Diary of Herbert Vincent Reynolds, 1914-1915 (second diary) - Part 8

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG0001013
Difficulty:
3

Page 1 / 10

May 1915 the enemys comunications near the Clive Prove while the Canopus & a small gun boat were fering a number of shells also, we could see the shells explading from our poind of observations at the haght of the shelling the road narked by a row of Arses near the olive grove was covered with a luge. slond of durt & smake it was a mighty unhealbiy place for any one to be in while it lasted. After about an hours bombardment the Albron managed to case herself off the sand bank on which she went aground & at about 10 30 am the three bast steamed off clowly seeming to be none the worse for the enemys shelling which they had a little of. clow that things have settled down to French werfare in earnest here + the tenches are up to the mark, we are suffering very fee easuallis, the majority of which now are caused by chrapnell on our comncation or the depots as about 11 am or a little later an enemy plane flew over us & much to our disgust when Mond2y he appeared to be directly above us the les bomb go, we could see it coming like a libtle silver spee at first, then the peculiar nerve eacking noise as if it appeared to be coming in rushes set us all diving like rabbits for the nearest hole, looking up at the thing coming it appeared to be coming fair on tops of us+ it was a great relief to hear the crash + realize that not in pieces. any how It fell focclose to be comfortable only coyds from our dressing station, lickily where it his there were no besouacs, unfortunt there was one chap magh sett in the vicenity where it fell & he was killed instantly. another meeting took place between the enerys officers & ours at the same place as yesterday but after, a bit of a conference they returned to their oun lines. We were turned out early this morning & told that an armistice would be observed between 8 am & 430 pm the dead to be when hostilities would cease, to allow
AUS May 1915 buryied in no mans land. The day broke very dull & about yam a thich mishy rain began to fall which continued Hill about 11 am when I cleared up rhelped to make the gruecome job of burying a little less offensive to those engaged in that work. I was thankfull that we were not called upon to take paid in that work, what we seen of it was more than enough in most eases a grave was day alongude the corpse which was then rolled into the hole & covered up, the whole affair was awefull to the extreme as some of the dead had been bying there from the landing the number to be buried made it impossible to do little more that cover them with earth. The snemy worked on half of no mans land from This Hrenches & twe done the same h ours: Having nothing letter to do my make & I thought of having a look at our trinches at the Lop of Shrapnell Tully, but ae were not permitted to go right into the penches however we seen some of our position that we have not much opportunity of seeing as we are located on our extreme right flank. We ascended probably with the exception of part of Welkers ridge on our extreme left flank, the skeepest ridge in our positions that is at the topend of Shrapnell gally, where a gigantic stairway has been formed in the steep sitte of the gully from the now dry watercourse at the bottom to the Rop of the ridge up which all supplies & amunition for the Frenches has to be carried. Hundreds made the heet of the opportunity of having a dip in the sea without fear of defying. regulations concerning ewening during the day or running the rist of having a shower of chraprell sent over by the enemy a thing what was always certain when any number went in during the day Brighton beach was simply crowded with bathers what a glouous time Beacky Bill would have had had he not been dowoned to sitence Aoday, to the old About 4 pm everything had returned
Fued 25 May, 1915 order of things, except for the silence, but that when was soon broken $ 4 30 pm came along & the rifles began cracking away again, especially just nees after s when the enemy made the airning with intense rifle fire. After dark our gapanise bonb thowers began hurling their mesiks unto the air Ao fall directly into the enemy Trenches, they go well up into the air & fall almost shaught down leaving a hrail of light like a falling star on making the discent, they make a fearfull hearing crash when they explode At about midday all the Transports weighed their anchore & steamed off towards the island of Imbas the battleships all got on the move while the Tt. De repeated their performance of a few days ago & steamed here? there aI top