Ralph Edward Goode 2nd Field Ambulance,1st Australian Division, was born at Canterbury, Victoria, on 24th September 1888.
After being educated at Christ Church Grammar School, South Yarra, he began work at the age of 14 as a mason in the Adamant Monumental works, Dandenong Road St. Kilda. His family then lived at Lilydale.
On 16th August 1914, Goode voltunteered for the 1st A.I.F. and was accepted by the Australian Army Medical Corps.
He was promoted to Lance-Corporal In Egypt, twice mentioned in despatches from Gallipoli, and subsequently became Corporal (Lemnos, September 1915), Sergeant (France, August 1916) and Warrant Officer (France August 1918).
He received the M.B.E. in 1954, and died 23rd January 1961.
From his enlistment until November 1, 1918 (when he was returning to Australia on leave), Ralph Goode recorded his army experiences with an indelible pencil in two pocket notebooks. These diaries provide commentary on the accepted "digger legend" and occasionally suggest different emphases.
The following selection concentrates on the entries for the Gallipoli campaign, framed by brief extracts from his pre-Gallipoli and Western Front experiences and reactions.
The diaries themselves provide the reason for concentrating on Gallipoli; later entries form a less coherent whole and are far more taciturn (despite the impression given by this selection) than those of 1915.
No. 106
R.E. Goode
2nd Field Ambulance
1st Australian Division
Melbourne Road
Lilydale
Australia
16/8/14 Volunteered for active service, in A.A.M.C. accepted
17/8/14 Came into camp at B’meadows
18/10/14 Entrained from Broadmeadows for boat & embarked on SS Wilts.
At (?) PM left pier at 5 anchored off W’town
19/10/14 weighed anchor at 8 am beautiful weather, was on (?) guard.
Tuesday 20/ 10/ 14 very sick for a few hours.
Wed. 21
Thurs 22
Friday 23 Benella passed us today is steaming a little ahead (?)
Sat 24th Oct 1914 Entered King Georges Sound at 9 oclock this morning beautiful morning
Thursday 29th Oct 1914, Innoculated against Typhoid.
Sunday 1st Nov 1914 Sailed from Albany at 6.30 after lying at anchor 8 days in K.G. Sound. A wonderful sight, all our troopships in line.
Mon Nov 2nd 1914 Rather rough weather sea sick
Tues 3rd Nov 1914 Cup day very sick all day we got winner of Melb. Cup at 7 P.M. via wireless when about 500 miles from Fremantle.
Wed 4th Nov 1914 lovely weather am much better
Thurs 5th Nov 1914 ON Sanitation squad RMS Osterley passed on her way to England.
Friday 6.11.14 Weather very hot
Sat 7/11/14 Very hot second inoculation Typhoid
Sunday 8/1/14 Church Parade Arm very sore Stifling hot Minoto (?) slipped away
Monday 9/11/14 A very exciting day H.M.A.S. Sydney sailed west at full speed 10 am attack alarm sounded our stern guns cleared ready for action we are 15 miles East of the Cocos Island. llam message to say HMAS Sydney in action great excitement on board 11.30am another message saying the Sydney had smashed the boat which had been beached on Cocos Island to save sinking another message saying boat is Emden great rejoicing & cheering also that 2 killed & 13 wounded on Sydney which put a damper on our celebrations. It is very exciting at night sailing with no lights everything in pitch darkness we get alarms for attack &fire drill at all hours
very awkward in the dark to get to your posts It was a great sight when the Japanese cruiser which is with us sailed across our bows at full speed with all guns cleared for action to help the Melbourne protect our West flank in case the Sydney had more than she could manage she was so close that we could see the men at the guns. There is another German cruiser about called the ‘Gotisberg ‘ (eliminated) Konisberg so things are a bit exciting at night. We were approx 2000 miles from Australia.
Tuesday 10/11/12 Word today that the Sydney chased & caught the collier which was supplying the Emden with coal took the crew off and sunk her no sign of the Konisberg (see above) and we have some lights on again so evidently she has cleared out.
Wed 11/11/14 Wrote to Kath & Mum to be posted at Colombo Took one of the crew to the hospital suffering from heat apoplexy. Had a very interesting chat with ships doctor
Thurday 12/11/14 Very hot Armed merchantmen passed us Empress of Russia probably going to Cocos Island to pick off crew of Emden crossed the equator 6pm
Friday 13/11/14 New Zealand boats went ahead today with 4 funnel battleship which appeared from nowhere.
Sat 14/11/14 Very hot sea wonderfully smooth
Sunday 15th Nov 1914 Land in sight at daylight dropped anchor off Colombo at 2pm hundreds of natives in their katamarangs & sampans to see us a wonderful sight Colomb from the sea is a beautiful sight some very fine buildings. A 5 funnel Russian cruiser “Askold” (?) here also the Sydney & numerous other boats. At night its like fairyland reminded me of St Kilda Beach, some good news from the front 25,000 Germans captured by Russians & Russians well within reach of Berlin Hope its true, but doubt it.
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Right hand flank
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Left hand flank |
| 14 Euripides |
3 Orveito (?) |
18 Wiltshire |
| 8 Argyleshire |
27 Southern |
7 Medic (?) |
| 9 Shropshire |
4 Pera |
11 Ascanius |
| 19 Afric |
26 Armadale |
15 Star of E’land |
| 24 Benalla |
12 Soldhma (?) |
2 Geelong |
| 20 Korala |
1 Kymettus (?) |
17 Port Lincoln |
| 22 Rangarlana (?) |
23 Suffolk |
10 Karoo |
| 5 Omrah |
25 Anglo Egyptian |
21 |
| 28 Miltardes (?) |
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6 Clan Macorquodale (?) |
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& 10 New Zealand Boats |
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Monday 16/11/14 Wrote to Mum & Kath & Dick send Pcards to Mum Kath Dick Bob Morton. Saw copy of Special War Edition of Ceylon times got lots of war news
Tuesday 17/11/14 Great fun with natives diving for money right from the top of derricks, holding life boats. Sailed from Colombo at 11.30 am today after spending 45 ½ hours there. British cruiser “Yarmouth” (crossed out) Hampshire with us. Beautiful weather prevailing.
Wed 18/11/14 Usual routine
Thursday 19/11/14 Usual routine Pay day 14/-
Friday 20/11/14 Usual routine
Sat 21/11/14 Usual routine
Sunday 22/11/14 Church parade
Monday 23/11/14 land in sight Sokotra Island very high mountains but barren 10 hours to pass
Tuesday 24/11/14. Daily routine.
Wed. 25/11/15. Dropped anchor off Aden at 4p.m. very high headland & rugged, could not see more desolate place, no sign of vegetation nothing but sand.
Thursday 26/11/14. Weighed anchor at 6a.m. followed Arabian coast along all you see sandy deserts enough to give a chap the horrors, passed the fortified town of Perimat 4p.m. & entered the Red Sea, can see the African coast on our Port-side. 6 Indian troopships, returning to India for more troops passed us today.
