Diary of Herbert Vincent Reynolds, 1914-1915 - Part 3










February 1915
2 TUESDAY Arrived at Alexandria
at 8 am, the harbour was full
of windjambers, most of which
are prizes. We pulled into the
wharf at 2pm, the Light Horse
Ambulance reinforcements went
ashore and proceeded to the
camp. No leave was granted
but I got ashore with a couple
of other chaps and we went
into the city, returning at
about 1 am. We got a cabman to drive us
back to the wharf. could not see much of the
place at night visited a couple of music halls.
3 WEDNESDAY The Field Ambulance
reinforcements for the 1 st 2nd and
3rd disembarked at 9am and
entrained for Cairo at 9:30 am
We arrived at Abbassia at 5 pm.
and marched to the camp behind
the barracks. We slept in a
messroom for the night but it
was too cold to sleep comfortably
we had only a small blanket.
All the Field Ambulance reinfs were
under the charge of Sgt Baker. Our
camp is about 4 miles from the city.
1915 February
4 THURSDAY We marched to the
4th brigades camp at Heliopolis,
and got our blankets from the
4th Field Ambulance, during the
afternoon The buildings here
are splendid structures, the
well to do people live here only.
it is situated about 4 miles from
Cairo, and has an up to date
electric railway and tramway
service. Our rations are a bit
short, but will be all right
when we draw the 6d a day extra
allowed each man for rations.
5 FRIDAY We have to look after
the sanitary conditions of the
camp.I went into Heliopoles with
another chap, and got back just in
time to fall in when an allarm
was sounded at 9.30 p.m. Heliopolis
is about 2x miles from where our
camp was pitched.
February 1915
6 SATURDAY I went out to the
Pyramid camp at Mena with
Ralph Clark and we had a
good time we had tea at the
2nd Field Ambulance messroom
with some friends of my mates.
We got a donkey each and rode
round to the Spinyx, the price
of the ride was 1 piastre each. It
was pretty dark and we could not see
much of the place although the ride was
a novel one The little village near the road is
very interesting all the establishments have
typical Australian names.
7 SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY Ralph Clark
and myself went over to Luna
Park at Heliopolis and had a
good time, this place is not
equal to the one at St Kilda,
but the prices are very much lower.
They have a water chute, scenic railway and
other side shows. the place has been closed
up for a time and has only been going since
the troops arrived here.
1915 February
8 MONDAY News was received that 14
reinforcements was wanted to join
the 1st Field Ambulance 13 for the
2nd and 16 for the 3rd. I went
out to the Pyramid camp, went
inside the Kheops pyramid and
the 2nd one then round to the
pyramid temple. There are three
large and nine small pyramids
here. The temple was the Mortuary
temple of the 2 nd. Pyramid of
Khefren.
9 TUESDAY The reinforcements for
the 1st Contingent left Abbassia
at about 10 am and marched out
to join the units at Mena, a
distance of 15 miles, and reached
there at about 5 pm. We were all
allotted to messes & tents I was allotted
to No 1 tent and No 1 mess.
February 1915
I0 WEDNESDAY The reinforcements
had a medical inspection.
I visited the Sphinx and temple
and different tombs around
the Pyramids. also the
Valley Temple of Khefren.
This temple is very much dammaged
but not to the extent that some of the
others are, the pillars of granite are about 14 ft
x3 x 3 and are in a fair state of preservation
The price of admission is ½ piastre.
11 THURSDAY the whole 1st Brigadewent out on a I was put on
guard from 10 am to 10 am tomorrow
and done picquet duty from 10 am
to 2 pm.
1915 February
12 FRIDAY The whole 1st Brigade
went out on a bivouac to
Sakkara, the reinforcements were
left in camp to act as guard.
13 SATURDAY The OC. sent in for
4 extra men I was sent as one
we left camp at 4-30 pm in one
of the wagons and reached
the bivouac at 7 pm, we had
some tea and slept under
one of the wagons. The roads here
are built about 10ft above the level of the surrounding
country and wind here & there as they
are made to connect with other roads & villages
February 1915
14 QUINQUAGESIMA SUNDAY We have
nothing to do but had to
be ready to turn out at a
moments notice. The infantry
carried out manouvers on the
ridge of hills near the camp.
15 MONDAY We had to be ready to
turn out at a moments notice,
we had a bit of streatcher drill
during the morning. Most of the
AMC were vacinated, my first
vacination did not take and
I got done again.
