Cecil Anthony McAnulty, Diary [1915] - Part 5

SUNDAY 18^th
29^th
Moved into a new firing
line today a few yards in advance
of an old one, it appears as if we
are digging our way to get at them
we are within easy hand bomb throwing
distance now. These trenches are
very elaborate affairs, all underground
with little holes cut in the roof to
let in light. The roof & walls are
shored up with timber every 3 yards
recesses are cut facing the enemy’s
lines, these recesses are open to the sky
and accommodate 2 men. They are protected
on all sides with rows of sandbags
& are loopholed with 2 iron plates
in case of heavy bombardment or
bombing everybody except the
observers retire to the passage at the
rear which is bomb & shell proof.

___________________
MONDAY 19^th
Issued with gas proof
helmets today. There must be good
grounds for believing that gas will
be used as we now have 2 helmets and
2 respirators each & have been
 

30
lectured on exactly how & when
to use them. The Turks are now
using some of the famous french
75mm guns. They must have
captured them off the French
somewhere. They are very handy
little guns & do a lot of damage
when properly handled but
we would rather face them
than the Jack Johnsons
___________________
TUESDAY 20^th
Terrible calamity today.
Today was tobacco day, our
issue on being opened up was
found to be mouldy & had to
be returned might have to wait
2 or 3 days now before we get any
nice prospect.
___________________
WEDNESDAY 21^st
Received news that
we are to be
relieved by Territorianes as soon
as arrangements can be made
for it & that we are to have a spell
not before time either, as we have
had longer in the primary line
of more time than any troops
either here or in France

Q.A.S.A.
VICTORIA
Private M^cAnulty
4^th Reinforcements
[*not 3Bn*)
2^nd Battalion
1^st Brigade
A.I.F
Mena Camp
Egypt
[*3rd Bn*]
No 1803

[*1DRL 422]
[*not A Coy
[[?]]
Not D
 

(30)  30(a)
THURSDAY 22^nd
Things are beginning
to get too [[strong?]] was on fatigue
all night from 8pm till 4pm
carrying sandbags & pick shovel
work, then had 2 hours sleep breakfast
& then went on with more fatigue till
midday, at four we went into the
firing line for an 18 hours spell
flesh blood can't stand too
much of that. Men are beginning
to drop now, simply used up
with work & want of sleep.
In addition we go into the firing
line with every intention of 
a long attack during the next
24 hours.
___________________
FRIDAY 23rd
I had a very hard night last
night, no sleep twice the
Turks left their trenches to attack, but
it was evident their heart was not
in it & that their officers were driving
them on, as soon as we opened a heavy
fire on them they seemed to [[reel?]]
away. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxx We've been under
big gun fire all day since 7 this
morning. Their big shells did a fair
amount of damage, one shell dropped
on a machine gun position blowing
the gun & 2 men to smithereens

No. 1803 Not D
Not Aly
B
Pte. C. M^c Anulty
4^th Reinforcements
2^nd Battalion
[*3^rd*]
[*not C Coy
not B Arty*]
1st Brigade. A.I.E.L.
To Secretary for Defence
Melbourne
[*1 DRL 422*]
 

(31)
and wounding 3 others. Had a first
class view this afternoon of the
effect of big gun fire at close range
Our 6in howitzers were dropping
shells into the trenches almost
opposite us. Lyddite & high explosives
were being used alternately, Lyddite
bursting with a pale sickly flame
with dense yellowish green smoke,
high exposive with a bright flame
& black smoke. Huge gaps were
torn in the parapets & sandbags
& clumps of wood blown in all
directions
___________________
SATURDAY 24^th
 Four more were
claimed out of No 4
platoon last night, one shell
accounted for the Coy. The platoon
originally consisted of 64, now
we count most 20. at this rate
the platoon will very shortly
cease to exist. It's not fighting
its simply sitting down waiting
to be killed, nothing is more
wearing on the nerves than
this kind of thing I wish to 
goodness they's let us at
them even if we are [[??]]

(32)
SUNDAY 25^th
Had a good feed today
it was composed of the following
Items - 1 tin fresh herrings 2/- ,1 tin
cond milk 2/-, ½ tin fres fruit 2/6
1 loaf brownie (currant loaf) 3/- &
2 cakes chocolate (ordinary 3^o cakes)
1/6 each, Some of the sailors
are evidently making huge
fortunes out of us. 
___________________
MONDAY 26^th
Very uneventful
They've eased up in their
cannonading today
it seems strange after
the incessant din of the
last 3 days, the stretcher
bearers also seem to be
getting a bit of a rest
___________________
TUESDAY 27^th
Received more
letters & papers
this morning. mail seems to
be coming alright now.
1 DRL 422

(33)
WEDNESDAY 28th
Actually had a whole day
off today. left the firing line at 7 a.m.
& 4 platoon went down to the beach
where we spent the whole day till 5pm
when we came up to the support
trenches again. It was like a Sunday
school picnic, of course we rushed
straight into the water & got about
6 weeks dirt off us, also washed –
freshened up our underclothes although
it was impossible to get them clean.
Of course the Turks shelled the beach
as usual but no shells came
near us & we had a comparatively
peaceful day
___________________
THURSDAY 29^th
Very uneventful just
the ordinary routine, few shells
at meal times, our aeroplane
dropped a couple of bombs in the
Turkish trenches opposite us tonight
kicked up a great row & plenty
of smoke.
___________________
FRIDAY 30th
2 German aeroplanes put in an
appearance over our lines this
morning & dropped some bombs down the
beach, but they all went wide & fell in the 
sea doing no damage, as soon as

(34)
our aeroplanes rose they vanished. Some
of the 6th reinforcements arrived today, they
appear to be a good class of men, all sturdy
& well set up, there'll be a difference in
their appearance after about 3 months
here. One of them had a mandoline & it
made one feel quite homesick to hear
some of the old familiar "rags" & other
tunes. Matters were fairly quite in
the firing line, away on the left the
Turks blew up a sap right under our
trenches taking a number of men,
don't know exactly how many yet.
Was up on one of the highest points of land
about here last night on pick & shovel
fatigue tonight from 8 pm till 1 am.
Could see the flashes of the [[Grig?]] guns
bombarding the narrows in the Dardanelles
It was like real lightning on a hot
summers night in Australia, we could
just hear the low dull rumbling of the
reports
___________________
SATURDAY 31^st
Very quiet here constant
heavy fun firing down at Achi Baba
Hell broke lose at 10p.m. The Turks
attacked on the right & it spread right
along the line, the attack was beaten back

 (35)
& we counter attacked suffering 2 lines
of trenches & 2 machine guns. Our artillery
bombarded their support trenches with
high explosives, right along one front
was just one sheet of lurid flame
a man on either side of me was shot
through the head, death was instantaneous
it all seemed so simple, just a little
gasp, & a fall backwards off the parapet.
It is wonderful how a mans mind
grasps things like this while his
whole attention is concentrated on
the business in front of him.
___________________
SUNDAY. AUG 1^st
Out resting again
today, our Coy was further weakened
last night.
___________________
MONDAY 2^nd
More German tricks being
adopted their aeroplanes now drop
arrows, these are only about 6 inches long
made of steel & they strike with such
velocity that they would go right
through a man. Have not heard of any
casualties through them yet.
___________________
TUESDAY 3^rd
Very quiet today, had
an exciting 15 minutes this
morning was down Shrapnel gully on
water fatigue, carrying up water for
the firing line. A German aeroplane appeared