Extracts from letters by Herbert Gordon Carter sent to his Parents, 1914-1919 - Part 3

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seemed to be going only inches over me & I had no
idea I could lie so flat. I found one bullet hole thro'
the back of my coat afterwards which I think must
have happened then. We kept on going & had a pretty easy
time for about 300 yards when we had shrapnel opened
on us with deadly accuracy. German gunners of course.
After the shell fire the day before & the shock - this was
too much for the men – They retired & I'm sorry to say
a great many broke into a rabble. About 100 yards
behind was a valley with a sharp drop on the forward
slope which made quite good cover & when I stopped,
thinking most of the others would – I found myself getting
left except for a few men & another officer, a very keen
little chap & with his help & the shouting of Cooees
we managed to get most of them to return to what was
really a safe position. ungetatable by shells.
The men dug & made themselves more secure & we got
the position strengthened. It was then getting dark &
one could move about more freely. Two shells burst very
close to we, one scorched my face & I was very
surprised to find myself alive, the other caught my arm
slightly & made a small hole thro' my sleeve. I
found later part of my equipment nearly cut thro' by a

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bullet so you can see I've had a few adventures.
Night had fallen we were ordered to retire on our
main defensive position. I was rather annoyed about
this as I think we could have held on ad lib, Well
we retired on this position & dug hard all night & had
quite a respectable trench by morning. We were in that
trench two days & one night when we were relieved.
The Turks attack chiefly at night & are up to a lot of
dodges. Germans of course do this – They persistently blew
the bugle call of the British 'Charge' one night - Their
spies are very bad & there must be several in our lines
for all sorts of funny orders get about whose source
cannot be ascertained. We were in rather a commanding
position our part of the trench & could see all over the
place. The bombardment of the Turkish position by the 10"
& 12" Naval guns on Tuesday - was great to watch.
They got amongst some of their supports & reserves & you
could see the Turks running in all directions -
I've given you my own personal experiences - I
had not the slightest idea of what we were supposed to do.
However, we have sorted ourselves out now & know more
or less what we are up against. So should not suffer so
heavily again. I can see however that in war -

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hesitation is fatal - - It is something to have come
through what we have for the Experience of the past few
days will help us tremendously. There was a good
deal of what seemed to me mock heroism, otherwise
fool hardiness displayed the first two days.

5^th May. 1915
My Dear Father & Mother
Things are a bit milder in the trenches
but nevertheless the war game is not what its cracked up
to be. - - It's pretty easy to hear of a lot of one's
friends getting knocked out - You will have seen the
casualty list by now. I don't mind the hardships a
bit. Just now we are sleeping - or trying to sleep -
on the edge of the mountains; if we roll in our sleep
we may roll farther than bargained. I have not
had my clothes off for nearly a week. - I've
now got used to noise - can sleep most soundley
thro' a rattling fusillade -

7 May
My Dear Family.
The last two nights have been beastly
cold. I only have my great coat with a balaclava &
mits - but I shivered a good deal. I haven't
a proper wash for a week
XXX XXXXX

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May 11 1915
My dear Father & Mother
- I had a nasty jar yesterday when I
heard that Teddy Townshend had been killed. He was
about the best friend I had in the force.
I find myself dreaming a lot at night now & all on the
most calm & peaceful subjects. I feel most annoyed
when waking to hear the rattle of musketry & roar
of guns. I had a decent wash this afternoon

20^th May 1915
My dear Father & Mother
I am having a bit of a spell down by the
beach. I believe I have been reported as 'slightly wounded'.
Well. It's very slight chiefly shock. So I have been
sent down to the clearing hospital. I happened to
be closer to a 'Jack Johnson' than is generally considered
X healthy

[X From his mates we heard that this shell killed the  two men one side of him,
badly wounded the man on the other side of him. and half
buried him. result a deafened in one ear- that appears
to be permanent. H./.C.]

24/5/15
My dear Father & Mother
my ear
Still on the sick list - My ear
started playing up. - Have been on board the hospital ship barely a day
& already feel lots better. I am sending home my old
tunic & puttees as a sort of memento XX
XX Tunic with bullet hole along the back, & sleeve torn by shrapnel as described
above
HGC

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Near Imbros.
My dear Father
25 May. 1915
I don't think you could find a more cheerful
crowd than our army, in spite of what they've been through.
It's really wonderful how some of these chaps meet death. -
If - should my turn come, I can meet it like I've seen a few
of them I shall be quite content. No amount of reading
about wars can, I think, quite give you the 'modus vivende'
one seems to be leading a totally different life & regard
things quite differently. For instance the Expression at 1^st
sky shows "Another doll over" is used by our men when
they knock a Turk over & you experience about the
same in seeing even one of our own men so over.