1915 June
2O SUNDAY
3 AFTER TRINITY Things have been very quiet
today. Our squad on duty at Capt Notts a
new station from 6 to 8 pm we brought a
walking patients down to the beach A church
service was held in our camp at 8pm, a couple
of shells exploded in the usual place but did
not hurt anybody. Another burst of rifle fire
broke out at the right flank at about 11 pm
There is a big engagement taking place tonight
down at the cape.
21 MONDAY Heavy bombarding has been going
on all night down at the cape & has continued off
& on during the day, the centre of operations seem
to be a little to the south of Achi Babi.a few snipers
have been very active on Kapa Tepe point & they have been infilading
the beach & wounded about half a doz chaps through the
day. At about 4pm the monitor & a hydroplane came
along & by xx the planes directions the monitor two TB
& a couple of our field guns they slapped in to Kapa Tepe
occasionally the larger guns on the monitor fired away
inland. I sat up on the hill for about an hour at 11pm & I
watched the shells exploding on the ridge on the Tommies
left flank this is the first time so many have been seen
exploding this side of the ridge & shows that we
are driving the enemy back. letters from Mal Stan Sisi
June 1915
22 TUESDAY I heard an aeroplane up at about
5 am but could not see it. A large plane flew over our
position this morning at about 11 am. The monitor &
the hydroplane came a long again at about 4 pm & began
shelling a gun position away over behind Kapa Tepe
We heard that the French have made an advance down
at the cape, they captured are holding two lines of
the enemys trenches. We had our money returned that
we paid in to get a few articals from the canteen boat
Received letter from Mother & Jay Hones. We have been relieved
of Capt. Marks station by the L.H. H. Amb:
23 WEDNESDAY The large hydroplane was along,
here this morning at about 9am. The enemy
began shelling the beach near the hospital this
afternoon at about 3pm& wounded a few chaps, we
were in swimming at the time. The gun over behind
Kapa Tepe has not fired today. Our field guns have
been shelling gun positions behind Kapa Tepe off &
on during the day, Headquarters report that two enemy
planes flew over our position at the cape yester this
morning & one was forced to descend. Our squadron
duty all night at Capt Goldsmith's no [?]
1915 June
24 THURSDAY The artillery got busy at 6am & made
things lively for about ½an hr. One of Aseachaps was wounded
today near the clearing hospital; (H Rodgers). A battery of 5"
howitzers maned by the City of Glasgow R F A came ashore
this afternoon The gun behind Kapa Tepe has not fired along
the beach again today, but a gun from that direction has
been firing at the T B D & trawlers, but has done no damage
The enemy has a gun that is troubling us a lot which has
been firing along the beach from the left flank. The big shells
from the Geoben has not been coming over here lately. The 5th
R F Artill brought their guns round into the gully below
us after sunset.
25 FRIDAY An aeroplane flew over at about 11am but
I could not see any distin marks on her it was either a
enemy plane or one that we captured. About 3 pm a battle
ship came along escorted by TBD & the balloon boat
Ark Royal came along & directed the fire, they were
bombarding the other side of the peninsula & poured
broadsides into, the turks began firing their 12 pounders
at the boats & they could be seen blazing away from
the top of the hill behind Kapa Tepe. Redirect two planes
a [?] biplanes flew over and dropped a bundle of papers
over the turks lines at about 5pm. Beachy Bill
has been at his tricks again today. The field gun fired
a few shots along the beach to night. The Lord Nelson must be
set something a blaze as smoke. could be seen rising over
to the south east.
June 1915
26 SATURDAY Things have been pretty quiet
today. I went & seen the Dr this morning also
having a heavy cold & sore throat. Received letters from
home & Mcs, also an age. We have to go through
½ an hrs physical drill every 3rd morning at 7 am
We have taken over the stations again from the
Light Horse Amb. Our squad on duty 6 to 8:30pm
I did not go out as I was not well. The RFA
got their howitzers into position tonight Two
aeroplanes was up today
27 SUNDAY
4 AFTER TRINITY Seen Dr again this morning
off duty for the day. The
monitor has been standing away off
Kapa Tepe. There was an outburst of rifle fire
at about 6 am this morning followed by artillery
fire from both sides, it only lasted about a hour
one of our hydroplanes dropped 4 bombs on
Kapa Tepe at about 6am. The RFA fired a few
bits today.
