Thomas James Richards, Diaries, Transcript Vol. 1, 26 August 1914 to 24 April 1915 - Part 23

- 220-
out of sight, but it lives still - lives in its hidden
crimes, its secret sins, its evil and its good lives to
haunt and shape our future, let that future dream as it
will of forgetfulness."
I have taken up all the off time today by
putting a waterproof lining into the back of my greatcoat.
These coats do not keep the water out at all, and to
make matters worse we have to land any moment now without
any blankets at all. There cannot be much time now
before landing and attacking the Dardanelles Forts. In
a plain talk to the Engineers to-day Major Croxton
warned his men of the grave danger of getting out of
hand. On no account must they turn and run. "If,"
he said, "you are walking along quietly with a pick on
your shoulder and a shell should burst nearby, for your
very life don’t dream of turning round and running, as
fear may spread like wildfire and utter confusion as well
as a victory turned into defeat, will probably result."
"Stick to your ground men not matter what befells us.
A large number are sure to fall and you will have to take
your chance and there's honour in dying while still
fighting." "There is no water on the land," he continued, 

"so you will have to get around as much as it is
possible to squeeze into you before leaving the ship,
and be as careful with your water bottle as you would
be with your ammunition."
 Our officers have told us also that we are
in for a very rough time and there may be as many as
2,000 men to attend to, but damn the injured men, I wish
to glory I was in the firing line somewhere. Anyhow,
I am in charge of a squad and must play my part right
up to the hilt. What knowledge etc. of first aid that
I have will be worked upon to the fullest possible extent.
Letters arrived this afternoon from Brother
Bill and Cis Sponza. Bill says he is going back to
 

- 221 -
Africa to console Mother as Angus Ferguson tells us
Dad cannot last very long and Mother still worries over
Charlie's end.
Bill tells me that the Roche girls have a
candle burning in the Ballarat Cathedral for the safe
return of Bert and I. I have not seen these girls for
11 years. Mabel Richards should also be a fine girl.
Bill likes her very much. I will have to call on them
one day. Ruth and the two children passed through
Brisbane safely. Poor John! Some fool told him his
daddy would be in Brisbane waiting for him. Oh, imagine
his grief once again! This poor little fellow brings
tears to my eyes every time I think of him.
Cis Sponza's letter was no bright and up to
her usual good form, with splashes of business information
A message was read from Ian Hamilton on
parade begging the troops to respect the property of the
Turks and keep right away from the Moslem quarter and
leave the inhabitants absolutely alone, as any interference 

might spoil the mission of the Allied Forces in
Turkey.
All provisions sold by the storekeeper on
shore would be sold in accordance with prices sanctioned
by the Headquarters.

23rd April, 1915.         To-day has been one of considerable
anxiety. We have been worked up to believing that
sailing point was at hand a dozen or more times, and
when at 4 o'clock to-day we drew in the anchor and after
turning round steamed quietly down the crooked rows of
transports and war vessels of many types, large and
small. Passing a British transport (there were Australians, 

French and Indians there also) they yelled
the fine old British call "Are you downhearted?" to
which our men in a body shouted "No.” This cry has a
 

- 222 -
wonderful effect on all men in a serious moment. I've 

heard it at football games and other hard contests
bring the crowd around from extreme nastiness to a fine
sacrificing and generous body. It would have a 

splendid effect upon a half-beaten lot of soldiers,
I am sure. This I will try and remember too. Anyhow
the "City of Benares" moved past the "Lizzie" ("Queen
Elizabeth") saluting on all sides, at which of course
we had to stand "at attention," until we passed the
long torpedo nets suspended from buoys, then swinging
to a sheltered nook to our surprise and dismay, instead
of going to Dardanelles, we dropped anchor and here we
are now for long long? There is a considerable amount
of speculation. Personally I am past the age of
speculation and just wait patiently by, neither believing
or disbelieving.