epeed, we did not take very much notice of all this actividy. knowing that it was caused by the presence of an enemy submarine + the movement of the vexels was neccisiary for their safety however when all the T. B. Deskoyers 2 mine secepers, & other small craft suddenly all headed in one direction that being from Anzac in the direction of Cape Hilles, we realeyed Alar something unusual was happening in on to that direction & imediately climbed the few yards up the ridge of above our bisonac where an excellent view of the whole sea could be obtained right from Cape Helles on our right to Savla point on our left. Much to our dismay we found that about 12 miles away towards Cape Helles lay the Battleship Sriumph with a slight hss to Warboard, it was evident that she had been torpedoed by an enemy submarine & while we watched she rapidly listed more + more till she reached an angle of about 40/ when she then very suddenly went with a sweess & as her decks reached the perperdicular her port forpedo nets which were out suring over with a crash, a few seconds later all that was to be seen of the big versel amided the swerl of disturbed water was terfruely
May 1915 upturned heel, only 8 minutes clapsed from the sime the Horpeds shuck to the time the vessel tarned completely upeede down & for 15 minutes the exposed keel was vissible before the visset made her final plunge to the bottom. On receiving the signal for help boats of every description made for the Triumph at fall speed, one mine sweeper with 4 horse boats wl containing mule cart in How cars them adrift + made off fall epeed with the rest. There were only our vessels a P.D.D. & a menewweepes reasonably close to the Truimph when she was hit, they picked up as many of the crew as they could possibly do while the other boats were coming on the scene which they were doing at Hop speed: uron every direction. From the direction of Cape Helles iixe T. B. Derkoyers came tearing through the water at a terrible speed, the scene they presented is one never to be forgatten, their smoke stacks belching forth great columns of dease black smoke, their bows cleaving the water causing t a great white bow wave to rise on either side of each vessel as high as the vessel itself + having a great white frothing hrail in their wake, they came along at the greatest epeed their engines could attain, & after collecting around the Trumph for a very short time they all set out from the vessel as she made the final phing in the form of epokes in a wheel to search for the enemy craft, they were assisted by a sea plane but as far as we know their search was fruthess. We had witnessed the last incident in the life of the Triumph a sad, & to all who seen it a terribly werd ending to the glorious record of one of Brihans most notable warboats, sudden as the disacter took place & the vessel went to her doom it was one pleasant thing to know that most of the crew got cleas w were picked up safely. The whole affair, though naturally what one must expect to take place when the circumstances 1010
AUS May 1915 offer nevertheless caused an uneary feeling in our minds, the thoughts of our lose & the enemys success were not so much the cause of it as but the weird method of atack so successfully launched against the Trimph on the helplessness of the big vessel to defend herself against an unseen enemy lerking in wait beneath the waves, gave us all who witnessed it, as no description ever could the full realization of what a hideous type of warfare sebmarines have made in naval actions, Much to our regret the assistance we had grown so used to receiving from the Trumph when she used to takeap her usual porsition off Rapa Tepe point o harrass the enemy with her 10 inch & 7. 5 guns, would no longer be obtained from her now she is lying on the bed of the Agean Sea where there is Med 26th no hope of ever recovering her. The Trumph was a sister ship to the Swiftsure, both being build for the Chilean Government but later on were taken over & became uunit of the British flees, she was launched in 1903 her armourment consisted of y 10 14 75tn guns, her Lonage was 11800 fons she carried a crew of 700. The Trumph had taken part in more actions than any other vessel in the navy, having won bastle honours at Teing-Sau. about pm an extremely heavy rain storm passed over+ most of the day outs + trenches were fladed fortunately our dug out kept the wateroad. we were able to keep nice+ dry. The enemye artillery has been very active Aoday at about 2pm. they consentiated their fire on our trenches near our right conke & a number of casualties were the result, we had a rather warm
