Diary for Arthur James Adams, 1915-1916, Part 4 of 10

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • War Diaries
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000195
Difficulty:
3

Page 1 / 10

"Thu Jun e Tushs do a deal of ham on berch with then shelp in daytiom. Up gully at night Junr 23th fe. Jusks Nowrtzer shells too constant today their bonls doing much damege lso Hld atteck by I at Quins. fn all night with crom Brotherton t. Bsa to to Co Bronnan of 2nd L.H. Sd O. June 26th S. 2nt L.H. H. chule settern to Simnor at I am, Many casualation on beagh DOCarrol T. Daly & rest have committee meeting; he on brach SC. Home at 12pr with A Junr 24th S. Very hot Sadl day, gully at night attack of diarliea Jun 28 Oon &F.Y Lt Horse mak a shii 5 attack on right to draw Ieenforcments from point where we are landing more troop LH casnelatie about 300. June 29th Ses Deary Combardmtent near pont all day Up gully awful hot June 30 W Havi dis before meakfast, sea very rough Major Dion takes up duty on gully oketch for Mr Zoc again, yo found right flank trenches & have a tak round Dick Duly, but have with sence near escapes from shrapnel corn back Meet D. Hartley foom 9th dtail whe is taking cover I navea Yam
July 1t hu Have a rest all thay with degrhae t bellions attack July 2nd Inr 24 Buthdan, feel an getting, old Workup Segully viry hot t Fawhar July 3 Sat Deceind letters & cards from he onge &e bythday wishes £4.2 A Rept rich, senre ipont of Mspital ot night quiet day July 5th Ola Dyot stande myself. Fuly 6 s Dysenty only cat a little NC July 4th Wea Neary fom barelment from cach oile new hourties at foot of hill July 8th Thu Landen las ne with but tene Harry him a cing-song send off. in we giv his duy out. July 3th the Yet a very leury night up Gully Dysentin very bad July 10th Pet Make a fram for to hold of notice on foard anso make some fish kooks & spend 3his with yne at bait bully flount worl no luck night. July 12 Hen Pettory dagore & wood clear re in dlecd out in morning, Pervice outfide hosportad at night also heavy firing feel vny weake
July 12 Oon Gest twe fapen t forl letter bay on pasrel Arofical weather, Ciptire a trunch at secim in early monning Work up Se gully all night. July 10th Su Mahe another complaint to adft. about parcel camefife for SSgt Mt Gerold Wed July. 12 Work of gully in ttripreal heat fill daw July 15th Hhurs. Little doing in day, A Jacob. Haude Hawson Gill, come ashore from Frawler vatch couple of small bream at night July 16th Fr Major Butter, Chargate Allior T Armitage Pasty I reot of Ptent Section Dom hore psh for breakfan tade of tenned foul at dinner with Sgr Anderson Juley 17th fal Our spuad & conays uf- gully abl day killed dawhar vey bad & aster 8th Barty July 18th Sun Generall clean up. Receive a letter for Pens Chilbonine May Samunt 135 Westoarth -girl at Northaote Melbon Philled hoavely big Tuks hourtzer all afternoon write to M. Service at night after which C Belonge but again (in abolomien & arm July 13th Mon Patigi all day heaving Kellingat ight Qel Jty 20 Sues LH butting haw ill morning & went 6 Epellet morning & find that to Daly got in rack and is in bytt Calos Wuguifut from one in side, A Scok returned returned Shell of for hore with clot of blood in leg marvelour escapes camp again
