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[Illustration: POINT OF GALLIPOLI]

THE INCOMPARABLE 29THAND THE "RIVER CLYDE"

BYGEORGE DAVIDSON, M. A. , M. D. MAJOR, R. A. M. C. 

ABERDEENJAMES GORDON BISSET85 BROAD STREET

DedicatedTO THESTRETCHER-BEARERS OF THE89TH FIELD AMBULANCEIN WARM ADMIRATION OF THEIR CONSTANT ZEAL AND PLUCKAND IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE MANY EXCITING TIMESWE HAD TOGETHER

PREFACE. 

I had not the slightest intention of ever publishing these notes inbook form while jotting them down for the sole purpose of giving mywife some connected idea of how we at the Front were spending ourtime. I found, to my surprise, that keeping a diary was a greatpleasure, and I rarely missed the opportunity of taking notes at oddtimes--and often in odd places. 

Several of my friends read the parts as I sent them home, and it is onthe valued advice of one in particular that I now offer these scrapsto the public. I make practically no change on the original, but in afew places, for the sake of sequence, or more fulness, I have madeadditions. These are always in brackets. 

Some of the remarks in the original might safely be published fiftyyears hence, but at present the war is too recent for these to see thelight of print. 

 GEORGE DAVIDSON, R. A. M. C. 

 TORPHINS, ABERDEENSHIRE, _June, 1919. _

DIARY. 

_March 16th, 1915. _--After serving for five months as a lieutenant inwhat was at first known as the 1st Highland Field Ambulance, andafterwards, as the 89th Field Ambulance, I left Coventry, our laststation, to do my little bit in the great European War, ourdestination being unknown. We had heard well-founded rumours that wewere going to the Dardanelles, or somewhere in the Levant, and ourbeing deprived of our horses and receiving mules instead, and helmets(presumably cork) being ordered for the officers, all pointed to ourbeing sent to a warmer climate than France or Belgium, where the waris raging on the west side of the great drama. 

Leaving Coventry at 1. 50 p. M. We reached Avonmouth about 5, to findthat our boat was not in. The men were put up in a cold, draughty shedfor the night, where they had little sleep, while the officers tooktrain to Bristol, nine miles off, where we dined excellently at theRoyal Hotel, but, there being no vacant rooms, we went to the St. Vincent's Rocks Hotel, overlooking the Clifton Suspension Bridge andthe great gorge of the Avon. 

_March 17th. _--Returned to Avonmouth and wandered about inspecting thehuge transports lying in the docks, and H. M. S. "Cornwall, " justreturned for repairs from the fight at Falkland Islands. She hadreceived three shell holes in her hull, one under the water line, anda large number of perforations in one of her funnels. 

We then got on board our boat, the "Marquette, " of the Red Star Line, built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Glasgow, of over 8000 tons, andsaid to be a good sailer. We lunched with the captain, a Scotchman ofcourse, hailing from Montrose. At 5. 30 we got the men on board, andall spent the night in our new quarters. 

_March 18th. _--After getting numerous details on board during lastnight and to-day, amounting to about 1300 men, 60 officers, about 700horses and mules; besides 20 tons of explosives and 50 tons of barbedwire, and wagons by the hundred, we set sail at 10 p. M. Under sealedorders. No lights were allowed owing to the danger from submarineswhich had been busy within the last few days in the Bristol Channeland about the Scilly Islands. As escort we had two torpedo-boatdestroyers, one on each side and slightly ahead. These left us aftertwelve hours, when we were in less danger, and 100 miles west of theusual course, sailing W. S. W. Into the Atlantic. 

_March 19th. _--Beautiful day with slight breeze, but biting cold atfirst; ship pitching and rolling moderately, a few officers a littlesick early, and about 80 per cent of the men, the latter sufferingbadly from the close atmosphere in their deck, in which their hammocksare slung as close as sardines in a tin and all port holes closed. Theelectric light had been shut off so that no one might be able to showa light. 

Dr. K----, the ship's ancient doctor, is a curious customer, full ofstories and quaint remarks. Captain Findlay is very communicative butwill not reveal any private orders. He is directed to steer for theMediterranean by a certain course. About 5 p. M. To-day he altered hiscourse from W. S. W. To S. At 5 an order was issued to have the ironshutters put over the port holes, otherwise no lights to be allowed. 

Very little shipping has been seen to-day, although several ships of asmall size have passed at a long distance on our port side. One of thereasons for choosing this course was to avoid ships that might carry awireless installation and signal our movements to the enemy. 

The captain, when swearing at the head steward about someforgetfulness, gave what he considered proof of the superiority of thememory of the lower animals over the human in a little story. He hadcarried Barnum and Bailey's menagerie once from America andoccasionally fed a young elephant, Ruth by name, after PresidentCleveland's daughter, she taking apples from his pocket. After threeyears he came across her again, and calling her by name, she came upand put her trunk into the same pocket as of old. On the trip over hecarried 1200 animals, only two dying, one being the giraffe which felldown a hatchway and broke his neck in two places--somehow a veryfitting death for a giraffe. 

Saw several porpoises playing and jumping beside the boat. A wirelessmessage to the captain tells of the appearance of a German submarineat Dover last night. 

Towards 6. 30 two very large steamers crossed our bows, coming out ofthe west, while we went slowly to avoid them. One carried no lightsand was probably carrying troops from Canada. 

Had an amusing talk on the boat deck with the old doctor. He wastelling us about three padres who left our boat just before westarted, preferring to go by another as they did not like travellingwith so many animals. There being no parson for the coming Sundaysthey requested him to hold the services, but he replied that there wasno use asking him, he could not pray worth a damn. He explained that aship rang eight bells at 12, four at 8, and one for each half-hourafter these, as one bell at 4. 30, two at 5, three at 5. 30, and so on. 

Beautiful night, stars clear, and sea very smooth for the Atlantic andthe Bay of Biscay, where we now are. The equinoctial gales usuallybegin on March 20 (to-morrow), so the captain says. We have averaged12-1/2 knots since we left Avonmouth. A small bucketfull of water istaken from the sea every two hours, and its temperature taken to seeif we are near ice. 

_March 20th. _--Weather to-day typical of the Bay of Biscay, half agale all day, and blowing furiously at 7 o'clock, bottles, glasses, etc. , flying off the dinner-table. Sea-sickness very rife, almostevery one suffering more or less. Saw only two passing ships to-day. The captain prophesies warmer weather to-morrow if the wind remains inthe east as at present. It will then be off the land, we beingopposite Finisterre about 8 a. M. To-morrow. 

