Diary of Geoffrey Gordon McCrae, 1915 (Vol. 2) - Part 2

Gallipoli 

up my map and daily reports

At a little after 6.p.m. the Turks opened

on us with a six-inch howitzer giving 

us about 30 shells knocking our

trenches about considerably, killing

two and wounding eight.. another arrived but

little damage caused .....terrific burst

of the .......  to Brigade Head Quarters

...... the enemy coming ........

11.p.m.

Wednesday  7.  7. 1915.

Still, warm morning. I was very tired

and no one woke me; so slept in until 7.a.m.

Turks were fairly quiet during the day

New Zealanders set the timbers of the overhead

cover opposite Quinn's Post. alight It burned

gaily all night   At 7.15 am the Turks put

9 six inch High Explosive Howitzer Shells

into our trenches. There were 21 casualties

Our howitzers Engaged this gun and silenced

it. There was a great burst of rifle-fire at 10.30 p.m.}

Gallipoli 

Thursday 8.7.1915.

Up at 3.a.m.  A mine was blown up

on the right at 3.30.a.m.  After

breakfast, the Turks Shelled Quinn's

Post with little success. Only one shell

reached it's proper destination the remainder 

falling in their own support =
= trenches_  Saw the first live Turk I
have seen for weeks. I say live advisedly
as there are plenty of dead ones to be
seen. He got up within 75 yards of
my observation=post. He got down
too quick to shoot him. In the afternoon 

it was reported that the Turks
had removed tamping from Tunnel
where we had blown them up on the 
previous....... The Colonel went
out to investigate and was ......
He withdrew to an angle of the Tunnel where
a shelter made of sand-bags was immediately
constructed behind which we placed a
guard. The Turks showed up against the light
and we were able to watch them. Every time
they took up their rifles to fire we would
simply duck our heads behind our parapet.
 

Gallipoli
Friday 9.7.1915.
Things were all well in
the tunnel in the morning but the position
was unsatisfactory, so it was decided
to give Mr Tommy Turk another blow=
=up. We lowered the charge over the 

front of our barricade and tamped-up
with additional sand bags and fired it
at 3.30 pm. the party consisting of
Lieuts: Dyer & Walker led a party of six
men up to the site of the Explosion. We
immediately commenced to strengthen the
Crater and arranged for covering-fire from
machine-guns Etc. I was looking on this from 3.a.m}
till 11-pm.......}
Saturday 10.7.15.
3.15. Went down the tunnel and
found everything very satisfactory.
Lieut. Tubb and a batch of 60 convalescents
returned. The day was very hot and uneventful. 

About 8.a.m. the Turks got 
alarmed? .. owing perhaps to the bombardment
they had been subjected to during the
afternoon by the Laforcy and Chatham on
their left. They Exploded a mine hoping

Gallipoli
to blow some of our works in, but 
fortunately we had no mines in the

vicinity; so, their explosion was in
vain. During the night three other
mines were exploded.

Sunday 11 July 1915.
Courtney's Post people made a 
demonstration but failed to draw
much fire. Later in the morning, the
Brigadier came through our lines and
in returning to his Head Quarters,
fell in a communication=trench
and broke his left leg above the knee.
The Turks shelled us spasmodically 

all the afternoon with their
75 in ma-guns. I was very close
to several bursts. getting covered
with Earth on two occasions
About 6 0'clock the Doris came over
and delivered some broadsides
The Turks retaliated by putting
10  6 in: shells into us, wounding
 

Gallipoli
5 and killing two and knocking
our trenches about ... then .......
..... poor boy had his ..... ripped open
by ....... fragment ....... his case hopeless
I made all preparations for blowing
in .... vent out and placed the charge
........ and we fired the ..... but 
unfortunately the gun cotton was defective 

and it burnt instead of exploding. 