July 2h 6 bad prepare everywhen for by t attack our whole squad up gully ch fatigm in day July 22nd. Then All stancting to anns for attact by gou duels shills every whot We was gully with Cseation July 25th for Fatiques all day all expeetation everywhen Prish observed reinforcing strond July 24th Sat Bis shells doing a deal of damag aga With two squads up gilly, very brong time yoneers cookhonoe near i Fon up by lasge pothall cannot ball 4 theck W. Ireland sent anay with scald & shock Mc Lean afor sent away July 25th Sun Col Sutton leaves camp for ce after giving fanwell speech it service Juby 26 Mlon Fatigies all day, Spells of forngall while July 24 Sis Put nof on officels mers, & cover in sides with lust trelle hear Turks aupplai ven shilling July 28th Wed houritien nearly get t howety Sucks of our hell Tuk aexplan at foot bnoy with bomls. July 23 her Fark aerotland gwes a five difflay of the top ov the sea at about leossing Work up gully. Trsk enplan 3000f bombr & darts deppr Gount gets but in hand leave Fore You Lems
July 20th In Fnow Daton t myself go rom left fank to get detail of I Snell y Henderson & find George died at dressing station, & P. Swell shot in any first t other wounds unferoun Rush still away Smithowa sick Stomonth made lieutenant fall at A Sc on return when acsoptlne pfor bombe Just close. Get some former off Fite I have same for the with Stof Invry Baton by 31th Pal Fefill & cremy take up ad oul onother aid of hill, I cha plac out will Dembr & darts doop about inflety God Bole capture a line of Henche on right August 1st Su P. Gully all day very fot. Tank Up very hum but does little damage Attengts to Comb Gloncester Sastle Hospoital. Shyp August 2nd Mr Ben dgany new D Statu up ftry gully on on right next froop at a lot of impenal Landr night a then August 3 ay/ Layglouit fo myself Secd transfer to 2nd Jd. Co. KEngrs & are accepted by Mafor Masten Co. Mly fook Stated owful sie, Ergging dreasing uf gully at night, Sidy day freom L. cutting ffaur for of logs
Angus & Hed Degge Distation if sam fully preparations ver mad fora lay more Thowands of In tr coming ashore P.W. Bordeven, Wilts Chishire Welst Fos, ctc yuica. SW.Hman feed at tea all of then have a good diarhan Heary shells all ofe us I several of the new troop hille August 5th Ofur Cannot walk with bad fer. bt temp to. Tent with thow warr to H ship. G. Castle aing afout 2 fm Turks attack trenches paptioe on Tat night & ane driver by ne back with heary losses of night August 6 Fre mor woundd & cail et 230/ Take of arrive Tenines at 5 pm. take u more patients from Lemnos. August 7th Sat Anchored all day at entrunce to Vonavell Limnos Island which is full & transport boat some of which damgse been beached owing to have sean for Alex at 8pm. Augud & S deate for a jew hours in daytin Get on I Light Horse volonel vuri about. medday Cunals taking place over stern of ship every day (seven yesterday Cngust 3 M. Up on dick at I am I infor seem the cloudg sunnoe open sed today August 10 Ous op about deck n day, carving pipite Arrive Alexandina it 6p, usual luntle Attention Hfaming with Wallaca lackin You bost from msses aw fully
AArgust 11. e Cntradin for Cais at 1noa ffdl andon at 4-15 when we are met with ta t brinits by Rd Cross worhers f he not and journey by Ambmftor transpor to talace Hotel Helipolis, Oflect your Havris of Dowban there and folr your over foor old Pen, Vent toporbidg Hlit M 3 Anvillian Hopital where we receive every attention from Moter Knss in Clo) Oledical ward. This pard liky a hege bush house matting roof Cholds sovis $5006- 600 patient. Ambulance in Red foss train India every attention give August 12 Aun Anstration nerves every time sa F. Sect. Ron Anold in Palace Hotel where I get clean clothes, He is neevsing order Aug 13 In Quiit day Meet Frank nook in hospital I Stroll in Helepol at night o Ballantyno with 3t. 24p Aug 14th Say Sroe avound Helpoles in afternoon &sce little wonderful Havit town and get back ck i 12 in Ay 15 Offir Oothing of note Aug 16 Con Tre into Cairo with I Berch Call Mers at Goldiers Home & pear that Maconochii has left for Alyandor Wellie Affendonte still then lok of facer about which I remember: See the old bschekia tringle Thy Sayga is a complete dreck vall at P.O. for parcels pall tomrrow
