Cecil Anthony McAnulty, Diary [1915] - Part 3

(16)
The Turks are largely German-led
& these officers adopt the
same tactics here as in France
men who seem reluctant to
advance are shot down by
them, & prisoners report that
they treat the men very
brutally. I have heard on good
authority that 50 men who
tried to surrender had a
machine gun turned on them
& not one survived. Ear is
a lot easier today, but I'm
almost stone deaf in it.
Im still sticking to the
platoon, although Im not
doing any duty, as
there may be something
doing any day, & I want to
be with my own Coy if
anything does come off

 

1DRL 422

(17)
MONDAY 21^st
It is reported that the Turks are 

equipped with appliances for using poison
gases, it is also rumoured that they used
them on the left & that 2 officers died as a
result but this is not confirmed. In case
they do resort to gas we have been issued
with respirators & instructed how to use
them. I sincerely hope we never have
occasion to wear them I dont mind
facing lead or steel but have a decided
objection to being poisoned. More
casualties down on the beach today
_______________________________
TUESDAY 22^nd
Received my first letters
since leaving Australia
today they have been wandering all
round the various battalions. A 12
pounder shell dropped into the 2^nd
Battalion's trenches this morning
& failed to explode, one of the chaps
picked it up & started to unscrew
the cap, it exploded then killing
him & wounding 2 others.  Further
reinforcements arrived this morning
also a detachment of the Royal
Scotch Artillery with guns.
_______________________________
WEDNESDAY 23^rd
The Turks met one
of our tunnels this
afternoon & blew it up, 2 men
killed but they gained no further
advantage. British & French
steadily advancing, NZ were
heavily engaged all night the
Turks made determined attacks

 

[[Sigl Crew]]

L^c. Cpl Dovey 15

Pte Lucas 15

"     Welsley

"     T. CocRayne

"    F.J. Robinson 13

Bde Orderly. Pte Babbage

 

C.O. Orderly Pte W.J. Shepherd

OoC Coy Observer A. Askin

C.C.O. Thirlway 

North

1 DRL 422
 

(18)

THURSDAY 24^th
The 1st & 16th Batt

went to the island of Imbros

for a couple of weeks spell 

today. Imbros is only about

half an hours run from the

beach & is only a small rocky

isle. Our Batt is expected 

to go shortly & it is not before 

some of the old hands had

a rest. More aeroplanes

flying about today. British

hydroplane was up & laid 

a couple of eggs in the Turkish

trenches, result not known.

Sir Ian Hamilton paid

a visit to our lines. Today

he came in a torpedo B.D. 

accompanied by a strong 

escort in H.M.S.L. Nelson

indulged in some foray

shooting with a 12" gun

while here.

FRIDAY 25^th
The health of the

troops is surprisingly 

good considering the conditions 

& the food. With the exception

of a few cases of dysentery &

scabies due to the tinned meat

no sickness of any sort has

broken out. Evidently

inoculation against fever is

effective. The Turkish troops

on the whole are well armed

& well equipped. The Nizams 

or regular troops being big

well built men well clothed

& fed. The 2^nd & 3^rd line men

are neither so well equipped

or clothed & are poorer in

physique.
_______________________________

SATURDAY 26^th
Saw one of the 

most horrible sights today

I have ever seen, a man
literally shot to pieces,

he had evidently had 

a machine gun turned on

him at short range & there 

was hardly a square

(19)

inch on his body that didn't

have a bullet hole. Of course

he was dead long before he

reached the dressing station.

The Drs are remarkably quick

in dealing with a man, if an 

operation is necessary they

chloroform the patient on the

stretcher & perform it there

& then in the open air & everything

considered they are very deft

& gentle. Have watched two

operations lately, one for a

serious wound in the head

& the other for a shattered

leg. They were both performed

in about 10 minutes & were 

both successful.
_______________________________

SUNDAY 27^th
A few more

warships moved into

Anzac Cove this afternoon

it is rumoured that there

is going to be a big

bombardment tomorrow

followed by an attack

on the right & that the

Australian troops are to

make a demonstration 

& hold as many Turkish

troops here as possible.

