MOFFLIN, Edward Walter - Letter

Military Hospital
Fulham
London S.W

20/10/15

Dear Nesta and Everybody.

I am writing this letter (or book) at Nesta’s request describing all my doings from the time that the 11th Battalion with the 3rd Brigade went away from Egypt leaving me behind with Pneumonia. I will refer to my Diary from time to time to get the dates and the order in which everything occurred to me. Hoping that it will prove interesting reading for you all.

I was taken into Hospital at Mena on Feb 12th suffering from Pneumonia on the right side. My temperature was 106° and for 5 days it ranged up and down from 106° to 103° and I was delirious the whole time. Bill came up to see me after I was there 2 days and he has told me afterwards that I would talk to him sensibly for 2 or 3 minutes and the[sic] ramble off about “fleas and bugs on a rock and they were training the artillery on to them”. At least when I came to myself I found that I was marked seriously ill and I overheard the Doctor tell the nurse that I had made a marvellous recovery and that I had a grand constitution. On the 23rd Mr Darnell my Platoon Commander came up to see me and he told me that the 3rd Brigade was going away on the following Sunday Feb 28th. I begged him to try and get me away with me although I could just walk and that’s all. But he told me that I was to stay where I was till I was well and they would not let Lieut Morgan go so they wouldn’t allow me. The sisters in

Page 2

Mena House were perfect Angels. On Friday I was told that I was to be transferred to Abbasich Hospital on the following day and I was paid the magnificent sum of 7/ to keep me going. Bill and some of my boys came up to say Good-bye. They shook hands, but I couldn’t speak to them. I just rolled over in bed and cried like a little child. I had trained my little section right from the start and now they were going away into action as we though and I wasn’t allowed to be with. Oh! It did hurt. I was glad that on the next day I was to be shifted to Abbasich where I wouldn’t see the boys marching by and leaving me behind. The next day Saturday Feb 27. I with a lot more were taken to Pont-du-Kubeh Hospital at Abbasich, and we had a terrible nurse there. “The Great Australian Bite”, and she was a “bite” too, she couldn’t speak to us without snapping our heads off. All day on Sunday I was wondering where the 3rd Brigade was and what they were doing and I was feeling very downhearted. Nobody knew where they had gone to, but we thought it was to the Dardanelles, though some thought France and others England. On Monday March 1st the Doctor examined me and said I was fit to be discharged. So I was to have gone the next day but there was no place for us to go to. I saw Mr Morgan and he told me that if I was fit I would go to the Battalion with a draft of Reinforcements in 2 week’s time. On Wednesday the 3rd Doctor told me I would go to join my regiment the next day. Well I was discharged in due course and a motor was to have come

Page 3

for us at 4pm but it didn’t. Then it was to have come at 7pm but it didn’t come at all. Next morning we were sent to the Base Detail Camp at Abbasich to await a draft going on to the Brigade. That just shows you how I was messed about. One Officer would come along and say one thing, and then another would come and say just the opposite. I had absolutely nothing to do at all there, just rest was what I needed. I was told to weigh every day and I was putting on weight at the rate of 1lb a day. On Tuesday March 9th more troops began to arrive from Australia. They were mostly reinforcements for the different units. I was on the look out for Percy and on Wednesday the 9th (S.A) Light Horse arrived and they told me that the 10th L.H. had gone to Mena. I had volunteered to make one of the Guard that was going back to Australia with the “Incorrigibles”, but on Saturday March 13th I was packed off to Mena again to be attached to the 3rd Brigade Reinforcements. Just about this time rumours were being circulated about the 3rd Brigade. We heard that they’d been in Action losing 23 killed and 40 wounded. When we got to Mena I found that the 10th L.H. had come in the night before and they were camped when the 11th had been. A Mr Littler Lieut. In charge of the 12th Reinforcements told me that he had official news that the 3rd Brigade had been cut up. He said that they were marching along in the enemy’s country with no scouts or flank guards out and that they had been attacked and went into action like a lot of schoolboys. I could believe our Brigadier Col. McLagan guilty of that and I told him so.

Page 4

Colonel McLagan was reckoned the smartest Brigadier in the Australian (Rag time) Army as we called it. On Sunday March 14th I went and saw Percy for the first time for years. I also saw Frank Rawlings who was an old school mate of mine. I went out to drill on the sand for the first time on Monday, but found I couldn’t do it, the pain in my side was troubling me, so I was put on Light Duty. Heard that the 11th Battalion had got on the mined ground and had been annihilated. Percy told me on Thursday 18th that the Captain of the ship that they came over on had been to see them and he had told them that there were 40 transports in Alexandria towing pontoons to land horses on, and also there were 20,000 troops leaving Egypt within a week. Major Parker of the 8th (WA) Battery was buried that day. They gave him a grand funeral. 220 men firing party and 100 mourners from the 8th Bty, 300 men of the 10th (WA) L.H. and about 100 Officers from various regiments. On Saturday March 20th I heard that the 3rd Brigade acting in conjunction with the fleet took an island off the Dardanelles with 200 casualties. Also that some of the wounded had arrived in Cairo and that they had sent to the Reinforcements for 12 Officers. I also heard that they had landed again in Alexandria awaiting the forcing of the Dardanelles. That just shows you what conflicting rumours used to get about. Monday 22nd March made Acting Platoon Sergeant in charge of a Platoon of 12th Reinforcements. They are simply awful. Can’t do anything as for sloping arms, they used