Fus AAug 14 fook round Wassa & back steet who on my pat Fnd Manana colls when I tell her of on deat gam. lose 4/- Ches Rohunofd Have a in Eschkish Gardens & later wheren Helief-mee faffory of old Ston with a friend andwhile we are rgvinga dunk of Koyal, some bout looks fo fight and gets it, No pariels fu ain CAug 18 Wed Joet & po to Cairs & Call for Harcels but get none. Fram out to Ellenn carp wonderful change CA. 12 Ths Motor & Dabct lonke station & toan to Helman, where we march to VH. Haat Hotel rgeplain building pon floor about 1800 occupants Mest b Hfwvelaghin Ang 20 H Get a par and havia wok bonpa Delown, very queet plec browd leavingt more comn Chuy 21 S doll about all day viry not, usual exchange of patients fort hame. Your Aug 22 Church Parate in £ Sinn Fit, 10 am, W. Lowell gos to Letonn Tenice on balcong at pm Aug 23 on Luth doing in daytine Pother good show of patures at night bomitiful mornugnt. Wte vising fast AAng. 24 Tues Pack up and get away yo Helgnn at I am ane at Letoan at 1am Hehpole to Sporng Clek Go in Hospital
Ie in afternoon. Meet Dernasd You Namobotton Eropend Harris after ted with them Homein grant large worden shanty Sleepn Ang 20hed at tow with oo, no parcih Go int 680. Call on Tra. I have ta there Oback train & gharric AAng 26t Thun Have t meet Prote Hempintor o mis herbut meet A. Naw I fove fan with German coat of aoe Hom together hy train & ghance Ang 24th Fo Gour town in afternoon I buy pacture Sfog ister Kenf geti a par of preturs gor mother of get cases made of tin for same. ball in to see Aother Holpr at Sport blub home at 10 pr Ang 28 Sat. Coual parsdes. Have my Watch repaired. Post picture home) also letter Oanno get some regrstered in Hoool in town with Jen Kamobottom. have a guet look round Chy 23 4 to tydamids Ge of Jatigin in morning I in afternoon with. C Holdawiy & hs brother chec J Pratley & have good paon about old mate who have recently been fit 13 killed Home at 11pn in gharry Ang 35th Oton Fallin acverl times duving was n0 pay is Spected. Go into Oans H losa for a hous back to Felipohs & tay a hour nome p 1030 Pyranids to see concest at des
Chy 8r afe write Manol parader in day pay 10/ home & several to Austala, fo into Cairs at night a say good fet Rosa O Sept 15t Fatne in daytiy little don otherwise, very not 2ad Sers Sept Jatury vaytum pree d Guard at night at Lctorn, Nv good vide on homes of vedcaps Sept 6. t - Dav Eetoungotation it 10 a and arrive Tus at 5 pm &eah camp about pm. Goin at night little doing Je 4 Fat Vrite sseveral letter as odd duteedin at Guard over canl crowing day night Sept 3 Sim Ga it banl Borng all pay any night fish in canal at inpervals Sp 5 on for Duny duving day) Go Sr tan lone walke among garder flongside or Nile Feed of grapes in a vineygrd Short a large kngpohm with a fpreekes yun Homa sn in gea I sport by worthh around Tuey with a ffeter from Gruiven Strell HoM. Fox. Walk round wayie with the olice argunt at 12 pm Oett 4th Su Police on truine betwee o Ca Sues 2 Ht Jewfit nothing sarthing loe P.75 fom out of his tume pocket Irish Iuspicions cannot be proved on the culpoit.