1657 Thers 27th May 1915 srip to the C.C.S. with a L.H. Capt who was severely wounded & were forced to take shelter at the Noz A.S.E depos. One of our acroplanes retaliated by dropping a corply of bombs on the enemys Fenches today. The four horsebort cast adrift yesterday drifted on to the beach near Rape Tepe one was recovered during the night but the other &here were left & the exemy removed the mule haneport carts from them during the might. Three T.DDs attempted to land a number of reinfs here this afternoon but had to give up the attempt tthrough the enemys artillery fire being too severe, they landed them safely after cunsed. There have been no Battleships or cruseng in sight all day. Things have been rather quiet. The infly remps are being put through a period of taining in rifle drill etc in the rest gullys when the enemys artillery is quied the T.B.D With the exception of a few mine sweepers are the only vessels we have seen ssince the Triumph was sunf, the Battlesheps & Kansports are cheltering in the harbours of Imbros & Lennas ant of reacl of the 5 was submarines. We heard Asday that the Majestre sunk by the same submarine shortly after had sunt the Triumph. A French acriplane bombed the enemys-lenes today. The enemy only fired over a few shells today + Frid 28h an old spe every thing has been expemely gives around Cmbras of light caniser has been etcaming & off Savla poind Fsday but she done no firing. at about 10 pm a P.BD steamed in close to Rape Tepe & shelled the enemy in the Twin Frenches on our right flank. We could hear heavy rifle fire f Cape Kelles very distinctly tonight. A French acroplane flew over our lindes again Aoday. pon he Sat 29th One of our makes C Abbot was killed at 5 was wounded by shrapnell & deed almost imediately He was buried in the Hell Spit Brrial ground at yepon The enemy mined our trenches at Courtneys post explacted it early this morning, they followed it up with an infly athacf, but it was an absolute
1157 IAA Land3 Mondsr May 1915 failure as far as they were concerned, for they suffere rather heavy casualties & I seen one batch of 16 prisoners being brought down after it was over our casualties were not very heavy Our planes have been very active all day. th After being extremely quiet all the morning, the enemy made things very warm for us shortly after midday when his artillery got beusy, Has makes were wounded by shapnell though not badly. Our acroplanes have been active again today. All the T.h. Deshrayers spent the morning patrolling the sea area between Imbros Cape Helles & Surla. evidently in search of an enemy submarine. A new type of acroplane made its appearance here this moning it is easely the larges we have seen up to date, for about an hour & a half it circled overhead giving us a wonderfull exhibition of acrial etands in diving toriding & tarning in every direction. Anold tyke of light cruer put in an appearance today but she done no firing. ORIA June 1915 Saed 12 Things have been very quiet for the past few days bat odday it has been hard to realize that there is actually a wer on, as the silence at poimes became impressive + weerd. Wed 20 The enemy sighted a barge of fodder being sowed ento the No2 A S. C depot peer this morning & imediately shelled it with a battery of field guns from the direction of Rapa Sepe; fortunately he missed his mart, on every occasion & no damage was done. Our easualties have been extremely fer during the part for days most of them are caused by shell fire in the heef areas & on the berck One of our acroptanes bombed the mnemy Frenches again tsday. Thers 3d A mine sweeper was hel today by a small shell Anold Lype but is did not suffer much damage took of light Cruiser escorded by T.. Dechayer up a position off Cape Sula this afternoon fired a great number of shells at something away from one of our inland. A premabure explosion
June 1915 own field guns killed 3 & wounded 12 of our own infantry al about 7 pm. The enemy made a very weak effort to attack at about gipm. Prid 4th Our Pattleships put in an appearance again off Cape Helles where they have been keeping up a Harific Combardment of the enemye positions. A beg infty action has been in progress at Cape Helles all day, I consenced early this morning. Things have been extenely quiet here all day, theenery have hardly fired a shor. The 2nd Hld Ambreleived as of the Ficboria Pally-station Hoday, we now have the 3 etations on the exheme right flank to work, so things will be a bet easier for us now, though lately there has been fortunately very little work for us. At about 1pon a T.DD went in close to the pand & shelled about an the enemys positions behend Rapa Pepe. hour later the Indian mountain batteres