Diary of Frederick Warren Muir, 1915 - Part 6

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG0000428
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

AV have by aoes become accustomed. Turkes, Greete Egphians, English, nubrans antations all ause to gether, you get your change in a mextee English Austratian, puk, Statian, tench. Syptean couns. There are many quckes employed about the caunt looking preturesgue in then. intive dress, a large number of them wear oe fit hath, it seems that evergone wears australlan bats now adays but the sustration. A few quch dontates boys look very thee in white coats. I white shan bets went up on the hell this afternoon from tere one can see the bygstony redyes inland, took over the camp+ flat, with the freen valeps lasing into the helts, the lagoon wharbour, beyond that the maintand. We can pect out cape Willes + thence upwards Cleke Babe, & 706 where the attie we pecending away, then kaba teke & angar begond that care Lawla where Me. Penincula bent backwe in the distance was the Turhish mainland, on the i side of the bensincula were the montmers shores oasca nnor strelching ppust the entranc of the staits to habbit Island & tenedos. we coald alispik at the reuned allages of yeur Sher & thum. Nate The sceve looks very tetty in the sunset with The ranges of telts ranging in colour from trowns green to blue sperple. There is a wckher of as purplesh colour which gives a beauty at brolet shade to some of the ravines. Saturday 3. walked over to one of the villages this Afternoon, the village consists of about 20 houses rambling over the stoke of a hell. The houses are built of stone, square tunpretentions with red telled roop the hawest is just over of the sheaves of wheat are stacked against the houses & threshing is now being carried on back house has a little circular mel buitt on the hellsedl about 20 fet across flored with stone o suronng by a low stone wall into his the wheat is thrown & two or these donkeys or ponys driven ver A. P. huih I. H work sems to be 1004
done by the women, some of the pirts are rather good looking; regular features clear stane, fine upright /qgures. after thret the wheat is urnnowed through a seeve + t then ready for the mill. These tutle communities are almost entirely self suph oiting living a pleasant pastoral life far From the madding crowd. agrent quantity of the land is not capable ocultuation but each family has to patch of grounds in the valley or the hillside where the wheat & corn for the family is grown) each house tas its own oven where the housewife cooks very excellent bread. Then there are a you hens, I a little garden where hotatves onions, tomattes + a few other vegetables aregrown. In the valleys are the orchards Dorneyards divided from me another vy hedges of Hackberry vines wchnits or store walls. Tey graper fom will I from Thise an produced wine & rais ins In the vichards are figs, mulbenies, almonds, watrets, hears, apples plums + reacher. The little creeks are Mrhdy eagd with Hlackberne & wild gates whech we are watehing ansciously. all the flats + valley are a mass of greenery. The stony hillsides are scattered with flocks of o shert I goats tended by sheeps. These provide milk meat + wool which is worked into all manner of wearing appared. there are even a few tobacco patches in the gardens & a few hives of bees. Windmells scattered on the Littors are used to crust The grain. The lagoon + sens teem with pot which provide a change ofdiet spaking smacks shem over the placed waters. His pleasant, at nght to watch the peasants coming back from the heelds wathing or reling donbays honees
oe shepherds Leiding hew flrks into the folds for the right. Hhe little oteep beits tentaling musically in the stilt an her laygt had church Servie this moming by the E haves Chaplain. Brief + to the poist, Had a droll up the valley this oening all the Hlowers here seem to be blue, comploses thisths. The creeks are seven a kend oy blu thickly edges with blacklernes + vines. here is an acrodsome over near the layvon containing tiptares + Lystroplanes. Wessday 7th the 18th Bettation arrived to day, we received ou. orders to move a ferce-Wombandmend was been going or at Cape Kille for the lact. couple of days i here is a little knotwstie on the tell every evening tosking over tte benenantor at the Kashes tos back as lestanent last night, wate a large andience bett at 5 o clock, this evening s went cump RIA abourd the transport. Sf Kahera there is a notley collection of shp in the harbour, trawles sutbly sheps, balloonship, alroplane shit to redo boats, destioyes, cuusers, atmunls yackt I scout craft. we had a good o acoss I arrived of Anrzac at about 13 oclock but disembartration was not completed toll Fan on thursday moning matters were very quit only a fewshots beriffied we fay went back to our old rest camp but moted off again at 11 o clock to take over a 25t Bettlationherihes. hortion Dednendary 15th we are now well established mon altho e new trenches have dad letter a rough time during the lest week. The man wenches are good & dat with good toopholes but here is a lack o accomodation in the receive support trench which makes things uncomfortable, we fot in one kegpt in the fire tine, next in support o 5 in anewed
