World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula
This camp on the slopes of the cliff is now the Rest Camp of the
Division, and while two Brigades are in the line, one Brigade is at
rest. At rest, that is, from bullets, and, if they keep under the
cliff, from shells, but not at rest from digging fatigues. The road has
to be made, and so have the dugouts on the side of the cliff. They get
good bathing though, and bathing out here beats any that I have ever
struck.
I talk to the only two officers left of those who were with the
Worcesters in England. They appear very breezy and bright.
We are hard at work building our men’s bivouac, which is in the form of
a funk-hole. We are digging it in the side of the cliff, from the top,
and it will be entered by about ten steps leading down on to a terrace,
which will run on the outside of the house, dug into the cliff’s side,
under a sloping roof made with a sailcloth. It will be so situated
that, should shells come our way, they will either burst on top, where
our old bivouac still is, or fly over the cliff and burst in the road
below or in the sea.
We are modelling ours on a bivouac of some R.N.D. officers about fifty
yards further up the cliff-side. On their terrace they have all their
meals, including dinner at night, which is a luxury, with the sound of
the waves washing against the road below and the view of Imbros in the
distance. In their dugout house at night they go to sleep with more
feeling of security than I have at present.
I share a tent with Phillips. Just as I am turning in, Way comes in to
say that Asia has just started sending over high explosives. None reach
us, but they make a devil of a row, and I fall asleep feeling rather
uncomfortable.
_June 12th._
Woke up at 5.30 a.m. by shelling, shells from Asia nearly reaching
a big transport that had come in overnight, on the opposite of our
“bivvy.” Wind and flies as bad as ever, and it is getting very hot.
Dust smothering everything. Turks reported to be sick of the war, and
rumoured to be individually seeking a chance to give themselves up. But
it is still a long, long way to Achi Baba. That must be taken first.
Cliff on the west side up to Gully Beach covered with troops, looking
like a lot of khaki ants from a distance; all back resting. They have
to keep well under cover of cliffs, as they would soon be shelled.
Major Lang, Worcesters, killed in the last battle. He was the officer
I saw in the trenches when I went up for Bush’s letters. Bush also
killed. This side of the war is the most difficult to bear.
Just heard that Brigade are moving back to trenches after three days’
rest.
_June 13th._
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