kephap a constant fire, on the enemys chenches. Sat5th The mountain batteries kept firing all night + the purpose of al midnight our infty abbacked for keeping all the enemy engaged here, whill the heavy a large sparly were fighting is going on down south. in swening along Brighton beach this afternoon, when Beachy Bill opened fire on them with shrapnell, with the result one chap was killed 2 a mumber of others wounded. An official report today gave ss the information that the French on Thursday captured the remains of The Poebens machine gun-section along with 400 prisoners including 10 officers of which 5 were Termans. Land 6th The enemys bathies of artillery in the Clive Frove have been very active have been houbling us a great dout especially Beachy Bill who has kept he attention on Brighton beack & those who vensured in for a seven- Orders were ported up today, to the effect that no hoops were in future to seem & bathe along Brighton Beach between the hours of sunrise & sunsel as lattly large numbers of casualties have reculted Through men Slaving the swening in fall view of the enemy
June 1915 afternoon off Iepent et with W. Mifchell + other old makes in the 4th Ald Amb we had a good game of eards & they invided me to dimer, a real swell affair in two ways at any rate, it was quite a change to not have to everry about preparing a meat besides I tarted the first piece of bread since we landed. Our diet here has been ample though it has not conciited of the main excential that we have been used to, bread has been a muring factor & we have been forced Ao learn to do without ut, coarse hard whole neal biscuits have been a pon substitute; but like many other things we have had fo adapt ourselves, to circumstances & realize too well the this affair in no peonicn any way you like to look at it, at about 6pm one of Burgeris cto q Batlery gans just above our camp opened fire on Beachy Bill which was shelling the beach at the time, if soon turned its attention towards our gun, & made things pretty woarm for a while, one well directed the crew ahraprell burst right over our gun but were under cover & no one was injured, they replied stor for shot for some shome then the eoemy failed to reply, + things got quees for about an hour when the enemy again opened fire in the beach, where we had to attend to & remove 3 casualties a suspected ip was brought doan to Headquarters from our fron lines today. pour Mordy Things have been very quiet, one. peroplanes has been flying around a great deal today A canteen boat has put in an appearance from which we can obtain groceries el by leaving a list of articals required with the Quartermaster. Tuesd8. Feeling a bit off colour & did not turn out till midday. Thenge very ruie again today. A new Monetor type of Battleshep made its appearance here today, & creased a deal of interest through her peculiar appearance. At a distance she looks like an half submerged
June 1915 battleships as here stern + are not ovesible above the water Wed 9th. a very strong wind has been blowing the dust about all day in great cloads. Met. Sen Walker this afternoon & got what news he had of Cllis also his address. The monefor Samber fired a few shells this afternoon from a position thes afternoon off Cape Swolan A canteen barge done a great buisness with acreated drinks which it brought in Ao Anzac Cove from the Cantan boad & sold to the Koops. We heard today that the germans have captured Premzyl, very little news from other centes reaches as untill Is weeks old. The enemys guns have not fired from the direction of Rapa Tepe today. The wind has been blowing a gale all Thurs 10th day. We have not been troubled with the enemys osday, there artillery from Rapa Tepe again may be some tuth in something we heard Thids Sat 12th about a P.. D. going in close to Rapa lesse point. on Tuesd night + throwing her searchlight on to the enemys positions caught them moving a gun to a new position behind Rapa Tepe. The destroyer imediately opened fire on it & according to accounts destroyed it. The enemys artillery from the direction of our cendre has been fairly active a number of shells fell in & around our camp but done no damage We have been houbled with a very strong wind again & between the flies The dust we have had an uncomfortable time tag. The enemy brought an howedger into action on our right flant today. at about 4 pm our artillery livened things up for a while A position for an artillery workshop is being dug in the bank of the gully below our camp. Spent an extremely cold night on duty at Caps. Goldsmiths station. The enemy opened fire with his artillery from Rapa Tepe to which our artillery quckly replied.

