Handwritten transcript of diaries of Apcar Leslie De Vine, 1 January 1915 - 6 October 1918, Part 8 of 26

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • ANZAC
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000335
Difficulty:
3

Page 1 / 10

69 quiet on our front, very little smiping. Tucks rey quiet lage mail arrived today. The Colonel loter evacnated wounded in the knee. A now lapt Scott 11/8/15 Another quiet day, spent our time in cleaning oveselves up a bit, also consolodatin ove psition and deepui the trenches, alsoliveyin the dead, of which there is a great quantity in 12/8/15 W. Pm back in the pent line again for 48 hours. Am attached tenyooll to Beyade Adges as disfatch carrier mekng man teys through the new communication trench to BrnEdges in the line. The 7th Lyft Horse are terprall attached to our strenyth, which is less than 200 cut of over g00 men that teck port in the choye on the 6th. Quist day 13/8/15 Dialch carzin all day. Vig guiet 14/8/15 Bryade Adges hearily selled this marning, plent of riph explasives flying dout today, not serious hust only hit across the Knudiles of the R hand by a glister of shell that entered the ly of a tetyhre apertor who nos sitting next to me, we are been shelled all day. Their gung are searching fr Brigute Adges to knock it out shells fall all around but do not hit it. as it is vey well placed e not easi hit 15/8/15 Sunday Landed 16 weeks. Qwist day onf a few add shells flying about, no damrage done, vez few casualties are occuring now, The dead are deiry buried in huge pit fulls. 14/8/15 Eveythin quiet, down to normal, beg time at 1 Drs
70 17/8/15 Did not hear a sile shot fired today. Geveral times up to the fieir line with messees everything exceptionall quiet. visited the beach tertay por a ruim 18/8/15 Quiet de at Ad 2rs obsolutef nethry deiry in the firing line. another mail today 19/8/15 Vizquiet again. Tuks must hove had enough ony a little snipin duriy day 20/8/15 Eveythey OR. 5t Beyade landed tonight and placed on the left flanc, otherwise nothin doin at all, repots all along the firy line. All well 24/8/15 duiet day on our own frent, a big advance is made in over left flanc. Wis carrry a diepatch to the 4th Om Adges when I saw the advance of the infanty our the plat county between oue left and the Salt Lokes, the wece advancey in oen order with fixed lazonets, and were hearil shelled, but make good pyeess watched the advince actitly duell for aout houes as we are on hih geven excelckig the whole of the plain of Genla Bay e the Galt Lckes 22/8/15 Sunday Eveythey still very quiet, projeess still being mode on ae left of Anrefota Plidge we expect an attack on our pent today 23/8/15 Everythey still very quiet peojiees still repeted on one left, nor much news but told tat we are doin well
72 Letters frem home today, everythin quiet 2418/15 cuptured vesitions consolodated on ove left 25/8/15 All quiet on ove left and on ove pert in the "Line Achi Bada nevvil bembeeded 26/815 Achi Baba ver heavil bomberded for 48 hene all quiet 27/8715 All quiet on our front, another attack made on our left and some peopeess made 28/8/15 Bryade Hdges shelled, otherwise quiet day 29/8/15 Sunday Landed 18 weeks Adgrs hearel shelled with NE, several casnalties 30/8/15 Ad drs again shelled sweral casnalties. HB Shells again veed, simply blowing men to pieces, we have had ver little of this kind of shill used on us untill now one man blown to pieces white sitting on the cipt side of me but peesenall was not tenched. thee shills hove a tirrible locol effect but do not speead. 31/8/15 Vey few shells today. a few HElombsonl, no damage done or an cagiatties, it has been idecided to move Reyade Hd Qus 1/9/15 Quist day, nothing doing, 1 egg issued today quite a dewy 2/9/15 Few Shells today, another eg e fll of stiok ismed we hear that a relief is to be expected in about a weeks time, and that the remainder of the 2nd Piivision who are
