World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula
Riding back, Foley and I call at his Brigade H.Q. and see Major Lucas,
the Brigade Major, and later Brigadier-General Marshall comes in.
Their H.Q., situated some three hundred yards behind Pink Farm, but to
the right, looking towards Achi, is built in an even more beautiful
spot than the H.Q. of the 88th. In fact, it can only be described as
a most beautiful natural garden, and the quarters are composed simply
of summer-houses nestling under trees, with flowers and meadow grass
growing in beautiful confusion all around. Bullets just fall short of
this spot, and shells do not drop near, for it is away from any target.
I call at the R.N.D. armoured car camp afterwards, just half-way back
between Pink Farm and the beach, off the West Krithia road, to look
up a friend that I hear is with them, but learn that he has not yet
landed. Four armoured cars are dug in to what look like deep horse
stalls of earth—beautiful Rolls-Royce cars, and I hear that they are
to go into action in the battle which is thought to be coming off in a
few days.
_2 p.m._
This afternoon it is so hot that I strip to the waist and write on
the cliff. A few transports are in. Mine-sweepers in pairs, with
little sails aft, are on duty at the entrance, cruising slowly and
methodically to and fro, joined to each other by a sunken torpedo-net;
and woe unto a submarine that should run into that net! It will quickly
meet with an untimely end; its base will hear no more news of it,
and its destruction will be kept secret by the Navy. Destroyers are
on patrol right out to sea. One battleship can just be seen far away
towards Lemnos. Work on the beach goes on steadily. Engineers are hard
at work constructing a new pier, which will serve as a breakwater as
well. Stones for this purpose are being quarried from the side of the
cliff. A light railway is in course of construction round the beach and
along the road at the foot of this cliff and up to the depot.
JUNE
_June 1st, 11.30._
Rode to H.Q., leaving my mare at Pink Farm, where I met General Doran,
our new Brigadier, with whom I walked to H.Q. Coming back along West
Krithia road, met Mathias, Brigade Vet. Two shells whistle over us.
Mathias says, “Here comes a shell,” to which I reply, “It’s come and
gone, dear boy,” as they burst “plonk” in the middle of the road that
we have to pass along. We make a detour and ride back over country.
Four officers, just come from England, arrive and have lunch with us.
_3 p.m._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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