One of our sapps round [?] was hit in the head by a
bullet & died going out to the hospital boat & another chap
strout had his leg broken today by
shrapnell.
1915 June
28 MONDAY About 9am a fleet of trawlers & half a doz
TBDs went across to the cape from Tendos followed by a
light cruiser. The balloon boat & destroyers. a terrific bombardment
took place at the boat 10 am & continued during
the day at Cape Helles, it has been the heaviest that Ive
seen there the TBDs & the cruiser ^Talbot came along almost
to Kapa Tepe & fired The monitor ^Humber stood away off our
position & fired up the gully behind KT. A hostile
plane came over this morning again at about 9pm
& dropped 3 bombs at the balloon boat but done no damage.
At 1 pm our infadvet held what they had gained Our squad on
duty at Cape Goldsmith 1 to 6 pm, there were a good number of
wounded coming in. At about 9pm 2 of our squad & another 2 of another went
along the barricade on the beach for a patient. Star shells were sent of.
Our chaps advanced 800 yards from Quins post to the right today & returned 5pm
29 TUESDAY Our chaps retired to the trenches last night
at about 5pm, they made a success of the attack which was a [bl?]
to keep any of the enemy here from reinf down the cape. The
allies are advancing down south & have Achi baba almost
surrounded. One of our planes has been along here today Our
squad on duty at Cape Notts all night these were [?]
There is a tremendous bombardment going on down at the
cape tonight. There has been a rumble of heavy naval guns in
the straights to be heard all day. A duststorm blew
up about 11pm & an outburst of rifle fire followed but
it was only the parties out burying the dead that
the enemy must have sighted. Our artillery have not fired
today
June & July 1915
30 WEDNESDAY We returned at 6am & I went in &
& had a swim a heavy sea is rolling in today it dammaged
all the piers except the new large one. The artillery have
fired a few rounds today otherwise things have been quiet
Out large biplane came across this morning at about 7am
A thunderstorm passed over here tonight but we did not
get much rain. It has been offically reported that
the attack we made here was absolute success as it
drew the reinfs here instead of them going & assisting
the other end. the allies have advanced all along the
line up to 1000 yards.
1 JULY THURSDAY Our squad on duty at Marks
from 7am to 1pm no patients. Our large biplane
was circling around over our position for about an hours
this morning at about 7am, I went for a swim
tonight at about 8 pm & got a nasty cut on my foot.
The sea has been rough again today. Monday when our
chaps charged they got in some splendid work with
their machine guns on two or three occasions our chaps
caught the enemy in small bodies & mowed
them down.
1915 July
2 FRIDAY Our squad on ration fatigue at 9.30am
and on duty at Capt Goldsmith station from
6 to 8 pm there were no patients. One of our
aeroplanes passed over here tonight about 6 pm
the 5"howitzers fired a few shots tonight the shells
can be seen going through the air. Considerable quantities
of corrigated iron & 2 X 2 timber has been brought ashore
for dugouts etc.
3 SATURDAY The enemy have been sending over
some very powerful high explosive shells today
The light cruiser Talbot came along & got the range of
something inland behind right flank in 3 shots & cleared out returning
again after dark & fired shell after shell into the
enemy a couple of other cruisers are further down towards
the cape with their searchlights going.
July 1915
4 SUNDAY The cruisers have been firing all night
& cleared out after daybreak. A fairly large
explosions took place on the ridge west of Ashi
Babi this morning about 10 am: Our squad had
a day off today.
5 MONDAY. The enemy made things lively this
morning at daybreak with their artillery. The
monitor came along with the hydroplane at about 3pm
and fired only 3 shots away over our left flank there
has been a fleet of about 30 trawlers knocking about this last
couple of days The 16th. Batt had a pretty hot time when
going for a spell to Imbross the guns behind Kapa Tepe got
on to them about 630pm in large barges. Our squad on duty at Capt
Goldsmiths all night. The heavy gun the Enemy has, tryed
to put a few shells on the beach today but could not
do it they either hit the top of the ridge or went into
the water. Two 6" "howitzers & their crews arrived here today.
1915 July
6 TUESDAY Things have been very quiet today. A few
rounds was fired by the enemys guns behind Kapa Tepe
tonight at the usual time just before sunset & their shells
did not burst far from our came one gave us a shower of lead
The explosion down south on Sunday morning was an
amunition pit of one of the French guns caused by a 6"
shell from the enemy. A body of the 10th. Gurkhas was
driven out of their trenches by a bomb attack but the
position was retaken by the Innischlin Fusiliers. One
of the large shells fired by the enemy yesterday knocked
out a gun of Brownes battery & killed some of the crew.
