Photostat copy of diaries of Benjamin Bennett Leane, 1915 - Part 18

124
afternoon five or six of us
volunteered as a boat's crew to
take the Captain to the headqrs.
ship "Aragon". There was
a good breeeze so we rigged

a sail and had a pleasant
little cruise round the
harbor. I was unable
to get ashore, though, so
could not go to the hospital to
ascertain if Ray was still
there. In the morning we
had Church Service on board,
and In the evening there
was a concert on deck. We
are at present lying alongside
the "Braemar Castle".
Sunday, August 15^th 6 pm.
Church service this morning.
Just before lunch the Fleet
Sweeper "Partridge" came
alongside, and at 2 pm. we
embarked on her. She left
the harbor at 4.30 pm and
we are now on our way to
Gallipoli once more. We
expect to reach Anzac Cove
about 10 pm. tonight. I wonder
what my luck will be this
time. One thing, the landing
will not be as difficult as
that other was, although
the beach is still under
shell fire. I hope for the
best though. I have
brought my valise along
with me, and in it are a 
few luxuries for the mess

— a bottle of whisky for those
who like it, a bottle of
sherry for the rest of us,
a dozen tins of ham & chicken,

126
and a dozen bottles of relish
to make the bully beef more
appetising.
By the way, kiddie, if
I should not come through,
just take note will you,
that my trunk and a 
black kit bag are with
Cook's Agency in Alexandria.
I have paid three month's

storage, for which the
receipt is in my pocket book.
Write to them and they will
forward you the trunk etc.
as I have given them your
address. You had better
also send about 20/- f to
cover carriage etc. and they
will send you the charge
alright. But if you
decide to go to England, dear,
write to them a few week's ahead
and tell them to send it to
their office at Port Said, as
I do not think the ordinary
run touches Alexandria.
I won't write more just now
dear girl, but if it should
unfortunately prove to be
my last entry — one never
knows — goodbye, dear wife.
and many kisses to you
and our dear babies, and tons
of that love you know you
possess.
Monday, August 16^th Noon.
Back into it once more. We
reached Anzac Cove about 10 pm
but did not disembark until
about 2 am. Occasional bullets
came singing over the hills and
splashed in the water ; two of

 

128

our chaps were just slightly

grazed, fortunately there was 

so shell fire directed on us,

although the guns on the

hills frequently spoke. At

Cape Helles as we passed

there was a terrific bombardment

going on — just

one continuous flashing in

the sky and a low

rumbling now and then a

star shell burst and lit up

the whole place.

We move on at daybreak

and reached Battalion

Headquarters about 6 a.m.

Rumball, Henwood and self

had breakfast and a chat

with the Colonel, and then

went on to our own lines.

I am in 'C' Coy — my old
company. Funny thing, Ray,

Allan & myself are all in 

'C' Coy. in different battalions.

I met all the old chaps who 

are left — Capt.( now Major)

Shaw, Whitbourn, Maganis,

Shaw Sawer, Capt Nott, Stopp.

Hamilton and several others, 

not forgetting good old

Heritage. Had a long yarn

with him. I was surprised

to find that they think rather

much of the little bit I did

with the ammunition in those

first days. It comes as very

pleasant surprise to me, for I

have always felt rather ashamed

of the little I was able to do before

I got winged. Ray is an 

absolute hero; everyone talks

of the wonderful work he has

 

130

done. They say he is bound 

to get the D.S.O. I met the 

dear old chap this morning,

and we had a long yarn

together. He won't listen to
praise. He says he is not

out looking for fancy stunts,

but if one comes in the course

of the day's work, well, he

does it. The other night

he took out his company 

and captured a line of 

Turkish trenches. They call 

it Leane's Trench now.

There is a wonderful system

of trenches here now, kiddie,

quite a labyrinth. I share

a dug out with Lt Stopp, and

it is quite cosy. I have to

go on duty now, so will

continue later
Tuesday, Aug. 17^th. 9 a.m.

After coming off duty yesterday 

afternoon I went back to the 11^th.

lines to see Ray, taking along with

me a drop of the "crathur" in my

waterbottle, for I knew Ray was 

rather partial to good pure water

bright — with a drop of something

in it. I stayed to tea — I

ought almost say dinner — with

him. Eh, but he lives high.

Soup, entree, sweets, dessert,

cocoa, cigars. Of course, the soup 

was made with beef tea tablets;

the entree was bully beef disguised

as rissoles (you couldn't very 

well have a roast off bully);

the sweets, boiled rice; the dessert,

hard biscuits and a box of chocolates,

— these and the cigars had

been sent him as a birthday

 

132

present by the girls in his shop

Boulder City. I stayed 

yarning to him until about 6.30

and then he had to move his

company up to support the

12 ^th Battalion. I went up there

with him, and then made my

way back to my own lines.

On the way back I met several 

of the fellows I know, among

them Joe Waine. Poor old Joe

looks very thin; four months 

of his life would make anybody

thin. I turned in about ten

and had a couple hours' sleep

before going on duty at midnight.

My shift is 9.30 to 12.30 to 3.30

pm and am. The am shift

is the one when you are _∧most likely

to bump into trouble, for it

is between these hours that
most of the bomb throwing is 

done, and also it is the

time when you are most likely

to get a surprise attack.

However, things were very

quiet last night. The firing

was very desultory, and only

One bomb landed in our 

lines — fortunately without

serious damage. It is a very 

tiring shift, too, for you have

to wander about or sit down

in absolute darkness, you 

daren't talk except in a 

whisper, and daren't smoke

except away back in the tunnels.