Page 5

to climb up and down their rifles like a lot of monkeys. Their Officers were just as bad. I was arguing with one of them all day. He kept on picking at me at the way I did thing. I almost told him that I had forgotten more than I ever knew about this game. On Saturday March 27 went to Gizeh and back for a route march and was told that the reason the 3rd Brigade was sent away first was that they were always sick. That was a poke at me. There was always great jealousy between the different regiments and brigade. General Maxwell & General Birdwood told the 3rd that they were the best Brigade that’s the reason they went first and the others didn’t like it. On Wednesday march 31st I was transferred as Platoon Sergeant to No 8 made up of 11th Reinforcements with Lieut Corley (who has since been killed) another one of our Officers that was left behind. We did get a shock. They were a fine big, steady lot of men and we couldn’t catch them in anything. We were very pleased. Mr Corley said he felt like throwing his hat in the air. Heard 2nd Brigade with 3rd Brigade Reinforcements would leave to join the 3rd Brigade on Tuesday 6th April. On Good Friday the Australians had a riot in Cairo. It was started by a Maori. They wrecked a whole street, setting fire to all the furniture that the[y] threw out. The Red Caps (British Military Police) fired on the mob and wounded 15. On Saturday April 3rd the 1st Brigade started to go away and on Sunday the 2nd Brigade following, then the Artillery and Army Service Corps and we left last at 3am on Monday morning April 5th. We marched into Cairo and entrained

Page 6

and we found ourselves alongside the Troopship AO Osmanich at Alexandria. We weren’t told where we were bound for. The ship didn’t leave Alexandria till the next day and that night I was put on Guard over our kit bags on the wharf. An Officer told me to get my men to load the bags into trucks and that I would have to stay behind in Alexandria in charge of them. So I hopped aboard and saw Mr Morgan and he made another Corporal stay behind instead. Well we left Alexandria at noon on Tuesday 6th April bound for an unknown destination but I formed a pretty shrewd idea. As soon as we got out to sea and I got a glimpse at the compass. We were steering in a Northerly direction and there was only one answer for that – Dardanelles. We arrived at the Island of Lemnos 40 miles from Gallipoli which was the base of operations at 5pm on Thursday April 8th and found a very beautiful green island covered with green fields and dotted with white farm houses, windmills and here and there a village, nestling in a gully under the hills. Far away to the North we could see the Snow capped ranges of Asia Minor. But by far the most wonderful sight of all was the harbour defended by a boom and mines and searchlights and crowded with shipping of every description and warships of the Allied Fleets. There was the “lizzie” (Queen Elizabeth) England’s latest a real beautiful, lying there all cleared for action with top masts struck and with her great 15 inch guns that had

Page 7

been pounding the Turks fortifications into heaps of rubbish and all round the harbour right down to the water’s edge were hundred and hundred of tents. Hospitals, store tens and a thousand and one others. It was a grand sight. Then there were the Hospital ships. White with a green band with 3 big red crosses on either side. Very soon they were to carry away to England, poor young chaps maimed and crippled for life. It suddenly struck me how complete was the organization to get such an expedition as this together. As we came in cheering ships and being cheered by all we passed, we passed a steamer that I knew. Somebody shout to those on her “Who are you”? Instantly the answer came “The 11th Battalion”. My heart sank at that, I though “I missed them in Egypt, and I have just come here in time to see them about ship on the point of leaving to go into Action”. I was a good mind to hop over the side and swim over to them. Oh! I had forgotten to say that while with the reinforcements in Egypt, Several Officers told me that I would never get back to the 11th as they were going to form a new Battalion out of the reinforcements. I said “That was no good to me”. So I wrote to Mr Darnell telling him about it and saying “That I would rather be back in his Platoon as a Private than stay in the new Battalion as a Sergeant Major” and that I would be paraded before Gen Ian Hamilton himself before I’d take “No” for an answer and I also asked him to place the matter before Colonel Johnston. Well on Saturday 10th we were drawn up on deck and the 11th

Page 8

wanted 21 men. The adjutant said “I will pick you N.C.O’s first but understand this. As soon as you get to the Battalion you will have to take those stripes off”. I said “I beg your pardon Sir, I’m not a reinforcement. I belong to the 11th my number is 464. One of the old hands”. He said “That’s nothing you are a reinforcement now and have to abide by the rules”. I said “No sir, they will have to Court Marshall me first”. Well we went over to the “Suffolk” and as soon as I got there Capt Everett came up and shook hands and welcomed me back to the Battalion “just in time” he said and Mr Darnell told me to go forward and that I would find my old section waiting for me just the same as I left it. I soon found out the [the] boys had been living aboard ship all the time they had been away from Egypt going ashore every day for route march and training in among the hills. My first day ashore was Sunday April 11th when I went for a route march and came back very tired. It is a beautiful island with grass up to one’s fences. The inhabitants are Greeks and look very picturesque. The men in their baggy trousers coming down to the fence with coarse stockings and the girls with short dresses, same stockings as the men and goat skin shoes tied on with thongs of hide and white cloths on their heads. As we came near the girls would run away and hide. They are very demure lasses. The horses are very small and shaggy just like Shetland ponies. The donkeys too are much smaller and shaggier than they are in Egypt. It was such a

Page 9

change of scenery after the brown sands of Egypt. On Monday the 12th our Colonel with all the other C.O’s went up to the Dardanelles on the “lizzie”, to see the chosen landing places. Every day saw the arrival of more troops. We were being lectured nearly every day about the landing. We were shown the map and the three landing places pointed out. It was then that we were told that the 3rd Brigade was chosen to be the overing party for the Australians. Troops where to land at the three places simultaneously. By now the lads were getting worked up and every day you could see several men round the grindstone, grinding their bayonets. I got mine pretty sharp but I never used it. On Wednesday April 14th we were given colours to sew on our tunic just below each shoulder. Ours are blue and chocolate. The 3rd Brigade colour blue. 11th chocolate 12th white. 10 dark blue. 9 black. All black kit bags were given in on that day to be sent back to Alexandria. The last I saw of my kit was in Alexandria. I don’t suppose that I will ever see it again. Friday 16th Half the Battalion A&C Companies went to H.M.S London for practice. They are going to the landing in her, then be taken ashore by her boats. B&D companies are to go part of the way in the Suffolk the one company will go on a destroyer and we will land from her. Saturday 17th we have had a lot of Naval Officers on board from the London, we thought we were going that day. Then it was rumoured Turkey was suing for peace, promising to abandon the Dardanelles to the Allies if they would only leave Constantinople along. It was too good