V we have all our cooking done for usnow I have atlevies meats in the tnch Iin, consequence and the put a bust short at times. we have to sleep in the communication trench at times, not your spare trme lately has been taken up by fatigues earty, late - up at 7 oclock to degagun pet & ut wil 2o clock dragging the pun into position. It was a yor gun - a big naral grant about 20 feet long I took about 200 wents move it. we have also had other gos canying timber & digging reserve plrorms, buling to the phostage of water suppl have to bing all our water from the beach we are expecting renfoceent an attack, as more reinforcements have been beongst it the acbot lay of here, the other night a vigoiously shelled them for a while with her to guns. our by guns are very busy at present aleo those te erremy. We have gur scattered ut over He tells 76 in all, bur 5 t towitzes d A some very fine work on. the enemys trenhes at tir ront the enemys tenel are about 200 yards in front of hs I repend them are live a raove trenche communication tunches rgngig over the halls. things are very quiet in front only an occasional bullet sinpong over our heals now o again a few shovelfuls of earth show that he renemy is teusy digpirg timrelt in deeper or improving the tenches. the tenches are very shory well took holed & there are smme very formedable to devm in pont oy u. they have a bank gen in hont which sends over an occasional bout anyn on thenstay last he eneing blew up one o outr saps on the litt with out dvery much denny & without tothering if the att ait afe day later we blew in a Tarkest sap to the accomponiment a heavy ryfte fire. On satuday we had a demonstration by our artellecy an ha brylish were attaching at Ache Dib Monday warted nmn Fabish seird mon Ol
Ramdian & as there was a possibility of he Turbech seaders working on he fanaticsm ghe men sufficiently to get them to attack we had anoher demonstration, we helt up a heavy re most the night on the Enemys Fench accompanied by bomts & band perader. the artillery opened up at 10 oclact a continued for a couple of hirs, they fired star shell + llares throughout the night hghtergut the enemys lines. The der shells ane very beautiful they are fired about w00 feet in the aw & at that height burstin about a dozen balls of flume reat white or freen which descend. sloudly to be pound lighting in the whole landscape owedly for about I menute. the tarks did not seem to appreciate our celkation alko the effect was very sprtacular. Te Tucks mmest be getting worn out as we are continuall worying them. our artillery suddenly on lit at the most unexpected time + wanked distioyers bosband o vept while the aeroplanes seet over the rst camps & do considerable dawags. An inoculated against colera to day without any it effects. it to te present onr acroplares have been up hequently the tait few days I dropped a few bombs the lreny fired about 40, shafnel ather without doing any damage, we will probably have an attack before long as the enemy are getting ae inforcements if they tombunded Courtney's with then 11.2 did considerable Danragh Sstunrday of we were had gsterday, received D infortunately here is tohing to sped if on we were ret depping a gun aadueanty all reght, so not get much sleef theae days at ane improving our hencheg. I communsations more 5 howels tanded. has fau daystewe been very quiety we had had a good dut h in he wl. Teno
bng good work. A sande flews overheard this am I dropped a couple of bombs without dang any damage Sunday 18th The enemy have been bombarding us trelty freely to-day they sent over about 110 an wit this afternoon I are now sentery over shrapnet including some 4.7. they sent a shell reght into then own terch, he sheets seem to be internor in quality, however & some are even filt with mud tabbles witl a core of weed. we are making every treparation for a gas attack very litle rifle fue during the last Pew days. Trenty of atigues reght 2 stay. tlew at another sak today our fellows wert out to acuty it but fouend it fall of tacks. We cam hear doys barhery in he stell nights now probably in one of he village also can hear the furts talkings now + again. The Tus have been acting with then bombs lately hey have got a more are serdin some my wonts oo at Colonel Bennetts D.S0 has now take over Batvation vice Col. Dobben Ne oreggan things I shaling everything up generally, he maon contengent has landed here now alow save more tawhers Frday 20t genl Andwood waild a nems to day raying that it had recome known that he turps intended to celitrate heir Constitution say (today) by an attack on our tiues so. we have teer busy makeng preparation. all fatigues have been stopped + every avaitable man brought ap. Balia food owater have also been troight n Iamnunition flares etc. The right was a rather anxious me as we fully expected an artach but it did hat wenticate, we stood warm nearly all right i our howrhas fined almost all reght as well as sending up. oter stellsn flare. He sent day itwa reported that a council of war in Constantinpl
