Handwritten transcript of diaries of Apcar Leslie De Vine, 1 January 1915 - 6 October 1918, Part 4 of 26

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by the R.M.L.I. Plenty of sniping all day, which also  
cost us several men. The dead that are left  
unburied are tossed over the rear of the trench, and  
are now smelling very badly being a menase to our  
general health, in fact the whole of the ground in  
front is covered with the dead who have been lying  
there for a week in the sun 
  
3/5/15 Day opened as usuall with heavy shrapnel fire  
nobody was hit as our trenches are more protected than  
formerly. Returned to A Coy this morning have been with  
D Coy for a few days to reinforce them. At dawn the  
Turks made another attack on our trenches, they come on  
in hundreds calling on Allah! We held our fire untill  
they were about 50 yds off, then we let them have it  
we beat them off after about 1½ hours stiff fight. none of  
them reached our trenches although they came on in  
continuous waves, advancing with fixed bayonets but  
did not fire hence we had no casualties in my Co, thy  
must have expected to break through by force of nos  
but utterly failed. Was detailed as observer with  
periscope during afternoon, could see "No mans land"  
simply covered with their dead, their casualties  
must have been vy heavy. At night observation for  
2 hours then a relief for 2 hours sniping, durig the  
night the whole line had to "Stand to" as we are  
expecting an attack. During night we sapped  to some  
wounded men that had been left lying out in an  
exposed position for 3 days, we managed to get them 
  
4/5/15 Heavy shrapnel fire this morning, which did not  
last long, rest of the day quiet. Today given a whole days  
rest, the first since the landing, as we are now dug in  
pretty securely. so all digging stops observations only for 

30 
our safety. Our first mail has arrived since the  
landing. letters from mother etc. Had a good feed to day  
the first since landing consistg of cheese, onions, & tea  
the first really good meal & feel better for it, the  
newspapers arrive today & are distributed, later we are  
allowed in small parties of 4 to leave the trenches for  
2 hours, to make ourselves some tea in the gully at  
the rear, & to stretch our legs a bit. Plenty of shrapnel  
is bursting in the gully so we remain at the top.  
(Shrapnel Gully is always a warm place for shrapnel  
hence its name) the Gully is much exposed if you are  
making for the beach you must keep moving all the  
time, at present much safer in the front line  
trenches where we are well dug in 
  
5/5/15 Shrapnel as usuall at dawn. Had to "stand too"  
once during the night, false alarm nothing doing, vey  
quiet day did not fire a shot. My turn for 2 hours  
leave from the trenches during afternoon went to beach  
for a bath & good wash. Changed socks first time since  
landing. 2 oz tin of tobacco issued today, tried to find  
where I dumped my pack on the first day of landing  
but had absolutey no hope, everything ratted & could  
find nothing, everything being lost, night very cold, tot of  
rum issued tonight for first time 
  
6/5/15 A little shrapnel this morning, not much there 
guns must have been silenced only two seem to be working  
very quiet day, did not fire a shot. Can see the Turks  
sapping towards us about 300 yards away & fixing  
their guns in position. Did not leave trenches today  
Had to shift our position as the section is taking  
up another position along the trench. On fatigue   
dragging artillery into position during the night which was 

31 
terribly cold, our feet being like blocks of ice. could get  
no rest between reliefs. parcell from mother today  
very acceptable 
  
7/5/15 Plenty of shrapnel today. Turks must have brought  
up fresh guns,  we placed some heavy guns in position, the  
Turks shelling them, knocking out several men. Left trenches  
this afternoon for 2 hours to make some Bovril & fry a piece  
of bacon, quite a treat, nothing doing today. The Turks  
placed a machine gun in position in front of us and  
are continually sweeping the parapet, The have got the  
range exactly, stones & dirt fly everywhere, we have  
to keep our heads down, nearly hit several times while  
observing, more of our guns are dragged into position  
tonight, we expected a night attack, but it did not  
come off 
  
8/5/15 Machine gun fire & shrapnel started early  
this morning, otherwise a quiet day. Could see the Turks  
sapping and diggng all day, however nothing is done to stop  
them. Party of 30 men went out towards the trenches  
in front of us at 10o/c and reported that the trench was  
held strongly by the Turks, this job cost us 2 men, 1 missing  
& 1 wounded, Had a shave tody the first since the landing  
not so cold tonight, we had a hot meal sent up to the  
line, the first served since the landing 
  
9/5/15 Sunday. Landed 2 weeks, another quiet day  
for us. Transports shelled, nothing hit. a little shrapnel  
flying about this morning without doing much damage  
A black flag has been flying from the Turkish trenches  
we cannot understand what it means, however nothg  
happens, as the day has been vey quiet. I slept all the  
afternoon being off duty, during the evening from our lines 

32 
an interpreter through a megaphone offered kind  
treatment etc to all Turks who surrender themselves,  
as prisoners have told us, that they were told by their  
officers that the Australians kill their prisoners  
result - nothing doing I did not see a single Turk  
surrender himself on our sector. Small tin of tobacco  
& box of matches issued today, matches have long since  
been finished nobody has any, some only have a few  
loose ones in their pockets but no box, result no  
smokes which does not improve us 
  