The orders to the captain are to remain sixty miles off land whileskirting Spain and Portugal. By wireless we hear the Allies still gainground in Flanders, and of a railway collision in Lancashire. 

_March 21st. _--Sunday. --Good news by wireless of the progress of thewar. Wind changed to S. E. , showery in the morning, and pleasantlywarm. Church parade at 10. "Old Hundred" by the congregation, led bySerg. Gibb, the Lord's Prayer by Serg. Gaskin--as much of it as hecould remember--a chapter of Matthew by Capt. Stephen followed by somewords of advice, when the attempts of the audience to look solemn wereall in vain--then off to the deck with "The Innocents Abroad". 

During the day the weather has been very variable, occasionally veryheavy rain showers, but very mild; strong gale all day right in ourteeth which must retard our progress. At dinner--7 p. M. --the captainsaid we were not quite opposite Lisbon, but nearly. With a fewexceptions all have found their sea legs. 

_March 22nd. _--Being Orderly Officer I was up at 6. 45 and inspectedour unit's breakfast at 7. 15, expecting a repetition of the grousingabout their food which has gone on since we came on board, but to-dayall are satisfied for the first time. They began with porridge whichlooked palatable, though sloppy for a Scotchman's taste, and was saidto be without salt, which would certainly be the case were the cook anEnglishman. Then each had a cup of coffee which looked fair enough andsmelt good to a hungry man like myself, with two thick slices of breadwith salt butter and jam. I feel as fit as a fiddle, and believe theequinoctial gales at their worst would be none too much for me. Thefeeling that I am to sink to the bottom of the ocean when the boatpitches has entirely gone. 

Stephen and I are wondering what our folks at home are doing, and ifthey are always looking for letters from us by the next post. If sothey will be disappointed for many days yet. A good many of our horsesare sick, and two died yesterday and were thrown overboard. The poorbrutes have very cramped quarters. 

The sea was fairly rough during daylight and the ship rolled so badlythat at lunch and dinner "fiddles" had to be put along the tables tokeep the dishes in their places. In the evening the wind fell to avery gentle, balmy breeze, when a number of us spent some time on theboat deck watching the phosphorescence of the jelly fish, which we sawin many hundreds. 

_March 23rd. _--Got up early and on going on deck at 7. 30 found we weremaking straight for the sun. Most glorious morning, sun bright, sea, except for the eternal swell, perfectly calm. We had changed ourcourse and were heading 8 degrees S. Of E. , making for the Straits ofGibraltar. At 8 the captain, wishing to be sure of his longitude, began bawling out to some unseen person, "Mark 23, 22; mark 23, 19, add another 1; mark 23, 25". He explained that he took the readingthree times then struck an average. 

In time land hove in sight, faint at first, but gradually the rockycoast of Spain, north of Cape Trafalgar, became distinct, then thiscape itself came out of the mist as white as snow--so white that thepurser said he believed it actually was snow. Then higher hills beyondappeared with others of a similar nature on the African coast. Alllooked forbidding and barren. Swallows were flitting about, and wouldhave meant summer at home, but I fancy they are here all winter. Theheat of the sun was intense, and I observed that his altitude seemedas high as I was accustomed to see him in midsummer. 

The captain soon pointed out "The Rock, " and after passing the whitetown of Tarifa on the Spanish main it got clearer and clearer, but toour disgust our boat kept towards the south side of the Straits, andall were disappointed we were not to have a chance to post lettershere as we expected. Tangier in the outer part of the Straits wasinvisible from mist. The Rock was not quite as impressive as Iexpected, nor could I with certainty make out more than one gunposition, although I saw several black spots where guns may havefrowned at us. 

A gunboat came after us and made us turn about in a circle till shewas satisfied of our identity, the ship's number being invisiblethrough the mist to those on shore. Ceuta with its snow-white houseslay on the south coast almost opposite Gibraltar. Some large buildingscould be plainly seen, and between the town and the sea, on thenorth-east side the fortified hill held by the Spaniards since theylost Gibraltar. 

Later I found we sailed directly east, our next halt being as yetunknown. All roll has entirely departed from our ship, which almostseems unnatural after the tossing we have had. What struck me mostto-day was the rocky nature of both sides of the Straits--we mighthave been among the rugged mountains of Ross-shire. Apes Head seemedto be made of rugged and split masses of limestone. The rocks withtheir bright colours were a great relief to our eyes which had restedon nothing but water for five days. 

_March 24th. _--A quiet uneventful day; colder than yesterday in theAtlantic. I find that all along we have sailed with only two lightsshowing, both faint, one on either end of the bridge, red to port andgreen to starboard. In the last twenty-four hours we covered 286miles, and going east fast, the clock being now advanced twenty-threeminutes daily. We left Avonmouth with 1500 tons of coal on board, andwe use sixty-five tons daily. We carry a poultry yard and get fresheggs for breakfast, one some one had to-day was so fresh thataccording to the date written on it it was laid to-morrow (25/3/15). We have a lot of Irishmen on board which explains this Irishism. Wehad a concert in the evening, got up by Col. O'Hagan, the O. C. TheWest Lancashire Field Ambulance, when we had many amusing songs andtales. The sea was as smooth as a duck-pond all day. Towards night thewind rose, strong enough to cause a big pitch had we been still in theAtlantic, but here it is hardly noticeable. The south-east corner ofSpain was seen in the morning and a peep of Africa got in theafternoon. 

_March 25th. _--Just returned from the engine room, having made up tothe chief engineer, who took me over the machinery and stokehole. Thethree cylinders develop 4500 horse-power. The largest is 96 inches indiameter. 

All day we have been in sight of the African coast, the AtlasMountains making one continuous range. They reminded me strongly ofRoss-shire, the whole outline being rough and rugged. Mount Atlas, which we did not see, is 14, 740 feet high. About 9 a. M. We were saidto be near the town of Algiers. Great snowfields were visible on mostof the highest mountains. These were very picturesque with the sunshining on the snow. We have seen little shipping, one large oil boatpassed west. All are taking the lack of news philosophically, nothing, as far as I can make out, being heard to-day. Code messages frombattleships speaking to each other are received but are unreadable. 

Helmets were issued to the officers to-day, but the wind is too coldto make these necessary. 

As Sanitary Officer for the day I had to go over the whole of thehorse decks with the Military Officer of the ship, Lt. -Col. Hingston, R. E. The alleys between the horse lines, all of which had to betraversed, must be nearly half a mile in length, all the heads of thehorses projecting in double lines into the narrow passages, whichmakes tramping along these dark ways anything but pleasant. The closestench is very sickening, and I was glad when our journey came to anend. We have lost four horses so far. The mules are hardier and havestood the voyage well. They are besides accustomed to the sea, allhaving come lately from the Argentine. 