May 1915

the enemys communications near the Olive Grove while the Canopus & a small gun boat were firing a number of shells also, we could see the shells

exploding from our point of observation & at the

height of the shelling the road marked by a row of

trees near the olive grove was covered with a huge

cloud of dust & smoke it was a mighty unhealthy

place for any one to be in while it lasted. After

about an hours bombardment the Albion managed

to case herself off the sand bank on which she

went aground & about 10 30 am the three boats

steamed off slowly seeming to be none the worse

for the enemys shelling which they had a little of.

Now that things have settled down to trench warfare in earnest here & the trenches are up to the mark, we are suffering very few casualties, the majority of which now are caused by shrapnell on our communications & the depots at about 11 am, or a little later an enemy plane flew over us & much to our disgust when 

 

he appeared to be directly above us he let a bomb

go, we could see it coming like a little silver spec at

first, then the peculiar nerve racking noise as if it

appeared to be coming in rushes set us all diving like rabbits for the nearest hole, looking up at the thing coming it appeared to be coming fair on top of us & it was a great relief to hear the crash & realize that you are we were not in pieces. Anyhow it fell too close to be comfortable only 20 yds from our dressing station, & luckily where it hit there were no bivouacs, unfortunately there was one chap near enough to catch in the vicinity where it fell & he was killed instantly. Another meeting took place betwee the enemys officers & ours at the same place, as yesterday but after, a bit of a conference they returned to their own lines.

Mond 24th. We were turned out early this morning & told that an armistice would be observed between 8 am & 4 30 pm when hostilities would cease,to allow the dead to be

 

May 1915

buryied in no mans land. The day broke very dull

& about 7 am a thick misty rain began to fall which

continued till about 11 pm when it cleared up & helped to make the gruesome job of burying a little less offensive to those engaged in that work. I was

thankfull that we were not called upon to take part

in that work, what we seen of it was more than enough in most cases a grave was dug alongside the corpse which was then rolled into the hole & covered up, the whole affair was awfull to the extreme as some of the dead had been lying there from the landing & the number to be buried made it impossible to do little more that cover them with earth. The enemy worked on half of no mans land from their trenches & we done the same path from ours. Having nothing better to do my mate & I thought of having a look at our trenches at the top of Shrapnell Gully, but we were not permitted to go right into the trenches however we seen some of our position that we 

 

have not much opportunity of seeing as we are located on our extreme right flank. We ascended probably with the exception of part of Walkers ridge on our extreme left flank, the steepest ridge in our positions that is at the top end of Shrapnell gully, where a gigantic stairway has been formed in the steep side of the gully from the now dry watercourse at the bottom to the top of the ridge up which all supplies & ammunition for the trenches has to be carried. Hundreds made the best of the opportunity of having a dip in the sea without fear of defying regulations concerning swimming during the day or running the risk of having a shower of shrapnell sent over by the enemy a thing that was always certain when any number went in during the day Brighton beach was simply crowded with bathers what a glorious time Beachy Bill would have had had he not been doomed to silence today.

About 4 pm everything had returned to the old

 

May 1915

order of things, except for the silence, but that

was soon broken when 4 30 pm came along & the

rifles began cracking away again, especially just

after sunset dark when the enemy made the air ring

with intense rifle fire. After dark our

Japanese bomb throwers began hurling their missiles into the air to fall directly into the enemy

trenches, they go well up into the air & fall

almost straight down leaving a trail of light

like a falling star on making the descent, they

make a fearfull tearing crash when they explode.