72 now in Egygt will be coming over shortly 3/9/15 Quiet day, prisoners taken today say that an attack is to be expected this week end 4/9/15 Exceptionally quiet week end, no shelling today. The 6th Bryade ronded tonight which is part of the new Cnatection Pivision fr our relief, 5/9/15 Sunday Larded 19 weeks. All day exceptionaly quiet, hear that our relief will take place in a few days, eveybody pleased 6/9/15 No attack made thes week end, eveything quid other units of the 2d Pinision landed tonight 7/9/15 Quiet day. Officers of the 2nd Div visited the firing line, and are shown the jositions their Bne Coy will occupy when the have token over. Great preparation are being made for the 1st Prycde to be relieved. 8/9/15 preparations nearly complete for the relief of the Bryade. The 2 Bathlimbae tonight at 129c with the 1st Bn. Shelled tonight, turks muct know we hove a new Pivision behind the lines in thefully 9/9/15 Reporations made for our deporture which must be before the end of the week, when the whole of the 1st Division will be relieved, vey bury toda, at Bryade Adges finalisin mottes for the trench celief. A little shelling today 10/9/15 Vezquit day inour sector, nothin doing IRIE
73 their that we are leaving on Sunday for Mudres 11/9/15 Leaviy tomorrow, very buisy getting read and upo pesinl equipet, ement also hondin over to the 2d Division ouer orginisation, yetern etc. Shilled for about 1hour this evening ly 8th howetsers 12/9/15 Sunday Landed 20 weeks. Everything read to handad to the 2nd Pivigior at 12 midnyst, when we prepore to leave. I regain the 4th B at the rest camp where the have been waiting earlier in the evening for orders to embark. Whe pinall get ready to moore off at 2 am the rext moening with the 7th & the 3rd Omns. We merched to the beach e remained there untill 6 am then cedies ore iggned to exturn to the rest camp as it is not prsible to get us away before dawn. The 7m e3 Bns hove token loner to emberk than the time allowed, we are last and of caurse have to wait untill tomoerow. Lanjuage of the men nealf turned the oir blue all ver much dissapented, we are cersolled with the pedt, that we may get any tornacrow nitt (really meanin tonyll as it if new Menday morning 13/9/15 West camp all dar, wher we have been since carl this morning ofter our dissappointment last evening. Ready again this evening for another attengt to embark, again we are disappointed as the remainder of the 7th e3 Bns get away before us, again leavng it too late to embork before day light, so we retuon for another day in the rest camp. We all feel pietty "fed up with the whole business 14/9/15 Rest camp all day, having for sure tonight just Killing time, and waiting for orders to move
74 At gpm we are ordered to puck up and get readh to move off. Loter we move down to the beach and embarked on lage prints at 9 pm for the Osmanich We wait for other treops that are bein relieved who are glaul comin oloaed throughout the nyst Ship vey much overcrawded, We leave it 4 am 15/9/18 Left Angae at 4 am everylody glad to be off The ship is tierelly overcrowded with treops including. Astitle, NI Infanty, Field Aimbulance, and the 4h. B, the men greep all over the deck, saloon floors, josseyes etc, in just anywhere the can get, we are packed like a lot of sardines, there is hardly room for us all to lie down at ence. We hope to be in Lemnos before middg. Accived Lemnosat Ram, we are token off the Osmanich o the HillSWaterwitch ot 4pm and landed, we had to march obout 4 miles to our camp, all ver tired a weak from dssentey etc, fill out of the time for a rest several times, but arrived in camp which had been prepared for ue, at dusk, when we were given 1/2 laye little of stort, this is to be a daid allowance under medical orders, for tea we are given two eggs, all very tired, this is ouer first real rest, no pery line, guards, etc to very about here 16/9/15 Spent the ofternoon in the Greek village laging eggs, vread, chocolote, milk, chuse itc, it rained my hard all the momning, swampn the camp, which was situated in a hollow, it has been desided to shipt the camp to the side of a hill tomorrow, ground ver wet enudd, we have to gleep in the mid all night. such is mititay prethought