_March 26th. _--An ideal day and the sun delightfully warm. We had theAfrican coast in sight the whole time till early afternoon. PassedCape Blanco, which in the distance might have been part of Deeside, hills with stretches of verdure which looked like forest with brownspaces between which were probably sand. 

Helmets were issued to the men to-day. These with their broad brimslook very serviceable against the sun. One man coming on a friend whohad just donned his, yelled: "Hello, man, come oot o' that till I seeyer feet". 

At the present speed we should reach Malta at 6 a. M. To-morrow wheresurely we'll be able to post letters, but they have a long way to goto reach home. At 5 o'clock we were opposite Pantellaria, an Italianpenal settlement, and about 140 miles from Malta. On the north coastof the island the settlement is visible, big white houses at differentlevels on its rocky face. There are very steep rocks on the east siderising straight out of the sea. 

_March 27th. _--My first peep at the East--although it is perhaps notthe East proper. I rose at 5. 30 to find Malta right ahead, and Valettaonly a mile or two distant. The sight was gorgeous, the rocky land alltints of yellow, and the houses of divers colours, flat-roofed, domed, and altogether Oriental. 

Two warships, which turned out to be the "Prince of Wales" and the"Paris, " were steaming rapidly from the north-east, and we wereordered to lie to till they entered the harbour, then to follow. Thescene on entering this harbour baffles description, with its cliffs, forts, and frowning guns and numerous warships. There were signs ofwar preparations everywhere. The entrance to the harbour was guardedby booms, only a small opening being left where they were folded back. A short way inside came another row of booms. Then came a Frenchwarship on our port side, coaling at its hardest, from which cameshouts to our decks crowded with troops of "where are you going"? Thereply had to be "We don't know". Immediately to starboard we hadanother French ship which turned out to be the largest in the harbour. All her crew and band were drawn up on deck, and the latter struck up"God save the King". We at once stood at attention, all in silence, but when the strains ended every man hurrahed at the pitch of hisvoice. The band then gave us "It's a long way to Tipperary". 

On going a little farther we were moored to a buoy in the middle ofthe waterway, with all sorts of shipping round us, mostly Frenchwarships, there being at least a dozen of that nationality, the onlyBritish men-of-war being the two we saw enter. The transparency andgreenness of the water are remarkable. The whole harbour is dottedover with "bum boats" which are said to be peculiar to Malta, and havehigh boards at their stem and stern, and are worked by one or two menstanding upright. Most sell fruits and odds and ends to those onboard, while others convey passengers to and from the land. The housesabout the harbour are largely forts or connected with the army andnavy. They rise tier upon tier to the top of the surrounding rockswhich may be about 150 feet high. 

After lunch permission was given to the officers and N. C. O. 's to goashore. There was great excitement of course, and all asked for leaveforthwith. Being "Officer of the day, " whose duties applied to thewhole ship, I decided not to remind the C. O. --Col. Hingston--of this, but our C. O. Mentioning at lunch that I need not look for leave Icould not sneak off as I had intended, and was to be permitted only ifI found a substitute, which, of course, I failed to do. Every one hasgone to stretch his legs on land except the "Captain of the day" andmyself. Still I hope to get a short turn ashore before we sail at 6p. M. Which is announced as the hour of our departure--and ourdestination? we wish we knew. 

8. 30 p. M. --Fiddes very kindly returned early to relieve me and Ispent two very enjoyable hours in Valetta, wandering about its narrowand stair-like streets. There were goats everywhere, many being milkedon the doorsteps as I passed. I bought some pieces of Maltese lace, which is pretty much of one pattern, generally a Maltese crosssurrounded by flowers. The inhabitants are plainly of Italian descent, but if you ask if that is their nationality, they always deny it andsay they are Maltese. The shops are totally different from anything Ihave ever seen, and except in the best streets, have no windows, merely a huge, gaping doorway. The weather was very close and many ofthe inhabitants and the children generally, were bare legged and wellbronzed. The women's dress was very peculiar, all being in jet blackwith a strange lopsided head-dress. The edge has a stiff hoop andprojects well in front of the face. 

The plants were all tropical--palms, cacti of many sorts, and massesof a deep purple flower that covered large expanses of wall. All treeswere in full leaf, but they would be mostly evergreen. Worthy lookingpadres in their shovel hats were plentiful, also monks in dark browncloaks, rope girdles and sandal shoon, and usually bareheaded, although a few wore a tiny cap, little bigger than the top of an egg, which it resembled in shape. 

I was much interested on discovering the reason why all the women inMalta wear black, which seems to be commenced about the age of elevenor twelve. Napoleon and his army had exercised great liberties withtheir sex during a visit, and in consequence it was decreed by thePope that all women in Malta should go into mourning for the period ofa hundred years. This time is up but they seem to know that their modeof dress is very becoming, and it looks as if the decree was to holdgood for all time. 

It is impossible to go round the stair-like streets, which abound inMalta, with a milk cart, hence you find all over the town a man orboy with about half a dozen goats, shouting something or other, whenthe women appear at their doors with jugs into which the men milk thequantity required, as they sit on the doorstep. This is all veryquaint and picturesque, especially when combined with the brightclothing of the men and children, the bright projecting upper windows, and the altogether foreign and tropical appearance of the whole townand island. 

All the officers thoroughly enjoyed what was a new experience to mostof us, all returning to the boat laden with parcels, and beingunusually lively at dinner, and the wine flowing more freely thanusual among a body of men who rarely drink anything but water--andvery flat and unpleasant water it is too. 

We left Malta at 6 p. M. _en route_ for Alexandria, as I am told by thecaptain, who says it is no longer a secret. This is evidently to bethe place of concentration of the 29th Division. Another transport, the "Kingstonia, " left half an hour before us, amidst great cheeringfrom the warships and us. We too had a right royal send-off from allthe warships we passed, their decks being packed with cheeringmultitudes, and our French friends of the morning played the NationalAnthem again in the usual silence. We half expected it this time, butits coming so unexpectedly in the morning made it most impressive. Eleven powerful searchlights were playing at the entrance of thisimportant harbour--a harbour which must be one of Britain's greatestassets. When thrown on us even a mile off the light was absolutelydazzling. 