For the last 3 days the 

cannonading during the

night, from the warships in

the Dardanelles has never 

ceased.

1 DRL 422

(20)
MONDAY 28th
The bombardment started at
12.30 & lasted till 1.30 all
sorts of shells were hurled across, [[?]]
howitzer, Jack Johnsons & Japanese bombs
right along the Turkish trenches was
one cloud of black & yellow smoke & white
dust, they must have done fearful
damage. The Turks replied in a feeble
sort of way but were completely out-classed.
We were standing to all the
time but weren't needed as some
of the bombardment ceased, the 3^rd Brigade
attacked advanced 800 yards reaffirmed
2 lines of trenches, they held on till 5.30, when
their work being done, & as no advantage was to
be gained by holding the trenches they retired
their casualties were about 800, the Turkish
casualties must have been much
heavier, in some places their trenches were
completely blown in, burying several
men. About 8 oclock there were strong
Turkish counter attacks on the right, & heavy
firing was opened up on our front we
sustained a few casualties & the
attacks on the right were completely
defeated. The effort of the whole movement
was that we gained several trenches &
advanced our lines considerably.
Our casualties for the whole of the forces
were about 2000
_______________________________
TUESDAY 29th
Today has been the
hottest day Ive experienced
since being here, rolled up in the
blanket almost 8 oclock very sultry
dark. Woke up at nine oclock

127
as it appears that
left were not physically
of a hard campaign.
at the P.L L Conference
was a rotten turn-out,
you will find expressed 
arry". We had a
ver, plenty of picnics etc
se. I hope you
For anyone who is
the chance of a lifetime
asily obtained on the

1 DRL 422
 

(21)
by a violent thunderstorm, pitch dark
& heavy rain, the wind was blowing
the grit off the parapets of the trenches
stinging our faces like whip lashes.
The lightening was very vivid. The Turks
evidently got panicky at the storm
expecting us to attack under cover of
the darkness, & started heavy volley
firing. Of course we had to stand to,
it was that dark we had to hold on to
each others backs going along the trenches
to keep in touch Nothing eventuated
but it was a very wierd scene there
was no need of flares the flashes of
lightning providing sufficient light.
What with the booming & flashing of
the guns vieing with the lightning
& thunder it was a scene that only
a poet could do justice to.
_______________________________
WEDNESDAY 30th
Being off duty I am
taking that opportunity
to wander about in the day time &
see things. Have been round several
of the batteries & other battalions &
have run across several chaps I
know. Very rough on the beach today
several boats washed ashore & broken
up

made stricter in the future
some of those who have
fit to stand the strain
I got on very well
but all the same it
and my opinion of it
very forcibly in the "N
very good time howe 
at government expen
get through alright
fortunate enough it is
as promotion is very e
battle field.
 1DRL 422

(22)
JULY
THURSDAY 1st
Was round having a 
look at the Turkish prisoners today, they
keep them in a barbed wire compound
down on the beach there is only a few
there at present, rather poor specimens
They seem very well content, are well
fed & seemingly much better off than
they would be in their own trenches.
They are put to water carrying in the
day time. It is reported that 20 more
prisoners gave themselves up today
including a major who claims to
be an Armenian.
_______________________________
FRIDAY 2nd
More rain today the
trenches are becoming quagmires,
I sincerely hope we are out of this
before the winter sets in. Was up
in one of the artillery observation
posts this evening watching the
shelling of the big hill on the right
This hill is the strongest point of the
line & we can't do much till it is
taken, & the taking of it will entail heavy
loss. It appears this is only one of many
such positions to be forced before the
Gallipoli peninsula is won.
The shells tonight were bursting right
along the crest of it & in the twilight it
seemed like a line of flame it must
be a living hell in the trenches there