Diary of John Kingsley Gammage, 1915 - [1916] - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000347
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

105 2 Mtack xpected Very heary rifte & Arllay firim 230 tell 5. Ac were rushed into form to kein- D. Compy Allday Turks bombard 4 tel went summer & had exceptionarcles call no more swere 15 for me my luck right in my mate had his stomach btown out with whole shell seavy teren & Rifle firetf a ceneral r istern dospun hole heaver if Only our Artillary 2 & Warship Coin 4 went to trenches & Por started sappin on a turnel that goes 30 ye in front of trenches relieved & sent out in from our trench through a hole at the end of tunnel I am one to menaltogether & of our men shor
405 by our own blooming took our officers to blame one of which hould be shot for manstaughter he s not fit to be in charge cadit enhusratia Clood to. Verydan cerous camp cante eriped from all der ectiom. 2 men Killea &2wounded Stood to 3 till from 7 to 10 Ac wrk bombard all day they still have a be advantage of wsent more ment lstillary amen eniped while harin cea ticwas one of them Teasidate shot himself 6 till Pot. Heary Schrap stood to this a realy posey of a place. Sct. all the morning et our Warship Partillary are Jacko a bombare Turns reply a dreat Artitlary vattle X f
A05 with 125 sniped same as yes erday 20th Stood to 345Ad Heavy fring all days made sure one of our acroplancs was brough down Luck send over 50 shills after himg lo a Turkish prisoner used to try I draw them out they reply wanting to Roo when we will soer render also tetter i as of we dont to will drive us all in to the seat take n prisoners thats ne know OurArt. elary froom hard on left even t the ship bombarding Ach Bala got a preceo bread ffirst piec if fever or some distan hose not break here its a mirract 715 ott to 3 4 had a very close nearly smother a ekill knocked
105 103 paraphet &sana ass over me. 4to shifted to rear of 2 hiim time afor win to sunfarceI Batt- $500 particularly heavy Schrap on the road up no time to take cover arrived at DPoll only 6 casnalties very heavy Bombn Prifle pret Rocker & Haris from Well to 1 Ack. 20 to Act started back camp & got very heavy Schrap all the way Turk can observe t all the way Popenia the clive prove lattery nus to 12. Sckrap 4to 7 Pett Schrap- frin rong after our air oplanes II Pok Veryhean pring Pbombe 13th Our Sum comes Artillary & Warshy bombard Tueks for 2/ hours 12 Pol our Art Harshep apaintto H. Lurk have a turn
15 70 also after our Aeroptan lel very keavyrally Under coverall 14 day. 8 Petb went to Battwe kenforce fer even worse time. thanon the 11t upe not worth 2t if we continue to use the track the Lurds can wait on us we walk right under thenreye besides under the Clive grove battery Orer night. 15 Stood to 3 till Aot. returned under wose firethancer went for the first my nerves are gone y each seep &felt is the last only t easualties thank Toa Our Warskip Bomtard our Acroplanes drop timbs 16t 8 to 10 Act Scharp quiet day 5 tilloik Schrapnell Ourett Monetor lombardall night. Very heavy
AUS 1030 arig 11 to 1 Act 17th Turk give the beach an extrasupply of Schrap- 13 tell 8 Weget the best bombarde since arrived thes place to not a bet like home 18th Fairty quiet all morning sheir linolan drop Bombst steel darts. Ihet went to runforce2 Bat for some reason to have a quiet walk up there was only there about 2 mene when a Japanch bomb nearlysmor hired me with dirr I am dead lcky Monitor firm X 19 all day on Oer Bata &Left wing. One our Auplanes looped the look over the Turt tines it is elevers pluck but very foolish. Steady Sch. all day over ourcans lett Very heary rally
A0S krap tell 1Ard 1Pet Arroplan Er bomts on our camp td man wounda Hent to church servce owing to shell fired was cut short. Our Artillary firi Hara all the evening 21 Vuy Hearyrally at 1Ach. Lurk will coon drop down to wasting rifle amun ition 8 tell 11 Ac. Heary Schrak. Our ctillary firing on accus post al day. 2 tell 7 Pk Very heavy Schraf am curted uptike a smake under cover the sooner we get tock to the frimtine the bener. Quiet Turksafter our arroplanes from 11 to 1 P.H. 4to 6 R still after our Airop lane the sky es a great sight 6to 8ht arin the primgle 100
veral dose of Schry Steady Setrap. all day Our c onitors firing steady 8.P.H. Co to Kemforce2 Bot Japanese bombs lam very close to where we are sleeping Goinen the Mackine own section 11 Ped Very heavy rally 24th One stug of Sehn landed in my dugout. Very close to my chest. One of our transport vesstts hit on bous. 13min hit in one Mho. killed Had arow with setl 6tll 7 Schrap d 3 tell 5 Schrap- Our Battleskip Lord Welson Bombards with hoad siden she sent up an observing baloon Ctell sPoll Lisap ovr camp. Turks frrom heary after our ter ship aiso after our proplanes which drops papers ove 103
405 lurts trenche accorg anyeed by a few come Very heavy rally at 10 Poll. Another row with Soll 2 2till 5 Aoll Stoo to 9 Actt Heavy Schrap rlstt all day Turks after one of our gins a landing very close they have the ran to a2 ell 4 the gur to Daw fire too ch t dugout Battleshy ombard all the evening until al Wrship start 24 at 4 Aotb Turkorefly very Heavy Arculary light for two hours once again Jackowin Harship continuealy day. Surks findrange lovely for our camp the pre directed by a cerman Airopten by a gun Sonly knew since moming 2 till 5 82 tell a Act coming in very fan from 2 new gun AR
105 very nasty must dear 20 the new sumh inflated Lim in thenon mateSr 2 170r titl S An &till 11 Aol Westroyer tering hard 1io 26 ts new gurm again ood business we are Lurt on therein by busy day one continual reflerate f Furt tim Artitlary& like rain cant get my tea too much chrap to more above 9Bn Heavy reflerally bomt &rooket 1Aot Very heary ally by Jacks our toneton fering hard our Light horse heavelly they equibled 50 know charge but the odds were agains them 5 tell 7 Nel Schr at interval all day Turks Ausplanes M

