World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula
Early this morning we have showers of rain, which are followed by a
southerly breeze, quickly blowing them away. Brilliant sunshine makes
the day quite hot. During the night I receive orders to issue two days’
rations to-night to the 88th Brigade and the rest of the Division,
and afterwards to embark with all A.S.C. details along with D.H.Q. I
am down on the beach in the afternoon getting our kits shipped off.
At five o’clock the Turks open fire with two guns on to the beaches
and beach roads, and the first few cause casualties. The shells are
first-class, and burst with a deafening crash. One gun is on Sari
Bair and the other is on the hills on the left of Anafarta. They
continue until shortly after dusk—about 6.20 p.m. Five minutes after,
the beaches are alive with men once more, and the work of evacuation
proceeds energetically. This bout of shelling makes us anxious, as it
would appear that our plot has been discovered. I go up to C.R.E. dump
and issue two days’ rations to the 88th Brigade and the few remaining
odd units. We leave the balance of the reserve supplies. They are
too near the line to be burnt on the last night, and we leave them
as a present of thanksgiving to our enemy, the Turk, who has “played
the game” throughout the campaign. I say good-bye to the Brigade and
express the hope that I shall see them all safe and well in Egypt,
where I believe we are going for a good rest and refitment. Nobody can
deny that the 29th deserve it.
I go back and have a last meal with Horne. Our camp will be deserted
to-morrow, yet if an enemy aeroplane sails over, no change will be
noted. Our dugouts are left standing intact. I, with the details, go
down to “Y” forming-up post, and there meet, as on previous nights,
parties and companies of men arriving. I call the roll of my men, and
am instructed by the Adjutant of the C.R.E. to fall my men in behind
the D.H.Q. party when the order is telephoned up from West Beach. A
wait of three-quarters of an hour. We hope no shells will arrive. Horne
comes up to say good-bye to me. I wish him good luck, not envying him
his wait of forty-eight hours.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account