This morning I had a lovely row across the
harbour to a distant vessel with the mail. Going over
it was lovely as the four oarsmen kept good time. On the
return the wind was up against us badly, the pulling
heavier and the going more treacherous but none of us
got any "crabs."
On parade this morning it was announced
that, along with some others, I had been promoted to
the rank of lance corporal. I was not surprised at
this, though really I've dodged more work than most
others in the Corps, though I used my head carefully.
I have such a dread of the non-coms. with us, and the
rotten way in which the stripes have been given out,
and even worse is the fact that the Colonel is a waster
at the best. This came home to me doubly hard when he
told Yank Ives to curse and swear and give, the newly-arrived 
parson a rough time at Mena. This hurt me very
much and summing up all the little points in the
 

- 233 - 
proposition I decided to ask Captain Welch to put my
case to the Colonel and ask to have my appointment countermanded.

Two or three stripes I would accept, more for
the rise in pay than the position, as this is a miserable
kind of game to be at and a rotten jealous lot of
growlers to work with. If I thought many of us were
going to be shot at then I would take it on, as goodness
only knows I want a few pounds badly enough. Above all
these arguments perhaps is the fact that I've worried so
much of late that my nerves would not stand any more.
I used to think my nerves were steady and strong but I
find they are always figgety and impatient, and what I
want is freedom and nobody but my own little stretcher
party to bother about.
All this makes me think that I have led a
rather strange life for the past 15 years, or right
along my 32 years for that matter, in which, however,
nothing in particular has happened other than the close
protection of my gods and the realisation of a small-minded 
though stupendous ambition. I have, I believe,
a temperament that appreciates achievement and has
never known the enjoyment of the "hour," and as I never
strayed far from the path or looked for roses, I have
thereby missed the thorns that go with their gathering.
Never having given myself up to emotions or feeling, I
have never known the usual grip of love, yet I have
sworn to have loved though never quite sure that it was
true. It seems to be something that allures, tempts,
defies and then escapes. My future line of life does
bother me very much and I often watch the vision of
the approaching crisis of my fate, whether it is to be
a business life or the existence of a hermit or tramp,
as a spectator might watch it standing apart and away
 

- 224 -
from myself to wonder and to speculate at that which
seems myself and my outlook on life.
Presentiment follows presentiment until I feel
worried and at cross purposes with the whole world in
general and myself in particular.

24th April, 1915. To-morrow is the all-eventful day.
We have our bully beef and biscuits with a full water-bottle 
for two days or more. There is no water on the
Gallipoli landing place at all, so we have to take great
care of our water and fill ourselves up to the neck
before landing.
At 3.30 a.m. the first landing parties comprising 

battalions of the 1st Brigade will face the
music which will probably be poured out to them from
the trenches only a few hundred yards from the open
beach, but it is just possible that the fleet will have
cleared the Turks back from their advanced positions.
At 8 a.m. the Engineers and 1st Field
Ambulance go ashore in small barges and rowing boats.
Of course, our landing will be free from rifle fire but
there are two huge forts 800 ft. and 600 ft. high back
2½ miles with a clear range on to the landing place.
The fleet which includes the "Queen Elizabeth", "London",
and "Prince of Wales" may hold these forts up and keep
them busy. Let's hope !!
I listened to Major Croxton speaking from the
bridge deck this afternoon. He gave particulars of the
numbers and the battalions landing and what was expected
of them. His speech was full of fine humour, dealing
chiefly with our funky condition and likely fear.
It was hardly the kind of speech one would expect on
the eve of big doings, as there was plenty of ridicule,
nonsense, but no hard facts or detailed information.
 