10/5/15 Big fight started at dawn on our Left, the  
Turks advansig against our trenches, near Quinns Post  
were mown down by machine gun & mountain battery  
fire, thy later retire over the hill leaving hundreds  
of dead before our lines, we saw the whole of the action  
from our trenches, as it ocurred on a hill that overlooks  
our position, our sector is very quiet not a shot being  
fired, we are all "standing too" & ready for all emergencies  
as we expect the action to spread along our front, the  
Victorians held their own vey well & kept  them off  
without our assistance, the ground is simply covered  
with their dead, and as we saw them advansing  
in mass formation thy must have suffered vey heavy  
losses, the rest of the day remains quiet, with only  
a little shrapnel passing over our heads doing us  
no harm, their snipers got a few of our men in our  
lines as they over exposed themselves while watchg  
the fight on the Left. In the general excitement  
we all forgot the Turks in front of us & stood with  
head & sholders over the parapet to get a better view  
this is of course their opportunity, several of our boys being  
badly hit, fortunaly I was well protected as I could  
not be seen from the front, everythng OK on our 

33 
sector. Another hot meal on issue today. General alarm 
and "Stand too" during the night, false alarm nothing doing 
  
11/5/15 Quiet again today, both sides watching one another  
waiting for the next move. The Turks in front of us continue  
to dig steadily all day, thy have been doing so for about a  
week now, we do ours at night, but thy work day & night  
All day long we see shovells full of dirt being thrown out  
continually. Mail arrived from England tody. One  
blanket per man issued, the first issue since the  
landing, up to the present we have nothing but what  
we stand up in & an overcoat if you have been  
lucky enough to salvage one although the nights still  
are vey cold. It has been drissling rain all day making  
things vy wet, cold & miserable, rained through the night 
  
12/5/15 Very quiet day, all shrapnel stopped. Turks still  
digging fast, we are wondering what it is a sign of, their  
lines are slowly creeping towards ours, "no mans land" is not so  
wide now as it was a week ago, we all notice the difference  
very wet & miserable, rained slowly all day, making the  
trench very muddy & sticky, we are wet through. The  
doctor ordered a good tot of rum to be issued tonight  
Kitchens have been established behind the trenches and  
an attempt made to make some hot food, cooks are  
called for some of the boys volunteer, we seem now to be  
settled down permanently, we manage to get a hot  
meal today, & for the first time since the landing  
each man is served with a 1/4 of a loaf of bread  
which had been cooked on the transports, it was  
only one fairly thick slice, but it was quite a luxury  
& did not last vey long, barely sufficient for one meal  
do not know when we will get any more, so we have to  
depend on hard army biscuits again. Col Onslow 

34 
Thompson's body found during patrol last night, & brought  
in, buried this morning in the rear trench. Start  
made today to construct a little overhead cover at  
intervals along the front trench as a protection  
against shrapnel. Sounds of very heavy gun fire at sea  
all night, we hear later that the navy caught a  
marching column trying to reinforce the Turks opposite  
us, they were wiped out as they were caught in the open  
everything OK along the line today 
  
13/5/15 Another quiet day today absolutely nothing doing  
no Turks to be seen anywhere, we think that the  
greater part of them have been withdrawn to oppose the  
advansig army in their rear who are endeavouring to  
join up with us. Left trenches to day for two hours  
to stretch our legs & to get a wash, we erected more  
overhead cover this evening making things more secure  
exceptionally quiet all night, very few snipers at work  
the quietest night we have had. During the night a  
message at the end of a stick was thrown into D  
Coys lines by a Turk informing us that they had  
defeated the English Army etc etc and offering us terms  
of surrender, a similar message was thrown into  
the 3^rd Bn lines, this must be in reply to our  
offer to them through the interpreter the other night  
everybody much ammused about it. The Light Horse  
commensed to land during the night 
  
14/5/15 Quiet day again, only a little shrapnel this  
morning, this afternoon a shell knocked down part  
of our parapet burying a few of us, nobody hurt we  
were very quietly dug out all I received was dirt down  
my neck. This inactivity is becoming vey monotinous  
I have not fired a shot for two or three days, but got 

35 
a little sniping this afternoon, a sniper had a "go" at  
me while observng between 1 & 2 pm, the shot smashed the  
loop hole & passed over my L sholder just missing my head  
In the early evenng a small fight started on our left  
and continued all night, the Turks threw many bombs  
several falling into our trenches causing many casualties  
nothing happened on our front, very quiet 
  
15/5/15 Firing & sniping on and off all day on the left  
thy have been very jumpy & nervious all through the  
night on that sector, neither side scoring anything of an  
advantage, but each managed to keep the others heads  
down. Quinns Post in the centre of our line receives  
a deal of attention from the Turks, and things  
are always lively there. On our front things remain  
still very quiet. Water is now becoming rather scarce  
free issue being stopped today, one water bottle is the  
only issue to last 24 hours as the Light Horse polluted  
some of our wells when they landed the other night. Some  
shrapnel started to fly about at 4pm bursting near Hdqrs  
about this time our artillery shell the trenches on our  
left very heavily. A white flag was shown yesterday on the  
left but no notice was taken of it, orders are issued  
today regarding white flag procedure in the future.  
Heavy firing on the left during the night with some  
bombing by the Turks, do not know the extent of  
the damage. 
  