Page 10

to be true. Although it made the boys feel downhearted for a time at the prospect of not getting their long-looked for scrap. Sunday 18th A&C went away again for practice they are to land before B&D. They form the firing line and support them. Everybody said we would have a hard time of it for 3 days, little did we dream how hard though. The transport horses on board got very quiet and would eat almost anything. Figs, Turkish delight, walnuts with the shells on, bread and cheese, sugar, onions, anything at all. I never saw horses like them before. Monday 19th A&C Companies away practicing again and we were shown how to carry our packs so as we could slip them off on landing. About 15 blue jackets came aboard to help with the boards and I got quite chummy with one of them. They were men who were saved off the Ocean & Irresistible that struck mines in the Dardanelles. They told us some great old yarns. The W.A. Company of the 12th came aboard that afternoon carrying all their landing gear. 200 rounds of ammunition, 3 days rations, firewood, water, and a full pack. I could hardly lift the gear from the deck with one hand. Wednesday 21st We, B&D Coys embarked on the destroyer “Chalmer” from which we were to land and had landing practice. “Tip” our Colonel lectured us about the landing. He told us we were the “chosen few” and that it would be all bayonet work because it would be dark at first, also that there would be no stopping or turning back, we would have to go on and hold everything and every inch of ground we got and to take very special care of our water,

Page 11

food and ammunition as they didn’t know how long it would be before they could get more up to us. We have got 1 quart of water to last us for 3 days or maybe longer. Ships began to draw out of the harbour on Friday the 23rd and on Saturday the 24th we weighed anchor about 2pm and then we were fairly on our way at last. We the 3rd Brigade steamed out of Mudros Bay accompanied by the destroyers that were to land us, and as we passed ship after ship we were cheered by all and we cheered ourselves hoarse. We steamed through the Fleets of warships and transports and at last we were fairly on our way. We were going very slowly so that we shouldn’t get to the rendezvous too early, it was then that we got our 200 rounds of ammunition, 3 days rations and filled our water bottles and saw that our equipment was alright. We arrived at the island of Embros at about 8.30pm and were given a hot supper and then we lay down to try and snatch a couple of hours sleep. But there were very few of us that slept, the excitement of it all prevented us from that. At midnight we fell in, in Platoons on the upper deck (then was the last time that I saw Bill) and went over the side one by one and took our places on the destroyer “Chelmer” and said “Goodbye” to the old “Suffolk”. The destroyers rapidly got into line and in that formation we set out of our last 16 miles stretch across to Gallipoli. We were packed as tight as sardines so as we could hardly move and we got might cold and to make matters worse we weren’t allowed to smoke or talk. But I wasn’t to be beaten. I went down into

Page 12

the engine room, and there I was quite warm and could talk and smoke away to my heart’s content. Gracious! How I did smoke! As soon as one cigarette was done, I’d start another, my heart was beating like a sledge hammer. I shall never forget that trip over from Embros, through the early hours of Sunday morning April 25th, it was so uncertain, we didn’t know what to expect, whether we’d surprise them and get ashore or whether we’d be driven back. We knew exactly what we had to do. We had to get into the boats when ordered in perfect silence. Then No 1 boat would go on the right and No 6 on the left at intervals along the beach, then we were to hop out quietly, wade ashore in single file, on the left form section and that would bring us into one straight line on the beach, and lie down. Then wait for the whispered orders passed along, to charge magazines, fix bayonets, drop packs and advance. Then we had to do everything in silence, take a machine gun and the first trenches with the bayonet and we had to be in a certain position 6 miles inland by 9 am. Well we did exactly the opposite when it came to the time. We steamed slowly along waiting for the moon to go down and then as we got closer in we could see a dark line that looked for all the world just like big cliffs, but were really very steep hills. As we got closer we passed the battleships that had the others halfs of the other Battalions aboard and we could just make out the boats

Page 13

crowded with men leaving their sides in tow of the picquet boats. Then as we came closer still with the strings of boats from the warships just in front of us, we could see what we took to be a signalling light on the top of the cliff, but which afterwards turned out to be the morning star. By this time we were very close in shore and we were all straining our eyes and ears to see and hear what we could. The first line A&C Coys, got ashore and then we had just got the order to get into the boats when the Turks opened fire and we heard a terrible row going on ashore. We were all on tender hooks to be there to help our mates and then the bullets started to ping overhead, some found a mark but the majority didn’t. The man in front of me Darkie Williams was killed before he left the destroyer and the news flew round and that sent us mad. The destroyer was still going ahead as we are getting into the boats but suddenly she went astern and as she gathered weigh of course the boats which we made fast fore and aft swung out like this – [sketch] They were only half full of men so we cut the ropes and away we went. We were mad to get at them by this time and didn’t care if we were all blown up so long as we got at them. Some grabbed the oars and helped the sailors who were in the boats to pull ashore. I got in the bow alongside a sailor I was pretty chummy with. He said “Get into the bottom and keep down lad” and then those who were not pulling charged

Page 14

their magazines, as soon as the boat touched the boys jumped out some up to their necks, some up to the waist and paddling ashore they fixed their bayonets. As I was jumping out I said “Here Jack hold my rifle till I get over the side”. Once on my feet he gave it back then shook hands. “Good-bye good luck. I wish I was coming with you”. As soon as we got on the beach, we slung our packs off, jumped over a trench that A&C had turned Jacko out of and started off up the hill as hard as we could go, yelling and shouting like mad-men (as we were for the time being) with A&C just in front of us. We did just the opposite to what we were told to do. As we got ashore somebody sang out “Wait for the Officers!” “Oh! D…. the Officers, come on they can’t hit us” Wild Australians bluffed Jacko that morning. Then started our climb up the hills. 3 steep hills one after the other [sketch] something like that, with a very steep gully on the other side of the third ascent (but we didn’t know that.) It was a charge, just a mob climbing the hills as best we could, pulling and shoving each other up in the gradually growing daylight. I was shouting to try and keep my little section together and about ½ way up the first hill, I prodded Major Brockman in the seat with my bayonet. He turned round and started to go off at me. I said “Alright lad, don’t get excited”, and went on and left him. He must have got a shock as he was always wanting to be saluted and “sirred”. When I got