had decided to send $100,000 uunforcements Four aumen reported that thook had been tending at naides all day, in addition he iks wate us to a little Contardment at cluck so we tohed this night but again it was for te attack not forthcomen the talt her day honeten, tenent Tueday 27th from rifte fire + beg pins. the guitl bop tuks send over a few stells in the evening o a few lange bombs, the attach far not yet come of I seem to have fizzled out. we now have rearganned our system Tuday 29th ago into the trench for 26 hours at a stretch then into supports for 24hs. the Turhs wade a sort of demonstration. bey blen a bugh getteds afew advanced & threw bonts but not takse a general advance Did Saturday 20th ore of he enemys alroplanes has been up several times during he ray couple of days & dropped a couple of from to without doinginy damage, there have been a few buists of wild thing dng the night we received word a great Satisp vatoy in the tersion guet & fied agin rounds rcheered but failed to make the turks altock mondlay the 12th Bactalion advaneed. H over right there was a deal o hen fun at intenate all nept writhflanes bants by yis hir juesday 5 We have a comple of the bgmonetors here now which are doing good work operation have recommenced again at Athe Baba the alher are hushing atead at night we can plainly hear the doy
sk in the vellages othe Turks talking h songing. We blew up a sat yesterday. pound in front of the 2nd Bartation is. honey combed with saf now both of ours. the tinks sometimes It blow their in sometishes they blow us. at each sap head is a listener pobs duty us to listen to the tenks sapping o if form he engincers when thers atbroach. Lather a riskey pt as they are ltely to get blown up any time. Wedrssday. The 3 Brigad wade an advance tonight. Here was a great deal of wild furry all night both from riftes omachene guns dalar field guns, the Turks constantly threw out red or gren glares which gave a rater wend. aspect to the country, we tued a tumber of star shells. some of which thing in the air &hit up the sunoundiny for some menutes; the Turks sent over a lot of bombs &we replied with Jap bomb there is no doubt the Tinks are becoming very newas Thursday o Shent to day in the trenches. was inoculated again for cholera. our artitlery is becoming lively again + therehaave been some heavy duels. Troops were landed on the beach last right, the turks detted the beach without doing any damage, belugene fully recemving that we are prog to advance & here is an aur of expectancy about evenyone, went down to the mach to draw mem last right, the salley I every available spot are eramined with troops. The place resembled a vast an thill here It was all kind of mytenous movements trough The darkness. three transforts same in close to he beach & landed more troops. de whole our lines are now crowded with troops open the tarks are undoubtedly very punp endect a reght attack here was heavypring at
telles on montor chepted in vecesn hr uow that o Big s to gitted hne to day we were relicved ysterd attations mor tavp avere landed last night it inow almost ampossible more so closely ar we packed he last 36 days havenbeen spent an ango inomerables details of a by ept cund rees had to be burghthup nations sant fuet shorets sandbays the draw on howitzers fired all day yesterday. our artitlery has been very busy att day. turtes have been pending over si whole arn sill wes wil towes ck to dti ands pott today 5 We blentin atont Pretaratory toalvance ft which cam meing lst the moned dal ofpring early be turk are undoubtedly very anxious venvy. Here is an ow of expectation everywbere. about 3 atork this afternoon the whole 2s Brgade mussed behind de I pattation tines realy to make the assanet on, the Lonesome line. Redge the 1st being he receive Battalion wok it ther old vorition in the tenches owaited meantine a beg fleet of distrayers crusers monitors fathered seaward, Kings were quiet at firt + we had our tea brought up to the trenche then Kings commenced to liver up ? at 4201 howitzess + marctors, cruusers ammenced to bombard the enemys fosition. The obvepores Raba tihe + all down the Coust to ackr Biby was soon wrapted in snote the ememysput almost immediately started to reply awy on position with a lacl of head from the 25t sfired a large number of 42 which
10ST1 trust all acoured in. Here was soon a constant sheam of wounded coming back from Hhe trenches, the noise was terrfu, the war of guas, the exhlosion of stelts. The whis te the howitzer shells overhead + the surt shapnet buthets fitted the air, a constant Senes of hremendous explacions came from the Twrkish tenches but we could only a the cloudsf dut a smal, the ar, gartiters grew in intensity till at 5.15 it bust out wit redoubled intensity. as the Bt pounder butteries joined in to butter to the tarcpeto Brown's Dattery immediately behend spat forth venemourly sadded to the generalden at 530 here came a sudden terrifietun grfle mechene gin o thropsel fire whech told us that ther men had moved forth to Mr guns deed awny for a the assoute. changed teir targets to minute as then 55 1 different positions he Furdish We soon duitined naterially on our ponts we knew that the fent tine extrenches had been stormed. Shortly ater wards the effect of our artillery fre was seen some as the enemies grens ceased firy being putary of action by our Lowrtzus, tevertlless a constand turific Insclade was kept ut by ooth sides a 9to the d. Battatun was catled for & we file through our trenches which were hadly vistene by the enemies artitlery, then came a goiine through the sap to the advanced puring time, ve the journney trough the sap was nather wrted as we were in tolat darkness o being and you d all the rounds of buttle outside wes intempt I seened as hough a terrifi thones to was raging outs ide the pound qunest foe with the waves of sound tthe chock of burste 2 &e stelts. from the advanced fuing tive to te wwhish treaches was only some 60 yards