Friday 27/11/14 We are well into the Red sea. I’ve had enough of it all ready passed the Apostle Islands ships passing us on their way to India for more troops. I did not know what it was to sweat till I got here was doing fatigue in No 5 hold getting up rotten potatoes I’d rather be a stoker in the furnaces.
Sat 28/11/14 - Steamer passed us probably Orontes from Australia, hope so, also mail boat probably going to Australia. Rumour we are going to ?
Sunday 29/11/14 Great activity for disembarking kit bags brought out of hold land in sight.
Tuesday1/12/14. Dropped anchor off Suez at 12.30. Bun-boats did a rattling trade we bought them out of cigarettes, fruit, etc, can see the N.Z. boats going up the canal Armed party tonight on account of? Being fired on by Turks. Weighed anchor at 7p.m. passed the town of Suez looked beautiful at night unfortunate it was night going through the Canal.
Wed. 2/12/14. Anchored off Port Said at 8.30A.M. having come through the Canal in 13 ½ hours we are anchored right opposite the light-house within 50 yards of the street, some fine building, a very interesting day watching coaling operations etc. letter from Kath date 2/11/14 had not received any letter from Mil(?) can’t understand. Wrote to Kath letter & P.Card. P.Card to Mum with “Furphy”. P.Card to Winnie & Dick.
Thursday 3/(1)2/14. Most of our boats have put to sea, boats alongside with musicians, reckon these bun-boats men the biggest “rooks” I’ve ever met.
Friday 4/(1)2/14. Great satisfaction, leave grated for squads of 50 men ashore at a time in charge of officers great disappointment all leave stopped owing to some men breaking ship & swimming ashore previous night also pelting native water police with potatoes on account of this we weighed anchored 10a.m. & put out to sea & dropped anchor about 3 miles out.
Sat 5th Dec 1914. Very slow.
Sunday 6th Dec 1914. Church parade.
Monday 7/12/14. Indian troopships sailed for the front. Very slow.
Tuesday, 8/12/14. Rotten slow day. Weighed anchor at 8 p.m. quite a surprise our spirits rose of a sudden. Dropped anchor at Alexandra 10 a.m. wonder how long before we get in to ? look a wonderful harbor hundreds of ships here a lot of captured German merchantmen. Can see the Kedhive Palace from here a beautiful building.
Wed. 9/12/14. Leave granted for 24 men at a time for 2 hours went ashore with 2nd lot had a very interesting 2 hours the filth in native quarters is awful went through native market places drove about in carriage for ½ hour 5 of us for which we paid 1/- & 1/- for guide the natives pest the light out of you to buy post-cards not much struck with native women with faces covered and brass tube (?) on face got fearfully muddled with Egyptian money.
Thursday 10/12/14. Came alongside quay at 5.45 tonight hope to disembark tomorrow.
Friday 11/12/14. Great activity embarking All LH (LIGHTHORSE) entrained without hurting a horse have been unloading ship & loading trucks some strange sights (?) by native saw natives flogged by police for getting in our way. I’m quite satisfied that there is no poverty in Melbourne after what I have seen here. Wrote to Stan. Kath (No4) P.C. to J. Poyner.
Sat 12/12/14. Unloaded our waggons etc & loaded on trucks entrained for Cairo at 5.30 p.m. arrive Cairo 10.30p.m. 130 miles talking 5 hours a very acceptable cup of cocoa & a roll ready for us. At 12.30 boarded electric trams for Mena 7 miles from Cairo arrived at camp 2.30 a.m. rolled ourselves in blankets & waited for daylight.
Sunday 13/12/14. At daylight what a sight nothing but sand not a sign of vegetation anywhere. I’ve heard of the Sahara desert now I’ve seen it god help the man who’s ever lost in it. Very hot in middle of day my eyes are very sore from the glare off the sand. Put in day dragging stoves for cook-house very glad when night came, when I rolled myself in blankets & slept the sleep of the just, the sand makes a great bed but the dew is very heavy & its very cold during the night. Very fair water supply but rather poor “tucker”.
Monday 14/12/14. Getting camp ready met Billy McLeod, C. Noden & “Smiler” Williams. Went for a walk to the Pyramids & Sphinx this afternoon about 1 ½ miles from camp very hard going through the sand but its worth it when you get there.
Tuesday 15/12/14. On Quartermaster fatigue getting stores & getting an expert at loading & driving camels & mules which most of our transport is done with. Dragged our waggons through the sand. Reg(?) Gray got run over.
Wed 16/12/14 Putting up hospital tents & getting camp in order.
Thurs. 17/12/14. Getting camp ready wrote to Mum & Kath (no 5) went on guard 6p.m. tonight.
Friday 18/12/14. On guard all day till 6p.m. nothing exciting.
Sa 19/12/14. Pay day drew 25/- got a letter from mum & Kath dated 23/10/14 evidently been to England & returned here. Only a few letters come in there were some glad & sad faces after the letters were delivered
Sunday 20/12/14. Church Parade visited the Pyramids & Sphinx went into the Sphinx temple the blocks of granite & alabaster is beyond me went into the tomb of the son of Cheopps the builder of the Pyramids visited a native cemetery near the Pyramids. The highest Pyramid is 472 ft.
Monday 21/12/14. Granted leave from 2 p.m. till 11p.m. had a very interesting afternoon in Cairo drove along the Nile in motor some very quaint sights.
Tuesday 22/12/14. Started squad drill was put in charge of awkward squad wrote to Dick.
Wed. 23/12/14. General duties. Went on guard 6p.m.
Thursday 24/12/14. On guard.
Friday 25/12/14. Christmas day. Was awakened at 4a.m. by bands playing carols. Jack Stubles came into camp at 5 a.m. with a great Union Jack round him had a night out but doesn’t know where he got flag at present it floats over our tent. Went to Church Parade. Our Christmas dinner consisted of stew rice & raisins, tinned fruit tinned milk. Woster sauce dried raisins. Went inside Pyramid of Cheop saw the Kings tomb & Queen’s passage 150 yds long. Wrote to Kath & Mum (No 6) & Mr. ORouke(?).
Sat 26/12/14. Boxing Day Very quiet day in camp route march this morning holiday this afternoon wrote letter, see above.
Sunday 27/12/14. Christmas Greetings from the King, Andrew Fisher & Senator Pearce.
Monday 28/12/14. Kit inspections.
Tuesday 29/12/14. General routine.
Wed 30/12/14. The YMCA are doing grand work here there are 4 buildings erected where we go & write, paper pen & ink supplied, and piano if we care for sing song. Sir Geo Reid inspected half of the force today a magnificent sight.
Thurs 31/12/14 Very quiet day great revellry at midnight seeing the old year out every man in cap made a noise with something
1915
New Year’s Day 1/1/15 A nice new year gift to us from Australians in England consisting of 1lb Fry chocolate & a packet of cigarettes to each man. Met L Ralph he told me where Tas Illsley was No 1 Squad VZLH Sent PC to L Illsley General routine all day
2/1/15 Daily routine Had tea with Arthur B. & talked of old times
3/1/15 Wrote to Mum, Kath (No.7) & PC to Kitty
4/1/15 Daily routine
5/1/15 Built a camp oven Wrote to Auntie Louie (Louise?)