Page 15

to the top of the first hill and was having a blow before tacking the next, who should come up to me but the sailor I had shook hands with on leaving the boat. “Hullo Jack what are you doing here”. “Oh! The man just behind you was killed when we got on the beach so I grabbed his rifle and equipment and came too”. I said “Alright you’ll be the first reinforcement to No 10 section”. I had hardly spoken when I gave a sort of half groan and fell down. He was quite dead shot through the heart. Poor Jack, maybe if he had stayed in his right place, he would have got through. Then I went on again with a great chum of mine Percy Andrews, nick-named “The Rajah” because he was so dark, as we’d help each other up we talk now and again. “How’s things Rayah?” “oh not bad” “Hot work eh?” “Could be worse, come on”, and away we’d go again. When we got to the top of the last night, I was well up in the front line and on the extreme left, on the edge of the Precipice. I saw 3 Turks firing down on to the beach. There was nobody between them and me, it was a trifle dark for shooting but I thought I’d risk it, so I dropped on one knee and let him have it. I couldn’t very well miss. I saw him drop and when I got up to him I found I had hit him fair between the eyes. Killed my first Turk with my first shot. I was that pleased. I could have danced on his body. Trent Selby came up and took his rifle & bayonet and I went through his pockets. I wasn’t after money but a curio from my first Turk. I hauled out a tobacco pouch and I kept it for weeks, then

Page 16

at last somebody beat me for it. When the lads got to the hilltop Major Roberts was there & I found Mr Darnell and we were ordered to dig in. We had nothing but our entrenching tools and we started scratching with them. I got down about a foot then I struck 2 big stones I couldn’t shift so I got my entrenching tool between them to use it as a lever. Some thing had to go, it was the stones though. I’d broken my pick-axe and went sprawling on my back. “Hullo, are you hit Moff”. No, as good as gold yet”. While this was going on, Our Brigadier Colonel McLagan came up with us and he was that pleased that he couldn’t keep his mouth shut for smiling. In the mean time the Turks were retiring over “Shrapnel Gully” as it was called afterwards and we could see parties of our men after them. Then Mr Darnell was ordered to take as many as he could find of his scouts out on the left to reconnoitre, and he told me to go with him as he wanted me to send back signals for him. So we went down into the gully by a track cut by the Turks and on another ridge in the middle of it. There we found Capt Everett and Capt Barnes just then signals came back from the other side of the gully. “Reinforcements urgently wanted in centre”. So Capt Barnes ordered all who were there of “B” Coy to go and reinforce the firing line. So Sergt Arnold, myself, L/Corpl Percy Andrews, L/Corpl Jack Nelson and a party of men set off from the ridge into the gully again and up the other side by another pathway cut by the Turks. When we got up

Page 17 (original page numbered 18 (page 17 skipped)

it was then that I made the first entry in my diary. 10am. I had been smoking all the time and was thirsty but wouldn’t touch my water. Sometime after that we got a solid reinforcement in the shape of a detachment with Capts Barnes & Miller of the 3rd Battalion. Then we were properly mixed up. Then almost immediately the ships started firing and we could see the shrapnel bursting and hear the screech of the shells over our heads and the Turks started shelling us and giving us a warm time with machine gun and rifle fire. The M. Guns would start on the right of our trench and pump lead into us and take the tops of the sandbags right along. Percy Andrews was far from me, he was crouching there as calm and cool as a cucumber and every time a bullet came near him he would say “Did you get me Guy”, and every now and again he would have a shot when he saw something to shoot at. A bullet grazed his shoulder. “Did you get me ----“. Poor old Rajah, he never finished his old saying. He got it just above the eye. Killed! He was passed out of the trench after dark. That’s the last I saw of him. A chum of his Jack Inman got it in the head, seriously wounded alongside him. Jack Nelson, through the next & Ned Inman left hand & shoulder. Sgt Arnold in the hand. The first time the “Lizzie” opened fire over our heads with her 15” guns, I thought the world was coming to an end. Something seemed to break in my ears and buzzing away they went. I ducked I can tell you, but I needn’t have, the shells were hundreds of feet over our heads but we simply had to duck till we got used to them.

Page 18 (original page numbered 19)

The Turks were trying to force our right flank on the Sunday afternoon on the plateau and we could see our lads charging them, then retiring when Jacko got his shrapnel on to them. I could make out through my glasses a red-cross man helping two wounded back with one on either side of him. They came through a perfect hell of shrapnel and just as I thought they were out of range a shell burst near them and I saw no more. Another time I saw a wounded man limping back. All of a sudden I saw him go shooting up in the air spread-eagle and a shell burst under him. I guess that was his end. Our trench would have been untenable if the Right Flank had fallen back and there was a small party that dug themselves in straight across the gully from us. We called them the “Dulgites” they saved us. They were being attacked the whole afternoon but they hung on like grim death till an Indian Mountain Gun was got up to them and then they were alright. But they couldn’t drive a sniper out that must have only been a few yards in front of them for he was giving us a hot time. One of his bullets whizzed in front of my nose, caught the next man to me under the jaw seriously wounding him, passed the next man and killed Captain Burns. That just illustrates enfilade fire. It’s the most dangerous in warfare. We were told to retire. Captain Miller said “are you going to retire”. “No” will stick now we are here, we’ll settle them directly”. “Good lads”. After dark the wild Australians, when the fire had slackened a bit

Page 19 (original page number 20)

starting running about & shouting out to find their mates & we had just got the wounded passed out of the trench when a party popped up right in front of us of about 40 men. “Don’t shoot. Don’t shoot. Indian scouts, Australia very good”. We kept them covered till Captain Crowley one of our 11th Officers came along and he sung out to them in Hindustanee as soon as they heard that, they turned tail and ran. “Push it into them lads! Rapid fire!” We gave it to them hot and strong, not many of them lived to tell the tale. It was just after that, that I had my first drink of water out of a water bottle a wounded man left behind. I was wanting a drink all day but wouldn’t touch it. It’s surprising what one can do when they set their mind to it. All that night we dug and dug to strengthen our position from enfilade fire and now and again we would put a few rounds rapid into the scrub just in front to stop any Turkeys that might be lurking there. In the morning, our trench was fairly safe from enfilade fire and shrapnel, so we could give all our time to the Turks. I was wanting sleep by this time and it was as much as I could do to keep my eyes open and to make matters worse it rained and we were wet through though we didn’t notice that in the heat of the day and all the excitement. But when the night came and it was cold we had to work like one thing to keep ourselves warm. We saw a good few Turkish dead in front of our trench when daylight came, the remains

