Diary of Apcar Leslie De Vine, 6 August 1915 - 17 May 1916 - Part 3 of 6

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Part of Quest:
Apcar Leslie De Vine Diaries
Subject:
  • ANZAC
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000331
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

13/11/15 Gold exet aldy verilly duel whs afternin, mayy shill find atterngmt ag 14/11/15 Sundey Qmiil diy, lie ofartilly dul, lige were and terly letter er Myds 15/11/15 by cold tody, by atill dnc th ofteror, fly of y blu don on roed no ove but setter ten am 16/11/15 Quiet dy tery artilly and in afternoon, but of epte five teibe one in the trenckes it oftewar atere sgily your 17/1415 ry cola eanof di warned he find staad guard at Flie Selond read but too rergh to go, pt intill tomver nared beory day nyer e cuvyed cot th dugent, dyt in de wit if celd 18/1/15 54A guerd at Inbro egan gertjuca, two reigh, his beladnest tod back certinaly selled, pl te petz guiet 4/0/15 Aredia fr GH.A. Jurs moved off f Roberte per et 12/30, weathr hem dem died darm duag the nift
was fuell libervy sebled white ya ho she beach all mineyed to get there sopf letter on a andrus larded at Dolios after det given hot tia aleedfu glyt in tek on time of cleket sens to be a set fill, egrd trckes 20/1/15 Porters injection 9o/e y to do cle duy visted wnteen it & stelled alout cor waned a ulgin pet 21/11/15 Sundy Bi Jecket Oll of all dutie, ver coed ard L 22//15 Fe te cold m the wold wa, exglad thare could not mare for the wd could hear a hury benbeedment all dy on the Deniniuba, I M. Tatyue cll day 23/1415 Wind droped todg, ne i whot, aaned fe inly preguit, vey quiet day 24/4/15 No mind todo quitl rurm tody, nlg fignd till day 25/11/15 No ninc torty, qrite warm, eay dy no fatyue
WV 6//15 wer do tola fea gle egan stalm tned with wie ystin ag bear new 29/4/15 by cold, with some know falley wind vey been 28/11/15 Sunday know fell Li the reft, cld much wle visitea by Lonrie Birdnet wyone in bed eevered up with brankets, had a jan to i I esed pnte cold myy frguet tom 29p15 de bem wire blavy ullsday mis wrow with w 3/ Guity al a shar under arder to the every long towarran we the permitty 1/12/15 did not live the mory receved nd sot fiw at angjew seve ad been woked cvye ne one can land must went intill londy i woble, my he to wit a fi dis hibor of ste fll gca 2/17/15 Lory ay day, guile wam prty of sailes tge to gurge we wreeks in t Beber laee ditregu, spk bov ucterbage a servral atherth of verors sigs, sea thre consed
with wte trabl newa b49 thrwor was wven any have art-aee n a dynetty to a ore day regeity to wall abaytime elventy o warked to of hih point on islande had a mamser drew of He Pensita from life spelting to since By, also Inlees Bay filled with wretige 13715 Vey chill y drigled w a little, woued he guard tore mounted guard 530 4/2/15 fuved all dy, dg anit day nothy dai, ferented army. Bildvood, when he left on for the Periventa une orders. 5R1 to lave for Angae tomrow marng 5/12/15 Sunday Reville 490 lih Venbe et 9-15 pr Angoi anler fust nest te Sulia Ere estaed for 2 hows, where we et a fire kiew of the county tt landed ine the bill ablie by we new fitty, left clane midda for Angae, wbile o Anyie sen a hospial claay sation tanlarded E lgh exp steels casualty mortherbeen Veg heal, saw sixeed ovn then up we the care in all directions, alout ide dids m have firton duect ito t canp meshy te wtle sice 10033
would see weytly I gland from five teanter, landed dont 2oceretured to Bett, letter fom nather tody 6/12/15 Betailed pe saypy dygin Buttetier uinter quater all wtcound letter fon tocl issned with no ye if wp also far of thar 7/12/15 Fetynes all eg, mane from Mr geeare ec Ofloyds reate to M eare Mr Ames bol Me cghte retured to the Butt tody o Denbordment He noy it efteno on the disepeaste gun portir werte to Mrs Geeares e Marter 8/12/15 Rettation Sop l My & a fer plyng in the ever all rot to bed wer tode nesbelling 2/12/15 Bottalion sappy all da w litte to depend 10/12/15 Sappy all normy, wrtnsed a by noval Combardment on sela bes pain e the Clue Ceore C.E. Shis Lomberdnent Ie heare e effective under oder to relive the 23d Batt in the fery line; crcelled late at night 4/12/15 Tatyns all da indeer adis pe the pay tho, nered up in every to meove truche