6/1/15 Working at Mena House unpacking stores.
7/1/15 Letter from Kitty & paper from Kath. Mena House
8/1/15 Letters from Kath & Mum 8/12/14. At Mena House.
9/1/15 Mena House
10/1/15 Detailed for police duty went to Cairo brought 2 of our chaps back who had been arrested. Saw the new Sultan. Posted letters to Mum & Kath & Bob Morton.
11/1/15 Mena House. Our deepest thanks we owe to our people at home for the books they have given to us we have a library in camp & we are able to pass many weary hours at night reading. Visited the Zoo reckon Melb Zoo not to be compared with this one.
12/1/15 A sergeant from the 5th died in our hospital today the first we’ve had but there have been several others in the force. Wrote to Winnie.
13/1/15. General routine letters from Kath dated 14/12/14 & Ettie Bartlett card from A Johnston.
14/1/15. At Mena House.
15/1/15. Out on route march, the whole of the 2nd Brigade letter from Stan(?)
16/1/15. Letters from Hilda Kit & Mum dated 18/11/14. Sent letters to Mum & Kath No 9 & views of camp to Kath P.card to Ada J & Ettie B.
17/1/15. Church parade morning. Played football against LH (Lighthorse) afternoon lost by 2 points. This was the first Australian game played in Egypt.
18/1/15. Sent to Cairo with wagon to meet nurses, from there was sent to Citadel visited a mosque. Letter & Leader from Kath dated 15/12/14.
19/1/15. At Mena House letter from Kath dated 20/12/14. lettercard from D. Rayson.
20/1/15. At Mena House. Opening of mess room.
21/1/15. Mena House letter from Auntie Louie.
22/1/15. Mena House.
23/1/15. Finish at Mena today Wrote to Kath & Mum No 10 O Rayson, S, Tait, papers to Kath Stan & G. Blake.
24/1/15. daily routine.
25/1/15 letters from Mum Kath & Dick dated 23/12/14.
26/1/15. Daily routine.
27/1/15. Sent “Sphinx” to Stan. P Cards to G Tait. K. Short.
28/1/15. General routine.
29/1/15. Field work.
30/1/15. Guard
31/1/15. March past Gen Birdwood. Sent letters to Mum and Kath No 11 P Cards to Pop Hurlstone , Mime , Mrs Bennett Alf Pearce , Gran Ethel Clements Ada Johnston.
1st & 2nd . General duties.
3/2/15. Went to Cairo was detailed to assist sick men of 11th Batt who were returning to Australia. The 7th & 8th left for Canal today. Met “Bubb” Williams & Billy Evans
4th Feb 1915. General Duties.
5/2/15. Was promoted to Lance Corporal today.
6th 7th& 8th . Wrote to Mum Kath (12) & Dick. General Duties.
9th Feb 1915. Corporal of guard, new tunic issued. Letters from Kath dated 6th & 13th Jan. 1 from Mum. Received my letters from P Said.
10th 11th 12th 13th. General duties.
Sunday 14th Feb. Wrote to Mum & Kath No 13.
15th 16th 17th Vaccinated General duties.
Thurs 18th 1915. Days leave went to Cairo visited native bazzars something to be remembered bought beads and small scarab? Visited Museum after went to Heliopolis returned to Cairo went to picture show returned to camp 11 p.m.
Friday 19th 1914(?) Issued with gift clothing.
Sat 20th Feb 1915 General duties.
Sunday 21st Feb 1915. Wrote to Mum & Kath No 14) Held quite a reception of Lilydale Boys “Smiler”, C. Noden , Bert Reid, Lawlor , A Bedbrook, Billy Mac Harry Hunt and self all met.
22, 23rd 24th Field work
Thurs 25th Feb Letters from Hilda, Kit, Stan, Kath C Clements, O’Rourke dated 25/1/15
Friday 26 Sat 27 General duties
Sun 28/2/15 Sent Reg parcels to mum & Kath Letters No 15 to Mum & Kath postcards & booklet 3rd Brigade left today
1st to 6th General duties bivouac etc
Sunday 7th March 1915 Letter No 16 to Kath PC to Mum First death in our corp. H (?) (F?) Morries died from pneumonia
8th 9th 10th 11th General duties
12/3/15 Letters from Mum, Kath, JPOR & papers
13/3/15New boots & puttees
Sun 14th/3/15 Wrote to Kath & Mum (17) Pcard to Clements & JPOR Received letters from Mum, Kath, E(?) Bartlett & Kitty
15th to 20th General duties 20th Arthur & I had photos taken at Sphinx
Sunday 21/3/15 Wrote to Mum & Kath (No 18) PC to Mrs Short, W Hurlstone, E Bartlett. Reg packet to Kath (watch)
23rd Letters from Mum, Kath, Win, & papers.
Sunday 28/3/15 Wrote to Mum & Kath (No 19) reg photos to Mum photo to Dick
Monday 29/3/15 Gen Sir I Hamilton inspection.
Friday 2/4/15 Big riot in Cairo this evening
Easter Sunday 4/4/15 Marched out of Camp at 11PM after spending 4 months in the desert, for an unknown destination arrived Cairo 2am taking 3 hours to do 10 miles entrained for Alexandra
Easter Monday 5/4/15 Embarked on SS “Mashobra” 11am finished loading at 3am (Tuesday)
Wed 7/3/15 Weighed anchor 8am sea rather rough Sent PC to Kath & Mum
Friday 9/3/15 Dropped anchor off Lemnos 3PM Battleships, Cruisers, Torpedo boats, submarines everywhere, French Russian & British.
Sat, Sunday 10th & 11th Troopships arriving by dozens we practice disembarking A most wonderful sight we are in a natural harbor completely hidden from the outside sea, the entrance protected by mines etc, every ship coming in has a pilot boat in front. We are within 50 miles of Dardenelles, every precaution taken against hostile aircraft no lights at night (s?).
Monday 12th April 1915 Letters from Mum, Hilda, G Tait, Minnie, Aunt Claire, E Clements, Bob Morton
Tuesday 13.4.15 Sent PC to Mum & Kath
Friday 15/4/15 Went ashore, this island is inhabited by 15000 Greeks, dressed in sheepskin coats, trousers, boots, houses built of stone, windmills like Holland Sunday 18th April Letters from Kit & Mum & Win
Tuesday 20th April “Tucker” scarce living on bully beef & biscuits & few “spuds” deadly slow aboard nothing to do just waiting. Troopship attacked by Turkish torpedo boat, but escaped (?) transport missing
Thursday 22nd April 1915 Letters from Stan Dr (?) Short Mrs Relph Kath dated 18/3/15 & paper. Sent PC to Kath & Mum (yesterday) Oh for a tin of insectibane Nuf sed Can’t say I’ve enjoyed this 3 weeks on this boat, there is no sleeping accomodation, I have slept under the mess table this last 21 days (nights) tucker pretty rotten
Sat 24th April 1915 Weighed anchor 5.30 this morning for the Dardanelles
(ANZAC DAY APRIL 1915)
Sunday 25th The fun begins, landed under fire our boys routed the Turks out with the bayonet but lost heavily, have had all the excitement I want. I was hit twice by shrapnell a scratch on the cheek & a spent one in my clothes which I shall keep. The enemy shelled us unmercifully with shrapnel we not having guns to reply but I fancy our warships shut them up a bit. a bullet went through a tin I was filling my water bottle out of. our casualties are heavy mostly legs & arms through shrapnell but reckon when we get our artillery going we’ll give them what they gave us, hell.
