stores and found 2 small parcels. Docks fo district & smokes & Collic Wolverty minee fuscte for Nother & Will, all broken of & sprult Fets (blook) which were isept on to Packea Hlexcandina Apuil 15t Ser Peuet day April 16 init bay a5 1 forl 1 Ge dohon for fored march oven the island hills in particular Return Jonian at 6pm and immediatel wery archor to move to entrance of bay droparchor Aprl 18th Sun No churc prvade. Frot cone of bacco play for troops &caplane gives a fine do about Shrs. Deautifil view as we antordy havbour. mann can ace boats. sruving about etc Dnaval in and our of the large mine from April 19 ofton A3 Franky from 1.A Coman to & find olightly better Devahan effecially on mess deck. W quarters near our old spot on finer now be sice of harbour about 23 Gack, Hins come aboard at 8.30 fom, from Occum & Prrecvistable April 25th M Lavy Morderly with Fen. Hadall days Do an April 21st to write home Deficung of exdipment Fitleramn aloon Cabin perade Concert 1 after Tent I Leepin 2
Cprel82. Oh Toditice desembarking vir Pestrofer Rebble in morning, and in afternoo we parade for the real more but weather gets up rough & we portpon same ffaming with Paro all evening Fri Aprel 23 Parade at I am when a fir firal order are read out, naval transforts going out of harbour in afternoon Leave Mudoos carly in afternoon on Sat pt 16 Ancho eff Imbros at night and tr nofer to Denrroyen Nibble at 11.30m, moonlift April 25 Sun Land ofpforts Hlvi Pair about 1-2 miles Nop Gaba Sepc. on lep flandf our division near Froherman Mut. 100 machin gun from profectin cloppin either flank cutt up ou awfully Occle & Hudson droffing head in front of my Mat Cmuinghan Jebs shot through thigh and while I am help him up vante he get tis other knce ashed up. I cannot get forthe Fugt) left him but he cannot stand it of ay down t dres hin there Bullets spitting all kund us even time we move, after dess hir we lay as though dead the fiving ceases. Then after about m which seemed yours the macfins guns were capture 8
and boys had reached Dick crest op first hells, I aw took OCarol arth a stretthe same fthen Sid Rosser & I aired him up the bank to where we laid all our cases out, without any cover 14 of our 28 hardl throw but cly putly cu settily by bullet but not a scratch 20 Peter Kilgan menng Marey Dressr field work & get over 140 in on left when our boys retere Station evacuale of us. & we have to in front for our, lives, Barry stretchen Javes round Hex Eestand coint & man Cases crawl: on hands to knew over 2 mily all packs left behind, I Gill Nos4 ent take the last 16 patients sound point in a boat, some ppel cases being among them ffins left to last on purpose. Inapnel awful Bullet pievees my oar about 12 from ny hand I much confsion sound the point that we could not land at once o thre our painter to a pronoc who took us peroso to blan Clle llny into would only take two light caves por us. We pick if J hasin P gnow Baton I vgi to row to Hopital ship Yascoyne, but another pinnace ovrtates u and pulls us alongside ie being dog tired Could not get abourd cup of tea I had to go strught back sun alongside Deorroyer We we which hies newly inthore with shrapef Cuntin
her. The has 15 Batt fill ovn tadie. & uses om bont for aboard for a boys ashove I stay on her hreffet hour I dres five cases from Sonithf meet beal. Rush, G Henderson, ctsa Nambour a little later Cecil. bullet through side of forchead nd senor for evening Have a job to find our crowd & for thousands are ashore now Wall stores + mules are everywhen but round to our landing floa cannot leight a voul, dy affon on Baton beach nar 1A.C.C.H. with Inow + R Jm Hem. Roused ap at 113 prack at do a fourney for patients. everythen 1230 and lay down again wet as rain began abovt 10p Monday Apil 26 Rprsed up at 3.30 Cam. move out to right flank & collect wounded under fire Penty of cases. Vee chadlufst kinge as sonvenir. Raming heary pt a every where sliffery. Homeat 8Da Reor until midday I event to be under five under shraprel all ridge home Potter shot through both way thigh (one fimoral) reach bech at y pr very tived & hungry. housed a/5 again at 10 pm when e go up Chudde Jully & get omothered in Pound. awy hard book naving to full bearers rego but of mire as they walk back at 2a Tues ay Tuesday Aprl 27 Rest until 530 am I are rouned + to dig ourselves in woach cliff. told of Kemp & I get together not
allowed to light a five all day Trankler sunk close dshore] all hands saved, Getting tied of Bull ben Go out up cuddy gully with at Che Whai who gits shott You hes eye & preasly sight of other afout 6 pom orn jaint ner not slightly Have to get under cover for ov a all nowr while shrapnel bussts over us just terrible. Advince to fiving yne about 10pm and yet a hard few cases, Dr Butter working po not Hookway goes home early see anthing of our N.C.O. Hory with patients about 2am. Good Sleep. bad in early momin shrapnel our very guiet aditter Apprl 26 Wd April 28th We Pautiful monying enfoyed but of bacon & cheese for treakfast, improve our dugont & rest watching Turks attengts to Shellour boats, some wonderful escapes, little damage done but at leprr near pt to collect from fiving had Bde Ad Hs plos collect from Br Butlen at Not chid ost home at fam Sharsafy Aril 29 quarters to right fank & afoend Fry by digging new hole under for day fiw hunting for Trrk super the in sporning. A 1B Fent Section comedohore at upn also detaile wryg or ferlies Cept Connick Fient Hall & Sol Ludton yo out at 6 pm with bapt Duchanan on right flant. Very wet night