75 17/9/15 Shifted comp up the hill side today, feeling pell of ackes a pains, through sleepin on the wet ground last night, very windy today, the ground is drying quictly. The macine band of one of the waishys played selections to the logs in camr today, the port music we have heard since we left lgyst, a good tonic 18/9/15 Feel prett bad today, return of djsenty feel ver weak, quiet day nothy to do, all men are complete restiny. Parade will stort on Monday, meanwhile rest while we may. Loye mail in toda letter from home 19/9/15 Sunday Church parades, did not attend any of them, men issued with clean shirtz, sooks, camp shoes treusers etc. quiet day, nothing to do, not even ptyng the whole camp e surreundy distrects are veggui dotted over with smoll natuve villages, the men are now well seattered through them e hore banght up everythy there is to eat in the way of fruit fis, thecolote itc Two hours drill of yan rest of day free 20/9/15 21/9/15 two houes deill, squad e rifle, visited villayes in afternoon. Beceived 157- pay 22/9/15 Two henes drill. Vey cold e wind day 23/9/15 two houes duill. Very wind heary gale blowing Two hoves deiil. Gale much less todar, sea 24/9/15 reach strewn with wrecage. Several ships fore 100.
76 been blown ashore during the last two days 25/9/15 Two houes deill. Ns wind today, the sun is shin all day, rather waem, went into the village for stores for our mess. 26/9/15 Sunday Attended church perade, worm day visited several rillayes 27/9/15 Two hours parade e medical insjection ofter 28/9/15 Two hours parade and another medical insjection passed and placed in close X3 fit pr seevice in 4 wieks. But of the day of 29/9/15 Two hoves parade, washing day, mail from home 30/9/15 Two hours porade. Visited No 2 Mospital across the herbour dury the efterroon to see some of our bogs who had not possed the medical ingjection the other day, most of them are bad cases of dgenteg, was given as a present by a few friends they Crins of milk, 2 tins of chicken, & 1lb of cocoa we live well when we can 1/10/15 Two hours deile. Boy da received ₤2 went to village for further supplies 2/10/15 two hows drill, mess orderly. A co for fatyne dutres in camp all day 3/10/15 Sunday Church jarade, after visity villages in aftenoor e the town of fortialus over the hills. town sitiraled on side of a mountain
77 two hours drill, hot day- laye Austeslian maib 4/10/15 arrived today 5/10/15 Two hours drile, water fatyue, the water has to be drawn and carried from a village over the hill, one mile from the camp, this woter is required for the cooks fatyne, very tering job carying water over rough ground 6/10/15 Lote for parade and so missed a two hours morch with the Bn so fell for a water fatyue in the morning and a Lell fatyue in the afternoon, heary day, very hot 7/10/15 Two hours drill. Outfost duty 8/10/15 Two hours deill. Fatyne all ofternion diging trenches) rained nearf all day, stoeny night 9/10115 Detailed for ptyne on the beach to refloat a large boat that hod been blown ashore during the storm lost night, so missed a route merch, patigues for the rest of the day 10/10/15 Sunday attended church prade ofter vsited villajes 11/10/15 two hours porade dueing moening, night porades to commense this week 7.30-8 pr, full merching order with packs 12/10/15 Inspected by the General commanding the island and in command of the lines of Communications 9-11.30 am, in full marching order, very fatyuiry two hours prade, very windecold, nytt prace 13/10/15
78 1.30 to 8 pm 14/10/15 Two howrs fatiue instead of parade, 2 M fatyne in ofternoon, ver cold day 15/10/15 his hours Bridgill & bomb throwing, very wind and cold day, rained heeryf dueiy nyht 16/10/15 Theee e half rente murch, and outsest duties no wind today, much woemer 17/10/15 Sunday attended church prade 18/10/15 Two hevrs morchin and stienishing. All attended cencert tonytt in J.M.C.A. tent being the annuiesayy your deerture from Gying. Bottle of beer issued tody 19/10/15 Two houesdrill. keen wind blawiry today 20/10/15 Two houes Bndrill. Cold day 21/10/15 To hours rente march across county a skirnishing 22/10/15 two hoves rente merch, and attack on hills at rear of the camp, veg cold, rained nevef all day 23/10/15 Two hoves merch. Inspection of the Beijadier. Attack in trenches by lembiny parties, vey cold maeny, rained all the ofterneon and night, veg cold wind blowing 24/10/15 Sunday Vez cold and winef all da, rained all day, thurch parade fortoned, arders issued to prepore for an each embarkation peefabl in Wedneitey oursest is at last coming to an end