- 225 -
It seemed more as though we were preparing for a pantomime 

instead of grim warfare. I don’t mean for one moment
that he should have made us melancholy and miserable but
he would have given us something like an idea of what to
expect.
Later. Now, however, that I have gone over the
sketch plan of the whole country over which our action
is to take place, I am more satisfied and prepared for the
scene of our work to-morrow. These two fortified points
are our objective right enough and it's going to be a
regular inferno, that is, of course, if the fleet does
not blow the forts to hell long before our
If we can get possession of these two points the towns
and forts on both sides of the Narrows will get the "axe"
right enough. Anyhow, there is some satisfaction in
knowing that we Australians have got a change of distinguishing 

ourselves at last. It will be hard and
thrilling work right enough, in fact a gigantic task
for the first time in action, but I think they will
make good right enough. My money, anyhow, is on our
boys tomorrow.
Every night as soon as lights go out the
fellows get asking open questions about one another,
and it's astounding the home truths that are told.
A fellow soon finds out if he is unpopular. The jokes
they get off are startling sometimes. The best one
last night was: "Who was head cook to the Kelly Gang
in the Waxworks." "Yank" (Ives) was the reply. They
also had a go at the number of lance corporals appointed,
but they treated me very mildly indeed.

I find that I must take the stripe and wear
it. This does not bother me now as there is a likelihood 

of promotion if the fighting is going to be as bad 

as it looks at present.
 

- 226 -
Our A.M.C. arrangements or rather equipment have
been badly catered for. There is a serious insufficiency
of bandages and drugs through the whole business. Even
haversacks had to be improvised to-day owing to the
stretcher squads being broken down from 6 men to 4 men
each, thereby making 9 extra squads and no equipment for
them.

I have got the remains of a cold clinging to me
yet, but as I am taking all precautions it will soon wear
off. I took care to have some cough lollies with me
but I am nursing them very carefully. Into my overcoat
I have sewn a piece of waterproof sheeting as the coats
do not keep the water out very well, and added extra
pockets to my coats for possible convenience and
emergency sake. I also have a waterproof bag to carry
my notebook, and camera in. I have 7 rolls of films
(8 exposures in each) which will have to do me for a
time, until we reach civilisation I suppose.
Gallipoli has mythology interests as the great
warrior of the Siege of Troy - Achilles - is buried here.
or at any rate there is a place described as the "Tomb
of Achilles." Lemnos Island is known also to mythology
as it was here that Vulcan landed when he was thrown out
of Mount Olympus by Juno.
There was a glorious sunset tonight. It was
just like a stage setting with the lovely deep red-coloured 
orb disappearing between the purple hills and
the dainty rose pink sky. I was drawn away from it to
get more bully beef and biscuits in my mess tin.
To-night, although the fellows are naturally
a little excited, they are in good spirits. They have
shown up splendidly (comparatively speaking) since we
left the loafing and waiting ground in the sands of
Egypt. There has been a stronger tendency for sacred
music also of late, with mouth organ and concertina.
 

-227-
Only a few minutes ago they were playing and singing
"Nearer my God to Thee" and "Lead Kindly Light." It's
wonderful how religion gets them down when there is
danger about. This ordeal should also test and bring
my lack of faith home to me and give me a new light in
that direction, as I walk blindly and aimlessly now.
I don't feel the coming danger any more
than I have felt anxious the night before an international
football match. For my own part there is nothing to
fear but at last (since Brother Charlie's death) I realise
there are other folk, and that I must take care of myself
and live for them. Cis Sponza and Mother have brought
this home very solidly to me.
The next time I write I hope to have new
experiences to chronicle in my new book,
Rather a good concert took place on the
well deck to-night. This is a clear sign of the fellows'
coolness, though the main songs were of the sad sob kind.
I have a few letters that must be acknowledged. 

I will look them over and tear them up now.
Bert's sumpathy and brotherly letters to Bill are the
first to go. Mother's letter I must keep. Jean
McPherson's does not need answering, though it's nice.
Bert's letter to Mother and Father I will attemtp to
preserve. (Jan. 5th) Ettie's long letter must be
acknowledged (23/2/15). Cis Sponza's must be considered. 

Win Broad's letters I will put aside too.
Just why I could not explain at all but nevertheless I
must!! That's the lot.