March 8th Monday
Raining slightly in morning. Row to
Ionian to take mails, after dinner afterwards
rowing round the naval boats & boarding
the Lord Nelson for 2 hrs, get a fragment
of shrapnell from her as she was hit a 
few times by shells. This being the second
time she has been in for rep. Afterwards
we row three men across the Suffolk
Feel OK after the Xercise
March 9th Tuesday
Disembarkation practice at 10 am when
there is fun from waste water from
ships vents, also fun when getting
ashore from boat. March through two
villiages & take boats again at 4 pm
have a hard race back, our boat just
winning. Get paid 10/- at night 
March 10th Wed 
Prepare to disembark but owing to 
bad weather are prevented. and get 
physical training instead. Run through my 
kit & write letters in day, A S.C man  
shoots himself through foot & is arrested 
in ships hospital for negligence, Rain 
War news published 
March 11th Thurs 
Russian & French naval boats & transports 
& hospital ships anchor here. Disembark 
& march through villiages back at 5pm 
Sgt Short making himself a nuisance 
March 12th Fri 
Washing day for 3rd Fd Amb. Rest go  
ashore Pen taken ill. Row round 
Russian cruiser, known to the boys as the 
'Packet of Woodbines on a/c of 5 funnels 

 

13th Mar Sat
March out & see more of the island. Yarning
to RM L I men who have been at Antwerp
back at 4-30 pm Saw bad accident when
unloading ASC. horses into barges for
shore Concert at night
March 14th Sun
1st A.C.C.H. disembark. Write in morning
& church parade at 9.30. Pen out of
hospital
March 15th Mon
Bde day with 3rd. March about 10 mls
via Mudros villiage, up hill where we get
a glorious view of our bay & surroundings
with fine panorama of shipping. which
I take a light sketch of. Dardenelles
visible in distance W. Mess Orderly. 
March 16th Tues 
Revelle at 3.30am when we disembark 
ashore with pouring rain. the no- parade 
soon sounding & we return like drowned 
rats. Physical Xercise in morning, and 
afterwards go for a row. Taking our 
officers. across to the 'Annie Rickmers which 
was torpedoed (cargoe of copra & timber) 
& lately used as a sea plane transport 
Hole in starb'd bow about 12' x 14' 
timber cargo saved her from sinking 
Return about 1 pm. Taking poultry 
& young mutton aboard from Greeks. 
March 17th Wed 
Take all patients ashore at 10am to 1st Stat 
Spend a few hours in Mudros villiage with 
French troops, Algerian, Foreign Legion, Senegalese 
etc. Fine body of men. St. Patricks concert 
aboard at night  

 

March 18th Thurs
Fatigues loading barges for A.C.H. in
morning & finish day carving pipes
ASC & ACH go ashore.
March 19th Fri
Washing day for 3rd Fd Amb. Relieve
W Davies in boats crew. very rough & take
more A.C.H ashore. shift our quarters from
No 4 to No 5 hold.
Mar 20th Sat
Too rough to go ashore, many boats
from transports get washed ashore
from aft moorings & smashed up on beach
Rain at intervals. no parades.
Mar 21st Sun
Bad news of Ocean & 'Irresistable.' & Bouvet
Ameythist losing 30 killed & wounded
& Irresistable beached. All these
boats were lying here OK a few days ago 
March 22 Mon 
Little doing. Hasty prep for Gen 
Birdwoods inspection but he did not 
board us. very cold. M. Orderly 
Mar 23rd Tues 
Cooks fatigue, a few boxing bouts 
in afternoon. 
March 24th Wed 
A.S.C. remainder went ashore I  
taking Jack Simpsons place in boat crew. 
March 25th Thurs 
Too rough for disembarking 
Mar 26th Fri 
Big day ashore Field work company drill 
& long march 
Mar 27th Sat. 
Go ashore & practise embarking wounded 
but weather gets so rough that we 
return before dinner.

