Photostat copy of diaries of Benjamin Bennett Leane, 1915-1916 - Part 16

                             86

further forward. In fact one

platoon which endeavoured

to work in a flanking movement was

instantly put out

of action. However, at

about 4.30am the Brigadier

bought up two reserve

battalions to the attack. We

gave them covering fire

until they got in front of

our line, and then joined

in the assault with them.

The inner defences are very

strong however, and surrounded

with a thick network of 

entanglements. At about 5 am

the "no parade" blew, and we

knew the stunt was over.

Then "all officers" sounded

and we had to report to the

 

G.O.C. who criticized the

two day's work. On the whole

he seemed very pleased,

and had very little fault

to find. You can guess we

were quite ready for breakfast.

Today the men marched to

ordinance stores and exchanged

their old rifles for new ones,

to fire Mark VII ammunition.

Thungs are very busy now, as

all the preparations for our

move have to be made. I

understand that we embark for 
France on June 1^st or 2^nd.

 

This afternoon I took

my clothes off for the first

time in three days. You

can bet I felt like a bath,

and I had it. Felt much

                88

brighter now. Am going to

bed early tonight to make

up for two night's lost sleep.

Saturday May 27^th

This is a rather dusty hole.

The sand has become ground

up into a fine powder and

mixed with all manner of dirt

and germs etc., and every 

breeze that springs up raises

a cloud of floury choking

dust. Thank the Lord we

are getting out of this blighted

country pretty soon.

 

Had a swim in the Canal this

afternoon. Better still, I

got three letters, one each

from Ethel, Mother and your

darling old self.

 

Tonight the 16^th Bn band has

been giving a concert in our 

lines. They play very well.

Kiddie, I think I'll introduce

you to the officers of the 48^th Bn.

I'm sure you would like to

know them all. So that you

won't be too embarrassed I'll 

introduce them one by one, and 

at different times.

 

First & foremost there, is the C.O.

You don't need much of an

introduction there. I know my

letters have told you plenty 

about him. Sufficient to say

that he is one of the best, a

C.O. that my battalion could be proud

of. He's a man & a soldier.

 

Then there is the Senior Major,

Major Imlay. At present he

is in hospital with a [[game ?]] leg

                 90

The C.O.'s horse kicked him, and

the wound turned septic.

He is an Adelaide man

who came over with the 16^th

Bn as a Lieutenant. He is

a very capable officer as

regards his work, but I would

not trust him with an old

pair of boots. He is like

Col. Lorenzo in many respects,

in that he is selfish and

absolutely without conscience, 

where property is concerned.

You could not accuse him

of theft, but he seems to

think that he has a perfect

right to anything he can 

lay hands on. Lorenzo would

pinch anything he could get

hold of and thought it a great joke.

This man is just the same.

 

Sunday May 28^th

The Division is to be reviewed

by the Commander in Chief tomorrow.

This afternoon all Brigade Majors

& adjutants had to go over the

ground for preliminary instructions.

I met our new Brigade Major

for the first time. His name is

Salier - Capt. Salier - and he

seems a very decent fellow. A

new Tasmanian by birth, he 

went to England a few years

ago, and at the outbreak of

war enlisted with an English

Regiment. He has seen service

in France & Salonica. He wears 

the ribbons for the Military Cross

and also a French decoration.

 

Poor old Sully has to act

as Senior Major tomorrow, and is

                  92

already in a state bordering

on loss of physical control.

Sully - Major O'Sullivan -

is our senior company commander

and as such is next senior

officer to the C.O. when the

Senior Major (Major Imlay) is

absent. He was in command

of the battalion during the

recent move from Railhead, 

and also during the first

night's operations. The poor

old chap was between an

evacuation and a "tremor"

the whole time. He holds

the C.O. in great awe - he

has been straffed as many times -

and is always afraid he is

going to do something foolish

-which he generally does.

 

Fortunately he is content

to leave everything to you, and

readily acquiesces in anything

you suggest - which makes

him less harmful than the

other sort of weak man who

tries to assert his authority.

He was particularly anxious

just before the advance command

and as were riding along

together he said to me "Oh,

Ben. I wish the C.O. was here.

What if anything should happen

or I should do anything to

bring the battalion into disrepute.

It has such a good name now.

I'd never forgive myself."

I tried to laugh him out of

his fears, but and told him

everything would go alright, but

                    94

it was not much use, When

half the battalion was sent

forward to prolong the firing

line he sent me on with it

and stayed back with the

supports. In the morning,

I found the supports about

1/2 mile away and well

in rear of the next battalion

instead of in rear of our own!

Fortunately the CO came back 

that morning, and we all

breathed again. It is

wonderful what confidence

a strong man like the C.O.

inspires in everybody.

I am afraid poor old Sully

is not as young as he was.

We'll have to persuade him 

that he's got diarrhoea or measles

 

or something when we get

ordered into action. The old

chap is plucky enough, but

has no confidence in himself.

To give you an instance of his

essential weakness. The other

morning I sent an orderly

to Major Imlay with an

open receipt for £10 which

I had previously given Major

Imlay and for which I 

wanted his signature. The Orderly

took it to Major O'Sullivan in

mistake. Sure enough Sully

signed the receipt. When I

chaffed him about it he said

he thought it was rather strange,

but reckoned that as it had

been sent him for signature

he had better sign it!!