245 Findy Sererce y5m stl whe it i i woure trat thenany otherwe quiet dy here, oy tey ladvant lez on awdy egeseto cauld here by gi rily didg 13/12/15 Tatyne all dy, 1st An Hidge nowed tery Pilly each wy sterre, 14/12/15 Tatyng allda. Hen ventadment of Hill all day 15112/15 Vy eox dy, onl one fotyne bonbardment Stiel continuous at by telle ed rejuties fo hi Cemwle, net a glot i sere to d te uh b cs vits to be Nit up 16/12/15 Eoyda re few pty further pepertion wede to exacuete the Anjae psition 17/12/15 No fatyne dueir day, fatyue sat nyht leady 4 Btt steres etc on beach on to just for terenptation erleyif sead to meore off will be one of the lost to leve 18/12/15 All stere its them epe to se men to tike wht th lik gon bbee shill annitin dotie was piked to me the trarch for the nyst fo we los time we hve temoriou; te buits ve quiet all night, wyst recd Re heny P.N. Chiratowa
AUS7 19/13/3. Fnday Buk pell active wil wish their hawether shills 75 m erghty conglite to cramie the anjue gontion to night held the Kemby are dy told of is the advence fort of the renpived exeylly dene of guiell eatent i neise all feet gooddedmen tue to eit artel wand to ge lose in the romard by fired be ad off along Genil trut whee in coie de drace, all appenty to trak isop wefull graded, all got to the beach a tack up our genties, B yert fellowed so ofterd ha Eput to follow leter, all got on to the beach writent a cisnall, were then off at Metsa Orer Ga rad purt ajut in to the dysi Oruce e left per Mudea t nigh, peccedia to Mucie dven ste nyll, hw Ache Baila &y hev benbeded th ofterf rived havs 20/12/15. aid ot wideg evg the ovn a waitid in habiing porders at gae in tike of the gheamer woterwitch to the oper mided to t sit of oureld comp, prt aivia lot banther levd. Wylod off Ahe Dersula withut He land a man, los time He extg te day, norty-dais
21/12115 Jatynes all dy & general tear up of comp 2/15 bus houe drill tody 112, thete Billys ined also theep tn wists, shit, seck, it rest of te day evry no fatynes 23/12/15 Short fariale tery e ki inspection, eneyth pcked to weve off at a nonits notice Cherbnes juddy issved lod 7 to belueu 3 men, parc £2, went to willioge for steres 24/12/15 Chustiney Eve under berdin to more of the miny it 9ofc everytt jacked b rear hane heri eg ih mon greend We mudd marhed the comp to athe nean inbert e cnt on the Caddle bost thondan taken to the simla Giy e horberz, we do not naw where we are goy but that it is Alxandrice, attende concest tongthe on dick 25/2/15 Christonos Day 2 guit e coy day, thasting juddy iuea at Anmer, a jeset pon Adilcuto S Aust morel from our ancharge thi ofteroon e proceeded to month of terbour, but diu not ge out the alar sundid yor stotiess in lese of a rubmarne attart Muter pc each do at caoe
24/12/15 Sunday Left. Lemos haulow it 40/2 the very life bilts to be hom all dy, in cere of anteyedo artack, evydy, nerty dary 27/12/15 Mitier pecch ot 1092 at sea, evy day nett to do 28/12/15 Dawnto Ulexandrr at mid day, anchered in haibene all afterbon at 40/0 morel tawerel the whorf led a try true up fat wharf at O9e Aremenca of whart all rytt, did not discruter 29/12/15 remined on bead wtill mudder when me disemborte marched haspiing to Meor Canp, lbanacked on racant of ground o side of the salog waned for guard invediat on arrily at conp, mounted fuard 2-30 pe leate gratice to cann exglodg lift com dny eveny 30/12/15 Guard all dy, elmenticn at 5 pr efteray hart sto Alexandria, evydy tody uder orders to mode off tomarrow marnyg&to hold cusaves in reaciver to mave it oy tie for an inthrowr doluation 31/12/15 Beralh U.30 full ward order of 6.300 merchd to the rarliy inteared for ael-it keber ed t 30033
dury the Mean lo on the edg of ancant of te sailing station, miscible glace fo any fom ay tain, worder ben day we are gay t be west in ty dincl glai 19. 1.6. pp. Ous tar drill andsut litis may witng mail cong in 140 bey for te Buttalien gct rtetty pou gee&& per mto on 3 bbea concert at tamp fires at night. 2/716. Sunday attended church turvill ins ma effenee te Banha was gver here ceremunt wiill, in oftercan sted or the Wittipilao sel-il keis fand c bene spt caludge hy it 3/1/14 of pcde tod told off to dyad out fo rest Fam, rened beery diry the ofterion eveyledg ad thaugh to te skin, all blankets wet, y coll emiserible 4/416 Stzieall de Aid nd go on puride, b rold tody greund still damp 5/1/14 Did aot goa poriste too, fetyue no padt efteroon co visited the

