World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula
We are now moored alongside the _Seeang-Bee_, which arrived almost
simultaneously with us. She has 950 troops on board, drafts, and others
returning to duty. No news from Gallipoli, except that things there are
much as usual. After August, I hear, the weather breaks up, so that
if something is not done in August, we shall have great difficulty in
landing supplies and ammunition. The outlook is far from bright. Up to
date the points are with the Turk.
An officious M.L.O. comes on board, and tells each of us in as
imperious a way as possible our respective destinations.
I get on to the _Seeang-Bee_, and hang about waiting. I find Morris on
board, who was at the Regina Palace Hotel with me.
At six o’clock the M.L.O. comes on board again, and after arranging for
our departure, casually mentions that he had heard that “W” Beach was
heavily shelled last night. He almost licked his lips as he spoke. He
had never even heard a gun fired himself. An R.N.D. officer tells me
that he has a great desire to chuck the M.L.O. overboard. This officer
is quite an interesting person; went to France in the early part of the
war in the R.F.C., had a spill which laid him up for six months, and
now is in charge of a Machine Gun Section in the R.N.D.
We get on board a small steamer, _Whitby Abbey_, and sail over to
the _Aragon_, the L. of C. Headquarters boat. A very nice boat, the
_Aragon_, fitted out with every luxury.
At eight we push off, loaded to the boat’s limit with troops, mailbags,
watercarts, sand-bags, and ammunition.
We pass through the host of transports and warships that now crowd the
harbour of Mudros. As we pass each warship the sailors come running to
the sides and cheer and cheer. Shouts of “Are we downhearted?” etc.,
freely pass between us, and this inspiring demonstration is repeated
enthusiastically as we pass each great ship of war. It is very nice of
them. I think they feel it a bit, being bottled up at Mudros. But it is
all right; we shall win, even if the war lasts ten years. Stick at your
training, you British Boy Scouts!
We leave the hills of Lemnos, as we did on that memorable evening of
April 24th, three months ago, just as it is getting dusk, the sun
quickly setting in the sea. A full moon rises, and on a calm sea we
steam north.
They provide some food for us on board, bully beef and bread, and later
we lie about and try to sleep.
A very nice R.N.R. officer on board stands me a drink.
Curiously enough, I came away from the Peninsula on this boat on July
3rd, and the same man stood me a drink, though he had forgotten. I
suppose he regularly stands a drink to all officers coming and going.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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