Gallipoli

10th August 1915

9:10pm - The Battalion landed at Suvla Bay and at 10:30pm immediately went on outpost.

12th August 1915

3:30pm - Received orders to be ready to move forward at 4:00pm. The Battalion advanced.

4:50pm - The Brigade, with the Battalion in the centre came under heavy enfilading fire from a strong body of the enemy on the left. The Brigade continued to advance suffering heavy casualties and very quickly had gained some two miles, but being very much scattered the Battalions became out of touch with one another.

6:00pm - About 100 men consisting of all four regiments of the Brigade had established themselves in a sunken ditch in front of the wells at ANAFARTA OVA. After a great deal of difficulty the remainder of the brigade were collected together amounting to some 800 men in all and held a line about 600 yards along a sunken track and dry ditch which was apparently used by the enemy as a track to the wells and this track had apparently been used by the enemy as a trench when the Brigade was advancing. As there were no other Battalions in support all that could be done was to hang on and endeavour to consolidate the position.

14th August 1915

Joined up on the right with the trenches held by the Welsh Division, our left was still in the air. At 1.15pm the enemy counter attacked on the left but was driven off by the fire of our two Battalion machine-guns. In the event of the attack being successful we should have been completely surrounded and the only course open to us would have been to fight ourselves out with the bayonet which would have resulted in very heavy casualties.

4:00pm - Three Regiments were seen advancing to our relief. Eventually at 6.30pm they relieved us.

11:00pm - The Companies which had held the position retired back to their original position, a large number of wounded had therefore had to be left on the ground over which we had advanced.

16th August 1915

3:10pm - The Battalion received orders with the 5th Suffolk Regiment to proceed to the north side of KIRETCH TEPE SIRT to take up the support trenches of the 10th Division. We were directed by a Staff Officer to the top of the hill and told to wait. The Battalion eventually moved along the Mule Track for a distance of over a mile and took up some trenches which we found there, but they certainly could not be called reserve or support trenches, as there were no trenches in front of us.

23rd August 1915

Still in occupation of trenches. As the sniping was getting bad a reconnoitring patrol was sent out to our front and located some trenches on a hill about 600 yards from our front. The snipers as far as can be ascertained are located in caves at the bottom of KIRETCH TEPE SIRT. To commence with in order to get rid of the difficulty we endeavoured to subdue them by machine gun fire, but experience proved that this only aggravated the nuisance and had no effect and was simply a waste of ammunition, the practice was therefore discontinued. The only method of subduing appears to be by anti-sniping parties, but the character of the British Infantry Soldier does not lend itself readily to such an enterprise and it requires a considerable amount of training before they are any use in this respect.

24th August 1915

Shelled for a considerable period, but no damage done.

25th August 1915

6:00am - Captain Hills of the 5th Bedfordshire Regiment came to take over our position, and numerous snipers were still troublesome. At 6.00pm received orders.

26th August 1915

Battalion received orders to be relieved by the 11th Division and we were to proceed to Divisional rest camp at 8pm. The West Lancs and the Yorks Regiments did not however arrive until 10pm, and took over the fire trenches. At 4am they informed us they had no men to relieve us with so we had orders to proceed at once to KARAKOL DAGH, where we arrived at 6am.

28th August 1915

Battalion rested, at night one company occupying reserve trenches. Advantage was taken of the opportunity for bathing, which the men badly needed.

29th August 1915

Still at LALA BABA, on account of the accurate fire of the enemy’s artillery it was necessary to keep in dugout during the day, the fire being obviously directed at Mule Park about 150 yards north of our dugouts where a lot of damage was done.

1st September 1915

The Battalion rested during the day. Receiving orders that the Brigade would move to ANZAC.

4th September 1915

The Battalion spent day and night in the trenches. Smell from dead bodies was very disagreeable and lack of disinfectant very apparent.

5th September 1915

Battalion was relieved at 7.30am, and provided working parties for the trenches for the next 24 hours. Casualties for week ending Sept 5th were - Killed 4 – Wounded 7, a large number suffering from dysentery and debility.

7th September 1915

The Battalion detailed for trenches at 7:00am for 24 hours. Enemies’ bombing continuous during night, although many fell in centre section of trenches no damage was done, the bombs taking a long time to explode and a coat thrown over them effectively affected damage.

4th October 1915

Took over line of trenches at 5.45 am, these trenches being situated about 800 yards to the right of Hill 60.

9:00am - After heavy shelling on both sides heavy rifle fire was opened on our right. No targets appeared however and after 50 minutes everything was again quiet. This fire was evidently a demonstration by the enemy. Rest of the day passed quietly.

12th-13th October 1915

The weather continuing cold owing to strong NE wind. Troops fitted with serge clothing and part issue off (sic) winter underclothing.

8th November 1915

Reported that 2Lt Pavey wounded and L/Cpl Tosdevin wounded and missing during patrol.

17th November 1915

Weather – SW gale – very dusty. Wind increased in violence during afternoon – heavy rainstorm 20.30. Day quiet with exception of four shells hitting the parapet and flying on the left of our sector. Heavy firing on right about 20.00. Turkish bomb reported to have been thrown at No 1 post.

23rd November 1915

Weather cold raw – no wind. Enemy fired two shells into this sector during the day 1 Other Rank wounded in sap leading to JAMIESON’S JAUNT. Our sniping a marked success.

3rd December 1915

Marching orders at 18.30. Embarked at Williams Pier, ANZAC. MUDROS

15th December 1915

Embarked on HMT ‘Victorian’ sailed at 17.30.