13/11/15 Cold & wet all day 
artilly duel this afternoon, many 
shells fired otherwise quiet day  
  
14/11/15 Sunday Quiet day, bit 
of artilly duel, lrge mail arrd 
today, 1 letter & 2 flyers 
  
15/11/15 Vy cold tody, big artilly 
duel this afternoon, plenty of shrapnel 
flew about over rest camp no one 
hurt. Letter from Amos
  
16/11/15 Quiet dy tody, artilly 
duel in afternoon, bit of rifle fire 
broke out in the trenches this 
afternoon otherwise everythng quiet
  
17/11/15 Vy cold & windy dy, 
warned for Genral Head Quartrs 
guard at Imbros Island, got 
ready but too rough to go, postponed 
untill tomorrow, rained heavy 
durng night & swamped out the 
dugout, slept in the wet vy 
cold 
  
18/11/15 GHQ Guard at Imbros 
again pstponed, too rough, fiery 
berbrdment tody, beach continually 
shelled, firg line prety quiet 
  
19/11/15 Paraded for GHQ Guard 
& moved off for Robertsons 
pier at 12/30. weather warm 
storm died down during the night

 

was pretty liberally shelled 
while going to the beach, all 
managed to get there safely 
taken on a trawler at 2-45 
landed at Imbros after dark, 
given hot tea & bread & jam 
slept in tents, an issue of blankets 
seems to be a soft fill, & good 
tucker 
  
20/11/15 Doctors inspection 9 o/c 
eveybody passed, nothg to do all 
day, visited canteen etc & strolled 
about camp warned for inlying picket 
  
21/11/15 Sunday Inlying picket all 
day, off all duties, vy cold 
paid £3 
  
22/11/15 Vy strong cold wind 
terribly cold tody, eveybody 
shivering, could not move for the 
cold. could hear a heavy 
bombardment all dy on the 
Peninsula, QM fatigue all day 
  
23/11/15 Wind dropped tody, not 
so cold, warned for inlying 
picquet, vy quiet day 
  
24/11/15 No wind today, quite 
warm tody, inlying picquet all 
day 
  
25/11/15 No wind tody, quite 
warm, easy day no fatigues

 

26/11/15. Warm dy tody, heavy 
gales & rain storm tonight, 
with vivid lghtning, & vy 
heavy rain 
  
27/11/15 Vey cold, with some 
snow falling, wind vy keen 
  
28/11/15 Sunday Snow fell during 
the night, cold much worse 
visited by General Birdwood 
everyone in bed covered up with 
blankets, had a yarn to us 
& expressed regret for the 
cold. Inlying picquet tonight. 
  