Page 20 (original page number 21)

of the “Indian Scouts”. Then with the daylight they started shelling our positions with the guns they had got up during the night and they started attacking the left centre, just a little to the left of where I was. They kept up a continuous M.Gun and rifle fire on us as well as shrapnel to keep our heads down while their firing line advanced to the attack that didn’t trouble us much though, we were saving our ammunition till we could make every shot tell and we knew we would give a good account of ourselves when it came to a bit a bayonet work. We weren’t going to be driven back before we had shown them what sort of stuff Australians were made of. On Monday afternoon we received an order passed along the trench to “Cease fire. Indians are advancing up the Gully on our right so surround the snipers and drive them on to us”. So we ceased firing and waited, expecting to have some bayonet work but they didn’t come. At 5 p.m we received a written order on an Army order form, “Indians have utterly surrounded Turks and Australian must not fire any more tonight”. Afterwards we found out that both those orders had come from a German Officer who had got into ours lines dressed up as a New Zealander. I saw a V.C. earned on those two days although the lad never got so much as a mention in despatches. All the orders were passed down to us from the left and we had to see that they got to Brigade Head Quarters which was about 20 yards in rear of us. But the firing was so heavy that the men couldn’t dig a communication trench & we couldn’t pass them by word of mouth on account of

Page 21 (original page number 22)

all the noise, so a lad of the 3rd Battn who was alongside Capt. Miller. Volunteered to run over the distance with the message. The Captain said “I won’t order you to go lad, but it has to been done and if you are going leave your equipment here so you will be better able to run”. He shook his hand. “Good by God bless you” and the boy was gone. About a quarter of an hour later we heard a shout “Look out! I’m coming over”, then a box on ammunition came into the trench with the lad on top of it. Well if he went over once he went twenty times and each time he came back bringing water food ammunition for us or the machine guns. I don’t know how he got on after. I know that Capt. Miller was killed. On Monday night I came out of the trench as word was passed round that the 3rd Brigade was mustering. First thing on Wednesday morning the 11th or what was left of them was sent out to reinforce the Left Flank as the Turks were making a very determined effort to turn it and they nearly succeeded. They were driving us back and we were fighting every inch of the way when just as we were getting to the edge of the very steep hill, the Navy with it’s wonderfully accurate gunnery saved us and incidentally the whole of the Australian troops that were ashore because if they had succeeded in turning our flank we were done. The ships started giving the Turks Lyddite, it wasn’t one shell now and again but it seemed to us that the fleet had all it’s guns concentrated on that one spot. It was simply raining lyddite. The shells were dropping twenty yards over our heads and they were blowing the Turks up in hundreds. They dropped one or two

Page 22 (original page number 23)

short and they fell in among us, but that had to be put up with All the transports were working with their boats on the beach already to take us off but we stuck like leaches, one little thin line, with a front of about 3 miles for four long weeks. It was there on the Left that the 16th got cut up so terribly. The 3rd Brigade mustered on the Beach on Wednesday. We had a spell for two days while we were getting the first casualty lists ready. We mustered about 50% of the Battn. My Platoon had 3 killed, 12 wounded, 14 missing, but 11 of the missing one dribbled in during the next week. On Thursday evening we shifted to allow another Brigade to muster in our place. We lived in Dug-outs on the hill-sides but we were cold and wet now and again. We had greatcoats but no blankets. We didn’t get blankets for about 3 weeks after. On Saturday 1st May, the 3rd Brigade took up a position on the extreme Right flank and there we remained while I was there. I was in charge of No 7 Platoon right from the start. Sergt Suscombe was killed and Sergt Arnold wounded. Each company had it’s own little bit of Firing line. One day a Platoon was in the Firing line, next day Supports (digging trenches), next day 1st Reserves (supplying all fatigues working all the time) and next day 2nd Reserves (rest). But we got very little rest. I was recommended for Sergeant on Sunday May 2nd. On Tuesday 4th, the 11th was relieved from trench duty for a spell. I got 2 letters that day. We were supposed to be having a spell but we were working all the time. Orders were passed round that night that “the Turks were massing in large numbers in front of the Right flank for a night attack”. So we had

Page 23 (original page number 24)

to “stand to arms” all night. Whenever we slept we had to be fully dressed with our equipment on with 200 rounds of ammunition and our arms through our Rifle slings. On Tuesday morning 4th before I had left the Firing line, they had taken 100 volunteers from the 11th to try and take Kapa Tepe, it was a Young Gibraltar with barb wire entanglements in every direction. I saw them land through the glasses just before daylight and tackle the barbed wire but it was no good they had to give it up. Turks were firing from all directions on to them. All they could do was to get under a bank and sit there and signal for a boat to come and fetch them. It was absolute murder to send 100 on an expedition like that. They lost 10 killed & 34 wounded, sometime afterwards a boat went in under the Red Cross for the wounded and they found all the wounded had been bandaged and the dead buried and the Turks didn’t fir a shot. That day 3 Sergts were given Commissions. Parry & Thomas, poor chap he was killed that morning at Kapa Tepe. Thursday 6th Shifted into a new position still on the Right. A Turkish Officer surrendered. A Turkish gun afterwards named “Beachy Bill” started shelling the beach at intervals, doing a lot of damage. Friday 7th a small party was out in front burying Turkish dead, it was then that Lieut Selby was wounded. That night Sergt Garland was out in front of the trench cutting scrub when Sergt Ayling shot him dead, he knew he was there too. Got our first batch of Reinforcements and a Sergeant belonging to them was put over my head. I saw Mr Darnell about it and on Sunday 9th I was made Sergeant, to