69
quiet on our front, very little sniping. Turks vey quiet 
large mail arrived today. The Colonel later evacuated
wounded in the knee. CO now Capt Scott


11/8/15 Another quiet day, spent our time in cleaning
ourselves up a bit, also consolodating our position and deepening
the trenches, also burying the dead, of which there is a great
quantity

12/8/15 4th Bn back in the front line again for 48 hours
Am attached temporally to Brigade Hdqrs as dispatch carrier
making many trips through the new communication trench
to Bn Hdqrs in the line. The 7th Light Horse are
temporally attached to our strength, which is less than
200 out of over 800 men that took part in the charge
on the 6th. Quiet day


13/8/15 Dispatch carrying all day. Vey quiet


14/8/15 Brigade Hdqrs heavily shelled this morning, plenty of
high explosives flying about today, not seriously hurt only
hit across the knuckles of the R hand by a splinter of
shell that entered the leg of a telephone operator who was
sitting next to me, we are being shelled all day. Their
guns are searching for Brigade Hdqrs to knock it out
shells fall all around but do not hit it. as it is
very well placed & not easily hit


15/8/15 Sunday Landed 16 weeks. Quiet day only a few
odd shells flying about, no damage done, vey few
casualties are occuring now, The dead are being buried
in huge pit fulls.


14/8/15 Everything quiet, down to normal, easy time at Hd Qrs

 

70
17/8/15 Did not hear a single shot fired today.
Several times up to the firing line with messages
everything exceptionally quiet. visited the beach today
for a swim


18/8/15 Quiet day at Hd Qrs absolutely nothing doing
in the firing line. another mail today


19/8/15 Very quiet again. Turks must have had enough
only a little sniping during day


20/8/15 Everything OK.  5th Brigade landed tonight
and placed on the left flanc, otherwise nothig
doing at all, reports all along the firing line. All well


21/8/15 Quiet day on our own front, a big advance
is made in over left flanc. Was carrying a dispatch
to the 4th Bn Hdqrs when I saw the advance of
the infantry over the flat county between our left and
the Salt Lakes, thy were advancing in open order
with fixed bayonets, and were heavily shelled, but
make good progress.  watched the advance & artillery
duell for about 2 hours as we are on vey high ground
overlooking the whole of the plain of Suvla Bay
& the Salt Lakes


22/8/15 Sunday Everything still very quiet, progress
still being made on our left at Annafarta Ridge
we expect an attack on our front today


23/8/15 Everything still very quiet. progress still
reported on our left, not much news but told that
we are doing well

 

71
24/18/15 Letters from home today, everything quiet
captured positions consolodated on our left


25/8/15 All quiet on our left and on our front in
the "Line" Achi Baba heavily bombarded


26/8/15 Achi Baba very heavily bombarded for 48
hours. all quiet


27/8/15 All quiet on our front, another attack made on
our left and some progress made


28/8/15 Brigade Hdqrs shelled, otherwise quiet day


29/8/15 Sunday Landed 18 weeks Hdqrs heavily shelled
with HE, several casualties


30/8/15 Hd Qrs again shelled several casualties. HE shells
again used, simply blowing men to pieces, we have had
very little of this kind of shell used on us untill now
one man blown to pieces while sitting on the right side of me
but personally was not touched. these shells have a terrible
local effect but do not spread.


31/8/15 Vey few shells today. a few HE bombs only, no
damage done or any casualties, it has been decided to
move Brigade Hd Qrs


1/9/15 Quiet day, nothing doing, 1 egg issued today quite a
luxury


2/9/15 Few shells today, another egg & ½ lb of steak issued
we hear that a relief is to be expected in about a weeks
time, and that the remainder of the 2nd Division who are

 

72
now in Egypt will be coming over shortly


3/9/15 Quiet day, prisoners taken today say that an
attack is to be expected this week end


4/9/15 Exceptionally quiet week end, no shelling today.
The 6th Brigade landed tonight which is part of the
new Australian Division for our relief,


5/9/15 Sunday Landed 19 weeks. All day exceptionally
quiet, hear that our relief will take place in a few
days, everybody pleased


6/9/15 No attack made this week end, everything quiet
other units of the 2nd Division landed tonight


7/9/15 Quiet day. Officers of the 2nd Div visited the
firing line, and are shown the positions their Bn &
Coy will occupy when they have taken over. Great
preparations are being made for the 1st Brigade to
be relieved.


