Diary of Harold Edwin Salisbury Armitage, 1915 - Part 7

56
Anzac. 11.6.15   

Have to resort to all sorts of oddments for this letter
as all kit &c has been stacked pending what we hope
will be a general advance.
During the past week many changes have occurred  
in this part - trenches being taken on our right & left,  
while big things are to be done on our left. If things  
go right. we should have the dominating hand here  
by the end of this week. I will tell you more 
in my next letter. You can draw some conclusion
from the fact that some of Paul's men have been  
among some wounded dressed at this beach. I have  
heard that P. is down with pneumonia,  
I wrote a letter which I didn't send - too dangerous -  
& just now even the heads are getting 'wigged'  for  
sending indiscreet letters which have been published.
Don't take any notice of rumors. I've heard all sorts  
of yarns were current in Cairo &c about me being  
'outed' - 'lost a leg', or 'down with typhoid' - &  
Murray Fowler had a blue fit when he saw me  
on joining - as he'd heard in Egypt that I'd gone W.
Never take notice of anything unless it's Official.
I've met many old pals & made many new ones.
Shaw of 'pint of water' fame - Gordon Cornish is Capt.,  
& I've met Todd & Frayne - (Munro's pals). Frayne was  
sniped & went W. the other day. Our Brgdr. Gen. Sinclair
[*Maclagan*] Maclagan is a fine old chap & knows me well.

57

Very few of the officers who left with the 10^th are here  
now - only Weir, Lorenzo, Shaw, Giles, Stopp, Perry,  
Hocking, & Hamilton are with us - so you can see that  
trench life plays up with us all. We expect our next  
reinforcements daily. Things are worked differently now -  
4 officers  to every 236 men - (not only 2 as in the case  
of Hancock & myself) - S. Aust. officers have done work
that was not done anywhere else & folks are only just  
beginning to realise it.
I didn't give you much description of our trip from  
Alexandria to Lemnos - it's too great for a written  
account - I hope to be able to tell you about it by  
Xmas time.
However we left Cairo early - breaking camp 4 a.m.  
Travelled all day through deserts or oases – arriving at  
Alex. at 1.30 p.m. ending the most miserable train  
journey I've ever done. We stepped off the train on the wharf
at Alex. & waited in a blistering sun till 4 p.m. Had a tough job  
keeping the fellows away from native gin shops, and made myself
mighty unpopular in doing so. There we went on board "Australind"  
a converted Germ. Australian liner - a real dirty, lousy tub. There  
were 29 officers & 1100 men aboard with sleeping accom. for 9 officers.
Ireland, Hancock, & myself getting beds on lower boat deck. Left  
Alex at 8 p.m. passing a score of transports, & 6 or so warships
The journey was in absolute darkness at night - for a Hun sub.  
 [*Maclagan*] had been seen, & we had a 'sub guard' with orders to shoot quick

58 

Our course was rather an erratic one & we passed many pretty  
islands - so many that I've mixed up their names, but my descrip
of Imbros would do for each. The deep blue of the Medit. was  
wonderful - and indescribable. Lemnos was reached after 78 hours'  
trip & we sailed into Mudros where the 3^rd Brig, the base unnamed  
in Gordon's last letter. The narrow entrance was guarded by war  
boats, for submarines are about They had a go at a dummy  
warship which they took for "Big Lizzie." The harbor has room
for very many ships. After a day or two here at 7pm I was  
put on a mine sweeper - 'Newmarket' - & started for Gallipoli -
reaching here at daybreak. We were given a great send off from  
Mudros as we passed the Mauretania, La France, - and especially
by the sailors on the war-boats - (many here). then away into  
the darkness, & danger of subs, which we quite expected to meet  
outside Mudros. At 1 a.m. we were off a mysterious black coast  
and here we heard the first sounds of battle – crack! crack! of
snipers, at close intervals as we lay off the coast. At Mudros  
I saw my first 'Taube' - Fritz flew over a camp of Frenchies  
dropping eggs -  
Nothing has happened lately - we keep losing men daily, & the  
5th Reinfts. being well among them. It's either 'bad luck' or to my  
mind 'destiny' - & anyhow every little we do helps to push the  
thing along a bit further towards crushing Hunland, & breaking  
up this scum of Europe here in Turkey. So far I believe the  
casualties of my old platoon is 5 killed, 8 wounded, 6 Hospital
so we are doing our share. Everyone here is pleased with  
the sturdiness of my old boys, they are true soldiers, solid,  
trustworthy, & what is very essential - cheerful at all times.
My new N^o 9 platoon is a fine one - and we mutually are  
much attached. I don't loaf on my N.C.Os - but try & know everything
that goes on among them, & try to take every possible care of them.
They are to work for me, fight with me, & live with me, & so I must  
have their trust, & I can tell you things run pretty comfortably
My old platoon N^o 10 is a sister to N^o 9, & both consist in  
the main of Broken Hill men, & I have got on well with them all.

