Photostat copy of diaries of Benjamin Bennett Leane, 1915 - Part 29

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Two diptheria cases today,

so more isolation.

Poor old Ray is still down 

to it. Major Lorenzo was

sent along to the 11th Bn

today to take over duties

so as to relieve Ray, who

has been ordered to stay 

in bed. The poor old 

chap feels the cold terribly.

I wish he could get over

to Egypt, but no further
word has come about it

yet. People who have 

spent winters in England say

this is colder than anything 

they have ever experienced.

I can quite believe it!

Tuesday,  November 30^th 1915

Quite a lovely day today
for a change. The doctor
and I had arranged to walk to 

Therma, where there are hot

springs, but the C.O. called a

meeting of officers for 12 o'clock

and as it takes practically the

whole day to go to Therma

and back we had to cut it

out.  Instead we decided to go

over to the Australian Hospital

where the Doc left his coat

and putties the other night

when it was so xxxx wet.

Afterwards I was glad I stayed

in camp, for at lunch time

Major Lorenzo came along to 

tell me Ray was going to 

hospital at 2.30.  After lunch

I went across to see him, and

stayed there till the ambulance 

came for him. I have collected
up all his private papers and

 

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gear for him, and have them

in my tent now. Poor old chap,

it is just as I always said;

as soon as the strain and tension

of active service was removed

he began to relax and the 

inevitable reaction set in. He

is not seriously ill, just seems

down, and a good long spell

of rest and nursing will pick 

him up. I wish they would 

send him to England. It is

rough luck, though, for his

rank of Lieut. Colonel is only

temporary and he reverts to

his substantive rank of Major

as soon as he goes to hospital.

Later, when we reached 

the hospital I saw him

again. He is in a big

marquee tent, with a good
bed and plenty of blankets, so

he is better there than in 

a bell tent over on this

bleak side of the harbor.

On our way to the hospital

— oh, but wait, I must 

tell you. I am going too fast.

Since arriving here there have

been several cases of infectious

disease and today we

got word that the whole

brigade was to be isolated

from today. That means, of 

course, that we can't go outside 

the camp boundaries,

nor can anyone else come 

within them. The Brigade

Major gave me the tip when

I was seeing Ray off, that 

if I wanted to go over to the

hospital I had better get out
 

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right away, as orders were

coming out proclaiming us an

infected area. When I got 

back to my camp I found

the doc. shaving, so I told 

him to bustle and get out

before orders came. He finished

his shave hurriedly, and was

just putting on his jacket

when an orderly from Brigade

Headqrs. came along with an

official envelope, and asked

for the M.O. Without thinking

the doc. put out his hand

for the envelope and was

about to open it when I 

managed to convey to him

by signs and sundry expletives

that it was probably the order

for our isolation. He tumbled,

and came up to the scratch.
He handed it back to the orderly,

saying "Oh yes, er, this is

his tent-e- but-er-you 

may find him up at the

Orderly Room. Ask there."

And while the orderly was

"asking there" we bolted out

the back way.

On our way to the hospital

we passed through the 

village of Portianos. When

right on the outskirts we

heard children's voices at 

play, and, looking up,

found we were passing a 

Greek school for girls. Capt.

Shaw, who was with us, wanted

to get a photo of them, so I

opened the gate while he

snapped them. However, their

teacher, a Greek girl of about

 

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twenty, invited us in, so 

we entered. You never met

such shy children. At

last, by dint of much

coaxing, we got them to 

shake hands with us, and

then while they were all

grouped round us Shaw took

another snap. We had a

look over the school, and

as we were going the teacher

(who could speak a little

English) asked Shaw to send 

her a photo — "one, two,

three days perhaps." He said

he would, and started to

take down her name and 

address. But she wasn't

having any (evidently it is

just as bad principle in Lemnos

as it is in Australia for a girl
to give a strange g man her

name and address). He managed

to explain that he couldn't send

the photo unless he knew to whom

to send it, and at last she

vouchsafed "Dora", but when 

pressed for a surname she

laughingly protested "No,

Dora — school teacher — finish."

 As we were going we thought

we would scramble some 

coins for the kiddies, and

accordingly tossed some 

down to them where they 

were standing grouped below

the porch. But not one of 

them stirred to pick the coins 

up, although they smiled as

though to thank us. We turned

to the teacher for an explanation

and she said "No give girl

 

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money. Boy — yes! Girl — no."

You see the idea; I reckon

these kiddies are being well brought

up, don't you.

We reached the hospital at 

last, where I found Ray's

quarters while the Doc. got his

coat. Then we went along

to the 2^nd A.S.H. to see Major

Barber, Ethel's old doctor.

Afterwards we got a boat and

rowed across the Bay to camp.

When I got back I found 

that 34 bags of mail had

arrived.  So now I have received

one each from you, mother, 

and Ethel, and the mail is 

far from finished yet. Dear

old girl, I love to get your

letters. How I wish I could

be back with you and our
babies. Your little stories about

Gwen and your descriptions of

Peggy make me feel terribly

homesick, and when you tell

me you wish I could be there to 

love you up a bit it puts the 

capper on. I wish the blanky

old war would frizzle out.

The news from the Peninsula

was not too good today. It

appears we got out just in 

time. Since we left the

weather has been terrible. At 

Suvla about 700 odd of

Kitchener's Tommies got washed

out of their trenches (the water

was up to their waists in places) 

and in consequence made for 

the beach. About 200 of 

them are now in hospital. Several

were injured (according to reports)

 

150

and there are a large number

of cases of frostbite. There is

some talk of our going to Egypt

for the defence of the Canal,

which will be the goal of the

Germans if they once get to

Constantinople. May it be so;

either there or Salonica, one of

which places will see the final

struggle of this great war I think.