 

March 28th Sun
Go ashore to wash clothes in creek
as our fresh water aboard is rather low
back to dinner. & later row Col &
adjt. to Ionian.
March 29 Mon
M. Orderly our boys go ashore I
stay aboard. We take supplies from
Supply ship. 
March 30th Tues 
Bandaging, Physical drill, lectures etc
March 31st Wed
Re uniting our waggons, & making
tail boards for distinction
Large Australian mail comes
aboard. first since Cairo 
Apr 1st Thurs 
Jokes galore over 1st Apr. Big mail 
in from Alexandria get 11 letters & 11 paps 
Work on wagons while troops go ashore 
Apr 2nd Fri 
No parades Church service at 2pm. Write 
answers to all letts received 
Apr 3rd Sat 
Boys go ashore in morning. I work on 
waggons, Sports in afternoon, Pen & I 
enter for several, have hard luck & only 
win three legged race. Concert at night 
when prizes are given by colonel. 
Apr 4th Sun 
Very wet and windy. Nizam comes  
alongside to transfer troops & horses 
Church parade in morning. work on 
wagons in afternoon. 2nd Steward 
dies at night. Sleep in forrad stables with 
Shep, Gosling & Eichstadt. 

 

April 5th Monday
Awful wet morning; begin to
make coffin in No 2 hold, tween
deck & finish late at night
get 10/- backsheesh
Apr 6th Tuesday
Screw coffin down, when he is taken
ashore for burial
April 7th Wednesday
9th Inf party come aboard Malda &
we tranship to 'Ionian' , Washing
and sitting about all day, everything
upside down. Go ashore with butcher for
to buy mutton and have a good time
with Frenchies
April 8th Thurs
Go ashore for stores with C steward, have a
good time with Tars off Hussar & Bouvet
& Greek, soldiers & sailors Home at 6pm &
tea on 'Malda'. (nearly tin hat) 
April 9th Fri 
Parade in morning when our men are taught 
the use of rifle, etc. Transports all pulling up 
boats & looking business like. Malda leaves 
& Nizam comes alongside & again in turn 
Suffolk comes alongside 
April 10th Sat 
M. orderly. Large Imperial troopships coming 
in. Lose bets over our moving out to 
date 
April 11th Sun 
Church parade at 9 am. more troopships 
coming in. Very hot day. J Fraser returns 
to the old squad. Taking on fresh horses 
Seaplane giving a fine display in harbour. 
April 12th Mon 
Went ashore & did extended X'ercise up 
the hills, and did a little washing in 
the brook Home at 6pm 

 

Apr 13th Tues
Wet day - no parades
April 14th Wed
Lovely Rowed across to Nizam for 2 days landing
stores and found 2 small parcels, socks from
Wolverton district. & smokes & lollies mince pies etc
from Mother & Will, all broken up & spoilt
Packed kits (block) which were sent on to
Alexandria
April 15th Thurs
Quiet day.
April 16th Fri 
Quiet day. 
April 17th Sat 
Go ashore for forced march over the
island. hills in particular. Return to
Ionian at 6pm. and immediately weigh anchor
to move to entrance of bay & drop anchor 
April 18th Sun 
No church parade. First issue of bacca to 
troops. Seaplane give a fine display for 
about 3 hrs. Beautiful view as we  
can see outside harbour. submarines, 
& naval boats, cruising about etc, 
in and out of the large mine boom 
April 19 Mon 
Tranship from I.A 'Ionian' to A.3. 
Devahana, & find slightly better 
quarters especially on mess deck. We 
now lie near our old spot on inner 
side of harbour about 20 Jack Tars come 
aboard at 8.30 pm, from 'Ocean' & 'Irresistable' 
April 20th Tues 
Do an easy M orderly with Pen. read all day 
April 21st Wed 
Little rain write home. Deficiency of equipment 
parade. Concert & after Pen & I sleep in 2nd Saloon cabin 

 