10
5th Stood To Attack
expected Very heavy
rifle & Artillary firing
2. 30 till 5. A M. were
rushed into firing line
to Reinf - D. Compy
All day Turks bombard
4 PM. went swimming
& had exceptional close
call no more swimming
for me my luck is
right in my mate
had his stomach
blown out with
whole shell. Heavy
firing & Rifle fire & 
xx & a general fire
works display the
whole heavens lit up

6th Only our Artillary
& Warships going 4PM
went to trenches 8 PM
started sapping on a
tunnel that goes 30
yds in front of our
trenches, relieved &
sent out in front of
our trench through
a hole at the end of
tunnel I am one of
6 men altogether
2 of our men shot 

 

11
by our own blooming
fools. our officers to
blame one of which
should be shot for
manslaughter he is
not fit to be in charge
of Cadets in Australia

7th Stood to. Very dangerous 
camp can be
sniped from all directions. 
2 men Killed
& 2 wounded.

8th Stood to. 3 till 5
& from 7 to 10 AM
Turks bombard all day
they still have a big
advantage of us with
more men & Artillary
2 men sniped while
having tea Price was
one of them. Teasedale
shot himself 6 till
8 PM. Heavy Schrap-

9th Stood to, this is
a realy posey of a
place. Sch all the
morning. 2 PM our
Warships & artillary
give Jacko a bombarding
Turks reply a great
Artillary battle & Jacko 

 

12
won. 5 PM 2 men
sniped same as yesterday

10th Stood to 3 to 5 AM
Heavy firing all day I
made sure one of our
aeroplanes was brought
down Turks send over
50 shells after him 9PM
a Turkish prisoner
used to try & draw
them out they reply
wanting to know
when we will surrender 
also telling
us if we dont they
will drive us all in
to the sea & take no
prisoners thats nice
to know. Our Artillary
firing hard
on left wing & Warships
bombarding Achi
Baba. got a piece of
bread (first piece)
if fever or some disease
dose not break out
here its a miracle

11th Stood to 3 till 5 AM
had a very close shave
nearly smothered a
shell knocked 5 yds

 

13 
of paraphet & sand
bags over me. 4 PM
shifted to rear of the
firing line 9 PM
went to reinforce 2nd
Batt- & got particularly
heavy Schrap- on the
road up no time to
take cover Arrived at
10 PM. only 6 casualties
Very heavy Bombing
& rifle fire & Rockets
& flares from 11 PM
to 1 AM.