                      96

Monday May 29^th

We received our definite

move orders today. We entrain

on the night of June 1^st for

Alexandria, where we go embark

on the "Caledonia". I am glad

to say I won't be Ship's Adjutant

this trip - for which I am

devoutly thankful. There 

are to be two battalions on 

board, ourselves & the 47^th,

and the C.O 47^th is senior

to Ray, so well the O.C. Troops.

Consequently his Adjutant will

be Ship's Adjutant. Ray

and I are looking forward 

to a nice soft job on the

voyage. Rumour has

it that we are going to

England but I don't think so.

 

The inspection ^review went off splendidly

today. The men were very

steady and marched excellently.

The General made special remark

about the 48^th. There's no doubt

about it, it is a good battalion,

and we have practically no

crime at all now. They

have improved wonderfully

since March, when the

battalion was first formed.

Tuesday May 30^th

Received a letter from

Felix Heritage last night.  It 

was written from Ceylon, and

dated May 5^th. He is coming

over with 17^th Reinf to 10^th Bn

I hope to be able to see the

dear old chap soon. He

mentions about meeting Norman

                  98

bur doesn't say whether he met

you or not.

 

We are pretty busy today

getting packed up etc. for 

the move.

 

Wednesday May 31^st

Everything going swimmingly

and I'm well in hand with

my work. Tonight my advance

party went on to Alexandria, 

and at 1am we start

carting our baggage. It will

be all finalised by ten am.

I then have the rest of the

day clear to strike camp, 

clean up, and catch the

train. I reckon to be

quite cleaned up by

midday, in which case 

the battalion will be able

 

to put in the afternoon in

the Canal. We commence

entraining at 9.30 pm reaching

Alex. about 5 or 6 am tomorrow ^Friday.

The Brigadier complimented me

today on the thoroughness

& completeness of my operation 

orders for the move, so I'm

like a dog with two tails.

Old Ray is pleased, too,

which means considerably

more to me. Jove, my life

as Adjutant here is different 

to what it was in the 10^th

under Col. Beever. I work

hard, even harder than I did

in the 10^th, but my heart's 

in the work and I know

it is appreciated. What is 

more, I am allowed a free

                 100

hand in my own department,

which means a lot. I

don't think I have ever

been happier in my job.

Saturday June 3^rd 1916

27 today sweetheart. Last

birthday I spent in hospital

in England, and this one

I have spent most enjoyably

and most luxuriously on

the "Caledonia". We had

a special little dinner at 

our table tonight- I will

tell you the menu -

and I had my good health

and yours - drunk in

champagne. There were six

at our table - Ray, the

Senior Major, the M.O., the

Padre, Capt Roberts & self.

 

To get back though. On

Thursday we had a busy morning

striking camp, getting the

baggage away, and clearing 

up the camp. Once again

old Egypt gave us a parting

kick in the shape of a dust

storm, but it was not so

severe as several we have 

had. It was enough, though

to make us thoroughly

appreciate the fact that we

were leaving the desert -

bound for a place more kind.

At 6.30pm we marched off

-and may I nevermore see

the spot (unless indeed it is

from the deck of the ship

that takes me home to dear

Australia) - crossed the

             102

Canal and bivouacked and near

the station. At 9 o'clock

we commenced to entrain,

and were away by 9.30pm

There were no carriages -

all open goods trucks -

but we managed to make

ourselves fairly comfortable.

Anyhow, we were all

tired enough to sleep on

the business side of a farmer's

harrow. We were travelling 

all through the night, and

by Jove it did get cold

about 2 am. We eventually

reached the wharf and 

embarked about 9.30 or

10am. The "Caledonia"

is a fine boat - one of

the Anchor line. She has

 

a tonnage of about 10000 tons

and a speed of 16 knots.

She is beautifully equipped.

About three or four companies 

of the men are in cabins

while the rest are to very

comfortable in the troop decks.

Our quarters are particularly

luxurious. The cabins are

very roomy, with double

wash stands & mirrors, and

a large wardrobe. Electric

light, carpets on the floor,

white sheets & spotless quilts

on the beds - what! they 

are all deck cabins too.

The dining saloon is down

on the next deck, the

music saloon on this deck, 

and the bar & smokeroom on

                   104

the deck above. The music

saloon is my especial favorite.

It is furnished like a beautiful

drawing room, and

there is a most excellent

piano - a Collard & Collard -

in splendid tone. And

heaps of music. I'm

having a most enjoyable

time, believe me. We

sailed at 9am today,

and are now heading

due north- straight for

Gallipoli! I expect we'll

change our course presently.

The sea is like a millpond,

and there's hardly a quiver

in the good old boat.

Even so, some of the chaps

are seasick.

 

Monday June 5^th 1916

Steaming almost due west

now, and travelling about 11 knots.

We should pass Malta early tomorrow 

morning I should think. The 

weather continues to be glorious, and

I am enjoying every minute of the

day. Basked in the sun like

a well fed cat all the afternoon.

It's a splendid rest, and does one

a world of good.

 

Yesterday both Anglican and

R.C. services were held on board.

Out of compliment - and affection

-to our own Padre, Ray, myself,

and several of the other officers

attended the R.C. service. The Padre

spoke a few direct, straightforward

words to 'the boys" on the subject 

of clean living. He is a fine fellow