April 22 Thurs
Practise disembarking via Destroyer
Ribble in morning, and in afternoon
we parade for the real move but
weather gets up rough & we postpone
same. Yarning with Tars all evening
April 23rd Fri
Parade at 9 am when a few final
orders are read out. naval & transports
going out of harbour in afternoon
Leave Mudros early in afternoon on 
Sat 24th April
Anchor off Imbros at night and transfer
to Destroyer Ribble at 11.30pm, moonlight 
April 25th Sun 
Land opposite Sari Bair about 1-2 
mile N of Gaba Tepe, on left flank of 
our division near Fishermans hut. Two 
machine guns from projecting cliffs on 
either flank cut up our men awfully 
Eccles & Hudson dropping dead in front 
of me. Mat Cunningham gets shot  
through thigh and while I am helping 
him up bank he gets his other knee 
smashed up. & cannot get further 
Try to lift him but he cannot stand 
it so lay down & dress him there 
Bullets spitting all round us 
every time we move, after dressing 
him we lay as though dead & 
the firing ceases. Then after about  
10 mins which seemed hours the 
machine guns were captured &

 

our boys had reached the
crest of first hills, Saw Dick
O'Carrol with a stretcher & took
same, then Sid Rosser & I carried
him up the bank to where we
laid all our cases out, without
hardly any cover. 14 of our 28 
getting hit. My putty cut through
by bullet but not a scratch 
Marney & Peter Kilgour missing. Do 
field work & get over 140 in Dressing 
Station when our boys retire on left 
in front of us & we have to evacuate
for our lives, Carry stretcher cases
round New Zealand Point. & many cases
crawl on hands & knees over ½ mile, all
packs left behind, F Gill S Rosser
Pen & I take the last 16 patients
round point in a boat, some awful 
cases being among them, being 
left to last on purpose. Shrapnel 
awful, Bullet pierces my oar about 
12" from my hand. So much  
confusion round the point that we 
could not land at once so threw 
our painter to a pinnace who took 
us across to Clan McGilvray, who  
would only take two light cases 
from us. We pick up J Fraser 
&  Snow Baton & begin to row 
to Hospital ship 'Gascoyne', but 
another pinnace overtakes us and 
pulls us alongside we being dog tired 
Could not get aboard for a cup of 
tea & had to go straight back 
We run alongside Destroyer 
Beagle which lies nearly 
inshore with shrapnel bursting 

 

all over her, She has 15th Batt 
aboard & uses our boat for taking 
boys ashore. I stay on her for a 
hour & dress five cases from shrapnel
meet Cecil Rush, G Henderson & Smith from 
Nambour, a little later Cecil gets a
bullet through side of forehead/not serious)
Have a job to find our crowd in evening  
for thousands are ashore now &
stores & mules are everywhere. Walk
round to our landing place but
cannot sight a soul. Lie down on
beach near 1st A.C.C.H. with Snow Baton
& Jim Hern. Roused up at 11-30 &
do a journey for patients. back at
12-30 and lay down again, everything
wet as rain began about 10 pm 
Monday April 26th 
Roused up at 3-30 am & move out 
to right flank & collect wounded, under 
fire. Plenty of cases. See dead Turks & 
get a knife as souvenir. Raining heavy 
everywhere slippery. Home at 8-30am 
Rest until midday & went to big 
ridge under fire & under shrapnel all 
way home, Potter shot through both 
thighs (one femoral) reach beach at 7pm 
very tired & hungry. Roused up again 
at 10pm when we go up Muddy gully 
& get smothered in mud, awful hard work 
having to pull bearers legs out of mire 
as they walk, back at 4am Tuesday 
Tuesday April 27th 
Rest until 5-30am & are roused & 
told to dig ourselves in beach cliff 
Cpl Kemp & I get together, not 

 

allowed to light a fire all day
Trawler sunk close ashore, all
hands saved. Getting tired of Bully & biscuit
Go out up Muddy gully with Capt
Mc Whae who gets shot and loses his
eye & nearly sight of other, about 6 pm.
Ern Gaunt gets hit slightly.
Have to get under cover for over a
hour while shrapnel bursts all
over us. Just terrible. Advance to
firing line about 10pm and get a
few cases, Dr Butter working hard
Hookway goes home early & do not
see anything of our NCO's, Home with
patients about 2am. Good sleep 
shrapnel bad in early morning our 
artillery very quiet 
April 28th Wed 
April 28th Wed 
Beautiful morning, enjoyed a bit of  
bacon & cheese for breakfast, improve 
our dug out & rest watching Turks attempts 
to shell our boats, some wonderful 
escapes. little damage done. Out at 6pm 
to collect from firing line near 1st 
Bde Hd Qtrs. also collect from Dr Butler 
at Rgt Aid Post. home at 2am. 
Thursday April 29 
Shift quarters to right flank & spend 
day by digging new hole under fir 
tree, Fun hunting for Turk sniper 
in  morning. A & B Tent Section come ashore 
at 4pm also details. waggon orderlies Capt 
Conrick Lieut Hall & Col Sutton. 
Go out at 6pm with Capt Buchanan 
on right flank. Very wet night. 

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