Page 24 (original page number 25)

date from May 5th and reinstated as Platoon Sergeant of No 7. It was estimated that we were fighting 100000 Turks when we landed but now there are only 30,000 as the remainder was drawn off to oppose the British advance against Achi Baba. We are to stay here to threaten their communications till the Allies join up with us and then we will advance. Received word that there were great rejoicings in Australia & N.Z. over our landing. Wednesday 12th Allies steadily advancing on Achi Baba, advanced 1000 yds on the 10th, heavy cannonading down there every night. Private Smith was made a Lieutenant. “For sticking to the Machine Gun after all the rest had been hit”. The next day the Turks started sapping towards us and the transports started to leave us to go back to Lemnos. On Friday 14th we heard that the “Goliath” was torpedoed and went down with 600 men, also that 4 German Submarines were sighted passing Malta bound East. So all the transports have left us. Mr Darnell took a party to work on the beach for 2 weeks and I was left in charge of the Platoon. I had my glass blown off my side, also the fore end blown off my rifle on that day by the same shell. They used to shell us every meal time regularly. On Saturday morning 15th I had just given Pte Stevens the last of the Platoon’s rations when a shell burst and sent pellets all round us. Stevie said “I think I’ll get out of this Sergeant before it gets to hot”. He had just turned round to go when another one burst and he got it right in the “tender spot”. (Amy will tell you what that means). He started hopping round on one leg holding the place and shout” Oh ____ Oh _____ They have

Page 25 (original page number 26)

got me. They’ve got me. I can feel it right on the bone”. Well I simply had to laugh. I couldn’t help it. I said “ I’ll take you down to the Red Cross sonnie”. All the way down he was hopping along and shouting “Oh ___ they’ve got me this time”. I was laughing all the time at him. When I got him to the Red Cross and Capt Brennan was bandaging him, he looked over his shoulder at me quite seriously and said “Sergeant”. “Hallo, what’s up now Son?” “There is one thing about the wound. I’ll be ashamed to show it too the girls, they might have hit me in front”. Well I thought I would have died at that. I was laughing and chuckling away to myself for hours after. War has it’s funny sides as well as serious. Stevie came back just before I came away. “Well how’s the wound Stevie?” “Oh! Not bad. The bullet is still there, couldn’t get it out. I am a couple of ounces heavier over that deal”. That day the Turks threw a letter into our trench giving us three days to surrender in. If we did they would take us to Constantinople and give us a good time. If we didn’t they would blow us into the sea. Needless to say they did neither but they had a good try to do the latter. Indians mountain guns were doing very good work then and it was just about that time that my ears started to trouble me first and I found myself going deaf under fire and at other times I would always have ringing and buzzing noises in my ears. So much so that I used to lay awake for hours at night otherwise my health was perfect. But I didn’t say anything about it as I was hanging on for a Commission. Mr Darnell

Page 26 (original page number 27)

told me that he would recommend me at the first opportunity and that’s as good as being made. Tuesday 18th we mounted a howitzer battery that shut up a lot of the Turkish guns and made things a bit pleasanter for us, although they could not get old “Beachy Bill” who was causing tremendous havoc on the beach. On Wednesday 19th the first batch of wounded came back for Cairo. It was then that I first heard news of Bill. We got Capt Everett as our Company Commander and all the lads were very pleased to have him back. We gave him quite a welcome I can tell you. By that time there was many of the “Poor old Everett’s Elephants” left as the old “D” Company was called back in the good old times of Blackboy Hill. But what were left of them made themselves heard that day. Then began for “B” Coy a new era which was altogether different to Capt Riley’s (Molly Riley so called because he was such a fussy old woman) rule. The enemy attacked us that night and I got hit with a piece of shrapnel behind the left arm. It stung some but didn’t penetrate my coat. Then a few minutes later I got hit on the peak of my cap with a piece of shell then I went outside at the back of the trench for a few minutes and I had no sooner left the trench than a shell burst and a pellet cut a jaw which sent me scuttling back underground like a rabbit going back into his burrow. Some escape as the Cockney would say. I seemed to bear a charmed life on Gallipoli and my presentiment was certainly coming true. “That I would come through alright”. I reckoned that I had seen quite enough of Hospital while in Egypt.

Page 27 (original page number 28)

1 German and 9 Turks surrendered that day and wanted to go on board ship straight away as they were sure we were going to be driven into the sea. On the 20th we had a letter read to us from General Hamilton & Admiral De Roebeck praising us for our conduct during the landing and subsequent fighting. The next night they attacked us twice but were repulsed and in the morning there was about 8 acres of ground in front of our trenches that a man couldn’t walk on without touching a dead Turk. On Friday 21st a Turk Officer came in under the White Flag it was rumoured they wanted an armistice to bury the dead. The 10th Light Horse landed then too. The Turk Officer came in on the two succeeding days and I saw Percy and he told me that Bill was to be sent back to Australia. A [indecipherable] aeroplane dropped bombs on us for the first time and killed one man on the 10th Battalion. I would rather have 1000 shells than one bomb, you have some idea where a shell is going to drop but one thinks that the bomb is going to drop exactly on top of you. On Monday May 24th Empire Day we had an armistice to bury dead from 7am till 4pm. So parties went out from either side, half way to each others trenches. The dead for the most part had been lying there for some considerable time and they were in a high state of putrefaction. We were fraternizing with the enemy up the line. We got quite friendly and were swapping cigarettes and badges and shaking hands with them and trying to talk to each other. I was very dark and a Turk pointed to me and said “Greek?”