Tuesd 25th At about midday all the transports weighed their anchors & steamed off towards the island of Imbos & the battleships all got on the move while the JBD's repeated their performance of a few days ago & steamed here & there at top speed, we did not take very much notice of all this activity, knowing that it was caused by the presence of an enemy submarine & the movement of the vessels was necessary for their 

 

safety however when all the JBDestroyers, & mine sweepers, & other small craft suddenly all headed in one direction that being from Anzac in the direction of Cape Helles, we realized that something unusual was happening in that direction & immediately climbed the few yards up ^on to the ridge of above, our bivouac where an excellent view of the whole sea could be obtained right from Cape Helles on our right to Suvla point on our left. Much to our dismay we found that about 1½ miles away towards Cape Helles lay the Battleship Triumph with a slight list to starboard, it was evident that she had been torpedoed by an enemy submarine & while we watched she rapidly listed more & more till she reached an angle of about 40% when she then

very suddenly went with a sweep & as her decks

reached the perpendicular her port torpedo nets which were out swung over with a crash a few seconds later all that was to be seen of the big vessel was amidst the swirl of disturbed water was her rusty

 

May 1915

upturned keel, only 8 minutes elapsed from the

time the torpedo struck to the time the vessel

turned, completely upside down & for 15 minutes

the exposed keel was visible before the vessel

made her final plunge to the bottom. On receiving

the signal for help boats of every description made

for the Triumph at full speed, one mine sweeper with 4 house  boats with containing mule carts in tow cast them adrift & made off full speed with the rest. There were only two vessels a JB D & a mine sweeper reasonably close to the Triumph when she was hit, they picked up as many of the crew as they

could possibly do while the other boats were coming on the scene which they were doing at top speed & from every direction. From the direction of Cape Helles six JBDestroyers came tearing through the water at a terrible speed, the scene they presented is one never to be forgotten, their smoke stacks belching forth great columns of dense black smoke, their bows 

 

cleaving the water causing her a great white bow wave to rise on either side of each vessel as high as the vessel itself & leaving a great white frothing trail

in their wake, they came along at the greatest

speed their engines could attain, & after collecting

around the Triumph for a very short time they all

set out from the vessel as she made the final plunge

in the form of spokes in a wheel to search for the

enemy craft, they were assisted by a sea plane but

as far as we know their search was fruitless.

We had witnessed the last incident in the life of the

Triumph a sad, & to all who seen it a terribly

weird ending to the glorious record of one of

Britians most notable warboats, sudden as the

disaster took place & the vessel went to her doom

it was one pleasant thing to know that most

of the crew got clear & were picked up safely.

The whole affair, though naturally what one

must expect to take place when the circumstances

 

May 1915

offer nevertheless caused an uneasy

feeling in our minds, the thoughts of our loss

& the enemys success were not so much the

cause of it as but the weird method of attack

so successfully launched against the Triumph

& the helplessness of the big vessel to

defend herself against an unseen enemy

lurking in wait beneath the waves,

gave us all who witnessed it, as no

description ever could the full realization

of what a hideous type of warfare

submarines have made in naval actions.

Much to our regret the assistance we had

grown so used to receiving from the Triumph

when she used to take up her usual position

off Kapa Tepe point & harrass the enemy

with her 10 inch & 7.5 guns, would no longer

be, obtained from her now she is lying on

the bed of the Agaean Sea where there is

 

no hope of ever recovering her. The Triumph

was a sister ship to the Swiftsure, both

being built for the Chilean Government but

later on were taken over & became units of

the British Fleet, she was launched in 1903.

& her armourment consisted of 4 10 in guns

& 14  7.5in guns, her tonage was 11 800 tons

& she carried a crew of 700. The Triumph

had taken part in more actions than any

other vessel in the navy, having won battle

honours at Tsing-Tau. About 1 pm an

extremely heavy rain storm passed over &

most of the dug outs & trenches were flooded

fortunately our dug out kept the water out.

& we were able to keep nice & dry.

Wed 26th. The enemys artillery has been very active today at about 2 pm they consentrated their fire on our trenches near our right centre  & a number of

casualties were the result, we had a rather warm

 

May 1915

trip to the C C S with a LH Capt who was severely

wounded & were forced to take shelter at the No 2 A S C depot. One of our aeroplanes retaliated by dropping a couple of bombs on the enemys trenches today. The four horse boats cast adrift yesterday drifted on to the beach near Kapa Tepe 

one was recovered during the night but the other three were left & the enemy removed the mule transport carts from them during the night. Three JBD's attempted to land a number of reinfs here this afternoon but had to give up the attempt through the enemys artillery fire being too sever, they landed them safely after sunset. There 

have been no Battleships or cruisers in sight all day.