have by now become accustomed. Turks, Greeks,

Egyptians, English, nubians & Australians all

come together. You get your change in a mixture

of English, Australian, Greek, Italian, French &

Egyptian coins. There are many Greeks employed

about the camp looking picturesque in their

native dress. A large number of them wear a felt

hat. It seems that everyone wears Australian hats

nowadays but the Australians. A few Greek donkey

boys look very chic in white coats & white straw

hats. Went up on the hill this afternoon from here

one can see the big stony ridges inland, look

over the camp & flat, with the green valleys leading

into the hills, the lagoon & harbour & beyond that the

mainland. We can pick out Cape Helles & thence

towards Achi Babi, & 706 where the allies are

pounding away. Ken Kaba Tepe & anzac beyond

that Cave Suvla where the Peninsula bent backwards

in the distance was the Turkish mainland. on the

other side of the Peninsula were the mountainous

shores of Cosca minor stretching past the entrance of the
straits to Rabbit Island & Tenedos. We could also pick

out the ruined villages of Yena Sher & Kum Kale

The scene looks very pretty in the sunset with

the ranges of hills ranging in colour from

brown & green to blue & purple. There is a rock ley

of a purplish colour which gives a beautiful

violet shade to some of the ravines.

Saturday 3 walked over to one of the villages this

afternoon. The village consists of about 20 houses

rambling over the slope of a hill. The houses are

built of stone, square & unpretentious with red

tiled roofs. The harvest is just over & the sheaves

of wheat are stacked against the houses

& threshing is now being carried on. Each house

has a little circular mill built on the hillside

about 20 feet across, floored with stone & surrounded

by a low stone wall. Into this the wheat is

thrown & two or three donkeys or ponys driven

over it to thresh it. The work seems to be mostly

 