Monday 26/4/15 The mighty Queen Elizabeth (Battleship) speaks this morning the earth fairly trembles when she fires. Oh how we duck when the “shrap” flies. 5.30 PM I am writing this under a rain of shells the noise is terrific about 8 warships, & 20 guns we got into position today are belching forth, to the return of Turkish shrapnell, had a bit chipped out of my cap today, the snipers do tickell us up.
Tuesday 27th April We have been shelled unmercifully today but worse at night the valley we were carrying the wounded down was like an inferno they dropped shells at the rate of 6 a minute on us Thank god I got through without a scratch.
Wed 28th April 1915 Rather quiet today. The Indian Sikhs are doing great work taking ammunition & food up to the trenches on mules no chance of getting waggons up, in fact no waggons have landed. Royal marines gone in trenches.
Thurs 29th April 1915 Our boys are well dug in now casualties very small today, I went to the trenches tonight, but no wounded men, not much shrapnel today. The snipers are very bad one beggar fired 10 shots at me today they lobed all round but none hit me. The navy men are going grand work. I must say a word about our work, the infantry say we are all heros no body can imagine the work we have done, I’ve never worked so hard in my life no tracks down the hills many times had to carry men on our backs could not get stretchers up, & all this under heavy fire, the losses in our corp are 6 wounded & 1 killed (T(?) Webster). The Turks are using some explosive bullets they make awful wounds, the courage of our wounded boys is magnificent, never a word except their bad luck I picked up one man with 8 bullet holes in him, his one trouble was how soon he could get back to the trenches. The enemy are trying all sorts of ruses, one German officer came quite close to our trenches in the dark and sang out. “alright Australia we’re Indians”, but it didn’t work.
Friday 30th April 1915 A bit quiet today except for shrapnel we never brought in a wounded man.
Sat May 1st 1915 I am sitting in my dug out, it’s death to poke your head out we are on a hill about 100 yards from the sea the engineers have built a landing & the ASC are unloading stores, the Turkish gunners have got our range lovely & are drooping shells on us about 6 a minute Scotty Robinson just got hit. It’s quite exciting & have got quite used to it now. The Turks have tried time after time to mount guns on 2 points of land jutting out to the sea one on our left & the other on our right but thanks to our Navy (with their powerful searchlights) have never been able to fire a shot, they let them get the guns up & then blow them up. Our food supply is excellent, biscuits bully beef, a rasher of bacon & a piece of cheese, a lot (?) of jam, tea & sugar, our water supply is good the engineers bored for it & got it very good water
Sunday 2/5/15 6 PM Our usual evening reception is now on have just counted about 50 shells which landed in the water 100 yards from the shore the Turks do make some holes there. About a mile to our right the shore is pretty flat & here the Turks expected us to land they have the beach covered with wire entanglements & I suppose mines, but our heads knew a thing or two & landed us at the cliffs altho the Turks were in large numbers there they had no entanglements, the naval men who landed us say it was the most brilliant bayonet charge ever made if you could see what our boys had to face you would understand. Monday 3/5/15 I’ve been through hell & out again. Last night the New Z took a hill & I think still hold it, our section got called out at 9PM & I got in for a spell at mid day today, some of the wounds are awful, I saw some of our chaps getting up to the trenches, the Turks had a machine gun trained on them not a man escaped, today was the heaviest casualties since last Sunday we worked (35?) (22?) hours without a spell, the snipers were very bad today bullets chipping up the ground all round us none of our chaps hit, some big shells evidently from the Dardenelles hit a transport today.
Tuesday 4/5/15 Sent cable home & post cards very quiet today.
Wednesday 5/5/15 From a Turk prisoner who says that Turks are led to believe that Australians are barbarians & if they surrender will gouge their eyes out etc this is what German officers are telling them. A bit about myself when we landed we threw down our packs & got to work straightaway that was the last I saw of my pack all I possessed was what I stood up in eventually I found my overcoat & haversack but some kind person had been through it & taken all my tobacco & mirror that Kath gave me all they left was my razor & shaving brush & soap but I’m getting on all right now I found a shirt & a pair of socks & a new pack (?), but I would give something for a blanket it’s pretty cold at night with only an overcoat. I reckon a tin of insectibane or Keatings would be like Beeachams pills worth a guinea a tin. I met the Rev Mr Gillison (St Georges St Kilda) up near the trenches cheering the boys up & helping the wounded down he was delighted to see me as I was him.
Thursday 6/3/15 At 1am this morning we were called out to embark (2nd Brigade) at 4am we boarded lighters & were towed out to a minesweeper & embarked on her (Folkstone) after 1 ½ hours sail we disembarked at Cape Hellis at the place where the British & French landed & marched inland to about 1 ½ miles behind the firing line where we are camped in a gully in the middle of a vineyard. Our guns British & French are giving the Turks a fearful bombardment the shells are shrieking over my head something awful
Friday 7/5/15 We are still bonbarding the Turkish trenches our forces advanced yesterday, the weather in the daytime is beautiful but bitterly cold at night. I had a look today where the Tommies landed the “River Clyde” was beached & they rushed out of holes cut in her side but how they suffered the forts blew them to pieces until our ships settled them, the barbed wire was right in the water their landing must have been worse than ours I was told they lost 500 men in landing.
Sat 8/5/15 Moved up near the firing line our brigade went into the trenches this afternoon at 5.30 they charged the Turks gained 1000 yards but what slaughter goodness knows how many of our boys are left we had to carry the wounded 4 miles during the night.
Sunday 9/5/15 At dawn this morning we went up to the trenches just as we left the Turks opened fire on us, I gave my self up I never thought we had a chance of getting through we had no cover, we gripped the stretchers & stooping low made a run for it the bullets showered the dirt over us but Providence was with us & we got through without a scratch we moved 500 wounded men in 24 hours. We were helped by the BAMC today who put their waggons at our disposal, which made things much easier for us to only having to carry about 1 mile. We lost 3 men in our corp last night all seriously wounded J Robinson, Adamms & Rennie. The Indians are great friends of ours they cant do enough for us, in fact we are the most popular troops here (scrubbed - - (?) (?) much of the French infantry they’ve got no “guts”) but their artillery is magnificent. The French Zauaves or (?-&-) Turcos are good fighters but don’t like the shrapnell. Two L’dale boys wounded L.Watt & Bert Reid.