Thurs 27th Things have been rather quiet. The inftry reinfs are being put through a period of training in rifle drill etc in the rest. gullys when the enemys artillery is quiet. With the exception of a few mine sweepers the JBD's are the only vessels we have seen since the Triumph was sunk, the Battleships & transports are sheltering in the harbours of Imbros & Lemnos out of reach of the

 

submarines. We heard today that the Majestic was

sunk by the same submarine shortly after it had

sunk the Triumph. A French submarine aeroplane

bombed the enemys lines today.

Frid 28th The enemy only fired over a few shells today & everything has been extremely quiet. An old type of light crusier has been steaming around Imbros & off Suvla point today but she done no firing. At about 10 pm a JBD steamed in close to Kapa Tepe & shelled the enemy in the Twin trenches

on our right flank. We could hear heavy rifle

fire from at Cape Helles very distinctly tonight.

A French aeroplane flew over our line again

today.

Sat 29th. One of our mates C Abbot was killed at 5pm he was wounded by shrapnell & died almost immediately. He was buried in the Hell Spit Burial ground at 7 pm. The enemy mined our trenches at Courtneys post & exploded it early this morning, they followed it up with an infty attack, but it was an absolute 

 

May 1915

failure as far as they were concerned, for they suffered rather heavy casualties & I seen one batch of 16 prisoners being brought down after it was over

our casualties were not very heavy. Our planes

have been very active all day.

Sund 30th After being extremely quiet all the morning, the enemy made things very warm for us shortly after midday when his artillery got busy, two mates were wounded by shrapnell though not badly. Our aeroplanes have been active again today.

Mond 31st. All the JBDestroyers spent the morning patrolling the sea area between Imbros Cape Helles & Suvla. evidently in search of an enemy submarine. A new type of aeroplane made its appearance here this morning it is easily the largest we have seen up to date. For about an hour & a half it circled overhead giving us a wonderfull exhibition of aerial stunts in diving twisting & turning in every direction. An old type of light cruiser put in an appearance today but she done no firing.

 

June 1915

 

Tuesd 1st. Things have been very quiet for the past few days but today it has been hard to realize that there is actually a war on, as the silence at time became impressive & weird.

Wed 2nd. The enemy sighted a barge of fodder being towed into the No 2 A S C depot pier this morning & immediately shelled it with a battery of field guns from the direction of Kapa Tepe, fortunately he missed his mark on every occasion & no damage was done. Our casualties have been extremely few during the past few days most of them are caused by shell fire in the back areas & on the beach. One of our aeroplanes bombed the enemy trenches again today.

Thurs 3rd. A mine sweeper was hit today by a small shell but it did not suffer much damage. An old type

of light cruiser escorted by JBDestroyers took

up a position off Cape Suvla this afternoon &

fired a great number of shells at something away

inland. A premature explosion from one of our

 

June 1915

 

own field guns killed 38 wounded 12 of our own

infantry at about 7 pm. The enemy made a very

weak effort to attack at about 9pm.

Frid 4th. Our Battleships put in an appearance again off Cape Helles where they have been keeping up a terrific bombardment of the enemys positions. A big infty action has been in progress at Cape Helles all day. I commenced early this morning. Things have been extremely quiet here all day, the enemy have hardly fired a shot. The 2nd Fld Amb releed us of the Victoria Gully station today, we now have the 3 stations on the extreme right flank to work, so things will be a bit easier for us now,  though lately there has been fortunately very little work for us. At about 10pm a JBD went in close to the point & shelled the enemys positions behind Kapa Tepe & about an hour later the Indian mountain batteries kept up a constant fire, on the enemys trenches. xxx xxx 

Sat 5th. The mountain batteries kept firing all night & 

 

at midnight our infty attacked for the purpose of

keeping all the enemy engaged here, while the heavy fighting is going on down south. A large party were in evening along Brighton beach this afternoon, when Beachy Bill opened fire on them with shrapnell, with the result one chap was killed & a number of others wounded. An official report today gave us the information that the French on Thursday captured the remains of the Goebens machine gun section along with 400 prisoners

including 10 officers of which 5 were Germans.

