World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula
Invitations to lunch and dinner, etc., go on every day here, and it is
a regular custom for men in the firing-line to invite men from the base
(only four miles back) to a meal and vice versa. This campaign is quite
unique in many ways.
_May 16th._
Perfect day again. Saw Brigade H.Q. and hear they are moving further to
the left up in the firing-line, about half a mile beyond Pink Farm.
Hear that our wounded, and French and Australian, have been arriving
in great numbers at Cairo and Alexandria. The British are now being
sent to Malta. Hear that 20,000 Turkish wounded have arrived at Smyrna,
and 12,000 at Constantinople. Put in divisional orders to cheer us up.
Fancy a civilized nation sending round statistics of the result of
their slaughter to cheer and exhort! Yet it cheered me. Strange how
quickly one becomes bloodthirsty and savage.
Fighting proceeding on our right by French. No general attack being
made to-day, idea being to strengthen line, push forward steadily by
sapping, and then, when in strong position with three or four lines of
supports, to make a rush. This will probably happen in a few days now.
Big gun has not been knocked out after all, for we had a dozen of the
best over to-day, but I was up in front and so missed it.
Gurkhas on left have pushed forward well up to left of Krithia. Still a
few snipers behind our lines on left of Krithia.
We had divine service this morning behind 88th Brigade lines. A service
under such circumstances is most impressive, every soul there being
within easy distance of a horrible death. It is a lovely morning, and
as the soldiers sing the hymns with lusty voices, an accompaniment is
provided by the screaming of shells overhead. But the singing continues
unabated. Here one hears the same dear old tunes of our childhood,
but under what different circumstances! At home, the breeze softly
whispering in the trees outside the ancient church, with the shaded
light glimmering through the stained glass and men and women mingling
their voices in praise to God; and then, out here, the breeze murmurs
as at home, the birds are singing and the sun is shining—but over the
congregation, the bareheaded rows of khaki figures, even while they
sing the same old hymns as of old, the Angel of Death hovers with naked
sword. Then the benediction in level tones from the Padre and the
service is ended. Surely the most impressive I have witnessed. For here
in a double sense one stands face to face with one’s Maker.
_May 18th._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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