Monday 10/5/15 Rather quiet today we are still up near the trenches, Capt Matthieson severly wounded in head today, Curran (?) wounded, have just been watching the Turks trying to bring down one of our aeroplanes, they are firing shrapnell at him right over our heads & the bits of shells & bullets are dropping all around us.
Tuesday 11/5/15 Except for a bit of shrapnell things are a bit quiet today. I had a nasty experience a couple of nights ago My (?) squad taking a man to the rear from the line & we got bushed we wandered about falling into trenches until we struck an Indian who put us on to the right track, coming back it was worse we kept getting into the Indian trenches & we not being able to speak their lingo nor they ours we stood a good chance of being shot of course once the Indians could see our uniforms all was right we thought the best thing to do was to wait till daylight which we did.
Wed. 12/5/15 Today we came from the trenches for a few days spell, we want it,last night & today it poured with rain everyone of us wet through for hours no shelter of any sort our dug outs filled with water, a heavy bombardment going on at present.
Thurs 13/5/15 The enemy got a big gun into position today & have made it very uncomfortable for us, it sends a nasty feeling through you to hear the shells coming, & you wait to see it burst not knowing if its going to blow you up you breathe a sigh of relief when you see it missed & you wait for the next. I went for a walk round the forts, if you could see the effects of “Lizzies” shells great guns weighing tons twisted up like wire.
Friday 14/5/15 I had a miraculous escape from being blown to pieces today. I was standing talking to Capt. Chambers along side of his dugout, which he had just come out of, when a shell dropped right in to it, we were showered with dirt & debris but got off without a scratch, from then on for an hour we were shelled unmercifully 7 shells at a time, we counted 127 burst in a radius of 100 yards of our camp, 4 or 5 were hit but nothing serious. Went to find Billy Mac today & learned he is reported missing, but found “Smiler” (?s”?) who is all right.
Sat 15/5/15 Pretty quiet today except for shrapnell this mornng.
Sunday 16/5/15 More shrapnell this morning with a bit of Lyddite for a change. A sudden order at 11am to move off to embark, went aboard HMS Reindeer at 5pm bound for we don’t know where, dropped anchor at 6pm at the same place we first landed (Kapa Tepe).
Monday 17/5/15 Disembarked at 7am under heavy shell fire, received letters from Mum & Kath 22/3 Sent Pcard & letter to Mum & Kath (2(?)). since left here the Turks have got a battery mounted on our right & are giving us hell, I want to get out for a drink but dare not leave my dug out ½ a dozen shells have burst within a few yards of me & sent me quite deaf for a while 2 of our boys wounded this afternoon Barnett (?) & a reinforcement. Letters from Kath & Mum 17/4/15
Tuesday 18/5/15 I don’t know what its like in France but we have 2 battalions of Marines with us who were in Antwerp when it fell & they tell us that this is 10 times worse than there, they had trenches properly made there, we had to dig ours under a heavy fire. I’ve seen 70 (?-10?) of our guns at Cape Hellis bombarding the Turks position. I cant describe it, it wants to be see to understand.
Wed 19/5/15 What a time we had today I’m sure the Turks have fired hundreds of shells at us I lay in my dug out from daylight till 9.30 before I could get out to get a bit of breakfast we were all in the same boat. We had no casualties in our corp today. From a Turkish newspaper who describes the Australians as blacks & cannibals & states that it is the first time the peninsular has been purged by heathens & finally (?) states that we have been driven into the sea. Turks attacked tonight.
Thursday 20/5/15 I got a nasty shock today a shell burst 10 ft away from my dug out, which fortunately I was in, all I got was smothered with dirt but poor Bill Rudd was killed on the spot & Bill Drysdale severely wounded it quite unnerved me for a while Wrote to Mum.
Friday 21/5/15 The quietest day since we landed. At 9am geart excitement prevailed, riding at full gallop on the point about 1 mile on our right where fort Kap & Tepe is or was, were 6 horsemen with a great white flag
After a good deal of delay our HQ & interpreters with a white flag made of a towel tied to a stick went out to meet them, & brought a Turkish officer back with them, a short, stumpy man, you would think he had just stepped out of a band box, his “mow” was waxed out, & his uniform was spotless, you would never think he was at war, we are anxiously waiting the result of the confab, we know that most of the Turks want to surrender, but are afraid to on account of German Officers their casualties are enormous.
Sat 22/5/15 Another confab with the enemy today very quiet all day
Sunday 23/5/15 Our ships bombarded the Turkish position on our right very heavy this morning. Most of our Light Horse are here now turned into infantry. A German Taube (aeroplane) flew over this morning & dropped as couple of bombs one dropped quite close to us they cause a fearful explosion when they burst more than shells. Taylor Allan & Thornton wounded
Monday 24/5/15 We now know what all the white flag was about it was for an armistice to bury the dead & today we have had 9 hours without a shot being fired from either side, both our men & the Turks are outside the trenches burying the dead which must number thousands, about 9 tenths Turks, the stench is awful these dead Turks have been lying some of them only a few feet from our trenches, for 5 days that was when they made a vicious attack but were horribly cut up. It is the first time for 30 days that we’ve known what it’s like not to hear bullets & shells whistling overhead, it seems like, well I can’t describe what it’s been like to walk about & know your not likely to be shot. I saw C Noden (?), Smiler, & Ben Briers today.
Tuesday 25/5/15 A sad calamity today at 7(?) PM the HMS “Triumph” was torpedo by submarine about 3 miles from shore right opposite where we camped we saw everything she heeled over to one side & sank in about 10 minutes, most of the crew were saved. Very wet weather most uncomfortable.
Wed 26/5/15 It makes me smile when I looked back on how I lived at home & how I live now. I have a shave when I can, perhaps once a week, in the same water clean my teeth & in the same water have a wash, amount of water, a cup full, our water has got a bit scarce the Turks sank 2 of our water barges anyway we’re not supposed to wash, we each cook our own meals when we can get a chance if you’re unlucky enough not to have got yours cooked before dark thats the end of it. What we do cook, well we break our biscuits up & soak them then boil them add a little sugar & you have a sop, then bully beef we boil it, fry it stew it, poach it or grill it any way we can make it taste different, then sometimes we get a bit of bacon, or dried vegetables all the time we are getting our “tucker” ready we chance being “plonked” with shrapnel, 3 of our chaps got hit the other evening while cooking their tea, oh I forgot we had fresh meat issued twice and wasn’t it a treat, fried steak never tasted anything better, but what would I give for a loaf of fresh bread it’s nearly 6 weeks since I tasted bread.
Thursday 27th May 1915 Very quiet today (?) Majestic sunk Sent Pcard to Kath
Friday 28/5/15 Mail day we are all excitement this after noon our letters were delivered we were like a lot of school boys I got 4 from home, from Kath, J Moroney, E Bartlett, J O’Rourke, also 4 papers. If our people at home could only see the effect of getting letters they would never stop writing.
Sat 20/5/15. Except for a bit of shelling things rather quiet today altho at 3a.m. this morning the Turks blew up some of our trenches & then charged with hand grenades but we gave it to them hot our losses 100 killed & wounded theirs 300 & 18 prisoners.