done by the women, some of the girls are

rather good looking, regular features,

clear skins & fine upright figures. After threshing

the wheat is winnowed through a sieve &

is then ready for the mill. These little

communities are almost entirely self supporting

living a pleasant pastoral life, far

from the madding crowd. A great quantity of

the land is not capable of cultivation, but

each family has its patch of grounds in the

valley or the hillside where the wheat & corn

for the family is grown & each house has

its own oven where the housewife cooks

very excellent bread. Then there are a

few hens & a little garden where potatoes

onions, tomatoes & a few other vegetables

are grown. In the valleys are the orchards

& vineyards divided from one another by

hedges of blackberry vines & shrubs or 

stone walls. The grapes grow well & from these are

produced wine & raisins. In the orchards are

figs, mulberries, almonds, walnuts, pears, apples

plums & peaches. The little creeks are shrubby

edged with blackberries & wild grapes which

we are watching anxiously. All the flats & 

valleys are a mass of greenery. The stony

hillsides are scattered with flocks of of sheep

& goats tended by sheeps. These provide milk

meat & wool which is worked into all manner

of wearing apparel. There are even a few

tobacco patches in the gardens & a few hives

of bees. Windmills scattered on the hillops

are used to crush the grain. The lagoon & seas

teem with fish which provide a change

of diet & fishing smacks skim over the

placid waters. It is pleasant at night to

watch the peasants coming back from the

fields walking or riding donkeys & ponies.

 

The shepherds herding their flocks into

the folds for the night. The little sheep bells

tinkling musically in the still air.

Sunday 4th Had church service this morning

by the E. Lanes Chaplain. Brief & to the point,

Had a stroll up the valley this evening.

All the flowers here seem to be blue, cornflowers

& even a kind of blue thistle. The creeks are

thickly edged with blackberries & vines.

There is an aerodrome over near the lagoon

containing biplanes & hydroplanes.

Wednesday 7th. The 16th Battalion arrived to day & we

received our orders to move. A fierce bombardment

has been going on at Cape Helles for the last

couple of days & there is a little knot of watchers

on the hill every evening looking over the
Peninsulas at the flashes. We had a last concert

last night, quite a large audience. Left
camp at 5 o'clock this evening & went 

aboard the transport SS Kapera. There is a

motley collection of ship in the harbour, trawlers,

supply ships, balloon ship, aeroplane ship,

torpedo boats, destroyers, cruisers, admirals

yacht & scout craft. We had a good run

across & arrived off Anzac at about 10 o'clock

but disembarkation was not completed till

5am on Thursday morning. matters were very

quiet only a few shots being fired. We first

went back to our old rest camp but

moved off again at 11 o'clock to take over a

portion of 3rd Battalion trenches.

Wednesday 13th We are now well established in our

new trenches altho' we have had rather a rough

time during the last week. The main trenches are

good & deep with good loopholes but there is a lack

of accomodation in the reserve & support trenches

which makes thing uncomfortable. We put in one

night in the fire line, next in support & 3rd in reserves

 

We have all our cooking done for us now & have

all our meals in the trench & in consequence find the

grub a bit short at times. We have to sleep in the 

communication trench at times. Most of our spare

time lately has been taken up by fatigues early & 
late - up at 7 o'clock to dig a gun pit & up til

2 o'clock dragging the gun into position. It was

a 4.7 gun - a big naval giant about 20 feet long

& took about 200 men to move & we have also

had other jobs carrying timber & digging reserve

platforms owing to the shortage of water supply we

have to bring all our water from the beach.

We are expecting reinforcement  an attack as

more reinforcements have been brought up. The

Talbot lay off here the other night & vigorously

shelled them for a while with her 6" guns. Our

big guns are very busy at present also those

of the enemy. We have guns scattered all over

the hills 76 in all. Our 5" & 6" howitzers do

some very fine work on the enemy's trenches at time.

the enemys ^part trench are about 200 yards in front of

ours & behind them are line a reserve trenches &

communication trenches zigzagging over the hills.

Things are very quiet in front only an occasional

bullet singing over our heads. now & again a

few shovelfuls of earth show that the enemy is

busy digging himself in deeper or improving

the trenches. The trenches are very strong & well

loop holed & there are some very formidable

positions in front of us. They have a bomb gun in

front which sends over an occasional bomb at night.

On Thursday last the enemy blew up one of our

saps on the left with out doing much damage &

without following up the attack. A few days later

we blew in a Turkish sap to the accompaniment

of a heavy rifle fire. On Saturday we had a

demonstration by our artillery as the English

were attacking at Achi Babi. Monday marked

the beginning of the Turkish sacred month of

 

Ramazan & as there was a possibility of the Turkish

leaders working on the fanaticism of the men

sufficiently to get them to attack we had another

demonstration. We kept up a heavy fire most of

the night on the enemy's trench accompanied by

bombs & band parades. The artillery opened up

at 10 o'clock & continued for a couple of hours.