8/9/15 Preparations nearly complete for the relief of the 1st
Brigade. The 2nd Battalion leave tonight at 12 o/c
with the 1st Bn. Shelled tonight, Turks must know
we have a new Division behind the lines in the Gully


9/9/15 Preparations made for our departure which
must be before the end of the week, when the
whole of the 1st Division will be relieved, very
buisy today, at Brigade Hdqrs finalising matters for the
trench relief. A little shellig today

 
10/9/15 Very quiet day in our sector, nothing doing

 

73
Hear that we are leaving on Sunday for Mudros


11/9/15 Leaving tomorrow, very buisy getting ready and
packing up our personal equipment, regimental stores etc
also handing over to the 2nd Division our orginisation, systems
etc. Shelled for about 1 hour this evening by 8" howitsers


12/9/15 Sunday Landed 20 weeks. Everything ready to
hand over to the 2nd Division at 12 midnight, when we
prepare to leave. I rejoin the 4th Bn at the rest camp
where they have been waiting earlier in the evening for
orders to embark. We finally get ready to moove off at
2 am the next morning with the 7th & the 3rd Bns. We
marched to the beach & remained there untill 6 am
then orders are issued to return to the rest camp as
it is not possible to get us away before dawn. The
7th & 3rd  Bns have taken longer to embark than the
time allowed, we are last and of course have to wait
untill tomorrow. Language of the men nearly turned the
air blue all very much disappointed, we are consolled with
the fact that we may get away tomorrow night (really
meaning tonight as it is now Monday morning)


13/9/15 Rest camp all day, where we have been since early
this morning after our disappointment last evening. Ready
again this evening for another attempt to embark, again
we are disappointed as the remainder of the 7th & 3rd Bns
get away before us, again leaving it too late to embark
before daylight, so we return for another day in the
rest camp. We all feel pretty "fed up" with the
whole business


14/9/15 Rest camp all day, leaving for sure tonight
just killing time, and waiting for orders to move

 

74
At 8 pm we are ordered to pack up and get ready
to move off. Later we move down to the beach and
embarked on large punts at 9 pm for the "Osmanieh"
We wait for other troops that are being relieved
who are slowly coming aboard throughout the night
Ship very much overcrowded, We leave it 4 am


15/9/18 Left Anzac at 4 am everybody glad to be off
The ship is terribly overcrowded with troops
including. Artillery, NZ Infantry, Field Ambulance, and
the 4th. Bn, the men sleep all over the deck,
saloon floors, passages etc, in fact anywhere they can
get, we are packed like a lot of sardines, there
is hardly room for us all to lie down at once.
We hope to be in Lemnos before midday. Arrived
Lemnos at 12 am, we are taken off the "Osmanieh"
by the "HMS Waterwitch" at 4 pm and landed, we
had to march about 4 miles to our camp, all very
tired & weak from dysentry etc, fell out of the line
for a rest several times, but arrived in camp which
had been prepared for us, at dusk, when we
were given ½ large bottle of stout, this is to be
a daily allowance under medical orders, for
tea we are given two eggs, all very tired, this is
our first real rest, no firing line, guards, etc
to wory about here


16/9/15 Spent the afternoon in the Greek village buying
eggs, bread, chocolate, milk, cheese etc, it rained vey
hard all the morning, swamping the camp, which
was situated in a hollow, it has been descided to
shift the camp to the side of a hill tomorrow,
ground very wet & muddy, we have to sleep in the mud
all night. Such is military forethought

 

75
17/9/15 Shifted camp up the hill side today, feeling
full of aches & pains, through sleeping on the wet ground
last night, very windy today, the ground is drying
quickly. The marine band of one of the warships
played selections to the boys in camp today, the first
music we have heard since we left Egypt, a good
tonic


18/9/15 Feel pretty bad today, return of dysentry feel
very weak, quiet day nothig to do, all men are completely
resting. Parades will start on Monday, meanwhile
rest while we may. Large mail in today letters
from home