Sunday 30/5/15. Our tenth division came ashore only 2 (?) this morning & up to midday everything was very quiet but now we are getting it hot a bullet has just come through my waterproof sheet which I have over my dugout to keep the sun off I said some pretty warm things about those Turks cos’ that hole will let water in when it rains. One good thing is that we got rid of the snipers the amount of damage they did was enormous, with their faces & rifles painted green & their bodies covered with bushes it was impossible to find them being so well hidden in the scrub, some were dg in the ground with just their rifle & head out, others were in natural (?) caves it was only by diligent searching by parties specially told off for this work that we have got rid of them, you must know that they were in our lines, when the turks retreated these snipers who were told off stopped behind, & so got us between two fires & they made a speciality of officers & non coms, we had to take our Red Cross brassard off our arms they made too good a target.
Monday 31/5/15 Very quiet all day a gift of a tin of cigarettes from our Tent division very welcome.
Tuesday 1/6/15 The weather is very hot, most of us go about half naked, at night one can sleep without any blankets.
Wed 2/6/15 Very quiet nothing doing at all its a case of you stop where you are & we’ll stop where we are.
Thurs 3/6/15 One of our batteries is hidden in or camp it has been for the last 3 weeks & is doing great work, I suppose if the Turk could see it they would say we were abusing the Red Cross but as we have no flag flying everything is all right. I might say that the 3rd Amb camped on this spot when we were at Helles & they put up a Red Cross flag in a prominent position the result was they got shelled out & had to leave.
Friday 4/6/15. Did 12 hours duty up at trenches today casualties very slight.
Sat. 5/6/15. Very heavy fighting all last night but our losses small.
Sunday6/6/15. Sent Pcards to Mum Kath Auntie Louie & Bedbrook, heard officially that Billy McLeod is killed.
Monday 7/6/15. During the day we suffer fearfully from heat & flies the sun is very fierce & the flies worse than I’ve known than anywhere I have stopped.
Tuesday 8/6/15. Very little fighting during the day we find it a job to put in our time.
Wed 9/6/15. Met “Budgee” Reynolds (3rd Batt) today am just going on duty (7p.m.) 12 hours up at the trenches.
Thurs 10/6/15. Water is pretty scarce the wells the engineers sunk have all dried up it is a crime for any man to wash himself or his clothes or dishes in fresh water. After being on night duty we try to sleep during the day but its impossible the heat & flies, we could stand heat but the flies beat the band. Plenty of shrapnel this morning, but very little damage.
Friday 11/6/15. More shrapnel today with a few Jack Johnstons to break the monotony that’s all they did break.
Sat 12/6/15. A little bit of mail came to light today this mail has been muddled up, I got a letter from Mum & 2 post cards from Mr Peter Hulston (?) I must say a word about the destroyers with us since the Triumph was sunk, we have had 4 torpedo destroyers patrol the coast, you must know & on both sides of us tight to the waters edge are Turks that is when the destroyers give them a chance to get there, they keep their searchlights on the beach & in land all night & if they see anything moving bang goes a shell at them, a party of Turks came right on the beach in broad daylight & started to dig themselves in, I don’t think many got away.
Sunday 13/6/15. Today we had ¼ lb bread issued to each man the first piece of bread I’ve tasted for 3 weeks just been watching one of our planes who dropped 4 bombs in the Turks lines.
Monday 14/6/15. Quiet all day up till 7 p.m. & then tons of shrapnel right on us Thompson hit (?)
Tuesday 15/6/15. Sent card to Kath. From 6 to 7 this evening we’ve been shelled with shrapnel & percussion(?) they got on to one of our supply depots 50 yards in front of us, biscuits, jam, bully beef etc going sky high we’re wondering how we’re going to get on for tucker as we draw from this depot.
Wed 16th June 1915. Was doing 12 hours at trenches today & got a very hot time from shells, the Turks bombarded us for about 2 hours, we got safely through that, got back to camp 7 p.m. & while getting our tea, bang comes a shell right among us poor “Curley” Densley was the only one hit & he got it through the head very bad.
Thurs 17 June 1915 Plenty of shells all day they are getting worse than ever from Galia Tepe its now 7.30 PM for the last hour they have been shelling us & the Army Service which is only 50 yards in front of us all our tucker is going up in the air, as I write this the shells are bursting just over my head, so far nobody has been hit & up to now close on 100 shells have burst on us.
Friday 18/6/15 A couple of nights ago just about 5 PM 2 or 3 barrells were washed ashore a crowd soon collected & many were the tips made after smelling them as to what they contained some said beer others vinegar, wine etc they soon knocked a hole in the end & out poured wine (claret) the news spread like a bush fire, buckets, biscuit tins anything that would hold it, but a lot drank not wisely but too well never such a lot of drunks in my life, but all the same it was dead funny, the Turks opened fire with shrapnell on them while they were filling up their tins but not a man would move shrapnell or no shrapnell fortunately nobody was hit, 6 barrells were washed up on our beach & many more on the part held by the Turks, we surmise they came from the “Triumph”, we have one (?) our (?) big grievance & that’s about our mails there are 3 mails due for us where they are nobody seems to know. Got word today that Curley Densley died.
Sat 19/6/15 Our long looked for mail arrived today which caused much joy. The Turks are pretty lively tonight with shells a “Jack Johnston” just a few minutes ago burst in the centre of our camp made a hole you could put a horse & cart in but fortunately nobody was hit
Sunday 20/6/15 8 weeks today since we landed, 8 weeks & never knowing what minute you are going to get bowled over, its a bit trying on the nerves, a lot of chaps are getting the jumps, I am beginning to feel it a bit myself.
Monday 21/6/15. We’ve got another trouble on us now a sniper has got the track in front of our camp picked off the only track we can use he got 6 chaps in 2 days, every time we go along we wonder if we’ll get past just as we get off the track we get zip, ping, past your ear, you just mutter missed you swine & hurry on.
Tuesday 22nd 23rd 24th 25th 26th June 15. Things have got very quiet Mail day letters from Mum, Kath Mrs Bennett J.
Sunday 27/6/15. I had a very narrow squeak today I was talking to Sgt Aitken on the edge of my dug out, when we both slid, by force of habit on hearing a shell come behind the sandbags, the shell struck 2 ft behind the bags & exploded, we were both knocked silly for a minute or two, but we had to laugh after when we saw what we were buried under.
Monday 28/6/15. This morning the forces at Cape Helles attacked & bodies of Turks were seen leaving here to reinforce Cape Helles, so our men made a mock advance which brought all the reinforcements back, they thinking we were going to advance, we kept them from Cape Helles, but it was costly, & we have been going all day, our casualties about 200. We lost 2 of our own corp today “Scotty” Lanlines killed Torrens seriously wounded this brings the losses in our own corp up to 38.
Tuesday 29/6/15. Turks attacked Quinn’s Port tonight but were repulsed with heavy loss.
Wed 30/6/15. Very quiet all day.