12th Stood to 3 till 7
AM. started back to
camp & got very heavy
Schrap- all the way
Turks can observe us
all the way & opened
the Olive grove battery
on us. 11 to 12. Schrap
4 to 7 PM Schrap- great
firing after our Airoplanes. 
11 PM Very heavy
firing & bombs

13.th Our turn comes
Artillary & Warships
bombard Turks for 2½
hours 12 PM. our Art-
& Warships again 4 to 6
PM. Turks have a turn 

 

14
also after our Airoplanes
11 PM. very heavy rally

14th Under cover all
day. 8 PM. went to
Reinforce 2nd Batt we
get even worse time
than on the 11th life
not worth 2/- if we
continue to use this
track the Turks can
wait on us. we walk
right under their eyes
& besides under the
Olive grove battery
Quiet night.

15th Stood to 3 till 7
AM. returned under
worse fire than we
went. for the first
my nerves are gone
& felt as if each step
is the last. only 6
casualties thank God.
Our Warships Bombard
& our Airoplanes drop
bombs

16th 6 to 10 AM Schrap
quiet day 5 till 8 PM
Schrapnell.  Our Mont
Monitors bombard all
night. Very heavy 

 

15 
firing 11 to 1 AM

17th Turks give the
beach an extra supply
of Schrap- 12 till 8 PM
We get the best bombarding
since I arrived this
place is not a bit
like home

18th Fairly quiet all
morning. Their Airoplane
drops Bombs & steel
darts. 7 PM went to
reinforce 2nd Batt
for some reason we
have a quiet walk
up there. was only
there about 2 minutes
when a Japanese
bomb nearly smothered
me with dirt
I am dead lucky

19th Monitors firing
all day on Achi Baba
& Left wing. One of
our Airoplanes looped
the loop over the Turks
lines it is clever &
plucky but very
foolish. Steady Schr-
all day over our camp
11 PM Very heavy rally 

 

16
20th Stood to 3 to 5 AM
7 till 11 AM Schrap-
1 PM Airoplane drops
bombs on our camp
one man wounded
Went to church service
owing to shell fire it
was cut short. Our
Artillary firing Hard
all the evening

21st Very Heavy rally
at 1 AM. Turks will
soon drop down to
wasting rifle amunition

8 till 11 AM.
Heavy Schrap. Our
Artillary firing on
Quinns post all
day. 2 till 7 PM
Very heavy Schrap-
I am curled up like
a snake under cover
the sooner we get back
to the firing line the
better.

22nd Quiet. Turks after
our Airoplanes from
11 to 1 PM. 4 to 6 PM
still after our Airoplane 
the sky is a
great sight 6 to 8 PM
giving the firing line 

 

a liberal dose of Schrap
17

23rd Steady Schrap-
all day Our Monitors
firing steady. 8 PM go
to Reinforce 2nd Batt
Japanese bombs land
very close to where we
are sleeping Joined
the Machine gun
section 11 PM Very
heavy rally

24.th One slug of Schr-
landed in my
dugout. Very close to
my chest. One of
our transport vessels
hit on bows. 13 men
hit in one shot. 5
Killed. Had a row with .S.M.

25th 6 tlll 7 Schrap-
3 till 5 Schrap- Our
Battleship Lord Nelson
Bombards with broad
siders she sent up
an observing baloon
6 till 8 PM Schrap over
camp. Turks firing
heavy after our War
ships also after our
Airoplanes which
drops papers over 

 

18 
Turks trenches accompanyied
by a few bombs
Very heavy rally at 10
PM. Another row with SM

26th 3 till 5 AM Stood
to. 7 to 9 AM Heavy
Schrap- & at intervals
all day. Turks after
one of our guns. all
landing very close
they have the range
to a nicety. Hang
the guns. they draw
fire too close to my
dugout. Battleship
bombard all the
evening until 9 PM

27.th Warships starts
at 4 AM. Turks reply
Very Heavy Artillary
fight for two hours
once again Jacko wins
Warships continue all
day. Turks find range
lovely for our camp
the fire directed by
a German Airoplane
by a gun I only
Knew since morning
2 till 5 & 7 till 9 AM
coming in very fast
from 2 new guns 

 

19 
very nasty feeling I
must leave this dugout
the new guns have it
inflated Sims & his
mate shot in the next
dugout

28th Stood to 3 till 5 AM
8 till 11 AM Destroyers
firing hard 11 to 2 PM
Turks new guns again
good business we
have Turks on the run
very busy day one
continual rifle rally
& Ships firing & Turks
Artillary falling
like rain. cant get
my tea too much
Schrap- to move about
9 PM. Heavy rifle rally
& bombs & rockets

29th 1 AM Very heavy
rally by Jacko. our
Monitors firing hard
Our Light horse lost
heavilly they
squibbed it in a 
charge but got god knows
the odds were against
them 5 till 7 Am Schrap
& at intervals all
day Turks Airoplanes 

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Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
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