_March 28th. _--Churning all day through a sea of ultra-marine hue, with a brilliant sun overhead and a fair breeze behind. We are now along way east of the longitude of Greenwich, the clock at noonyesterday being seventy minutes before G. M. T. This means a daily lossof sleep and consequently much swearing. At one time in the Atlanticwe were between fifty and sixty minutes behind G. M. T. 

There was a great fuss last night over the supposed discovery of sixcases of measles in our unit. This morning a Medical Board sat andpronounced all the cases to be merely erythematous rashes followingvaccination four days ago, and consequently the quarantine institutedlast night has been relaxed, but only in a modified form, so as to letthe guilty party down gently. As a result of all this unnecessary fussthe two field ambulances on board were nearly split into two camps. 

_March 29th. _--Another quiet day and a calm sea. 

Three interpreters joined our boat at Malta, they leaving home twodays after us by a P. & O. Boat. These men have a thorough knowledgeof Turkish, Greek, and French. 

The heat of the sun has been intense to-day, and a number of us wereglad to don our helmets. These are not altogether a success, they aretoo heavy. 

We had a short lecture on "Turkey" by one of the interpreters, when hespoke about the roads, which seem to be few, woods still fewer, watersupply and some other points likely to be of practical interest to usshortly. Rains usually cease in the end of March, and, except for anoccasional shower, the heat of summer lasts till the middle ofSeptember, the temperature being just under 100° F. 

_March 30th. _--Lying in the harbour of Alexandria, where we arrivedabout 3 p. M. The day has been perfect, the temperature moderate tillwe came near land when the sun simply scorched us. At sea there isalways a breeze, but as we now lie at anchor in the middle of theharbour the air is absolutely still and oppressive. We seemed todescribe the letter "S" as we approached from the sea, this coursebeing likely due to sand bars. To one who has never been in the Eastbefore the sight of this town with its huge commercial buildings, itsgreat palm trees which are visible not far from the water's edge, anda harbour full of great liners, and looking big enough to hold all theshipping of the world, is a great education. Three ships have enteredsince we came in, one being the "Kingstonia, " one of our divisionaltransports, another full of French troops. We were, of course, surrounded by boats trying to do a little honest trade with us, butour men were strictly forbidden to purchase anything from them owingto the risk of infection. 

These boats were manned principally by Arabs in their peculiar dressesof brilliant hue and many wore the fez. All were burned as dark as anold penny. Owing to our being supposed to have had measles on board, although it was proved to every one's satisfaction that there was noreason for this suspicion, we had to enter with the yellow flag flyingat the foremast. We had visits from official boats, one with thepolice flag, very likely expecting to hear that we had cholera orsmallpox among us. At any rate the objectionable flag was soon hauleddown and we half expected to get permission to land, but so far noorders have come from shore. 

The deep blue of the Mediterranean has been left behind for a time, which may be very short, and certainly cannot be long, and we nowfloat on the light green waters of the Nile. The bugle has justsounded "the officer's mess, " a sound that is welcome to me; the heathas not yet taken away my appetite. 

_March 31st. _--We were towed to the wharfside at 3 p. M. Then theunloading of our great sea monster began, men trooped on shore, followed by the horses which, unused to daylight in the miserabledens they had just left, looked terrified and floundered down thegangways. It took hours for this procession of animals to end, theexit from Noah's ark must have been a poor show in comparison. 

Our men set off for their camp at Mex, three miles away, about 6 p. M. , I being left with a fatigue party of twenty-seven men to finish thepacking of our stores on railway trucks, and see them despatched intime to arrive at Mex before the men, so that on their arrival theycould set to and pitch their tents on the piece of land allotted tothem, and which is said to be composed of equal parts of sand andlice! I feel that I have scored in having one night's relief from thisplague--but we are in the land of plagues, the home of the Pharaohs. 

About 8 p. M. I set off on a visit to Alexandria, and from the dockspassed up a street lined on both sides with our animals tied to picketropes for the night, and at the top of the street came on a grove ofmany acres of towering palm trees. After a mile or a mile and a half, seeing no newspaper shops, nor anything resembling a British shop, Iasked an Egyptian where a "journal" was to be had. We could notunderstand each other, even signs were of no use, so I tried again andthe next man understood me, and directed my black Soudanese friend, who had attached himself to me as my guide, where to go, but from thedeviations he took into narrow and remarkably gay by-streets, heplainly thought that this newspaper hunt was a ruse for seeingAlexandria by night. All this was very interesting all the same. Irubbed shoulders with many an Egyptian "nut" who made no pretenceabout his errand to this questionable part of the town. The manystreets I passed through, and I must have penetrated about three milesinto the town, seemed very familiar to me, they were so very likepictures one sees of this part. The cafés were crowded with Egyptianrevellers, and occasionally I saw groups of our Tommies enjoying adrink among them. The former were all in their brilliant robes, and asthey stood or squatted about, smoking their long pipes, they formed amost interesting picture. Their big pipes even blocked the pavement attimes, the men squatted on their haunches with their pipes a couple offeet in front and a passer-by had to be careful not to upset and smashthem. A fine picture was made by two old fellows squatting on a rug inthe open window of a small shop, smoking and drinking coffee, andlooking as if they could curse to fourteen generations any customerbold enough to disturb them in their innocent enjoyment of doingnothing. One of our officers who knows this town and its inhabitants, says if you curse a man he will only laugh in your face, but when youbegin cursing to all eternity his brothers and sisters, father andmother, he begins to wax wroth, and by the time you reach the tenth tothe fourteenth generation he dances about with fury and gnashes histeeth. 

_April 1st. _--Up early and breakfast at 6. 30. By this time the engineswere rattling and new ropes creaking, while stores of all kind werebeing landed. Some acres of quay and side streets were covered withthese, the horses and mules having been mostly landed yesterday. Thenbegan the scramble for wagon poles, crossbars, etc. , any unit findingitself short just seized the first it came across. We lost odds andends and followed the recognised custom, known as "skirmishing, " andin the end were only short of our full complement by a crossbar and abicycle. I had a very busy day up to 3 o'clock when we started for Mexcamp. We marched out, reaching this at 4. 45 after a very warm tramp, tempered by a gentle breeze off the Mediterranean. The country throughwhich we passed was barren in the extreme, honey-combed all the wayfrom quarrying the soil, which is full of salt and soda with a whitechalky base. There are everywhere deep holes full of salt water withsalt-loving plants about them, practically the only vegetation to beseen; between these there is a mass of hummocks, and pinnacles, withoccasional sheep that look like goats, feeding on I do not know what, unless it be a tuft-headed small grass which is found sparsely on thehigher grounds. In front of our tents are larger mounds on which fourcamels are nibbling at this grass, these being kept by some Bedouinsfor giving milk. Seeing some dark-skinned rascals having a ride onthem I went up to them and was offered a mount for a penny; then theurchin, who had an early training in fleecing, thought he might doublehis charge and held up two fingers to designate the amount and marchedoff his camel till I consented. The brute nearly broke first my neckand then my back, but I greatly enjoyed my short ride. 