Thurs 1/7/15. In orders from G.O.C. this morning that I been mentioned in Despatches for acts of gallantry & devotion to duty, am quite proud but consider other men ought to have got a mention as well as me.
Fr Sat Sun Mond. All very quiet.
Tueday 6/7/15. The turks have got some new big guns in position we got our first taste this morning,9” shells they fire. At 7 p.m. this evening had a very lively time 6 shells burst within a few feet of my dug out a dozen of us who were camped had to get for our lives.
Wed 7/7/15 Innoculated against Cholera today.
Thurs Fri Sat. Very quiet.
Sunday 11/7/15. The devils got on to our camp this evening with shrapnel & gave us a lively hour we lost 1 man Thomas severely wounded.
Monday 12/7/15. They started to move at daylight this morning, for about 4 hours we were heavily bombarded with shrapnel, etc. Mail day I got one from Mum & Kath date2/6/15. I shouldn’t care to be on just now, the Navy are giving it a fearful bombardment, hope the Tommies are going to try & take it tonight.
Tuesday 13/7/15. The poor old 2nd Brigade are getting it again 85 casualties today all from shell fire in the trenches.
Wed 14/7/15. Wrote letters to Bob Morton G. Blake Kath PC to Kath Mum A Pearce C Bartlett Mrs Relph. Received letters from Mum & Kath 9/2/15.
Thurs & Friday. Very quiet. Sat 17/7/15. A German (?) flew over this morning & dropped 2 bombs near our camp but did not do any damage.
Sunday 18/7/15.An incident occurred today which I must relate. At about 5 this afternoon a “gg” (?) shell burst at the back of the hill on which we are camped, tons of dirt etc came over us, & amongst it a great snake with its head blown off, it landed right in the dug out one of our chaps was in.
Monday 19/7/15. The Turks have got a machine gun trained on to the main road leading to the beach where he can sweep the beach it has finished all bathing until after dark.
Tuesday 20/7/15. Very quiet. Issued with gas helmets.
Wed 21/7/15. At 8 p.m. this evening Col McVeigh held a service in our camp the first we’ve had since we landed I’ve attended a few services but never one like this the Chaplain stood on the edge of a gun pit while we sat round the edge of a great hole which a Turk’s shell had made a few weeks ago, we sang hymns to the accompaniment of rifle fire & bullets whistling overhead. All denominations attended any dress we were in, some stripped to the waist others with only a pair of boots & a shirt on, the Col sang out never mind about getting dressed boys come as you are, & we came it was most impressive.
From 22/7/15 to 2/8/15. I’ve been on the sick list & off duty had a severe bout of dysentery. A German Taube has been causing us a bit of trouble lately dropped 3 bombs quite close to our camp also a lot of steel darts, but I think the damage is practically nil.
3/8/15. More bombs from the Taube but no damage.
4/8/15. Great preparations for our big advance are being made some 8000 “Tommies” landed tonight.
5/8/15. More Tommies landed tonight.
6/8/15 Frid. At 3 p.m. this afternoon our guns started a heavy bombardment on the Turks’ trenches & at 5.30 our boys jumped over our parapets & charged them with the bayonet we captured 4 rows of trenches on our right & other parts of the line was partially successful our casualties heavy.
7/8/15 Sat At daylight we saw that a big force of Tommies had landed on our left including Sikhs & Gurkas they have advanced some 4 miles
8/8/15 Am having my first spell since last Friday am pretty well knocked up, up to date we have taken about 2000 prisoners
9/8/15 Still very busy, great work being done on our left.
10/8/15 Had some narrow escapes from 11 inch shells today they were bursting right about our dressing station one buried 6 of infantry chaps standing along side us, & then I get back to our camp for a spell I’m blowed if a monitor doesn’t put a shell in our camp casualties in our corp heavy, Beny Armstrong McDonald RS killed Matthews, Sommerton Jacobs (?) Studgell (?) Clarke wounded. Wrote to Mun Mrs Short Les Johnston, & Kath (sealed)
11/8/15 Wed Our casualties very heavy on our left mostly Tommies & Indians capture quantity of ammunition
12/8/15 (Thurs) In our charge last Friday night on Lonesome Pine beside capturing 4 rows of trenches we got 10 machine guns & a hotch-kiss & over one million rounds of ammunition. One cannot help feeling sorry for the Turks I’ve seen hundreds of them we (got) took prisoners & the fearful wounds they had its marvellous how they stand against our shell fire, (?) we all admit the Turk is a game fighter except when it comes to the bayonet. We also captured 6 German officers but I’m hanged if I felt sorry for them. Had a look at Lonesome from Johnston’s Jolly today, think we’ve got old Abdul well stoushed there but reckon he holds us at Chess Board, German 6 trench & Quinns Post, The Turks trenches are beautifully made are practically safe from shrapnell, in the Lonesome trenches (indecipherable scratched) what a sight at daylight, the dead lying 4 deep about 3 to 1 of ours & the Turks have been burying their dead in their trenches & its like walking on a spring mattress in some parts here the trenches are only 3 yds apart they can’t fire rifles at each other so they throw bombs, rotten things these hand bombs made of nails slugs (?) stones put in a jam tin with a stick of dynamite & a fuse light the fuse & throw it over they make a horrible mess of a chap (s? or .?) practically plug him full of holes.
13/8/15 Friday Today we were issued with lice bags, containing some sort of powder suppose to keep the lice away, don’t think they much good, don’t notice any falling off myself.
14/8/15 Sat Shifted our camp today to Braunds (?) hill just behind the firing line.
Sund 15/8/15 PC to Kath & Mrs Short very quiet
Monday 16/8/15 16 weeks we’ve been in the firing line without relief its cruel the heads must be mad not to give us a spell, its breaking our spirit, hundreds of men being sent away every week utterly run down we are nearly all suffering from diahorea & dysentry, & hundreds of men are suffering from Barcoo rot every scratch we get if not seen to immediately turns septic, the flies are so bad.
Tues 17/8/15 Our aero’s must have done something this evening 5 (?or 3?) of them flew over us going in direction of “Constanti” later on we were visited by 2 Taubes. Troopship torpedoed off Alex. 1000 lives lost reinforcement 29th Div. (?)
Wed 18th/8/15 Sent letters to Mum, J Ross, Mrs Relph Had a rotten experience this night just going off to sleep when I felt something on my leg, shoved my hand under blanket & knocked it off but not before he had bitten me a beautiful black centipede 6” long except very swollen & sore am feeling no ill effects am glad to say Great life a soldiers life
Thurs 19/8/15 Parcel from Kath. Just been having a lively half hour from 9” Turks shells, they’ve put them all round our camp.
Fri Sat 20 & 21st/8/15 Great attack this afternoon on our left by Irish regiments & our 5th Brigade very successful as far as we can hear
Sunday 22nd/8/15 Camped along with Connaught Rangers (?) we have great talks, their all straight from Ireland, they are filled with admiration for we Australians reckon we’re the finest soldiers in the world, but it takes us all our time to understand them, real brogue.
Monday 23/8/15 Letters & papers from Kath.