We then bombed the Turks who
replied with a furious rifle-fire
We decided not to try again that night
until we had made a test of the Gun-Cotton

Monday 12.7.1915
3.a.m. found things all quiet in
D21. a message. Came along ordering a 
ruse to be carried out at 8.15. to prevent
reinforcements being sent down to Helles
Accordingly, we opened up a Vigorous
fire and showed bayonets over the
trench and cheered, but the Turk is
beginning to know us and did not fall
Gallipoli
to the joke. We drew very little fire until
a party of 10 under ... Greig rushed the 
crater  This had the effect of drawing
considerable fire. They absolutely
raked our trenches from one end to 
the other with Enfilade fire.
We had to place men in the forward
Saps whilst a few of us remained out.
in that unspeakable rush?? of shell to
watch the effect and see that
he did not manage? to rush us unawares

one shell came perilously
close to us whilst hundreds of .....
screeched overhead ..... guns scarcely
replied ..... There came to me a blinding
flash and a huge detonation and 
I found myself then taken out of the 
trench and covered with dirt. I 
remained in the tunnel until. the 
storm abated and then, I decided
to return to the dressing. Station
And, what a wreck our trenches
presented. A shapeless mass of 
 

Gallipoli to Mudros
of fallen sand-bags stirred up with

Equipments, ammunition and other
gear. Our communication=trenches
were all blwon-in, so much so, that
we were quite in view of the Enemy
I was immediately packed off to
the beach. The face and hands in an
awful mess of blood and dirt
I was put on a picquet boat and
taken on board the Clacton -
Whilst we were writing to sail
the Turks shelled us.
I was very well treated on board
having a very nice lunch and afternoon 

tea with the skipper_
We got to Mudros about .... and saw
the Acquitania lying in the Harbour
I went to the 1st Australian
Stationary Hospital and was

given the same bed as I had 
previously occupied_

Gallipoli
Tuesday 13.7.1915.
Very hot day. Face very painful
cannot see out of my left eye_ Had a yarn
with Balcomb?e Quick who had been under
an operation  Alf Jackson was also in
the Hospital feeling very seedy but Old
Colonel Bryant is a ray of sunshine
that will illuminate the darkest sick=
=bed. In the evening Daly came into 
Hospital and with him boy with my
Kit_ A Colonel & Captain of the South

Wales Borderers came to get my Experiences. 
in the Evening we had some Gramophone.

Wednesday 14.7.1915
Very hot and dusty, flies very troublesome.
Face improved wonderfully. Captain Quick
went to the Base. Colonel Bryant came to
see me Several times. Head painful

Thursday 15.7.1915.
Weary day of heat, boredom and pain,
Got them to foment my head & face
 

Gallipoli
Dr Alcorn shaved as much of my face
as possible to help me feel a bit clean.
Alf Jackson went to the Base Hospital
Permezel had his leg blown off in another
in another bombing affair. Col Bryant
told me he was sending me to the Hospital Alexander (General)
I feel very weary but do not sleep and long for
the touch of a vanished hand.
Friday 16.7.1915.
Another hot day_ plenty of flies. and hot
fomentations. The Mauretania has come in
again, so, we have both huge Cunarders lying
at anchor just in our front  In the Evening
Fleet=Surgeon Levick gave us a lime-light
lecture on his Experiences in the Antarctic
with Captain Scott. It was very cooling
to look upon the scenes of
ice and snow.

Saturday 17.7.1915.
Flat, uninteresting day-accompanied by heat,
dust and innumerable flies.

To Mudros
Sunday 18.7.1915.
Nothing of interest happened. Went 
to the Village for a shave. Invited to mess
by Colonel Bryant. Had a yarn with
Captain Alcorn. Found the Hororata in
port ... Aquitania put to sea_
Monday 19.7.1915.
Heat and flies galore_ I was
warned to be ready to go on board
Hospital-Ship at 2pm and accordingly
made my adieus to the members of the 
Hospital Staff. Was driven down to 
the pier and waited until half-past
four with 200-odd sick men some of 
whom were pretty bad, in a dusty
roadway in the broiling sun. We were 
put upon a petrol-driven steel lighter
and taken out to the Hospital Ship Soudan
which we reached at 5.15. The heat was
intense and it was pitiable to see these
poor unfortunates ill people lying on those
sweltering iron decks. We lay alongside
these a dishevelled, dusty & thirsty lot ...
 

