Cecil Anthony McAnulty, Diary [1915] - Part 4

nt organising for the
uly. I could not 
 transport had
ort, but was sent to
ould get no tidings there.
ngagement in. Turkey
reach here and 

ting. The last lot 

e only about 3 weeks
were sent away.

who were severely

ngagement. I

xamination is to be
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20

SATURDAY 3^rd

Was round at the 2nd Batt
today trying to find Albert Clark
Got on to the tracks of a chap
answering to his name & description
he was sent away wounded but
could not find out for certain
whether it was him or not. Turks  are 

reported to have received heavy
reinforcements, perhaps they are
contemplating another big attack
their losses must have been very heavy

surely.

SUNDAY 4^th More rain last night

nothing doing today

except fatigue. What with fatigues

we are worse off here than we were

in camp, There's more work than

fighting. Two hospital ships

laying in the bay today. The

Dean of Sydney held a church parade

& communion service this morning

for members of the Church of England

(21)
This morning, it was a very impressive
scene the Dean was in full regalia &
the Communicants knelt out in the

open air, the hymn singing sounded
very solemn & impressive it must
have carried to the Turkish trenches.
Had a good illustration of the
damage that our Japanese bombs

must do, the Turks have something

similar now, & one of their bombs

landed in the communication trench
last night a few yards from us.

It burst with a deafening crash bringing

down both sides of the trench & shaking

the surrounding ground like a see-saw

luckily nobody was in the immediate

vicinity, but 2 men close to it were

buried by the fall of the earth, but were

dug out in time & escaped with a few

cuts & bruises

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(22)

MONDAY 5^th. the Turks started a very heavy
bombardment this morning at 4 o'clock
for the first half an hour they were putting in
shells at the rate of 15 a minute, after that they
slowed down till 6 o'clock when they ceased
altogether. It was very warm while it lasted
they were lobbing everywhere, 16 section was in a
side communication trench, & only one shell dropped
into it & that did no damage, we were expecting
a Jack Johnson to drop amongst us every
minute that would have blown the trench
to smithereens. They have evidently got some
new guns as they sent a few 10" shells over those
are the worst they have used yet. They did
a bit of damage all told but nothing commensurate
with the ammunition expended. They blew
the parapet of the firing line to pieces in parts,
& killed & maimed a few men, here & there,
our guns were strangely silent. The
bombardment seemed to have expended all
their energy, as they hardly fired a single
rifle shot the rest of the day. Had about the
narrowest escape it is possible for a man to
have without getting hurt last night.
We were sleeping from 6 till 12 in a communication
trench leading out of the firing line. About
11 o'clock was woken up by some dirt falling
on my head. Sat up & saw that the trench behind
me was completely blocked up, a clod of earth the
size of myself resting on the edge of my pillow.
 Cracked & loosened by a bomb both sides of the
trench had fallen in for about a space of about
10 yards. If my head had been another 6 inches
further up I wouldn't be writing this, some of
my equipment is still under the fallen earth.
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23

TUESDAY 7 6^th

Tobacco day today It was

the sweetest smoke I think I've

ever had my tobacco ran out on 

Sunday. We retaliated & exploded a

mine under a Turkish Sap at midnight 
there must have been a large amount
of explosive used, it was like a minature

earthquake, have not heard yet what
damage was done. Was on watch at

the loopholes from midnight till

6 a.m. Could hear the Turks talking

& singing quite plainly also the 
Mule trains bringing their rations

up to the trenches I wish I could

understand Turkish. It was a lovely

clear night with just a few stray

shots now & again, it seemed hard to

realise that only about 80 yards
away, was an enemy who only wanted
the smallest chance to show you the
way to another & perhaps a better world.

WEDNESDAY 7^th
Another quiet day today,

with the exception of the artillery. Their guns

are shooting more accurately every day & they

have evidently got a number of fresh guns

up, our men don't seem to be able to locate
them today so well now. Their shells caused
a few casualties in the trenches today
fortunately none in our platoon. 

(24)
Had a medical examination today it was
the strictest possible. It happens that some of the
reinforcements that have been arriving are not physically

fit & a few of them are already feeling the strain.
Every man was rigidly examined inch by inch, & if
he showed any defect likely to interfere with his
effectiveness he was sent back to the base I was
passed as perfectly sound. Had quite a fifth of
November celebration last night, The Turks must
have been expecting some move on our part they kept
All night they were sending over flares, they are using
different colours. now red white & green

THURSDAY 8^th

Shifted to a different portion
of the firing line today, were sent
up to strengthen the positions held by the 4^th Batt.
Our firing line is only 50 yards from the
Turkish trenches here. Things promise to be much
livelier, it is impossible to show so much
as a hair of your head above the parapet here.
Was on watch last night from midnight till 4am
at the mouth of a tunnel about 15 yards in front
of the firing line. I was very, very glad when my
watch was over. I was there to look out for any
unusual sights or sounds. I was well hidden
but bullets were flying unpleasantly close
rattling amonst bully beef tins alongside me.