Tuesday 24/8/15 Nothing doing, sent Service card & sealed letters to Mum & Kath
Wed. 25/8/15 Letters from Mum, A. Bedbrook
Thurs 26 Friday 27 Sat 28 Nothing doing letters from Mum & A Bedbrook
Sun 29/8/15 Wrote to A Bedbrook A Stallworthy Cards to Mum & Kath
Monday Tues. Wed Nothing doing letter from Nan
Thurs 2.9.15 Wrote to Mum, Dick Nan
Friday Sat Sunday 5/9/15 6th Brigade landed, met J Skene, Garrett, G Addison
Monday Tues Wed 8/9/15 Wrote to Kath PC to Mum & Kath
Thurs 9/9/15 & Friday 10/9/15 Orders this afternoon to prepare to embark, boarded barges 8 PM towed to HMS Clacton (?) arrived Lemnos Island 10 am marched into camp, tired, dirty, ragged, crummy (?), hungry, but happy, the first time for 5 months that we have not heard the crack of rifles & scream of shells. So far the 1st & 2nd brigades have been relieved.
Sat 11/9/15 Good food & nothing to do, eggs & bacon steak, fresh bread etc & a small bottle of stout per man, plenty of sleep it seems almost too quiet to be true.
Sunday 12/9/15 bit of mail in got one from Mum, Kit & A Johnston
Monday 13/9/15 After having 12 months without rain tonight we were flooded out had a good nights sleep, standing up with water running over our boots.
Tues 14/9/15 Wed 15/9/15 Wrote to Mum & Kath.
Thurs 16/9/15 Our lost mail turned up, one from Mum, Kath, Vera, E Nicholson, & papers flooded out again today by gum it can rain here.
Friday 17/9/15 Of the original 108 bearers who landed on 25 April only 30 of us came off last Friday we had 15 killed & 55 wounded remainder sick, we had our 6th reinforcements & came off 60% below strength. Letter from Kath & Vera, 4/8/15
Sat 18th Sund 19th
Monday 20/9/15 Promoted to rank of Corporal today ( (Pro-?) or first?
Tues. 21/9/15, Wed 22/9/15 letters from Mum & Kath Hilda Win. Wrote to Mum, Kath, G Tait.
Thurs Fri Sat 25/9/15 Great excitement among Greeks Starting to mobilize
Sunday 26/9/15 All Greeks making for Castro the capital of this island, but we can’t find out who they are going to war against
Monday Tues 27/9/15 Med exam today passed
Wed Thursday 30/9/15 Letters to Mum & Kath (cutting)
Monday 4/10/15 Letters from Mum Kath OR. Auntie Claire G Clements, Bess (?) Mrs Relph
Wed 6/10/15 Wrote to A Reay (?) mum Kath. OR A Bedbrook Aunt Claire C Clements. 1(?)/10/15 Letters from Mum, Kath, A Johnston E Bartlett, & paper
14/10/15 Wrote to Mum, Kath, E Bartlett A Seline (?)
21/10/15 Wrote to Mum Kath, Dick
26/10/15 Wrote to Mum, Kath, JPOR, Bob Morton
30/10/15 Met H Hunt Outbreak of diptheria in 2nd Brigade result is were all in quarantine not allowed outside our lines going to have a pleasant time, I don’t think
2/11/15 lots of roumers that we’re going to Salonica. Letters from Mum Kath G Moroney JPOR, Stan, Vera, Mrs Relph.
3/11/15 Sent letters & Money to mum & Kath. Cards to Winnie E Bart Nan C Clements, A Johnston, Dr Short, letters to J Moroney (Morney?)
10/11/15 Isolation lifted today Letters from Mum (scratched) Win, Kath, Beat. Sent letters to Mum Kath PC to Mrs Relph Beat, Dick
received parcel from Kath
11/11/15 today our brigade (2nd) was inspected by Lord Kitchener who in a great speech congratulated us on our doings he also brought a message from the King congratulating us such praise coming from Kitchener himself made us feel very cocky.
17/11/15 Revelli at 4am this morning this being our 3rd attempt to go back to Anzac the first time diphtheria stopped us & we were quarantined for 14 days the second time we were stopped by bad weather, today we marched out of camp at 7 am & got aboard HMS Waterwicket(?) & were transferred to transport, the wind by this time was blowing a small gale stopped on transport for 2 hours a terrific gale blowing now, orders now came to disembark weather too bad at Anzac so off we got & marched back to camp which we reached at 4 PM, for a fair dinkum mess up this beats the band, we’re now waiting for weather to moderate
18th 19th 20th 21st A roaring gale these 4 days bitterly cold, just a mild sample of what winter will be like
25/11/15 wrote to Mum & Kath, Played 7th Batt footie beaten by one point (yesterday) 7th Batt left today no sign of us moving, we’ve got 20 men in hospital looks as if we are to stop here & look after the troops as they come from the Front. Had a mock trial by jury tonight Hassan accused MacOrck (?) (?) for defence self Crown prosecution caused great fun
28/11/15 First fall of snow today very light but enough to let us know what its like, a howling bitterly cold gale blowing up a 3am this morning putting out tent up very choice (?)
1/12/15 Wrote to Mum, Kath, H Hunt Arthur Bedbrook, PJOR Miss Burge.
5/12/15 Received letter from Mum dated 5/10/15.
8/12/15 Wrote to Mum Kath G Rayson (?)
11/12/15 Letters from Aunt Lottie Uncle Alec Dr Short Sylvia (?) (?) Blake
12/12/15 Something big on if we only knew what it is, 5 & 6th Batt 4th L Horse 7th Brigade all arrived here today every one with the same idea that we are going to give up Anzac just fancy it will break our hearts after all we’ve done there to give it back (?) before we’ve finished, but we bow our hearts to our Generals; they know best.
14/12/15 More troops coming in today wrote to Mum, Kath, Geo Blake Aunt Lottie Uncle Albert Sylvie Gowler (?)
15/12/15 Troops arriving by thousands
16/12/15 It is now quite certain that we are leaving, Anzac troops arriving daily
17th 18th 19th 20th More troops coming in
21/12/15 At 4am this morning the last of our boys left Anzac. What a wonderful piece of work something like 40,000 Australians & New Zealanders have left Anzac & are safely here, without losing a man, evidently the Turks know nothing about it, what a shock they will get when they find nobody in our trenches, we all feel it very much and are a little down hearted at leaving the place, we so dearly won but we must have confidence in our Generals, if it had been left to the men not a man would have left, but when once comes to look at it, we were not doing much good there only keeping a small portion of Turks engaged, it is quite certain that the ‘cards’ cannot be forced, we did our work when we first landed & smashed up the flower of the Turkish army, I will now close this book on the day we finished at Anzac & say here endeth the first chapter of the Australian Ex. Force, I wonder where our next (?) chapter will start.
———–
footnote: ‘Win’ or ‘Winnie’ is my grandmother; Ralph and win had the same Mother, but different fathers as Ralph’s father died when ralph was quite young. More can be read about Win’s Father under the ’Truelove’ entry.