They fired star shell & flares throughout the night

lighting up the enemy's lines. The star shells are

very beautiful. They are fired about 200 feet

in the air & at that height burst in about a

dozen balls of flare red, white or green which

descend slowly to the ground lighting up the

whole landscape vividly for about 1 minute.

The Turks did not seem to appreciate our celebrations

altho' the effect was very spectacular. The Turks

must be getting worn out as we are continually

worrying them. Our artillery suddenly

open fire at the most unexpected times &
the warships & destroyers bombard at

night while the aeroplanes sail over the

rest camps & do considerable damage. We

inoculated against cholera to-day without

any ill effects. Up to the present our

aeroplanes have been up frequently the last

few days & dropped a few bombs. The

enemy fired about 40 shrapnel at her without

doing any damage. We will probably have

an attack before long as the enemy are

getting reinforcements up. They bombarded

Courtney's with their 11.2 & did considerable

damage.

Saturday 17  We were paid yesterday. Received

£7 unfortunately there is nothing to spend it

on. We were up digging a gun road nearly

all night. Do not get much sleep these days.

We are improving our trenches & communications

more 5" howitzers landed. Last few days have

been very quiet. We had a good deal

of shell fire in the evenings & our howitzers are

 

doing good work. A Taube flew overhead this

a.m & dropped a couple of bombs without doing

any damage.

Sunday 18th  The enemy have been bombarding us

pretty freely today. They sent over about 40 six

inch this afternoon & are now sending over

shrapnel including some 47. They sent a shell

right into their own trench. The shells seem to be

unknown in quality however & some are even

filled with mud & pebbles with a core of wood.

We are making every preparation for a gas

attack. Very little rifle fire during the last

few days. Plenty of fatigues night & day,

Blew up another sap today Our fellows went out to

occupy it but found it full of Turks. We can hear

dogs barking in the still nights now probably in

one of the village also can hear the Turks

talking now & again. The Turks have been active

with their bombs lately. They have got a mortar

up & are sending some big bombs over. 

Colonel Bennetts D.S.O has now taken over the

Battalion vice Col. Dobbin. He is reorganising

things & shaking everything up generally. The

Maori contingent has landed here now also some

more howitzers.

Friday 23rd  Genl Birdwood issued a memo to-day

saying that it had become known that the Turks

intended to celebrate their Constitution Day

(today) by an attack on our lines as we have

been busy making preparations. all fatigues have

been stopped & every available man brought

up. Extra food & water have also been brought in

& ammunition flares etc. The night was a rather

anxious one as we fully expected an attack

but it did not eventuate. We stood to arms

nearly all night  & our howitzers fired 
almost all night as well as sending up
star shells & flares. The next day it was

reported that a council of war in Constantinople

 

had decided to send 100,000 reinforcements

& our airmen reported that troops had been landing

at maidos all day, in addition the Turks had treated

us to a little bombardment at dusk so we looked

for the attack this night but again it was

not forthcoming.

The last few days have been phenomenally
Tuesday 27th quiet both from rifle fire and big guns. The

Turks send over a few shells in the evening &

a few large bombs. The attacks has not yet come

off & seems to have fizzled out.

Friday 29th  We have now reorganised our system

& go into the trench for 24 hours at a stretch.

Then into supports for 24 hrs. The Turks made

a sort of demonstration. They blew a bugle,

yelled & a few advanced & threw bombs but

did not make a general advance. 
Saturday 30th  One of the enemys aeroplanes has
been up several times during the last

couple of days and dropped a couple of

bombs without doing any damage. There

have been a few bursts of wild firing

during the night. We received word

of a great British victory in the Persian

Gulf & fired a few rounds & cheered but

failed to make the Turks attack

Monday 2nd  The 12th Battalion advanced

the other night. There was a deal of heavy

firing at intervals all night. together

with planes bombs big guns & ships
guns

Tuesday 3rd We have a couple of the big monitors
here now which are doing good work.

Operations have recommenced again at

Achi Baba & the Allies are pushing ahead

at night we can plainly hear the dogs

 

barking in the villages and the Turks talking,

singing. We blew up a sap yesterday. The

ground in front of the 2nd Battalion is

honeycombed with saps now both by ours &

the Turks sometimes we blow theirs in &

sometimes they blow us. At each sap head

is a "listener" whose duty is to listen to that

Turks sapping & inform the engineers when others 

approach. Rather a risky job as they are

likely to be blown up any time.