Immediately after this an Inniskilling Fusilier raced Thomson andmyself over these terrible salt pits to the sea edge where anunconscious man was lying, having been dragged out of the water afterdisappearing like a stone, although said to be a strong swimmer. 

_April 2nd. _--A day of great heat, were it not for an occasional airfrom the Mediterranean. The whole of our camp is covered with ordinarysoft sea-sand, and it gets very hot and very glaring. Immediatelybehind the more or less level ground on which the 29th Field Ambulanceis encamped the pure white, chalky higher ground commences, peopled bycamels, goats, and sheep. The last two are so much alike it isdifficult to say which of the families they belong to. 

About 6 p. M. I set out for Alexandria with four of our officers. Aftera little shopping and haircutting we had an excellent dinner at theGrand Restaurant du Nil, all considering some fried mullet to be thefinest fish we had ever tasted. With a fairly liberal supply of winethe dinner for the five of us cost only about 17s. Then to the MoulinRouge, which I should say is the counterpart of its better-knownnamesake in Paris. The newness of the whole show made it amusing. 

_April 3rd. _--Apparently it never rains here after summer hascommenced. I have been studying the ornithology of these bare chalkmounds, and find the birds are practically the same as our commonestones at home--swallows, stonechats--which have been very busyto-day--our two water wagtails, and the wretched little sparrow. Ithought the flamingo was to be found along the coast but have neverseen a specimen on this inhospitable shore. I have also seen a birdnot unlike a thrush, and a few small things apparently of the linnetfamily. Creepy animals are only too plentiful, the most objectionableat present is the common housefly which is a perfect plague. They areeverywhere and are specially fond of the rope suspending my lantern. Unfortunately the place that is second favourite is one's nose. Locusts are said to be in greater abundance in Lower Egypt than wasever known before. Here I have seen but a few dozen, and at first Itook them for small dragonflies. They have the same beautiful wings, but their style of flight is quite different, the locust alightingevery few yards to have a look at you. Ants, great and small, areeverywhere in the morning, but when the sand gets too hot most of themdisappear. One big ant has a huge head, a fairly broad tail piece andsmall body. Lizards are very common on the chalk mounds, and yesterdayI watched four huge specimens basking in the sun half-way down an oldlime kiln. 

_April 4th. _--Easter Sunday. We had a service suitable for the dayfrom a Presbyterian Chaplain on the hillside, when there were 700 to800 present from different units. During the sermon we all lay on thesand, while overhead a lark carolled forth in notes more mild than areuttered by our British lark, but the habits of the two are similar, but ours soars highest. 

We have improved our field mess, stores having been got privatelyamong us. By this means we had a very good one o'clock dinner, followed by a snooze by some of us, while others slept straight ontill tea-time. I set out alone for a walk into a part I had notvisited before, namely, along the seashore west of Mex Camp, toDakeilah village. I passed an old fort with three very old cast-ironguns of 9-inch bore, lying uselessly on their sides, one labelled"loaded--dangerous". Beyond that the sand is a great depth, and thenatives seemed to have it divided into allotments, each piece dug intoa deep, wide trench from 6 to 12 feet deep, and along the bottom theyhave a row of tomatoes. These grow luxuriantly, apparently in puresand, but there is probably a liberal supply of manure below. Figs, dates, and grapes seem to be the chief fruits grown. 

I passed in a corner shaded by tall palm trees a large well whichformed a perfect picture--children frisked about, while women drewwater, and all about were their big water jars. Just beyond that mywalk took me through a native cemetery, all the tombs exactly alike, abig base about five feet long and nearly three high, and a five footcolumn on each end. These were the more recent ones, the old graveswere merely rough hillocks of stones and clay, as the modern ones willbe some day. 

I was much astonished to-day at the large number of botanicalspecimens I came across. For such a sterile part it is mostremarkable. I should say 200 species could be picked up in aforenoon's walk. 

On returning we all had a talk with a very intelligent Arab boy ofabout twelve summers, and got a number of words and a few phrasesfrom him. All the native children are very pretty, they have goodfeatures, splendid eyes and teeth, and look as sharp as needles. Ifyou dare speak to one it at once gives him an opening to demandbacksheesh. I omitted to mention that the only Moslem minaret I haveseen so far was in Dakeilah. These may be plentiful in Alexandria, butI have never been there in daylight. 

The following are some of the words taught us by the young Arab, but Ifound it impossible to find a satisfactory spelling for most ofthem:--

 Gatusheira Thank you. Daphtar A book. Chaima A tent. Muphta A key. Sigara A cigar. Salama lecho Good morning. Dasoyak Good-bye. Homar A donkey. Asioa Yes. La No. 

The following Arabic words and phrases are from a piece of paper Ipicked up in Cox's Bank, Alexandria:--

 1. Wahed. 6. Setta. 11. Hidashar. 2. Etneen. 7. Saba'a. 12. Etnashar. 3. Talata. 8. Tamanya. 13. Talatashar. 4. Arba'a. 9. Tessa. 20. Ashrin. 5. Khamsa. 10. Ashara. 100. Miya. 

 Naharak said Good morning. Sa'a kam What time. Sa'a waked One o'clock. Maragsh Arabi I don't speak Arabic. Kam tamanu What does it cost?

_April 5th. _--This has been a day of exceptional heat, and curiouslyis the religious day of the Moslems called Shem-el-nessim, which inArabic means "breathing the cool breeze". To-day all their shops areshut, and the whole day is spent in the country. What is celebrated isthe first of the hot simoon winds which last fifty days, andapparently the day for their commencement is most accurately gauged. We were all only too glad to carry out the written instructions wereceived some days ago, to keep under cover and try to sleep from noonto three o'clock, and if you cannot sleep yourself you must keep quietand allow others to sleep. No bugle calls are allowed between thesehours. All round us there has been haze through which the sun couldnot penetrate, but if he had the result would have been trulyterrible. The dust has also been worse than usual and everything in mytent is grey. This is another of the plagues of Egypt. However, ifrumour is true, we will soon depart from here for more active service. 

