21 August 1915

Sick sent away increasing daily - Serg. Hannah, Len Dewar today.
Have splendid possie here with cooking, dug-out shelves etc., up to dick. Battleships bombarding up at Anafarta Bay this evening.
Big attack on "Burnt Hill: (Hill 70) which was captured but lost in night.
L.H. (red and white) went to relieve 2 Batn in trenches captured from Turks on Lone Pine Ridge. The Turks know how to dig trenches and also how to build them. Some parts of the captured ones are model of safety and comfort, fine bomb-proof shelter and excellent sniper look outs. Many dead are still unburied up the gully. Some saps are full of bodies and are simply filled in - nothing else can be done with them. The Doctor is now showing consideration to the ones who have stuck to their jobs here right from the start, and he is sending many of them away for a spell.
 Dismounted English Yeomanry joined in attack on Burnt Hill advance across Salt Lake, Inscription on Turkish Shells- Death to my enemies.
...

20 August 1915

Change of weather. Cold snap. 6 hospital ships in anchorage this morning. Some small 3 pounder shells whisked over us very close to our home. One struck poor chap in 11th Btn further on. Saw him with one leg right off, the other mashed, morphia was injected and he seemed to be bearing up well, but died on way out to hospital ship. Issued with 1½ eggs per man.
C.M.R. (N.Z.) casualties on Aug 21st.
Wounded C. Cowan (Thigh), C. West, W. Gray.

19 August 1915

Howitzers from this flank being shifted to Left, another big move on the cards there. Saw 30 of 11th sent away sick in one batch. 3rd Bdge is run down with hard work. Kirkwood (sig.) sent away sick

18 August 1915

 Ninth Btn moved along into Tasmania Post. Lieut Chambers O.C. D Coy.

17 August 1915

Capt Campbell went away sick. Kempshill, Corp Bell, Reinger with old bullet wound

16 August 1915

More sick (14) sent away. Two Sharps Ward T. Reardon, Butler of 6th Ninth. The doctors of each Battalion signed declaration that Brigade is unfit for duty on account of sickness. Round to left near Turkish prisoners camp viewing shrapnel bursting over Anafarla, W. Ridges and range beyond. “Jack Johnsons” bursting on Sandy flat was No 2 Outpost searching for a howitzer battery there. Gen. Birdwood congratulated the “boys” of Aust. & NZ division on their fine night march and subsequent work last Saturday. 15th came under M.G. fire while advancing in single file and was cut up badly. Wellington Hundred’s bore the brunt of N.Z. losses. Rumour of torpedoing of transport “Royal Edward” on 14th inst. confirmed over 1000 Tommies drowned. Rum issue cut out.

15 August 1915

Notice new 6 inch howitzer up gully behind 2nd Btn trenches. Great piles of captured equipment there – also Turkish rifles and bayonets, trenching forks etc. indicating the heavy losses of last week. Dead are still being brought out – saw 15 this morning, some in canvas boarded jackets and limed. Many bodies charred. Daily rum issue still continues. Heard R.Q.M.S was arrested for being tight. Some wounded returned, a few from England, singing praises for the good time they had. Marquerson, W. Cooper, Hughes sent away sick.

14 August 1915

Issue of TWO figs per man, 1 egg, 1/8 tin of milk, handful of rice, 10 sultanas! Hill 971 is surrounded by our boys on three sides. Nobody can live on the top, as it is swept by Artillery of both forces. Many casualties here.

13 August 1915

Bombardment at Achi Baba. Rumoured another attempt to take Hill 971 to be made tonight,

12 August 1915

Serg. Dewar promoted 2nd Lieut. C. Coy. Fighting still proceeding on left. General position is uncertain, we have made a good advance, but not accomplished all that was hoped. Casualties said to be 10000. 15th, 16th Batn A.I.F. suffered, also N.Z boys and East Lancs. Tobacco gift from Over Seas Club.

11 August 1915

Hill 971 still untaken. Smell of dead bodies getting almost unbearable in our front trenches. Gift of Tobacco from overseas Club. Rumoured that we are to relieve 1st Bge which is reduced to 700 strong by recent fighting, 2nd Btn suffering particularly heavy. Their dead lie on heaps on the Turkish parapets on Pine Ridge. Today petroleum bombs are being thrown with the object of setting fire to the dead bodies lying out in front.

10 August 1915

Round to left flank witnessing bombardment by Navy in Anafarla bay; Heard later target was Turkish Div, advancing in Mass. Saw Turks shelling our advanced positions on the plain 5 miles inland, also observation balloon Village of Anafarla in flames. Red Cross depot on shore near old N.Z. “No. 2” outpost. Constant stream of wounded coming from the hills. Very severe fighting on the high ridges. Hill 971 proving a tough proposition. Saw 30 Turkish wounded, an evil-looking lot of ragamuffins, mostly Greek mostly types, big middle-aged men. Said that 60 000 troops have landed on this flank, including cavalry. Received parcel of knitted socks from home, which are very acceptable, considering I have been wearing my present pair for 3 weeks.