57      Mudros
Occasionally a beautifully clothed
Officer in white which fairly crackled with
starch would look over the side and eye us
with curiosity and disappear only to 
reappear with some other very much belaced
individual, who was armed with a camera
This was the signal for quite a bevy of
these cool, clean daring ones to appear
and take photos: of our poor, tired and sick
people. Finally at 6pm. we were ordered
to go round on the other side, and the 
stretcher=cases commenced to be hoisted
about 6.30. We officers were taken on 
about 7.pm. and, it was after 10 before
the last man was given his ward
There were no beds available for us,
so, I slept on deck which was rather
good  On the whole, the Hospital
Staff seemed to resent our appearance
on board as we broke the rest they
seemed to so long have enjoyed
The Officers were very wrath at the 

From Mudros towards Alexandria
treatment meted out to our men and 
told the Officials so in pretty plain
English but, of course, they were
able to explain it all as usual.
 

 

Tuesday 20.7.1915.

Beautiful, still morning and no flies. Thank Heaven. We

up-anchored and left Port Mudros at 11.30

a.m. The old hooker has not a bad 

turn of speed considering her 

19. years.

 

Wednesday 21.7.1915

Warm day, following wind- was

Violently ill all day. Sea was dead calm

I must have eaten something that did'nt

                                Alexandria

agree with my internal arrangements .

Feel very wretched. 5.pm. buried two

men who died on board.

 

Thursday 22.7.1915

Warm day. Following wind, Sighted

Alexandria at 2.p.m. Entered Harbour

[*X*] at 3.30 pm. and tied-up at the Wharf

where I first landed. Left the ship at

6.30 and was motored up to the

Hospital at the back of the School

There I found Major Blezard and was 

given a bed by the sister in a lovely tent

in the square and a sleeping draught

Slept like a log_

 

Friday 23.7.1915

Beautiful Day- Good attention,

lovely bath and excellent breakfast. At 10.30

Major Blezard and I, went to the Mustapha

Barracks to the Pay-Office. I drew a 'tenner'

We had lunch at Hotel Majestic and I did

some shopping, getting some clothing

Met Wally Ham and wined with him also

 

Alexandria

saw Father Hearn

Returned to hospital

for dinner.

 

Saturday 24.7.1915

Beautiful day, Got into my new

joy-rags. feeling like a King -

In afternoon Blezard, Broad and I

went for a sail on the Harbour_ Called

and wined on board

 

Sunday 25.7.1915

Hot, still day- after breakfast

-Broad and I went into town and had 

our hair cut. In afternoon went for a

stroll. Fraser came to see me- 7pm.

Evening gun. Loud cheers from the

Faithful for the break-of-the-fast_

Monday 26.7.1915

Muezzin from the adjacent minaret

set up his cry calling his faithful to 

prayer- 3.15 the gun on the fortress

boomed a signal that no food or drink

                            Alexandria

must be taken until it fires again

at 7.pm. Such is the fast of Ramadan

Hot, still day- In morning went with 

Broad to Pay-Office- Returned to

lunch having purchased a new cap.

In afternoon went for a drive

through city.

 

Tuesday 27.7.1915

Hot, still day- At 9.30. a beautiful huge

Rolls-Royce car came to take us for a

drive. We went through shady avenues

along a canal, through the gorgeous 

Nuza Gardens out along the Cairo road

past crops of maize, sugar-cane, bananas

and date-palm groves out to San Stefano.

and back through the residential suburbs

of Ramleh & Victoria with their wonderful

buildings & lavish gardens along the sea-

front & up to the Eastern Telegraph COs office

[*X*] where I sent a cable home. Blezard & Broad

 

Alexandria

left for Australia. Bruce and I went

into town and had a game of Billiards

came back to Hospital absolutely all out.

but felt as I had walked several miles.