After dark to-night we went out in search of men supposed to bewounded, six of our bearers acting as these and starting fifteenminutes before the stretcher bearers. The night was very dark and thepure white ground looked absolutely even, and some narrow escapes weremade, several finding just in time that they were on the edge of aprecipice. We had planned a few signals, but the principal lesson wewere taught was that these were too few in number, and owing to thiswhole stretcher squads got lost. 

We are still finding and having visits from new animals. To-day I hada dragon fly brought to me. I find I had seen several of these beforebut had mistaken them for locusts. The latter have much heavierbodies, but very similar wings. We have just had a visit from a hugebeetle which we heard battering the tent, then it gradually gotnearer, next hitting the tent pole and falling on the small table onwhich my candle flickers, the glare of which had attracted him. Kellascaught a moth and kept it for me. It was nothing much to look at, butit is the very first I have seen here. He also describes another mothhe saw to-day as fluttering in front of a flower without alighting onit, but hovering and thrusting its proboscis into a long-tubed flower. I once saw a similar moth at Torphins (this had been the Humming birdmoth which I have seen hundreds of since then). 

When different units get together in a camp the amount of thieving, technically called skirmishing, is beyond belief to anyoneunaccustomed to camp life. At present we have two mules that do notbelong to us. One wandered into our camp and a man who claimed it asbelonging to his unit was told he had to prove his statement before hewould be allowed to remove it, which he failed to do. To-day anotherwas brought in tied to the tail-board of a wagon. It was seenwandering near the road between this and Alexandria, and the men inthe wagon commandeered him at once, and here he will remain. I am afairly good skirmisher myself, and when a wagon pole, for which I wasresponsible when unloading at the docks, did not turn up, I had two inits place in no time. We afterwards found that neither of them wouldfit any of our wagons. The cook has been handicapped in his work byhaving no table, but to-day he has one about 12 feet long which hetells me he got "over the road" last night when it was dark. Agassiz, our transport officer, requests us to look out for a picket rope; hewould like it two inches thick and about 100 feet long. Rather a bigorder but should not be beyond our combined efforts. 

_April 6th. _--Two Infantry Brigades, our Ambulance (89th) and the WestLancashire Ambulance (87th) were inspected by General Sir IanHamilton. Like ourselves he is an Aberdonian, being a member of theHamilton family of Skene House. We had a very dusty day, all returningto camp quite grey. 

In the afternoon I visited Alexandria with Stephen and Thomson and hadtea at the Hotel Majestic in the Square of Mahomet Ali, the finestpart of the town, then we flattened our noses against shop windows andbought a few odds and ends for home. The shops along the street to theleft of the Bourse (Rue Sheref Pasha) were good and interesting, especially one that sold only Egyptian goods--Tawa's--where we mademost of our purchases. 

Then I chanced to come across Fiddes and Morris driving down thisstreet when they hailed me and announced that they had just come fromthe Excelsior Hotel, the headquarters of the 29th Division, with thenews that our bearers had to set off for the front before morning, andthat I was one of the three officers who were to accompany them. Wefinished our shopping, and I went to Cook's office and wrote two postcards, then drove out to Mex, we all meeting round the mess table tohear the latest orders. 

_April 7th. _--Hung about all day in expectation of the promise fromH. Q. That they would 'phone to us when it was decided at what hour wewere to start. No message came during the day, then after 9 p. M. Anofficer came in from our Brigade H. Q. , saying they were wondering atthe boat "why the devil we were not on board". After a little 'phoningwe discovered we had been overlooked, and we were ordered to march atonce as our boat was to sail at 7 a. M. To-morrow. It was now past 10p. M. And the men had to be roused from their tents and the mulesyoked. We fell in, 124 men and 3 officers, and amidst loud cheers andhandshakes we set off and reached the docks about 1. 30. We were onlyallowed light equipment, the men their kitbags, waterbottles, haversacks, and coats rolled in bandolier fashion (i. E. Full marchingorder) while the officers were supposed not to exceed the regulation35 lbs. Of baggage. Most of our equipment we left to come on with thetent subdivision and transport which are expected to sail on the 10th, in our old ship the "Marquette". Thus ended the first four miles ofour journey, on this the last stage, while to-morrow we sail north, presumably for Gallipoli, but some say Smyrna, to join in what will bea most bloody affair--so we have been warned by Lord Kitchener who, inan address to our Infantry Battalions, has said that the work beforeus will be hard in the extreme, and that he had reserved our Infantryas the finest Battalions in the Army for this arduous job, and toldthem that they must be prepared to face great hardships and greatsacrifices. In the 86th Brigade, to which our Ambulance is attached, we have four veteran Battalions, 2nd Royal Fusiliers, 1st LancashireFusiliers, 1st Royal Dublin Fusiliers, and the 1st Munster Fusiliers. This Brigade was described by Sir Ian Hamilton as the flower of theBritish Army. All have served nine or ten years in India and all havesmelt powder. 

_April 8th. _--At 10. 45 a. M. The Cunard liner, the "Ausonia" (betterknown at present as B4) cast off, and with the help of two tugs wewere soon out on the open sea. She had sailed from Avonmouth on March16, the night on which we were booked to sail, and in the BristolChannel some suspicious craft suddenly appeared. She at once alteredher course and the two attendant torpedo boats gave chase to what wastaken to be a German submarine. We had been told that the reason forour not sailing on the same date was that our boat was not in, but ourcaptain afterwards told us he had been lying to for a whole week, butthe presence of this submarine was the real reason. 

The forces for the present expedition against Turkey have concentratedin Alexandria, and are at present over 100, 000 strong, mostly Britishbut also largely French. To-day the pioneers of this huge force haveset sail, and as far as I can gather our boat was the second to goout. We are doing 14 knots and in two or three days should reach ourjourney's end. The day is beautiful and the Mediterranean its deepestblue. 

I have been having a talk with the captain of the "Ausonia". He hasonly 64 tons of water on board, while he should have had ten timesthat amount. There are no pipes laid to the docks and the whole of theshipping has to depend on six water lighters which carry 60 tons each. At present these are totally unable to supply the huge number oftransports in Alexandria. The half of these are flying two flagsbeside each other to denote a shortage of water. In both the ground isred, the upper with red diagonal stripes while the lower has a yellowcross. 

I find the cooking on the Cunard line very superior to what it was onthe Red Star. Here it is as good as in a first-class hotel. 

_April 9th. _--At 10 a. M. We were opposite rocky land to port. Some saythis is the island of Rhodes, others Abydos, but not having a map ofthe southern part of the Archipelago I am unable to give an opinion. About 11. 30 we had land to starboard which a naval man assured me "wasRhodes right enough". He pointed to a camel-backed hill and said, "Ifthere is a lighthouse opposite the middle of that, then I have nodoubt about it". It was there sure enough when examined through afield glass. 