June 24th Thurs
Turks do a deal of harm on  beach with
their shells in daytime. Up gully at night
June 25th Fri
Turks howitzer shells too constant today
their bombs doing much damage also
Mild attack by T at Quinns. Yarn all
night with Norm Brotherton & say ta ta
to Y.Brennan of 2nd L.H. Fd Amb
June 26th Sat
2nd L.H. Fd. Amb return to Lemnos at
3 am. Many casualaties on beach.
D.O'Carrol, D. Daly & rest have —
committee meetings, Met on beach
with A.S.C. Horne at 12 pm
June 27th Sun.
Very hot day, gully at night. Bad
attack of diarrhea
June 28th Mon
5th, 6th & 7th Lt Horse make a sham
attack on right, to draw T reinforcements
from point where we are landing more
troops, L H casualaties about 300.
June 29th Tues
Heavy bombardment near point all day
Up gully, awful hot
June 30th Wed
Have a dip before breakfast, sea very rough
Major Dixon takes up duty in gully
sketch for An Zac again. Go round to
right flank trenches & have a look round
with Dick Daly, but have some
near escapes from shrapnell coming
back. Meet B. Hartley from 9th details
who is taking cover have a yarn

 

July 1st Thurs
Have a rest all day with
diarrhae & billious attack
July 2nd Fri
27th Birthday, feel am getting old
Work up S. gully, very hot & diarrhae
July 3rd Sat
Receive letters & cards from home one
re birthday wishes.
July 4th Sun
Report sick, service in front of hospital
at night, quiet day.
July 5th Mon
Dysentry . . starve myself
July  6th  Tues
Dysentry. only eat a little rice
July 7th Wed
Heavy bombardment from each side
new howitzer at foot of hill
July 8th Thurs
Harry Lauder leaves us. with bad knee
we give him a sing-song send off in
his dug out.
July 9th Fri
Get a very busy night up S Gully
Dysentry very bad
July 10th Sat
Make a frame for to hold Co notices
on board. also make some fish
hooks & spend 3 hrs with line at
night. bait bully, flour & wool no luck.
July 11th Sun
Setting razors & good clean up in dug
out in morning, Service outside hospital
at night also heavy firing. feel very weak

 

July 12th Mon
Got two papers & four letters but no parcel
tropical weather. Capture a trench at
Quinns in early morning. Work up
S. gully all night.
July 13th Tues
Make another complaint to adjt about
parcels. carve pipe for S. Sgt Fitz'Gerald
July 14th Wed
Work up gully in tropical heat all day
July 15th Thurs
Little doing in day, A Jacob. Claude Dawson
B. Gill, come ashore from Trawler
Catch a couple of small bream at night
July 16th Fri
Major Button, Margate. Allison  T. Hart
Armitage, Pasty, & rest of C tent section
come ashore, fish for breakfast & taste of
tinned fowl at dinner with Sgt Anderson
July 17th Sat
Our squad & Andy's up gully all day
diarrhae very bad. F Carter 8th Batt killed.
July 18th Sun
General clean up. Receive a letter from Pen's
girl at Melbourne Mary Tarrant 135 Westgarth.S.
Northcote. Melbourne. Shelled heavily by
Turks howitzers all afternoon. write to M. T.
Service at night after which C., Taylor gets hit
again (in abdomen & arm)
July 19th Mon
Q M fatigue all day. heavy shelling at night
July  20th  Tues
Cutting hair all morning, & visit 6th Lt H in
morning & find that D Daly got 7 pellets
in back and is in Egypt also Wiggins just
returned from one in side, A. Jacob returned
for home with clot of blood in leg. Shell our
camp again  marvelous escapes

 

July 21st Wed
Stomach bad. prepare every where for big
attack. our whole squad up gully. do
fatigue in day
July 22nd Thurs
All standing to arms for big attack
big gun duels. shells every where
We work gully with C section.
July  23rd  Fri
Fatigues all day all expectation everywhere
Turks observed reinforcing strong
July 24th Sat
Big shells doing a deal of damage again
With two squads up gull, very busy
time. Pioneers cookhouse near us blown
up by large football cannon ball
2¼" thick  W Ireland sent away with
scalds  &  shock, Mc Lean also sent
away
July 25th Sun
Col Sutton leaves camp for Alex after
giving farewell speech at service
July 26th Mon
Fatigues all day, Spells of firing all while
July 27 Tues
Put roof on officers mess, & cover
in sides with bush trelli,  heavy
shelling. Turks aeroplane busy
July 28th Wed
Turks howitzer nearly got big howitzer
at foot of our hill.Turk aeroplane
busy with bombs.
July  29th  Thurs
Turk aeroplane gives a fine display of
looping the loop over the sea at about
3000 ft, Work up gully. Turk aeroplane
dropping bombs&  darts
Cm Gaunt  gets hit in hand  &  leaves
for Lemnos