 

Wednesday 28.7.1915

Very hot day. No energy at all -

At 5. p.m. drove into town and

bought some shirts and shoes.

 

Thursday 29.7.1915.

Very hot day - Read all the morning

and wrote some letters. At 4 pm.

drove into town to the New Zealand &

Australian Post Offices to look for mail.

Came back for dinner -

 

Friday 30.7.1915.

Extremely hot. Went to Base Records

Office to find out where Captain Quick

was - Unsuccessful - Bought a pouch

& some tobacco - In afternoon

 

Bruce and I went for a drive -

_________∼o∼_____________

Sails from Alexandria towards Cyprus

 

Saturday 31.7.1915.

Hot day. Left Hospital at 9. am. and

motored down to the docks. Went on board

S.S.Surada and took up duty as O.C. troops

Bruce & I went up to town to buy some

boots and had a farewell drink at the Club

Returned on board for dinner. 2 pm received

our Cairo batch of convalescents.

Left Alexandria at 4. pm. Sea smooth

8. pm Rosetta Light Horse on Starboard

beam. Turned in - We had all lights out

owing owing to enemy submarines

in proximity -

 

Sunday 1st August 1915.

Warm day - Got up at 6 a.m.

Issued Tobacco 11 a.m. Padré held

service at 4 p.m.

8. p.m. Picked up a light on Cyprus

 

- Cyprus -

Monday 2.8.1915.

Arrived off coast and anchored at

5 a.m. First batch of convalescents went

ashore 8.30 a.m. and were conveyed in

cars to Troodos 10.30 am. Bruce & I,

Marconi and a few Territorial Officers

went ashore and hired donkeys and rode

five miles inland to the Village - having

given our animals provender and having

ourselves drunk the waters of the well

(there being no wines of Cyprus available)

returned to the Ship. 3. pm. Second batch

went ashore, and I went in for a swim

with 2d & 3d Engineers. 1st batch came on

board, amongst them an Australian

Officer who warned us of the snobbing

we were about to be exposed to. It was

jolly seeing a breezy Australian after

having been so long with these pups of

these English subalterns who made

continuous abortive attempts to patronise

the Colonials who to their intense surprise

 

 

- Cyprus -

are not all black or cannibals. Nor

yet uneducated -

 

Tuesday 3.8.1915.

Chief Officer put a boat at my disposal.

in the early morning; so, Bruce and I

were rowed ashore and had a swim off

the pier. Came back for breakfast. During

the morning we amused ourselves firing

rifles and revolvers at bottles in the sea.

Went ashore at 4.pm. and commenced our

trip at 5 p.m. The distance covered is forty

miles there being 946 turnings in the road

which passes through the most glorious scenery

The speed which the cars travel was hair-raising

at times and most exhilarating. Towards the

end of the journey we stopped at the Asbestos

Mine where we were entertained by an

Australian and his wife, Arrived at

Throodos Camp at 8.30 and given very

comfortable quarters... very good Mess

and everyone very entertaining.

 

Cyprus

Wednesday 4.8.1915.

Got up at 5 a.m. and bathed in the

beautiful, crystal-clear mountain water -

After breakfast, Bruce and I went for a walk

to the villageand bought some photos. Returned

for lunch. Went down to Tennis Club in afternoon

In evening went to Concert -

 

Thursday 5.8.1915.

Stayed in camp most of the day.-

Went for a walk and took some photos: in

afternoon. Went to bed early -

 

Friday 6.8.1915.

In morning played Tennis with Padré:

Only lasted out one set - In afternoon went

and watched the Tournament All the Cyprus

Aristocracy were there. A very cliquey lot. The

women very plain & chilly as icebergs and in

many cases positively rude. I wanted to come

away, but Bruce insisted on staying - I cannot

stomach these ultra-English people.

In evening went to Concert -