I was glad when Armitage came

to relieve me at 3.30 am. I 

lay down for half an hour, 

and then had to get up again

at 4 o'clock, when everyone

 

134

"stands to". 'Stand to' is from

4 am. to 5 am. After that

I slept until 7 a.m. when the

batman brought my breakfast 

— a couple slice of bacon, a 

piece of toast, and some tea.

The trenches here are an

absolute revelation to me. I had

expected to find pretty good

trenches, but nothing like

the extensive works there are

here. It is like being

in some ancient catacomb, to

the excavations of some long

buried city. From the beach

to the firing line there are

numbers of communication 

trenches through which you 

can walk in almost perfect

safety. They are about 

seven feet deep by about eighteen
inches wide, and they wind 

and turn and twist and

bend until you don't know 

whether you are going north, 

south, east, or west.

When you reach the supports 

and firing lines, the trenches

branch out to right and left

like so many side streets, these 

in turn having more side

streets. In several places

they have tunnelled right

through the hill. The approaches

to the firing line itself are

nearly all tunnels, as is the 

passage which runs along behind

the actual firing trenches. These

(the firing trenches) are small 

posts capable of holding three

men in the event of an attack. 

Ordinarily there are two men

 

136

trench, one observing and one 

resting. But the whole ground

here is one network of tunnels

and trenches. I spent the

best part of yesterday in 

constantly getting lost and

finding myself again. It's

rather awkward getting lost, 

too, especially at night, for 

it means that you have to make

enquiries. And to make

enquiries places you under

suspicion and if a man sentry doesn't 

know you he is supposed

to detain you until an

officer comes along to recognise

you. It's a very necessary

protection too.

Wednesday, Aug 18^th noon.

The shrapnel has been a bit

objectionable this morning. One

piece of shell scattered the earth
close to me, but did no damage.

Things were a bit more brisk

last night too. I had no sooner

gone on duty at midnight

than a messenger from the observation

post came to me with

news that the enemy were

creeping up to our lines. I went 

along and looked for awhile,

and could see an occasional

lump of something moving about.

I guessed they were a few 

bomb throwers crawling up, so

I went along to the firing trenches

a little to right and left

and told the men to put in

a few shots for luck. It had

the desired effect, for there

were no more bombs until

a couple hours later, when

three or four came our way,

 

138

fortunately without doing any 

damage. I must get on 

duty again now.

Thursday, Aug 19^th 8 pm.

Just twelve months today since 

I enlisted, chicken. Doesn't it 

seem an age! Our newspaper,

the "Peninsula Press," tells us

that it is stated that Germany

is making overtures for peace.

And General Birdwood is said

to have told someone that the

Dardanelles business will be over

in a fortnight. Of course, we

have heard these same things so 

often that we take little notice

of them now, but put them

all down as "mulgas." Still

let's hope it's true for the sake

of the boys who have been here 

for four months without a spell,
and who look utterly worn out.

If it is true, though, then John

Turk is putting in a very good 

finish, for he has _∧been pouring

shrapnel over us this afternoon.

When I came off duty at 3.30

today I went along to see Ray,

and when coming back I returned

via Artillery Road. There were 

two of our howitzers just below

me, blazing away rapidly.

The crash of the explosion was 

deafening, and the shells as

they whizzed overhead seemed

perilously close. And then 

back would come a couple

shells from the Turks, bursting

right overhead. I can tell you 

I was glad to get back to the 

firing line and my own little 

dug-out. Just now the beggars are

 

140

slinging bombs. They must have 

trench mortars by the distance

the bombs are being thrown.

Ray showed me all over their

firing line today. They've got

a lovely little sniper's 'possy'

about 80 yards from the Turkish

trenches. The Turkish snipers

are wonderful shots. We

improvise periscopes out of little

squares of mirror stuck in a 

stick, and they pick them

off at 200 yds. quite easily.

I have changed my residence

this afternoon. One of our officers

got a transfer so I snapped his

dug out, which is much more comfy

than mine. I am quite in love

with it. unfortunately it is 

really in 'B' Coy's O.C. has long
cast envious eyes on it. he thought

to claim it when the other chaps

went out, but I was watching

and got in first. Gorgon Cornish

gave me the tip tonight that

he (Capt Seager O.C. 'B' Coy.) still

considered himself a sort of legal

possessor. I told him I worked 

on the principle of 'he who 

holds shall have,' and that if

O.C. 'B' Coy. got it I should 

be very much surprised. He laughed 

and said so should be. So

just now when OC. 'Coy. interrupted

the gentle flow of my thoughts

as I was telling you about the

trenches, I guessed he had

come to lay his claim, especially

when he opened the conversation

by kindly asking after my 

health. Unfortunately for him, he

 

142

asked me how I liked England,

and that gave me my chance

to hold the floor. I enthused

about the beauties of England

at such a rate that he couldn't

get a word in. And as I talked

I passed him a box of choice

Egyptian cigarettes that I bought

back with me, and pressed him 

to a drop of sherry, so that

in the face of such hospitality

he couldn't very well broach the 

matter of turning me out of my

home and habitation, but had

to ask me would I come round

some afternoon and have tea

with him. And while the 

mellowing influence was still

working, and before he had

time to work back to the subject

for which he had come, I
turned the conversation on to life

in the trenches, and just casually

mentioned that I had to go on

watch at midnight, so what

could he do but apologise for

keeping me out of bed, and 

betake himself off. After that

I reckon I'm "some tactition"

I ought to get a job in His Majesty's

Diplomatic Service, don't you think.

Friday, Aug. 20^th. 4 pm.

Have just come off watch. Had intended

going down to Headquarters

to fix up some old rolls the Pay Dept.

have been asking for, but I want 

to examine the platoon's rifles, gas

helmets, and ammunition be at

quarter to five, so there isn't time.

Tonight I hope to go down with

Heritage to the beach for a swim.

Last night the Turks were very busy