29/11/15 Vy keen wind blowng 
all day. Trenches covered with ice 
  
30/11/15 Quite warm all dy sun 
shining, under orders to return to 
the firing line tomorrow, weather 
permittng 
  
1/12/15 Did not leave this 
morng, received word that the 
piers at Anzac have all been 
washed away, & no-one can 
land, must wait untill landg 
is possible, may have to wait a few 
days, harbour at Imbros full of wreckage 
  
2/12/15 Fairly sunny day, quite 
warm, party of sailors tryg to  
salvage the wrecks in the harbour 
1 liner, 1 destroyer, 1 patrol-boat 
1 water barge, & several other ships 
of various sizes, sea shore covered

 

with wreckage, German taube 
flew over GHQ this morng, was 
driven away by our anti-air craft 
guns, vy easy dy, nothg to do all 
dy, expectg to move at anytime 
awaiting orders, walked to vy high 
point on island & had a magnificent 
view of the Peninsula from Cape Helles 
to Suva Bay, also Imbros Bay filled 
with wreckage. 
  
3/12/15 Vey dull day, drizzled rain 
a little, warned for guard tonight, 
mounted guard 5-30 
  
4/12/15 Guard all dy, vy quiet 
day. nothng doing, presented army 
to Gen Birdwood, when he left 
for the Peninsula under orders
to leave for Anzac tomorrow  
morning 
  
5/12/15 Sunday Reville 4 o/c & 
caught trawler at 7-15 for Anzac, 
Trawler first went to Sulva Bay 
& stayed for 2 hours, where we 
got a fine view of the country 
thy landed in, & the hills where 
they are now fightg, left about 
midday for Anzac, while off 
Anzac saw a hospital clearng 
station, bombarded by high explos 
shells, casualties must have been 
vy heavy, saw several men blow 
up into the air & in all 
directions, about 1 dz shells must 
have fallen direct into the 
camp smashing the whole place up

 

could see everythg vy plainly from 
the trawler, landed about 
 2 o/c & returned to Batt, letter 
from mother tody 
  
6/12/15 Detailed for sapping, 
digging Battalion winter quarters 
all underground, letter from 
Amos tody, issued with new 
type of cap also pair of trousers 
  
7/12/15 Fatigues all dy, mail 
from Mrs Greaves & a flyers 
note to Mrs Greaves & Mr Amos 
Col McNaughton returned to the 
Batt tody big bombardment 
by the navy this afternoon on the 
olive grove gun positions. Wrote to 
Mrs Greaves & Mother 
  
8/12/15 Battalion sapping all day 
& a few fatigues in the eveng 
all night in bed, warm tody 
no shelling 
9/12/15 Battalion sapping all dy 
wrote letter to Mrs Greaves 
  
10/12/15 Sapping all morning, witnessed 
a big naval bombardment on Gaba Tepe 
point & the Olive Grove, by 6 ships 
bombardment vy heavy & effective 
under orders to relieve the 2nd 
Batt in the firing line, cancelled 
late at night 
  
11/12/15 Fatigues all dy, under 
orders for the firing line, moved 
up in evenng to reserve trenches

 

12/12/15 Sunday Several 75 mm 
shells fired at us in reserve 
trench this morng, otherwise quiet 
dy here, vy heavy bombardment 
goig on all dy at Cape Helles 
could hear big guns rally all dy 
  
13/12/15 Fatigues all dy, 1st Div 
Hd Qrs mooved tody, letters each 
way stopped, 
14/12/15 Fatigues all dy. Heavy 
bombardment at Helles all day 
  
15/12/15 Vy easy dy, only one fatigue 
bombardment still continuous at Cape 
Helles, great preparations for leaving 
Peninsula, not a shot is fired to dy for 
48 hours but careful watch is to be 
kept up 
  
16/12/15 Easy day, vy few fatigues 
further preperations made to 
evacuate the Anzac position 
  
17/12/15 No fatigue during day, fatigue 
at night loadg 4th Batt stores 
etc on beach on to punt for 
transportation everybdy ready to 
moove off, will be one of the 
last to leave 
  
18/12/15 All stores etc thrown open 
to the men to take what they like 
gun limbers, shells, ammunition destroyed 
was picked to man the trenches 
for the night for the last time as 
we leave tomorrow, the Turks 
vy quiet all night, everbdy ready 
for leavg,.    P.W.Chinatown

 