Page 28 (original page number 29)

“No”. “Italy?” “No”. Then I told him “Australia”. He turned round to his mates and they started gabbering away like one thing. The Germans had told them “that we were cannibals and blackmen and that we ate all our prisoners”. We buried 11 of our men and the Chaplain read a short service over them. We took the bolts out of all their rifles that were lying about and they took ours. There must have been thousands of dead, most of them had been lying there since the first day. About half the Turks that I saw were in rags and they had all sorts of boots on. Some had our boots that they had taken off the dead. They told us that they had 150 of our men prisoners and that the war there would last two months. I saw one German Officer that looked a fair terror, he was looking over at our trenches to see what he could find out and a Turk went up behind him and made as if to stab him. They are all nations, Greeks and Bulgars or anything else made to fight. The next day was a bad day for the Navy. A German submarine got in between the destroyers and sunk the “Triumph” which was lying off Kapa Tepe with her nets out firing away at the Turks. It ws a very plucky thing to do. They fired 2 torpedoes, the first shattered the net and the second went through the hole and caught her right amidships. We watched her go down. She heeled over gradually to Port and then paused. Then she made a sudden lurch till she was on her beam ends and stayed like that for a few minutes, then she turned bottom up and the last thing we saw of her was her rudder as she went down by the head. She fired 5 shots about she was hit,

Page 29 (original page number 30)

but the submarine got away for a few hours. She was caught afterwards. Destroyers and small craft came to her aid from all directions. They saved all the men but 28. Wednesday 26 Mr Smith who was promoted from Private for sticking to the Machine Gun was killed. We heard that an enemy submarine sank the “Majestic” and got more returned wounded and reinforcements. Aeroplanes have been very busy dropping bombs on the Turks. Saturday 29th We were relieved for 48 hours “spell” as they call it. New Zealanders stormed and took 2 trenches with 22 killed 100 wounded. Turk casualties 500. Turks exploded a mine under the 13th Battn and took the trench. The 10th L.H. retook it and a Lance Corporal of the 15th recommended for the V.C. for holding a bit of trench on his own. He bayoneted 7 and shot 5 Turks. On Sunday 30th I had a bath for the first time since landing. We were absolutely crawling away. Water was very scarce, we could only get enough to drink. No washing. On the 1st of June (Foundation Day) a Sergeant Major of Artillery named Schmit was caught in the act of “tampering with the fuses of the shells”. So as they would explode when they were over us instead of the Turks and an Officer shot him dead on the spot. A lot of shells were exploding like that and they couldn’t make it out at all. But after he was caught there were no more premature explosions. Thursday June 3rd Major Denton was awarded the D.S.O which rightly should have gone to Captain Everett. Capt Everett was observing during the first week and it was mainly through him that the Navy made such splendid practice. Major Denton was sitting

Page 30 (original page number 31)

in a dug out just behind him and as Capt Everett passed the messages back, Major Denton wrote them out and signed his own name to them. That’s how “Daddy” was robbed of the “D.S.O”. Sergt Ryling also got a “D.C.M” & nobody knows what for unless it was for shooting Sergt Garland. We heard that there were 25,000 Italians coming to help us but it wasn’t true. Friday 4th we got more Reinforcements and on the next day the New Zealanders had another little scrap and took a trench but had to leave it again. It was beginning to get very monotonous for us being shelled all the time and doing nothing but dig all the time. Allies were said to have advanced 3 miles and it was rumoured that the 3rd Brigade were to be relieved and go to England to refit and be reviewed by the King on June 29th and then go to France. To which we were all eagerly looking forward. But it was too good to be true. That night Major Denton “D.S.O” took a Platoon from each Company out to attack the enemy trenches in front but he was drunk on his Company’s rum and he got bushed so they came back home again. On Thursday 10th he took his own Company out. They got right up to the Turkey trenches and heard the men in them talking and fixing bayonets so they turned tail and came home again. They were making a laughing stock of the Battalion. Then the “great” (save the [undecipherable]) Major Drake-Brockman told his Sergeants “That he would have volunteered to take a part out. He wasn’t afraid but if he was killed they would feel his love back in

Page 31 (original page number 32)

W.A as they could make plenty more Majors in his place but not one with his experience.” The Dug-out King he was called because he got his Company to dig a dug-out for him one day when they were supposed to be having a spell. They put him about 15 feet underground and used about 500 good sandbags on him that should have been on the front trenches. He very seldom budged out of it except to go into the trenches and he got hit just at the door of it one day, the day I came away. Now he has gone back to W.A. in command of a draft of “medically unfits”. Where I suppose he will be toasted and treated Royally as a “hero”. Wait till what’s left of the boys get back and hear what they have to say about him. On Sunday June 15th two Cruisers turned and blew the trenches in front of us about. That gave Jacko a lot of extra work to keep him quiet for a while. Mary Anne (alias Lieut Newman) went as Adjutant to take Captain Pecks place who had gone to Brigade Head Quarters as Brigade Adjutant. A nice little rise for him which he thoroughly deserved. The Turks got a field gun up on top of Kapa Tepe on the 14th with which they opened fire on us. But it only fired 4 shots, our artillery silenced it and then a destroyer went in close and finished it. On Tuesday 6 barrels of wine were washed ashore out of some ships that were sunk and the lads got to them and came running from all directions with mess tins, water cans, [undecipherable], biscuit tins and I saw one man with even his cap full. The Officers knocked the ends of most

Page 32 (original page number 33)

of them in and let it run into the sea, but they weren’t there quick enough. My word they should have let our boys at the Turks that night. There’d have been something doing I know. On Thursday 17th June as I was drilling the Reinforcements of my Platoon behind the trenches (and they wanted it too) Captain Everett called me to one side and told me Percy was killed and gave me leave to go to his regiment to see what could be done. On the next night he was buried and the man who went out and got his body in was made Corporal in his place and was in this hospital with me wounded in the leg. On Monday 21st Enemy fired a terrible lot of ammunition at us. So much wasted as it did no harm and were blowing whistles and waving flags in their trenches all day. Next night a party went out in front and dug a trench on the next hill. That was the beginning of a wonderful piece of engineering. From that trench they burrowed underground towards the Turks till they were about 60 yards from them then all those tunnels were connected up to make a firing line and then out of that we made the firing recesses to hold about 4 men and steps were cut up to them. They were all finished underground and were left with just the crust a few inches thick over them. Then when they were all finished one night the crusts were broken and sandbags were filled and put up in front of them and loop holes made and old Jacko woke up next morning