FRIDAY 9^th

Somehow or other a Turkish sniper
has managed to sneak through our
lines & has hidden himself away in the hills, it is
like looking for a needle in a haystack trying to find
him, as the hills are covered with thick brush & rocks.
He commands portions of the road leading to the wells
& this morning got 3 men. He shot the first one clean 
through the heart, his mate ran out to help him
as he was bending over him he was shot through

the stomach the third man was only slightly
wounded. There are men out after the sniper 

 25

it is to be hoped they soon get them him
SATURDAY 10^th

We are getting a very warm
time in our new position their shells burst
right over our communication trenches, it is
quite a common thing for some of us to get buried
by a fall of earth at meal times every morning
& night there are 2 or 3 casualties in A Coy from
bursting shells. At dinner time today a shell
burst directly over myself & two other men, although
fragments flew in all directions not one of
us was scratched while two other men about 6
yards away were hit, one killed on the spot & the
other severely wounded. The dead chap, quite a
boy, had he head almost cut off. a sharp fragment
of the shell caught him in the neck, severing the
jugular vein, and sawing about ¾ way through the neck.
This afternoon one of our mountain Batteries
opened up on the trenches a little to our right.
We had a first class view of it through our periscopes
The intention was seemingly to smash up the
barbed wire entanglements in front of their
trenches, & they succeeded. barb wire & wood went
flying in all directions. The Turks sprang a 
very unpleasant surprise on us tonight. about
9 oclock when everything was very quiet, there was
a big explosion. Some of the men standing at the
loopholes were knocked down by the concussion
A mine had been exploded about 9 or 10 yards in
front of our portion of the firing line. The Turks
idea was evidently to blow up our trenches but
their mine fell just a little too short. Several
of our men were more or less injured by falling
debris, there were 4 casualties  in 4 platoon
alone, 1 killed & 3 wounded
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(26)

SUNDAY 11^th

Things are a little bit too

exciting in out new position.

Some of our communication trenches can be enfiladed

by the Turks artillery away on the left & they catch a

few men here every day. at 10 oclock tonight the enemy

made an attack on out front but it was killed in 

its infancy. They did not seem to be able to face 

the murderous fire turned on them, only a few

left their trenches & they didn't return. We

kept up rapid fire for about 20 minutes. our rifles

were so hot that reliefs had to take our places till

our rifles cooled off. I fired 150 rounds in

about 15 minutes & I think this was about every

mans average They did not make a second

attempt, but we had to be on the gun vive till

daylight, our casualties were very slight

MONDAY 12 ^th

The enemy attacked again this

morning but this time more to 

our left. They preceded the attack with a heavy

bombardment, high explosives shrapnel & 

Jack Johnsons' this caused a few casualties

alxxxxs but we were pretty right in our

position. a lot of the shells burst directly

overhead, but the trench being deep & narrow

we were well sheltered. The concussion

caused by the exploding shells has gave me 

a splitting headache. Their attack again signally

failed, their heart is evidently not in it. it

seems to take their officers all their time to drive

them to it. As soon as Achi Baba is taken

we'll show them the way an attack should

be carried out. More demonstrations last

night, we get no rest at all. Was on sentry on one

of the tunnels leading out to the Turkish lines

from 9pm till 1 a.m. This is a job I hate

I was stationed about 25 yards in front of our

(27)

trenches so was about the same distance from the

Turkish trenches. Each sentry is on for 4 hours at

a time, but it is more tiring & exhausting than

forms of any other duty. Naturally as the enemy 

is only a few yards away every nerve is strained

& the utmost tension, listening & watching for

anything unusual, these tunnels also have a habit

of being blown up at unexpected moments.

TUESDAY 13^th   

Am out in the communication

trenches for 48 hours spell but

there is not much rest about it, there is always

some fatigue to be done. The 3^rd Batt is getting

thinned down now, there were 14 in 16 section when

I joined it, there are only 7 of us here now, it is time

we got some reinforcements.

WEDNESDAY 14^th

Received 3 papers today but no letters

the letters must be lying about some

where. Water is running short & if it continues we will

be put on an allowance, our rations are not as good

as they used to be. Today is the quietest day we have

had since we came into our new position.

THURSDAY 15^th

today is the holiest day in 

the Mohammedan religion, something

corresponding to Good Friday, the Turks

are very quiet & perhaps they will liven

up after midnight. Had a great sniping

duel this afternoon. We had been shooting.

at the top of our parapet for a couple of

hours breaking 2 periscopes & making

observing very difficult, at last 

located him. He was at a loophole

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(28)

right opposite mine. His shadow gave

him away, every time he raised his rifle

to the loophole a dark shadow was cast

across it, after about half a dozen shots

I think I got him anyhow he shot no

more from that loophole for the rest of the 

day.

FRIDAY 16^th

They treated us to a heavy

shelling today, there were a lot of

casualties, with 2 shells (Jack Johnsons)

they got 20 men some of them very badly

maimed. Was down on the beach this afternoon

having a swim the first wash for 6 weeks

was thoroughly enjoying it when they

opened up on us with shrapnel. Had to

make a run for it & wait about an hour

before we could get our clothes. 

SATURDAY 17^th

Their Jack Johnsons

are putting in some good work for

them lately, although they only use

3 or 4 a day, they cause big casualties

as when one lands in the right

place it generally accounts for 

from 6 to 12 men.

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