I fancy the Dardanelles, like France 

is a wash out now, and Egypt

via Constantinople is Germany's last

card — and a very good card

too. Please the Lord and we may

hold Joker.

Wednesday, Dec^r 1^st 1915.

My daily entries must be shorter,

I can see, or I'll both bore you 

and fill up my book too soon.

Today has been fine, but cold.
I have been working all day on

my papers & correspondence, so did

not have any adventures. Moule

and a few others got away before

the final embargo was put on the

camp, and arranged to get out

to a store ship where they made

many purchases on our various

private behalfs, and for the mess.

My private cupboard is enriched

by the addition of 6 lbs. walnuts,

a store of chocolate, tooth paste,

shaving soap, handkerchiefs,

a big tin of sweets, and —

treasure of treasure — a bottle

of old Port. "Take a little

wine for the stomach's sake"

said Timothy, (I think). Good

man, Timothy (I think).

The mess's larder is most

luxuriously stocked. We put up

 

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a four or five course meal

quite easily. I can assure

you, the fat days have 

come — and I, personally

feel like — well — I'll

tell you when I come home;

I'll whisper it to you, and

get my ears boxed for my

impudence most likely.

I got some papers today from

mother, a parcel (socks, handkerchiefs

& face cloth) from Miss Sanders,

and a letter from Ethel Searce.

I must get busy and write 

some decent letters soon.

Thursday, Dec^r 2^nd 1915.

Another beautiful day. It's

a sin to think that we have 

to stay in camp boundaries on 

a day like this, when 

the harbor calls, the hillside
calls, the open plain calls,

even the nurses on the other 

side of the water call — or

used to before the quarantine

was brought into being.

 I worked the oracle this afternoon

on the excuse that I wanted

to draw pay from the Field Cashier

for the Battalion. It is about

three miles to the camp where

is the Field Cashier's office, and I

thoroughly enjoyed the walk.

He was not in, so I left my

requisition and a promise to

call again. That means another

trip. From there I went on to

the hospital to see Ray. The poor

old chap is pretty bad. He's

got pleurisy now and is right

down to it.  Yet the silly old 

man talks about coming back 

 

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soon. However, I think nature

will see that he has a good rest

this time. I guess he is booked 

for the rest of the winter, and 

I hope he is, for he has

worked hard and it's up to

him to have a spell — although

hospital isn't much of a "spell."

I received another letter from

Miss Sanders this morning.

I must get busy on my mail.

Friday, Dec^r 3^rd 1915.

Still another fine day. We

held a football match this

afternoon - 10^th v. 11^th. It

was a good game, and resulted 

in a win for us — 8 goals 6 pts.

to 1 pt. (not pint).

I sent a man across to the 

hospital this afternoon with

some illustrated papers for Ray
and a bottle of "wixy" for Bates.

Ray is slightly better today, the 

man said. Major Roberts

of the 11^th Bn. joined his battalion

today, so Major Lorenzo will now

come back to us. Capt. Seager

also returned from England today.

He has been on board the

"Olympia" in harbor for some 

days.

Saturday, Dec^r 4^th 1915.

Still good weather. I intended

going to Therma with Doc Morlet

this afternoon, but had to go

over to the Base Camp instead.

When I saw the "mounts" which

the Greek had brought along

for us I was not sorry. I

forthwith sacked mine and

walked. The Doc. took the 

other, a poor little island pony,

 

156

and the last I saw of him

he was astride the jogging little

beast, his legs almost brushing

the ground, and the pony boy

running behind; prodding the

steed with a long stick.

I finished my business at

the camp, bought some excellent

mandarins at the village on

my way back, and got back

to camp about 4 o'clock.

(It is wonderful the larger

number of tiny shops and

stalls that have sprung into

existence since we first came 

here nine months ago. All

doing a thriving business too.)

Capt. Morlet did not get

back until nearly seven o'clock.

It appears that he had not

gone far when it struck him
that there was something amiss

with his steed; he got off and

looked beneath the saddle, and

there was a big sore. So he

put the boy on the pony,

and used Shank's. He then

found that he had to shorten 

his pace to allow the pony to 

keep up with him, so in the 

end he dismissed his guide

and tried a short cut over 

the hills. Like most short 

cuts in unknown country it

proved the longest way round.

By dint of much enquiry from

natives who understood the one

word "Therma" only. He at

last found the place, had

his hot bath, and then 

walked back home — about

6 miles. We must go over

 

158
together some afternoon, stay
the night, and return in the
morning if I can arrange it.
Sunday. Dec^r 5^th 1915.
I had afternoon tea out
of real afternoon tea cups today.
The Doc. and I went across to
the hospital this afternoon, he
to see a M.O. friend and I
to see Ray. We met by
appointment _∧later and had afternoon
tea with five of the
nurses. Poor old Ray is
right down to it. He's not
talking now about getting
back to duty soon. You
would not believe what a 
difference a few days could
make. When I got there

a nurse was supporting him
in bed while he took a drink
from a feeding cup. Afterwards
he was so exhausted that he

could not speak for some time.
They would only let me stay
for a few minutes. He wants
me to send a cable to Edie in
the morning to anticipate, if
possible, the official notification.
I do hope nothing happens to the
poor old chap. He stuck it
too long, and now he is
positively broken down.
Monday. Dec^r 6^th 1915.
I sent the O.R. Sergeant over to
East Mudros to get Ray's cable
away. Also to get some
oranges for the old chap.
Got Clarke to get me a pair 
of gumboots from the "Minnetonka"
— beauties, felt lined, worth
quite 25/-, and only 13/6. Don't