Page 33 (original page number 34)

to find a new trench only a few yards from him with machine guns just sticking their muzzles out of the steep hillside, like the guns of Gibraltar. I guess old Jacko got a shock. We connected up the old trench with the new by means of tunnels under the old parapet leading down into the gully then up the other side. Thursday 24th the Turks were reported to be retreating from Achi Baba. We could see Battalions of them drilling every day of the flats out of range of our guns. We heard on the 26th that 50,000 Italians were coming to relieve us but that was too good to be true too, like all the other rumours. General Hamilton with General Birdwood and their staffs came along the firing line chatting to the men. On Monday 28th we attacked enemy’s trenches as a demonstration to keep the Turks from drawing off some of their men to reinforce the South while the British made a big attack. Our boys could have taken the trenches, they were that close that they could just put there hands up into the loop holes in some places. But they weren’t allowed. All they had to do was lay out there in the open and shoot at nothing and be shot at. Then the Turks got their shrapnel on to us and we lost heavily. We lost Capt La Nauze, Lieut McDonald and Lieut Parry killed. Sgt Telford a cousin of Alfs also killed, altogether we the 11th lost 19 killed 44 wounded and the 9th 48 killed 57 wounded and the 7th L.H. 105 casualties. The attack against Achi Baba was successful. They did all they wanted to do, therefore we were glad to learn that we had lost so many

Page 34 (original page number 35)

good men for nothing. The next day I was put in charge of a permanent digging party to improve the new works and we learned that the British had advanced 1000 yards with 2000 casualties and captured 100 prisoners. We were told to look out for a German spy that was in our lines dressed as a Colonel with two rows of ribbons. On Friday 2nd July Mr Darnell & Mr Jackson with a few others were mentioned in despatches for good work they had done. On Monday 5th the enemy was enfilading our advance trench with high explosive but did no damage. A shell burst alongside of me and ticked my ears. The next night I was in charge of the evening party that had to go out in front of the new trench to stop surprises and lay awake all night. We were quite close to the Turk we close hear them talking. My left ear got very sore and I couldn’t bare to touch it so the next day I saw the Doctor about it. He wanted to send me straight away but I told him I was waiting for a Commission and he said he would treat me for a few days but if they didn’t get any better I would have to see a doctor on the beach. On Saturday I ran into Jack Booth, an old school mate and we had some fine old talks. On Monday the 12th we made another demonstration and at night our lads were burning flares in the old trench and waving their bayonets in the air and yelling like one thing. From where I was just a few yards (lying in the scrub as covering party) in front of the Turk. I heard somebody sing out in good English

Page 35 (original page number 36)

“Stop yelling you kangaroo-eating-fools and come out here and do a bit”. That was an insult and I had a job to keep my lads (who were with me) from going at them. What good could 30 do against hundreds. Next morning a high explosive shell came into our trench and spoilt all our breakfast. The regiment was relieved the next day the 13th for a spell of 10 days just behind the firing line and I was sent down to the Doctor on the beach and he told me I would have to go away. I spoke to Mr Darnell about it and he saw the Doctor, then Mr Darnell told me “you go away for a spell while you have the chance, the Doctor says your ears will be right in 4 weeks away from the sound of the guns and the spell will do you the world of good”. So on the 16th I left, exactly a month after poor old Perce was killed. I was taken aboard the Hospital ship “Sicilia” where I thought I was in Heaven. To get on a nice clean ship again, have a bath and clean clothes, a good meal and above all things talk to a woman again. You can’t imagine what it felt like. I saw Capt Makeham aboard and he told me they had just buried at sea Mr Scott, Percy’s Squadron Leader. Next morning I was put on board a mine-sweeper and taken to Lemnos where I remained till Thursday July 22nd when I went on board the Hospital Ship “Neuralia” and we arrived in Malta two days after on Saturday 24th where we went into the Grand Harbour and the men belonging to the Navy were sent into the Naval Hospital. Then the next morning

Page 36 (original page number 37)

we went round to Marsamucetto Harbour on the other side of Valetta and we disembarked at the P&O steps. We found a lot of ladies waiting there who distributed tobacco & cigarettes, sticks, crutches, chocolate & other good things, then we were taken in motors to Tigni Hospital (pronounced Tee-ne). On Friday 6th August a batch of wounded and one was a machine gun man in the 11th and he told me that soon after I left the 11th took a trench. First they mined it then they bayoneted their way into it and held it for 3 days, then they were bombed out of it. They were out of it 2 hours when they got back in it again and held it. They lost 300 men then and he told me that just a week after I left there were 13 men given Commissions. I was wild. A couple of days later I was told that ? was to go to England I was surprised. Then I wasn’t feeling too well and the Doctor examined me and told me I had Chronic Bronchitis. On August 26th the day after my birthday I left Malta on the Transport “Ascania”. We were kept at Gibraltar for 5 days and arrived in Plymouth at 8pm on Thursday 9th September and the next day were sent straight to the Fulham Workhouse which has been turned into a Hospital. First by train to Waterloo and then by motor ambulance. It looks a funny old London with the darkened streets. I have been having a good time here in Hospital. The Nurses are very kind and we were taken about a great deal to dinner parks and motor rides. I was discharged this morning and recommended for 2 weeks furlough and I am leaving here

Page 37 (original page number 38)

tomorrow morning, to be my own “boss” for a while. Do just what I like for a while. It will be great after having to obey orders since the war broke out.

Now I think that is about all. I daresay Nesta you will be about as tired of reading this by the time you have got to the end of it, as I am of writing it. It’s what you asked for anyway. But I want to ask you one favour. Pass it round to the family, let them all read it (or try to) one after the other. So as I won’t have to write anymore like it. It’s a terrible job letter writing. And after everybody has done with it get them to send it back to you and if you don’t mind would you send it to

Mrs Bailey
Thompson Rd
North Fremantle
And ask her to send it to you again. Then you can do as you like with it.
Goodbye. Love to all.
Ted.