16/5/15 Sunday Landed 3 weeks. The day opened  
with an artillry duell against the trenches on our  
left. detailed as trench orderly today, everythg is  
very quiet today, everybody is resting, later in the day  
the bombardment on our left is increased for a while  
then all is quiet again, we only hear a few 

 36 
rifle shots, then complete quietness 
  
17/5/15 Artillery again vey active on the left  
the Turkish position being again heavily bombarded  
Was on observation post during one hour of the  
bombardment evey shell seemed to hit the mark  
very fine shooting, easing off about 7am then afterwards  
quiet for the rest of the day. The guns were vey  
well registered on their objectives for instant use if  
necessary. The Turks flew a yellow flag on our left  
at 4pm, no reply given. Small issue of tobacco &  
matches today. A large mail has arrived from  
Alexandria, the night watch vey quiet, no sniping  
everythg quiet on both sides, must be the lull  
before the storm 
  
18/5/15 Our artillery again bombards the trenches on  
our left with great effect, evidenly that sector  
of their line must be under special observation  
as it gets a little attention from our guns every  
morning. Saw a gun & its crew blown bodily into  
the air by a direct hit from our battery. The shelling  
is vey effective, the Turks have many guns in  
position on that sector as the ground is vy high  
and commands all our lines & we are constantly  
under observation in our trenches, our artillery  
observers have discovered several of their gun positions  
and have knocked them out. Our transports  
return to Alexandria & remain there as there  
will be no opportunity for them to land as we  
cannot advance (Battalion transports). Two hours  
leave from the line today, trip to Brighton Beach  
for a bathe vy refreshing. rest of the day spent  
vey quietly, no fatigues today, we have all been 

37 
ordered one complete days rest. A white flag was shown  
today on our right in front of the 3^rd Bn some 15 to 20  
Turks surrendered. Letters & telegram from Australia  
arrived today. Word has been received that the  
Turks have been heavily reinforced on the Right  
all our guards on post doubled, and we sleep in our  
equipment, all supports brought up close behind the  
lines, cooks etc & everybody that can possibly be  
spared brought up into close support to await events  
"Stand too" ordered an hour before dawn at 3am  
quiet night untill midnight 
  
19/5/15 The whole firing line was woke up just after 12.30  
am with orders to stand too, as an attack was expected  
at any minuite. At 1.15 thy attacked and as we  
were ready & waiting for them they got a pretty warm  
reception, leaving many hundreds of dead on the ground  
after a futile attempt to reach our trenches they withdrew  
for a time, and reattacked again, this time in heavy  
masses all along the line, at 3am thy advanced  
against us like a solid wall, sounding many bugle  
calls and calling on "Allah" as they advanced, the whole  
of our front is now hotly engaged, as we have been 'standing  
too" since midnight & waiting for them thy get plenty  
of hurry up, nevertheless they make  a vey strong attack  
coming on wave after wave, some of them get very  
close to our trench & throw their bombs in, we  
could not use our rifles quick enough, in the  
hight of the action many of our rifles became too hot  
to hold through constant use, & to make matters  
worse my bolt stuck at a critical moment after about  
two hours continuous use. Fortunaly a rifle was lying  
near me belonging to one of our casualties, so with  
a change of rifle I kept going, thy were then very 

38 
close on our Coy front. They were supported with vey  
poor rifle fire & while advancig had no opportunity  
to use them otherwise our losses would have been  
much heavier. All their bayonets were fixed  
but thy had no chance our fire was too heavy &  
concentrated. Some however found their way into  
the trenches of the 2^nd & 3^rd Bns but were soon  
disposed of not one of them got out alive. They pressed  
us pretty hard. On A Coys front many fell dead  
on our parapets & into the trench. At this  
critical moment bolt of rifle stuck again, managed  
to free it. During the attack thy attempted to force  
their way up a steep gully on the left of the Coy  
(Wire Gully) that separated us from the rest of  
the Bn, but they were met by a vey heavy machine  
gun fire as they advance up the gully in mass  
formation, the number of dead in this gully is   
enormous thy are simply lying in piles where thy  
have fallen under our concentrated machine gun  
fire, the whole ground seems to be brown with  
the number of bodies lying on it, there are probably  
more dead to the square acre here than at  
any other part of the line, thy have simply been  
caught in a trap, vey few managed to get out  
Realising that the attack was a hopeless failure  
on our sector (their L flank) the remnants tried to  
get back to their trenches which only exposed them   
longer to our rifle fire, thy could be vey  
plainly seen against the sky line trying to get  
into their trenches making a perfect sky line  
target, which we took full advantage of. we  
fired steadily for about two hours on their  
straglers mooving about in front of our lines  
before we brought the attack to a stand still