A short time after leaving Alexandria I found by the compass we weresteering 20° to 25° W. Of N. While all this forenoon we have gone dueN. I have been out on the deck watching an engineer unit preparingposts for barbed wire. At present they have poles 12 feet long; bothends are being pointed and a pencil mark is drawn round the middle ofthe pole. They can thus quickly make two pointed posts by means of asaw, but they expect to find the long poles useful before thathappens. They will lash their shovels and other tools to these, andtwo men can carry them on their shoulders. 

After lunch I had a conversation with my new friend, the captain ofthe "Ausonia". He tells me the island on our port side was neitherRhodes nor Abydos. The most interesting piece of news I got out of himwas that our destination was Lemnos, but that he expected that it wasmerely as a rendezvous for the whole force, and was only 48 miles fromSedd-el-Bahr, on the south point of Gallipoli. His view is that wewill land a short way north of that. He is against its being so farnorth as the Gulf of Saros and the narrow neck of land there. Hethinks the preparations against our landing there would be toocomplete by now. He is in distress over his shortage of water as noneis to be had in the small islands. This shortage of water got me intotrouble with the O. C. The troops on board at general parade thismorning. Many of the men had not shaved for two days, and some lookeduntidy and unwashed, but all put this down to their being denied waterto slake their thirst, which must come before washing and shaving butthe order was "see that it does not happen again". I advised oneparticularly hirsute chap to lower his shaving brush into the seato-morrow at the end of a string. 

It is a remarkable thing, noted and spoken about by us all, how seldomthe thought of home enters our minds. I merely note this as a curiousfact. There is no excitement about the "bloody errand"--as some onecalled it this morning--we are on, so that that is not the cause. Perhaps it is just as well for us that we have worried so little. There is far too much pity lavished on us when we go forth to war. 

The officers are in a state of wild excitement to-night. Wishing tohave a game of baccarat some of them asked Whyte and myself to jointhem, which we did willingly, feeling that it was possibly our lastnight in civilisation. I did not understand the game but ended 7s. Tothe good. 

_April 10th. _--Reached Lemnos about noon. We passed numerous islandsin the Archipelago, many small, and none showed signs of life exceptfor an occasional lighthouse, but all the larger ones are inhabited, and grow currants, figs, and grapes in abundance. 

Lemnos has a huge roadstead, open to the south, and at presentprotected at the two southern points by big guns and searchlights. Along arm forming the inner harbour extends to the right, and here alarge number of ships is lying, eight battleships being among thenumber. We and another transport are anchored in the middle of theroadstead, awaiting the arrival of the other members of theexpedition. It is said that over 100, 000 will arrive from Egypt. Thegreatest warship afloat, and one that figured largely in thebombardment of the Dardanelles two months ago, the "Queen Elizabeth, "lies a short way off on our starboard. The whole is shut in by steephills, rough and rugged, some of which must be over 1000 feet high. The land between these and the water looks well cultivated, thebrilliant green of young crops being a relief to our eyes after ourlong voyage. We have seen nothing but sea, rocks, chalk and sand sinceMarch 18. I see no chance of getting ashore, but nothing would delightme more than a scramble to the top of the highest peak away to thewest. 

I was asking a Royal Naval Officer on board if our occupying Lemnosinvolved any breach of neutrality, belonging, as it does, to Greece. Although Greek, it has been leased by Turkey for years, and we have inreality seized it from the latter. 

In the afternoon we entered the inner harbour and cast anchor in themiddle of a number of transports. This inner harbour is more or lesscircular and is about three miles long and two wide. 

_April 11th. _--Several transports have arrived since we enteredyesterday. When I looked through my port-hole at 6 o'clock thismorning the surrounding country looked very fresh, and free from allhaze, and the bright green of the crops and grass on the hill-sideswould have done credit to old Ireland. 

After lunch I met Lt. -Col. Rooth of the Dublins, who gave me someauthentic information concerning the proposed military landing onGallipoli. The covering party for the whole expedition is to be our86th Brigade. The Munsters are in the S. S. T. "Caledonia, " (B ii) lyingalongside our ship. The Lancashires are there also. All these, alongwith our stretcher bearers, land together from cutters, and the datefixed is in all probability Wednesday, April 14, or the following dayat latest. A very warm reception from the enemy on shore is expected, as I gather from the way the Dublin officers talk. It is also saidthat we will have to make a dash for it under the cover of night. 

Practically due north from where we lie we can see the top of asnow-clad mountain which must be several thousand feet in height. Isthis in Imbros? (Samothrace. )

A German Taube was seen over us to-day flying very high. Twohydroplanes went up from our fleet and scouted round us for severalmiles for over an hour. Some say another was seen very early in themorning. 

_April 12th. _--Orders were issued yesterday that we were to practicedisembarking to-day in preparation for the landing on Gallipoli. Thedifferent units had to line up in the stations allotted to them, oursluckily being on the saloon deck where we will get use of theaccommodation ladder instead of the rope ladder as first proposed. Except for our rations, which had not been issued, we had on our fullmarching order loads--revolver, water-bottle, ammunition, haversack, field glasses, map case, Burberry and ground sheet. When we land wewill have about 5 lbs. Of rations in addition. 

Several of the officers on our ship visited the "Queen Elizabeth"yesterday and returned with very alarming reports, this boat havingmany times taken part in bombarding the Dardanelles Forts has a goodidea of what awaits us. They say the whole of Gallipoli swarms withTurks, and the whole coast is covered with trenches and barbed wireentanglements 6 feet high. They talk as if it meant absoluteannihilation of our small covering force of about 5000. The wholeremainder of the Expeditionary Force, I presume, will lie out at seatill the coast is clear--should we succeed in clearing it, but it isvery evident every man I have spoken to has practically no hope ofever returning. They expect our landing cutters to be well pepperedwith shot and shell, and in our practice to-day we had to appear withthe straps of all our equipment outside our shoulder straps, and theends of our belts free, ready to whip open and get rid of it at amoment's notice. I noticed that all our officers were unusually quietand serious last night, while they discussed the situation no doubt. Iwent to bed at my usual hour and slept like a top. 

The "Queen Elizabeth" went round to the Dardanelles to-day with theC. O. 's of the regiments which are to take part in the coveringoperations, looking for suitable places to disembark. We saw herreturn to harbour about 6 p. M. , and we hear she was fired on. 