 

July 30th Fri
Snow Baton & myself go round to
left flank to get details of F Snell
& G Henderson & find George died at
dressing station, & F. Snell shot
in arm first & other wounds unknown
Rush still away Smith away sick
Stormouth made lieutenant, Call at
A S C on return when aeroplane drops a
bomb just close. Get some prunes off
Staff  Fitz & have same for tea with
Snowy Bayton
July 31st Sat
F. Gill & Kempy take up a dug out
on other side of hill, I clean place out
well. Bombs  &  darts drop about in plenty
3rd Bde capture a line of trenches
on right.
August 1st Sun
Up S. Gully all day , very hot. Turks
very busy  but does little damage
Attempts to bomb Gloucester Castle
Hospital ship
August 2nd Mon
Begin digging new D Station up
next big gully on our right
Landing a lot of imperial troops all
night
August 3rd Tues
Ted Langlount & myself apply for
transfer to 2nd Fd Co Engrs & are
accepted by Major Martin C.O. My foot
awful sore. Digging dressing station
up gully at night, Tidy up in
day time & cutting hair
for our boys 

 

August 4th Wed
Digging D station up same gully
big preparations being made for a
move. Thousands of Imp troops coming
ashore. S W. Borderers  Wilts Cheshires
Welsh Fus, etc Give a S W B man
a good feed at tea all of them have
diarrhae Heavy shells all over us
& several of the new troops killed
August 5th Thurs
Cannot walk with bad leg. big
temp too. Sent with ¼ hour warning
to Hos ship G. Castle arriving about
2 pm. Turks attack trenches captured
by us on Sat night & are driven
back with heavy losses (at night)
August 6th Fri
Take up more wounded & sail at 12-30 pm
arrive Lemnos at 5 pm. Take up more
patients from Lemnos.
August 7th Sat
Anchored all day at entrance  to
Lemnos Island. which is full of naval
& transport boats. some of which
have been beached owing to damage
Leave for Alex at 8 pm
August 8th Sun
Get on deck for a few hours in daytime
A Light Horse Colonel buried about
midday. burials taking place over stern
of ship every day (seven yesterday)
August 9th Mon
Up on deck at 5 am I enjoy seeing
the cloudy. sunrise open sea today
August 10th  Tues
Hop about deck in day, carving pipe etc
Arrive Alexandria at 6 pm, usual bustle
Yarning with Wallace Attention
on boat from nurses awfully lacking

 

August 11th Wed
Entrain for Cairo at 12 noon and arrive
at 4 - 15 when we are met with tea
& biscuits by Red Cross workers. taken
rest and journey by Amb motor transport
to Palace Hotel, Heliopolis. Meet young
Harris of Brisbane there and have a
yarn over poor old Pen. Sent to Sporting 
Club No 3 Auxilliary Hospital where we
receive every attention from Sister Kemp
in No 1 Medical ward. This ward
like a huge bush house netting roof
holds some 500 to 600 patients.
Indian Ambulance in Red Cross train
give every attention .
August 12th Thurs
Australian nurses every time say I ! Meet
Ron Annold in Palace Hotel where I
get clean clothes, He is nursing orderly
Aug 13  Fri
Quiet day. Meet Frank Rooke in
hospital. Stroll in Heliopolis at night
& see Ballantyne with 3 stripes up
Aug 14th Sat
Stroll around Heliopolis in afternoon
& see little wonderful  Have tea
in town and get back  back way) early
Aug 15th Sun
Nothing of note
Aug 16th Mon
Trip into Cairo with J Birch. Call
at Soldiers Home&  hear that Miss
Maconochie has left for Alexandria
Nellie Affendoule still there. lots of
faces about which I remember.
See the old Esebekia triangle
The Wazza is a complete wreck.
Call at P,O. for parcels (call tomorrow)