9 August 1915

12th Btn supporting 2nd and 1st Bge on Lone Pine getting rather a rough time. 42 of them cut off in a sap. Saw many dead brought out of 2nd Btn trenches, over 1000 in 4 days. Constant rifle fire all day, more troops being landed. Rumoured that transport “Royal Edward” torpedoed off Lemnos with loss of 1200 Tommies.
Final assault on Chunak Bair. Today – preceded by heavy bombardment. Gurkhas reached summit on neck between Hill 971 and Hill Q, but were driven back. Exhausted N.Z. boys relieved at night, after hanging on all day. At dawn on 10th Turks drove the Tommies down the hill.

8 August 1915

At dawn NZ colum gained S.W. slope of main peak of Chunok Bair.Lancaster of our platoon killed in bomb tunnel. Big 10 inch howitzer shells dropping near us. One took leg off signaller lying in his bivouac. 5th Batn Connaught Rangers supporting us. Heard that fine advance has been made by new landing party. “Bluey” Blake wounded

7 August 1915

During night large body of troops landed on both sides of Anafarla Bay. Whole Northern sector is crowded with shipping, many transports, destroyers, 5” cruisers, 100 other craft. Big engagement proceeding, Turkish shrapnel bursting over landing parties. Turks counter attacked on 2nd Bge during night bombing them out of some trenches. At dawn on 8th N.Z. column gained S.W. Slope of main Peak of Chunak Bair.

6 August 1915

Naval artillery observer killed by sniper last night at dusk. He groaned as they lifted him up so they carried him out to the Aid Post in an oil-sheet, but one look at his pale face satisfied the doctor. At daybreak this morning Abdul was surprised to see some transports and a large number of smaller craft plying to and fro, so he commenced a vigorous rifle and shell fire which he is still keeping up. Many fresh troops are in the gully below us. The more the merrier - We will want them all to-night. Orders are out to put blanket and sheet in pack and hand them in, so that looks like business. Who is to try for the first line of trenches we do not yet know. Gun Ridge is the main objective on this flank but there are several smaller ridges, all entrenched that must be taken first. Issued with iron rations. No tea or water for 24 hours. At noon bombardment commenced and first Bge captured 3 lines of trenches at 5.30 towards Lone Pine. 2nd Bge charged at midnight but were not so successful. Indian Mountain Battery left us to support Ghurkas. Getting issue of ⅛ tin of milk per day. Also a little rice. Desperate trench fighting all night on Lonesome Pine. 1st Bge had frightful losses. N.Z. div. and 4 Aus Bge made night march from Fisherman's Hut and No. 2 outpost capturing No.3 Outpost, Banchop’s Hill and Big and Little Tabletops. At dawn Indians had reached the farm, and N.Z. Inf was on Rhododendron Ridge.
Something big must be coming off as we are getting rum issue every day instead of once in a blue moon.

5 August 1915

8000 Tommies landed during night, East, West, South, North Lancashires, Welsh regiments of the Kings Own, and Kitcheners Army. Incendiary shell set fire to wireless station today. Issued with white square of linen for back and armlets for sleeves to be used as distinguishing badge in coming night attack. More rum.

5 August 1915

8000 Tommies landed during night, East, West, South, North Lancashires, Welsh regiments of the Kings Own, and Kitcheners Army. Incendiary shell set fire to wireless station today. Issued with white square of linen for back and armlets for sleeves to be used as distinguishing badge in coming night attack. More rum.

4 August 1915

 Sixth Reinf. arrived this morning. A likely looking lot. Large number of fresh troops reported landed during night. A big move on shortly, Went through test in signalling by Headquarters. More rum.

3 August 1915

More hammering away by Navy at Achi Baba. Rum issue three days running.

11th Bn lost Leans Trench.

2 August 1915

 Dead of 11th buried today, also 4 Turks which looked very famished and down-at-heel in appearance. Their low condition indicates a shortage of rations. The skin of one little fellow was stretched across his ribs like parchment paper. They belonged to 48th Regt. Some of the dead were headless. One clutched a torn half of a bible in either hand. Thirty-one good Australians for the sake of a few chains of trenches. Went round to NZ Rest camp. Saw R Caskey, Phil McGregor, Smallridge, Gibson of Timaru, also Capt. Foulker, who was reported killed but was only badly wounded. Steel darts dropped there yesterday by Taube. More rum.

1 August 1915

Trench successfully carried out at moonrise after blowing up saps.
11th Bat. lost about 110 men. 31 killed 2nd L H Colonel (Colonel Hubert Harris) killed. Firing line supported with heavy rifle fire. McSpadden (one of 4th-9th) struck in jaw. Heavy fire from Turkish batteries for some hours. (2 days later 11th were bombed out of part of “Lean's” trench. Every man on watch there was killed. In retaking it many casualties were incurred. Men had bombs but nothing to light them with! Altogether 11th casualties in this sector have been 220.11th men were mostly scattered by shrapnel from Gun Ridge, which got on to them very lively. Many were killed in the trenches and Aratonga Sap. More rum.