Sund 6th. The enemys batteries of artillery in the Olive Grove have been very active & have been troubling us a great deal especially, Beachy Bill who has kept his attention on Brighton beach & those who ventured in for a swim. Orders were posted up today, to the effect that no troops were in future to swim & bathe along Brighton Beach between the hours of sunrise & sunset, as lately large numbers of casualties have resulted through men swimming in full view of the enemy. Having the 

 

June 1915

afternoon off I spent it with W.Mitchell & other

oldmates in the 4th Fld Amb we had a good game

of cards & they invited me to dinner, a real swell

affair in two ways at any rate, it was quite a

change to not have to worry about preparing a meal

& besides I tasted the first piece of bread since we

landed. Our diet here has been ample though it has

not consisted of the main essential that we have been used to, bread has been a missing factor & we have been forced to learn to do without it, coarse hard wholemeal biscuits have been a poor substitute, but like many other things we have had to adapt ourselves to circumstances & realize too well that this affair in no picnic in any way you like to look at it. At about 6 pm one of the Burgess's No 9 Battery guns just above our camp opened fire on Beachy Bill which was shelling the beach at the time, it soon turned its attention towards our gun, & made things pretty warm for a while, one well directed 

 

shrapnell burst right over our gun but the crew

were under cover & no one was injured, they replied shot for shot for some time then the enemy failed to

reply, & things got quiet for about an hour, when

the enemy again opened fire on the beach, where

we had to attend to & removed 3 casualties.

A suspected spy was brought down to Headquarters from our front lines today.

Mond 7th. Things have been very quiet, one of ^our aeroplanes has been flying around a great deal today. A canteen boat has put in an appearance from which we can obtain groceries etc by leaving a

list of articals required with the Quartermaster.

Tuesd. 8th. Feeling a bit off colour & did not turn out

till midday. Things very quiet again today.

A new Monitor type of Battleship made its

appearance here today, & created a deal of

interest through her peculiar appearance.

At a distance she looks like an half submerged

 

June 1915

battleships as here ^boco & stern & the  are not

visible above the water

Wed 9th A very strong wind has been blowing the

dust, about all day in great clouds. Met

Ken Walker this afternoon & got what news he had

of Ellis also his address. The monitor Humber

fired a few shells this afternoon from a position

off Cape Suvla. A canteen barge this afternoon

done a great business with aereated drinks

which it brought in to Anzac Cove from the Canteen

boat & sold to the troops. We heard today that

the germans have captured Premzyl, very little

news from other centres reaches us untill it is

weeks old. The enemys guns have not fired from

the direction of Kapa Tepe today.

Thurs 10th. The wind has been blowing a gale all day. We have not been troubled with the enemys

artillery from Kapa Tepe again today, there

may be some truth in something we heard

 

about a JBD going in close to Kapa Tepe point

on Tuesd night & throwing her searchlight on to

the enemys positions caught them moving a gun

to a new position behind Kapa Tepe. The destroyer

immediately opened fire on it & according to accounts destroyed it. The enemys artillery from the direction of our centre has been fairly active a number of shells fell in & around our camp, but done no damage.

Frid.11th. We have been troubled with a very strong wind again& between the flys flies & the dust we have had an uncomfortable time today. The enemy brought an Howitzer into action on our right flank today. At about 4pm our artillery livened things up for a while a position for an artillery workshop is

being dug in the bank of the gully below our camp.

Sat 12th. Spent an extremely cold night on duty at Capt Goldsmiths station. The enemy opened fire with his artillery from Kapa Tepe to which our artillery quickly replied.

 

 

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