 

Aug 17th Tues
Look round Wassa & back streets
on my pat. Find Mariana who
cries when I tell her of Pen's death
Have a gam. lose 4/- Meet Ron Arnold
in Esebekiah Gardens & later when in
Helios –  meet Gaffney of old 'Linton' with
a friend and while we are having a
drink in Royal, some lout looks for
fight and gets it. No parcels in Cairo
Aug 18th Wed
Joe & I go to Cairo & call for parcels
but get none. Train out to Mena camp
wonderful change.
Aug 19th Thurs
Motor to Bab-el-louk station & train
to Heloua,  where we march to Al, Hayat
Hotel, Large & plain building sleep on floor
about 1000 occupants. Meet W. Towel again
Aug 20th Fri
Get a pass and have a look
round Helouan, very quiet place
Crowd leaving & more coming
Aug 21st Sat
Loll about all day. very ho,  usual
exchange of patients. Write home.
Aug 22nd Sun
Go to Church Parade in Dining Room
at 10 am. W Towell goes to Zetoun
Service on balcony at 7 pm
Aug 23rd Mon
Little doing in daytime. Rather good
show of pictures at night  beautiful
moonlight. Nile rising fast.
Aug 24th Tues
Pack up and get away from Heloun
at 9 am arrive at Zetoun at 11 am
Go to Heliopolis to Sporting Club Hospital

 

with Joe in afternoon. Meet Bernard
Harris & Jim Ramsbottom & spend
after tea with them. Home in gharri
sleep in large wooden shanty
Aug 25th Wed 
Go into town with Joe, no parcels at
GPO. Call on Rosa & have tea there
back by train & gharri.
Aug 26th Thurs
Have to meet Sister Kemp in town
& miss her but meet H. Kay & have
fun with German coat of arms. Home
together by train & gharri
Aug 27th Fri
Go in town in afternoon & buy pictures
for Sister Kemp. get a pair of pictures
for mother & get cases made of tin
for same. Call in to see Arthur Holby
at Sport-Club. home at 10 pm
Aug 28th Sat
Usual parades Have my watch
repaired. Post pictures home. also letters.
Cannot get some registered in Heliopolis so go
in town with Jim Ramsbottom. I have a
quiet look round.
Aug 29th. Sun
Go on fatigue in morning & to Pyramids
in afternoon with. A. Holdaway & his brother
Meet J Pratley & have a good yarn about old
mates who have recently been hit 13 killed
Home at 11 pm in gharry.
Aug 30th Mon
Fall in several times during day no pay
as. xpected. Go into Cairo to see Rosa for a
hour, back to Heliopolis & stay a hour
at Les Pyramids to see concert home at 10-30.

 

Aug 31st Tues
Usual parades in day pay 10/- write
home. & several to Australia, Go into
Cairo at night & say, good bye to Rosa
Aug Sept 1st
Fatigues in daytime.  little doing
otherwise, very hot
Sept 2nd Thurs
Fatigue &  ragtime parades in day
Guard at night at Zetoun. have
a good ride on horses of red caps
Sept 3rd Fri
Leave Zetoun station at 10 am
and arrive Suez at 5 pm reach
camp about 6 pm. Go in Suez
at night little doing.
Sept 4th Sat
Write several letters do odd duties in
day Guard over canal crossing at
night
Sept 5th Sun
Guard at Canal Crossing all day and
nigh,  fish in canal at intervals
Sept  6th  Mon
Leave for Suez during day. Go for a
long walks among gardens alongside
of Nile. Feed of grapes in a vineyard.
Shoot a large kingfisher with a Greek's gun
Have a swim in sea & spoil my watch.
Stroll around Suez with a Jack from Cruiser
HMS. Fox. Walk round wazza with the
Police sergeant at 12 pm
Sept 7th Tues
Police on trains between New Camp
Suez & Port Tewfik. nothing startling
Smith loses P.75  from out of his tunic pocket
Suspicions cannot be proved on the culprit .

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Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
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