26/5/15
I'm a lot better today & hope the doctor will let me get
up. I really had a very narrow squeak. - I'm afraid
my right ear is deaf for some little time

6^th June. 1915.
My dear Father & Mother
I have been back now over a week - had a great
greeting from the Turks - for we had to assist an
advance on part of our line. - We got a most
unmerciful shelling. They kept hitting the top of our parapet.
- kept us busy repairing that night
Edward arrived last Wednesday & I was very glad to
see the lad.
Gordon

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Gallipoli Pen
June 12 1915
My dear Mother & Father. June 12. 1915
"We observe too great a stress
on the risks that on us press
such expressions do'nt appear
calculated men to cheer"
Get into the same way of thinking as we do. Expressed
in Kipling's lines
"When first under fire & you're wishful to duck
Don't look nor take heed of the man that is struck.
Be thankful you're living & trust to your luck.
And march to your front like a soldier".

26 June 1915
My Dear People
There is one thing to the credit of the Turk
- he is a clean fighter. What prisoners I've
seen have been fine stalwart fellows with good clean
faces - they looked gentlemen. The Turks threw over
in a bomb the other day a long rigmarole offering us good
land & fine treatment if we surrendered - they knew we
were under contract to greedy England. They were sending more
submarines to block the Navy so we must gradually be
starved out - so why not see things reasonably & walk over to them. 
H.G.C

(Lemnos H/C} Somewhere Else
3^rd July 1915
My dear Father & Mother 
For the last 3 days we have been having real proper rest.
- in tents, just imagine the luxury – where shot & shell are mere thoughts.
Yesterday we rode for 9 miles to the nearest village. - It was
lovely country – Street & I amused ourselves by giving

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sweets to all the kiddies who besieged us. giving us
flowers & all sorts of little things. The little girls were
rather shy - very pretty too - & we had great amusement
in getting them to overcome their shyness. The grown ups
seemed to regard us with suspicion. We saw several
bandits  - at least if they were not, they ought to be.
The antics of the inhabitants combined with the fine scenery
made a most interesting day. - it is a change to be able
to do Cook's Tourist while the fighting is still on.
We had a bit of an engagement a day or two ago.
- Two 6" shells burst right on the spot where
we bivouac. we are fairly close together & you would not
think it possible for a large shell to land anywhere
without hitting someone. The first one -- seemed to
be right amongst them - yet nobody was hurt - a few
were shaken - the same with the second, it made
more smoke & dust than the first & burst right on top of a
sergeant's dug out with him in it - he was shaken but
quite unhurt. Which goes to show the quality of the
Turk's explosive shells.

July 14 1915
Poor old Lal (Edward) got hit the other day - nothing
very serious - (1)
(1) Unfortunately led to tetanus, of which he died at Malta 

P.C's. mostly to sisters U.M.C (nurse at Alexandria)
& B.F.C. at Sydney.
21/5/15
We have been fighting the Turks for nearly
4 weeks now. I have been doing quite well, but the day
before yesterday I happened to be close to a Jack
Johnson when it burst so they have sent we down
for a spell. It was more shock than anything else. Firing
has been practically continuous from the first day we
landed. You often long for a few minutes peace. However
it's all in the game. It's funny how callous one gets
after a day or two.
P.C. picture of Mudros medical camp

1/7/15
We are now having a real proper rest - where the shot &
shell cannot possibly reach us. - then we can swim
practically ad lib: - I have had a complete change of
clothes this morning (under clothes of course)
I am sending over a tin with a couple of beetles in it
which I hope arrive safely. They were picked up not far 
from the firing line"

17/7/15
There is a good deal of fighting going on just now, the
Turks seem to be adopting reckless tactics. It's marvellous
the way they come on just to get mown down. They had another
attempt to drive us into the sea" 

18/7/15
I suppose you've heard that Edward has been wounded
He was sent first to Lemnos but has perhaps gone on to
you. (U.M. C. al Alexandria p/c)   It was nothing serious. I have written to the base
asking that a cable be sent home about it."
The airships have been about a lot of late. there were
four up at one time the other morning. The Turks tried
hard to get hit them but most of their shots were very wide"

19/7/15
"It was rather interesting as you could see the shells coming
quite a long way off. They did not do very much damage.
When they had finished that some new missile came
hurtling along with a most peculiar whistle. We could not
make it out at first but after 2 or 3 shots we found it to
be a very large bomb that was fired from some sort of
a mortar. It kicked up a terrible row when it burst"

21/7/15
The navy has been bombarding a bit of late - their shells
must do a frightful lot of damage if the cloud of dust
and smoke they send up is anything to go by

To U.M.C. 
27/2/15
Has Edward come along yet to Alexandria yet? He got
wounded in the foot. We have been getting more than our
fair share of shelling of late. 

To U.M.C. 
5/8/15
We are just about to take part in a large attack which will
probably have a very decisive result, To night will be the last
night  of comparative peace"

To B.F.C.  
Lemnos  
21/12/15
"Things have been happening lately. "You'll have heard
all about it by the time this reaches you. There seems to
be some chance of seeing Egypt again.- This last week
has been quite exciting.