59 

They are tough men - but I have had no nonsense from  
any of them. Jock Hamilton has N^o. 10 - he is an old soldier  
of much campaign experience, & has been a great help to me.
He & I can get more out of N^os 9 & 10 than any others can  
& we give them some tough jobs too. If we were ordered to  
advance you can't imagine the feeling of security I have,
because I know that Bill Mulvaney, Jack Wreath, Cameron,  
Hill, Hunter, Baynes, Holland, Connock, & above all Sgt. CHISHOLME  
would be close behind me as we hop over.
An epidemic seems to be breaking out here - (blow censor) - 
a kind of fever with abdom. pains has gripped several of my  
men, they have gone to the Hospital. I have an idea that  
but for our inoculation it would turn to enteric. 'Pills' says  
it is influenza & a physical reaction after stress of campaign -  
but does not consider it dangerous so far.
I got a fine parcel from Liverpool - chocolate, shortbread,  
biscuits, & cigarettes - a splendid gift which I am thanking  
them for - & hope to do personally soon.
I have taken up smoking on your advice - as it drowns  
very effectively the 'hum' of the Turkish dead out in front.
I don't cotton to the habit yet but will keep it going  
till I get away from this smelly place.
Thank you for the papers you send weekly. & I can  
assure you your letters are tip top stimulators - as they 
inspire me to do my very best. I haven't time nor paper  
to write to Uncle Will and other relatives - so write to them  
for me. So far I'm all right, good health, getting promotion,  
stopping no bullets &c. - So pass this on to Wumps & George.
I am tip-top - may be a bit lean- but FIT - & now with  
best wishes for best of everything to you all -  
remain
Your Loving son
Rollo
G.R.W.V.

60
Same damned old place.
21.8.15   

Just had the pleasure of seeing 17 bags of mails sink beneath 
the Medit, a Hosp ship collided with a mail lighter- and
2 200 bags of mail for 1^st Div. (17 for 10^th) are now being perused
by Neptune & Co. This is the second lot of ours gone - so the
luck of the 10^th is not too good.
Here we are in the same place - our huge attempt to push
through has fizzled out, and the "Staff" is thinking.
My word if ever we get back to Aussy you will hear
my opinion of this openly, 'Bungle', 'bungle' all the time.
The 10^th are doing their 18^th week in the trenches, having
had only 9 days relief in that time. - Every day we are
losing men - mostly through sickness. Out of my Rfts. 43
have been struck off - & over 20 of these sickness.
Ireland went away with dysentery, & 4 other officers soon
followed. Everybody seems to have had stomach trouble, and
most are very weak - but devil a spell do we get, and
now we are warned a winter campaign is expected,
All we can do is just to hang on - until our ranks are
depleted so that we will have to be withdrawn. The
"Fighting Tenth" is a sorry wreck now - I think we have
not 100 men (including returned wounded) who went
through the first 4 days, & the casualties of my Rfts.
speaks for itself
Personally I am very fit but tired - so will close now.
21.8.15
Jock Hamilton has just been promoted Capt, & is
transferred to D Co. Major Shaw is acting 2-O.C. of
10^th – Stopp has gone away sick so that Cornish is
acting O.C. of C and I am second to him. As he has
been off colour lately, I have been virtually in command
Three N.C.O have just been promoted to 2 Lieut. & are with
us, so next to Cornish I have been longer with C Comp.
than any of the others. 

61

Among recent promotions three A.H.S. boys get their
first 'stars' - Henwood, McCairn, & Gordon. The latter
has just gone away ill - and so has Loutit - an old mate
of School of Mines days.
As 'Snow' case is being re-tried Jacky Hughes & Charlie Both
are still kept back - & Hughes especially has bad luck.
He was to have been with the 10^th but being in the 'Intell'
Dept at the beginning of the war - he had so much to do
chasing Hun spies, that H.Q. blocked him till matters
straightened themselves out.
According to all accounts the 3^rd Contingent played up
'Old Harry' in Cairo, took charge of the town in fact helped
by Tommies - but the latter & N.Z. men slunk away
when trouble came along. Result is we are kept here
as H.Q. are afraid of conduct of new troops.
Great fuss is made of the N.Z. divisions - but let me
give you a fact or two. "Quinn's Post" episode is O.K.
now so I can speak out. The N.Z. really funked the
Turkish attack – & we had to open up enfilade fire to
make them face the Turks. If Quinn's had gone
our whole position would have been opened up - so at last
picked men from the Aust. were put in - and we
turned the tables. Result- no Turks now within
a mile of Quinns – but what makes our boys wild
is the fact N.Z. are being relieved though they landed
in comfort compared to our lot - and have only had
5 weeks in the trenches at most. Some of the N.Z. are
fine battalions - but others are worse than Light Horse,
The latest joke here is that L.H. "offered to serve as
infantry." Some of my men came upon an old "pozzy"