19/12/15 Sunday Turks pretty active 
tody with their howitzer shells 
& 75 mm, everythg complete to evacuate 
 the Anzac position tonight, held 
the trenches all dy, told off as the 
advance party of the rear guard, 
everthg done vy quietly & without any 
noise, all feet padded & men tied  
to each other so as not to get lost 
on the comand being passed we 
moved off along special trenchs 
Officer in command Mr Pierce, all 
approaches to trench & saps carefully  
guarded, all got to the beach 
& took up our positions, B party 
followed soon afterwards leaving C party 
to follow later, all got on to the  
beach without a casualty, were  
taken off at Watsons Pier by a 
naval punt & put in to the 
Sycilian Prince & left for Mudros 
that night, proceeded to Mudros 
durng night, saw Achi Baba vy 
heavily bombarded this afternoon for several hours 
20/12/15 Arrd at Mudros early 
this morning & waited in harbour 
for orders at 9 o/c was taken off by 
the steamer Waterwitch to the 
harb pier, marched to the site of  
our old camp, C party arrived later 
by another boad. everybody off the 
Peninsula without the loss of 
a man, easy time the rest of the 
day, nothg doing

 

21/12/15 Fatigues all dy, & general 
clean up of camp 
  
22/12/15 Two hours drill tody 
10 to 12, Christmas 'Billys" issued 
also sheep skin vests, shirts, socks, etc 
rest of the day easy no fatigues 
  
23/12/15 Short parade tody & 
kit inspection, everythg packed to 
move off at a moments notice 
Christmas puddng issued tody 1 tin 
between 3 men, paid £2, went 
to villiage for stores 
  
24/12/15 Christmas Eve under 
orders to move of this morng at 
9 o/c, everythg packed up ready 
rained heavily early this morng 
ground vy muddy, marched through 
camp to the new wharf & embarked 
on the Paddle boat "Hendon" & 
taken to the "Simla" lying in the 
harbour, we do not know where 
we are going but think it is 
Alexandria, attended concert tonight 
on deck 
  
25/12/15 Christmas Day Vey 
quiet & easy day, Christmas 
puddy issued at dinner, a 
present from Adelaide S. Aust 
moved from our anchorage this 
afternoon & proceeded to mouth 
of harbour, but did not go out 
The alarm sounded for stations 
in case of anya submarine attack 
muster parade each day at 10 o/c

 

26/12/15 Sunday Left Lemnos 
harbour at 4 o/c this morng, life 
belts to be worn all day, in case 
of an torpedo attack, easy dy, nothg 
doig 
  
27/12/15 Muster parade at 10 o/c 
at Sea. easy day nothg to do 
  
28/12/15 Drew into Alexandria at 
mid-day, anchored in harbour 
all afternoon, at 4 o/c moved towards 
the wharf, led by a tug, tied up 
at wharf at 6 o/c remained at  
wharf all night, did not disembark 
  
29/12/15 Remained on board untill 
mid-day when we disembarked 
& marched half way to Alex 
Camp, bibouacked on vacant part 
of ground by side of the railway, 
warned for guard immedialy on 
arriving at camp, mounted guard 
2-30 pm, leave granted to camp 
everybody left camp durg evenig 
  
30/12/15 Guard all dy, dismounted 
at 5 pm afterwards went to 
Alexandria, easy dy tody, camp 
under orders to move off tomorrow 
morning & to hold ourselves in 
readiness to move at any time 
for an unknown destination 
  
31/12/15 Revalle 4.30 full 
marchg order at 6.30 & marched 
to the railway intrained for 
Tel-el-Kabir, arrived there

 

durng the afternoon, Camp on the edge 
of the deserts, by the railway 
station, vy miserable place. Far 
away from any town,  wonder how 
long we are going to be kept in 
this dismal place. 

1916. 
  
1/1/16 Two hours drill on desert 
this mornig Christmas mail coming 
in 140 bags for the Battalion 
Get 2 letters from Greaves & 4 from 
mother also 3 flyers concert at 
camp fires at night 
  
2/1/16 Sunday attended church 
parade this morng, afterwards the 
Battalion was given 1 hours 
ceremonial drill, in afternoon 
strolled over the battlefield of 
Tel-el-Kebir found several 
bones, spent cartridges tins etc 
  
3/1/16 Off parade tody, told 
off to dig a dug out for 
lost Tommy, rained heavy 
during the afternoon eveybody wet 
through to the skin, all blankets  
wet, vy cold & miserable 
  
4/1/16 Fatigue all day did not 
go on parade, vy cold tody 
ground still damp 
  
5/1/16 Did not go on parade 
tody, fatigue, no parade this 
afternoon so visited the  

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