Wednesday 4 The 3rd Brigade made an advance

tonight. There was a great deal of wild firing

all night both from rifles & machine guns

& also field guns. The Turks constantly threw

out red or green flares which gave a rather

weird aspect to the country. We fired a

number of star shells some of which

hung in the air & lit up the surroundings

for some minutes. The Turks sent over
a lot of bombs & we replied with Jap bombs

there is no doubt the Turks are becoming

very nervous.

Thursday 5th Spent to-day in the trenches. Was

inoculated again for cholera. Our artillery

is becoming lively again & there have been some

heavy duels. Troops were landed on the beach

last night. The Turks shelled the beach without

doing any damage. Everyone fully recognises

that we are going to advance & there is an air of

expectancy about everyone, went down to the

beach to draw rum last night. The valleys

& every available spot are crammed with

troops. The place resembled a vast ant hill, there

was all kind of mysterious movements through

the darkness. Three transports came in close to

the beach & landed more troops. The whole of

our lines are crowded with troops & guns.

The Turks are undoubtedly very jumpy & expect

a night attack. There was heavy firing at

 

Cape Helles & our monitors chipped in occasional

barrage. We now know that 1st Brigade is to attack

from here to day. We were relieved yesterday

by 6th Battalion. More troops were landed

last  night & it is now almost impossible

move so closely are we packed. The last two

days have been spent arranging  the 

innumerable details of one big fight. Ammunition

reserves had to be brought up rations issued

pick shovels sandbags etc  drawn. Our

howitzers fired all day yesterday & our

artillery has been very busy all day.

The Turks have been sending over some

11-2" shells. We are to wear white arm

bands and patches on the back to disting

us. We blew in our saps today

preparatory to advancing. & also opened

our new firing last night which caused

a good deal of firing early this morning 
The Turks are undoubtedly very anxious &

nervy. There is an air of expectation

everywhere.

about 3 oclock this afternoon the whole 1st Brigade

massed behind the 2nd Battalion lines ready to

make the assault on the Lonesome Pine Ridge

The 1st being the reserve Battalion took up their old

position in the trenches & waited. meantime a

big fleet of destroyers, cruisers & monitors gathered

to seaward. Things were quiet at first & we

had our tea brought up to the trenches. Then

things commenced to liven up & at 4.30 the

howitzers & monitors & cruisers commenced to

bombard the enemys position. The olive groves

Kaba Tepe & all down the Coast to Achi Baba

was soon wrapped in smoke. The enemy's guns

almost immediately started to reply sweeping

our position with a hail of lead from the

75' & fired a large number of 11.2 which

 

burst all around us. There was soon a

constant stream of wounded coming back

from the trenches. The noise was terrific, the

roar of guns, the explosion of shells & the whistle

of the howitzer shells over head & the swish 

of shrapnel bullets filled the air. A constant

series of tremendous explosions came from the

Turkish trenches but we could only see

the clouds of dust & smoke. The roar of artillery

grew in intensity till at 5.15 it burst out

with redoubled intensity as the 18" pounder

batteries joined in to batter the parapets.

Brown's battery immediately behind

spat forth venemously & added to the general din.

At 5.30 there can a sudden terrific burst

of rifle machine gun and shrapnel fire which

told us that our men had moved forth to

the assault. Our guns died away for

a minute as they changed their targets to 

different positions. The Turkish fire soon slackened

materially on our front & we knew that the first

line of trenches had been stormed. Shortly after

wards the effect of our artillery fire was seen

as the some of enemies guns ceased firing being put out

of action by our howitzers. Nevertheless a constant

terrific fusilade was kept up by both sides. At

7. 30  the 1st Battalion was called for & we filed

through the trenches which were sadly battered 

by the enemies artillery. Then came a journey

through the sap to the advanced firing line.

The journey through the sap was rather wierd as

we were in total darkness & being  underground

all the sounds of battle outside were intensified

It seemed as though a terrific thunderstorm

was raging outside. The ground quivered

with the waves of sound & the shock of bursting

shells. From the advanced firing line to the

Turkish trenches was only some 60 yards

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sam scottSam scott
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