7 WEDNESDAY Our Squad on duty at Capt.
Goldsmiths from 7am to 1pm we carried a medical
patient to the 3rd F Amb hospital, there were 7 other
patients able to walk. One of our aeroplanes flew over
here at about midday. The monitor came along accompanied
by the hydroplane and shelled gun positions on
the top of the hill in from of our right flank and behind
Kapa Tepe.
July 1915
8 THURSDAY Things have been very quiet
here today One of our aeroplanes flew over this
morning. The monitor &hydroplane came along
again today and fired over our lines somewhere
about 6pm the enemys gun behind Kapa Tepe
put about 9 shells in the Engrs & Artill camp
on top of the hill in front of our camp & done
a bit of damage. I wrote to mother and
May Stone today.
9 FRIDAY Things have been very quiet today
an outburst of rifle fire took place at about
midnight last night but soon died down.
The artillery both on our side and the enemys get
busy about an hour before sunset lately.
1915 July
2 The battleship fired about 100 to 150 shots.
The turks put about 6 shells into the Engrs camp again tonight
10 SATURDAY One of our aeroplanes flew over & dropped
a couple of bombs behind Kapa Tepe this morning Our
squad on duty at Cape Notts 1 to 6pm we carried two
patients suffering from shrapnell wounds down to
the clearing hospital. A large battleship put in an appearance
at about 2.30pm & blazed away till about 5 pm at
gun positions & trenches on the hill behind Kapa Tepe then steamed
off southwestward & disappeared, escorted by T B. Ds, the balloon
boat & the Barchante then put in a appearance & fired a
couple of doz shots behind Achi Babi & went into Imbross about 7pm, Our large
biplane came along at about 5 30pm & circled over here for about
an hour dozs of shrapnells were fired at her as many as 20 clouds
around her. 18 new men arrived to day most of them reinfs
11 SUNDAY
6 AFTER TRINITY One of our planes flew over about 8am
Some of our shells have been falling
this side of Ache Baba from down south. A light cruiser
2 funnels came along with the balloon boat about 6pm and
fired about a doz broadsides at something in the vicinity
of Quins post, then steamed off being fired at by the turks
Our large plane came along & circled about overhead this
afternoon at about 5pm. Our squad on duty all night
at Capt Goldsmiths we carried a patient down at about
10.30 pm. The 4.7 naval gun which was brought ashore.
today was being hauled round to the right when we
came down with the patient Received Punch.
July 1915
12 MONDAY About 7 am this morning our chaps had
a bit of a slap things were brisk for a hour or so but got
quiet again a heavy roll of artillery has been coming
from down south all day about 3pm a cruiser & the
baloon ship went across to the cape and for about
two hours stood off & bombarded from 2 to about
5pm the huge shells were falling on ache Babi and
along the top of the ridge & schrapnell was coming right
over this side this is the first time that we have seen to
many shells falling a turkish gun could be seen firing a
intervals, the bombarding was terrific from 2 to 5 pm. One of
our chaps named Dawes was wounded by a bullet from the sniper
The mountain bateries got busy about 10 pm Received letters
from home I R & Siss. The artill chaps are busy tonight hauling the
4.7 gun up the incline below our camp
13 TUESDAY Our squad on duty at Capt Notts
7 am to 1 pm there was one patient suffering from
pneumonia whom we carried down, to the clearing
hospital News received about the surrender of
German Africa. Huge shells have been falling on
Aghe Babi again today. The 4.7 gun was hauled
up to the position by artillery chaps about 1 50
got on to it, it ought to be in action soon. Four
star shells was sent up here tonight
1915 August
15 SUNDAY
11 AFTER TRINITY Felt no better today & got sent
to our hospital Received letter from home
dated June 27th
16 MONDAY No better & the Dr decided to send me to
Mudross I reported at the clearing station at about 12 noon
but had to wait till about 10 pm before they sent us out, we
went out in a barge being towed by a pinace to the hospital
ship Rewa, where we spent the night. We had a bad
time at about 6pm while waiting to go out to the boat
when the turks started to bombard the beach with
shrapnell 3 chaps were killed & others wounded.

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