19/9/15 Sunday Church parades, did not attend any
of them, men issued with clean shirts, socks, camp shoes
trousers etc. quiet day, nothing to do, not even fatiques
the whole camp & surrounding districts are vey quiet
dotted over with small native villages, the men
are now well scattered through them & have bought
up everything there is to eat in the way of fruit
figs, chocolate etc
 

20/9/15 Two hours drill 9-11 am rest of day free
 

21/9/15 Two hours drill, squad & rifle, visited villages
in afternoon. Received 15/- pay


22/9/15 Two hours drill. Very cold & windy day
 

23/9/15 Two hours drill. Very windy heavy gale blowing
 

24/9/15 Two hours drill. Gale much less today, sea
beach strewn with wreckage. Several ships have

 

76
been blown ashore during the last two days


25/9/15 Two hours drill. No wind today, the sun is
shining all day, rather warm, went into the village for
stores for our mess.


26/9/15 Sunday Attended church parade, warm day
visited several villages


27/9/15 Two hours parade & medical inspection after


28/9/15 Two hours parade and another medical inspection
passed and placed in class X=fit for service in 4
weeks. Rest of the day off


29/9/15 Two hours parade, washing day, mail from home


30/9/15 Two hours parade. Visited No 2 Hospital across
the harbour durig the afternoon to see some of our
boys who had not passed the medical inspection
the other day, most of them are bad cases of
dysentry, was given as a present by a few friends there
6 tins of milk, 2 tins of chicken, & 1 lb of cocoa
we live well when we can


1/10/15 Two hours drill. Payday received ₤2 went to
village for further supplies


2/10/15 Two hours drill, mess orderly. A Coy for fatique
duties in camp all day


3/10/15 Sunday Church parade, after visitig
villages in afternoon & the town of Portiabus  over
the hills. town situated on side of a mountain

 

77
4/10/15 Two hours drill, hot day- large Australian mail
arrived today


5/10/15 Two hours drill,  water fatique, the water has to
be drawn and carried from a village over the hill, one
mile from the camp, this water is required for the cooks
fatique, very tiring job carrying water over rough ground


6/10/15 Late for parade and so missed a two hours march
with the Bn so fell for a water fatique in the morning
and a Drill fatique in the afternoon, heavy day, very hot


7/10/15 Two hours drill. Outpost duty


8/10/15 Two hours drill. Fatigue all afternoon digging
trenches, rained nearly all day, stormy night


9/10/15 Detailed for fatigue on the beach to refloat
a large boat that had been blown ashore during the
storm last night, so missed a route march, fatigues for
the rest of the day


10/10/15 Sunday attended church parade. after visited
villages


11/10/15 Two hours parade during morning, night parades to
commence this week 7.30-8 pm, full marching order with
packs


12/10/15 Inspected by the General commanding the island
and in command of the lines of communications 9-11.30
am, in full marching order, very fatiguing
 

13/10/15 Two hours parade, very windy & cold, night parade

 

78
7.30 to 8 pm


14/10/15 Two hours fatique instead of parade, Drill
fatique in afternoon, vey cold day


15/10/15 Two hours Bn drill & bomb throwing, very
windy and cold day, rained heavily during night


16/10/15 Three & half route march, and outpost duties
no wind today, much warmer


17/10/15 Sunday attended church parade


18/10/15 Two hours marching and skirmishing . All attended
concert tonight in Y.M.C.A. tent being the anniversary
of our departure from Sydney. Bottle of beer issued today


19/10/15 Two hours drill. Keen wind blowing today


20/10/15 Two hours Bn drill. Cold day


21/10/15 Two hours route march across county & skirmishing


22/10/15 Two hours route march, and attack on hills at
rear of the camp, vey cold, rained nearly all day


23/10/15 Two hours march. Inspection by the Brigadier. Attack
in trenches by bombing parties, vey cold morning, rained
all the afternoon and night, vey cold wind blowing


24/10/15 Sunday Very cold and windy all day, rained
all day, Church parade postponed, orders issued to
prepare for an early embarkation probably on Wednesday
our rest is at last coming to an end 

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