62

& found in it a German blue grey overcoat wrapped round
a bottle of Johnny Walker. The boys were extremely annoyed
to find the bottle was very empty - but it seems hard luck
that the enemy can get good British whisky whilst we
have to put up with inferior Grecian truck. One of my
men wept over the empty bottle - but they nicked all
the buttons from the coat
I have got some fine copper driving bands off some
shells which lobbed near me - & if I get them back to
Australia they will make fine serviette rings.
Scott has just been sent to Hos. with a fearful cold
and a touch of rheumatics.
I can't tell you any news yet of this "great" operation
which has fizzled out very dismally, - but you'll get
it some day. Trench life is miserable plenty of sickness
and stink - but very little glory.
I am still in excellent health - but send along a
warm woollen singlet with sleeves if we winter in this
miserable hole. Good luck. Much love fr Rollo.
29. 8. 15
I enclose 1. list of casualties I want kept - 2. Names of
my 5th Rfts. 3 Some Egyptn. stamps 4 a snap of Colonel
Bob Elliot O.C. 7th Battn - a Melb. Uni. man - who was
on the "Australind" - (returned after wounded) - & he & I got
on well together. - Our job here is same as usual -
carting sick to the Hosp. & devil a man do we get in
their place. 53 of 5 Rfts. have gone away & only 1 back - 
Hancock has gone too - &  counting in Weir we have lost
11 officers the last fortnight, & 2 others have returned.

63 

H.Q. are waking up - 4 officers now do the work in
S st., that Hancock & I had to do alone, and I am glad
to hear all officers have to do 2 months' service with the
battn before taken on the strength - as that will
give a show to those promoted from the ranks.
The 27^th is a "rag-time" show - and have a — 
name. - but I will have more to say of them later.
Col. Weir is now Acting Brigadier as MacLagan
is away temporarily. If all the officers had "stuck it'
like Weir it would have been better - but few have.
I saw Col. W. the other day. and he asked of home & you.
He introduced me to several big-wigs of H.Q - as "son
of an old school mate" - & that he was watching me
with interest. Anyhow I hope he becomes Brig. Gen
& gets D.S.O. for the fine work he has done.
Shaw is now temp. O.C. 10^th - Giles is second-
Cornish O.C. of C. company, Both Lauders are dead.
If letters haven't come to hand blame the censor at
the base – I've written once a week. 
No we haven't got past the first step on our
way to Constantinople – and God knows whether we
ever make a second step. I wish Kitchener would
send us soldiers not boys to do the business. If what
I have seen - (with a few glorious exceptions) are trained
soldiers – will pack up & leave the Empire. I see in
an English paper the Aust. are spoken of as untrained
but God help us if we have to rely on the miserable
half starved, flat-chested 'men' in certain regiments near
us - if they are specimens of "Kitcheners trained men".

64 

Our "untrained men" - fought from Apr. 25 to 29
without rest or relief of any kind - and are now
doing their 19^th week in the trenches - and I reckon
the Australian is the best soldier in the Empire.
The trained British batts. do 3 weeks & are then
pulled out for a month - so Aussy can stand
it O.K.  Its marvellous. The Tommies here can't
even speak the King's English - & our boys soon
got tired of listening to them. Conscription will
be the only thing for them and Australia too.
Ireland was upset by some bombing one night
8 or 9 weeks ago - & has not shown up since. Anyhow
he didn't appear to have what is commonly known
as 'guts' – and his sickness was opportune.
Nothing doing down our end lately. Our
boys with the British & Pommies are doing good
work up North. We call the Regulars – Indians
& Australians - 'British' - but Pommies are
nondescript. Connaught Rangers are tip-top.
Trench warfare is damnable - but not even
the Devil nor Mahomet with him - can shift us
from these trenches.
I am O.K. Recd. letters from Wumps, Mr Anner,
Kimbers &c. Love to all - News is very scarce.
Who sent McE. a feather to get him enlisted? I
believe we are to be relieved soon. Best love
Rollo 

65
Anzac Cove  
6. 9. 15

More developments brewing but still continue  
to address Egypt - Major Parsons & his squadron  
have arrived. I walked 5 miles to see them - & after  
a great hunt found Capt. Sukman, Ragless was  
away on outpost about 1 ½ miles further so didn't  
see him. The gullies there reminded me of those
between the Oval (Houghton) & T.T. Gully - steep  
narrow, & thick scrub. The boys were glad to see  
me as they'd heard I'd gone out long ago.
They asked all sorts of questions about the Turks  
& opened their eyes when I spoke about the few  
yds between our trenches & Jacko. On this flank  
Jacko is about 2 miles aways - in front of us only  
5 to 50 yds! so we're a bit different.
Nothing much doing lately - A couple of Turks  
crept over this week & gave themselves up - the first  
prisoners I believe from the 10^th to reach Div H.Q  
Shearer brought in a wounded Turk some days ago -
but he died – & the 10^th have 'accepted' so few surrenders 
that these deserters caused quite a sensation. They  
gave away a lot of 'news' to H.Q. & spoke freely - but  
they were a low type of fellows - and I'd reckon 
their evidence very 'suspicious'. Anyhow the 10^th put  
no trust in them - & will report deserters after they  
have dealt with them - as ‘bombs’ are nasty close up.