Whyte, Morris, and I anxiously watched a four-masted transport enterthe harbour this evening thinking it was possibly the "Marquette, "but it proved to be A5, so that we have no chance of hearing from homebefore to-morrow. We want our mail before we set off again, as thenext time will be for a long and indefinite period. All the transportsare named "B, " "A, " or "C"--British, Australian, or Colonial. Ours the"Ausonia" is B4--no fewer than ninety transports lay in the harbour ofAlexandria ready to carry our troops to Lemnos. 

_April 13th. _--I have just returned from a trip ashore, the O. C. Thetroops granting me leave on request to do so with twenty-four of ourmen. We had three-quarters of an hour on land and had time to climb tothe top of a small hill. What struck me most on the more level groundwas the amount and stickiness of the mud, which was almost equal toour horse lines at Bedford. Every spot was covered with flowers, mostly of the vetch family. The corn crops were absolutely choked witha large, spiked, dark purple vetch, with a sprinkling of the commonpoppy (_Papaver Dubium_), and the ordinary charlock of the corn fieldsat home, and another species of this same family. I found two mallows, two or three thistles, one with a head like our Melancholy thistle, but the commonest was one with white lines on the leaf. There werenumerous other flowers, so numerous that I thought this explained whyso much of the honey used in Britain came from Greece and theseislands. At the top of the hill we met a few shepherds tending sheepand cattle, many of the sheep wearing bells which kept up a constanttinkling. The men were very picturesque in their moccasin shoes, sheepskin waistcoats and heavy coats with hoods. On the way from shorewith fourteen men at the six oars it was very nearly too much for usto reach our boat, the wind having risen suddenly. It must have takenus an hour to row about half a mile. 

Orders have come to us to-day about our landing. We are warned tokeep our equipment dry as we will be waist-deep in water on leavingthe tow boats. Rumour had it yesterday that Thursday night had beendefinitely fixed, but this afternoon it is said that the landing islikely to take place to-morrow. The thought of this, in spite of thewarm reception promised, does not frighten one in the very least: Ican honestly say that it never once entered my head when on shoreto-day. When it comes to the pinch one can face the inevitable withperfect coolness. 

The following I have copied from the directory of the 29th Division, there being two alterations since it was published:--

 86th Infantry Brigade. 

 Commander Brig. -General S. W. Hare. Brig. -Major Capt. T. H. C. Frankland, R. Dub. Fus. Staff. Capt. Capt. H. M. Farmer, Lanc. Fus. 2 Royal Fus. Lt. -Col. H. C. B. Newenham. Adjt. T. D. Shafto. 1 Lanc. Fus. Lt. -Col. H. V. S. Ormond. Adjt. Capt. C. Bromley. 1 Munster Fus. Lt. -Col. H. E. Tizard. Adjt. Capt. H. S. Wilson. 1 W. Fus. Lt. -Col. Rooth. Adjt. Major C. T. W. Grimshaw, D. S. O. 

The commander of the Division is General Hunter-Weston, R. E. 

The great harbour of Lemnos is gradually filling; we had about thirtytroopships in the inner harbour, and before lunch seven were lying inthe outer. It was a magnificent sight from the top of the hill I havementioned. 

_April 14th. _--Wednesday. Had a very slow day on board, feeling that Iwas badly in need of some hard physical exercise. No attack to be madeto-day, that is evident, and I doubt if we are ready for itto-morrow. Orders are out for the usual drill to-morrow which nowalways consists of boating, landing, and climbing rope laddersswinging about in mid-air. 

After dinner I had a long talk with one of the ship's officers who hadbeen in the navy for years, and is now attached to this boat to lookafter things naval. "The charge ashore" of the covering party heconsiders a vast mistake, and his idea is that the authorities havejust discovered this too, and are reconsidering its advisability. Afew machine-guns could wipe us all out before we get ashore. We are tobe covered by the navy, but what is the use of big guns againstindividuals planted everywhere in trenches. However it is not for us"to reason why". My informant had been talking yesterday to theBrigade Major, and on asking him if we were still going to Gallipolihe said, "Oh, I think so". 

_April 15th. _--Prepared this morning to go ashore with full equipmentand lifebelt, but in the end no boat was available for the R. A. M. C. Just after breakfast I met a naval man on the stair leading down tothe saloon, looking for the O. C. The troops, Col. Rooth, and he senthim a message through me, introducing himself as the commander of ourcovering ship. Looking over the rail I found H. M. S. "Cornwallis"painted on his steam-launch. 

6. 15 p. M. Just returned from a five mile sail in a rowing boat, Morrisand I being determined to find the "Marquette" if she was among theships out in the offing, being anxious to get our letters, but she wasnot there. We sorrowfully wheeled about and returned, encircling the"Queen Elizabeth" with her eight 15-inch guns, then along to examinethe German ship "Acane Herksman, " which struck one of their own minesoff Smyrna. A huge hole 7 or 8 feet wide had been blown in her bowwhich must have flooded her in a minute or so, but I forget how shewas kept afloat. She was brought round here as a prize with her sternheavily loaded with sandbags which tilted her bow completely out ofthe water. 

Our row was a most enjoyable one, and the men rowed with a will, allexpecting to get their home mail. The country round the bay was verybeautiful with its green cultivated fields near the water, andcomplete circle of rugged hills, and the distant snowclad mountainsaway to the far North. All returned hungry, and while enjoying a cupof tea at a table of Engineer officers, we heard what is evidently thelatest proposal about the invasion of Gallipoli. Instead of landing usfrom troopships we all go on battleships, which seems to us to be animprovement. We are also likely to land at three if not four differentpoints at the same time. This new plan will likely take a few moredays to develop, so that we may expect a few days' grace yet. We havevery exact maps of Gallipoli on a large scale, with full accounts ofall the possible landing places and the interior, with soundings roundthe whole peninsula, the nature and the amount of water to be expectedat various points, etc. 

_April 16th. _--Beautiful day; nothing stirring, even no fresh rumoursafloat. Had a long sail to-day again with Whyte and twenty-five men insearch of the "Marquette". Believing that the "Marquette's" new namewas "B. 8, " I boarded "B. 9, " which has been here for a day or two, hoping the captain might be able to tell me something of hermovements, but he thinks she has not left Alexandria. This is aterrible disappointment to us all, and as her load is mainlyhorse-flesh it is likely true. Horses would suffer badly lying in theharbour where the ventilation would be very bad and would mean deathto many of them. I think I omitted to state that we lost nineteenhorses between Avonmouth and Alexandria, this high death-rate beingdue to the want of proper ventilation. 

Whyte and I next went over a Hospital ship, the "Soudan"--which we sawin Malta, but was lying here on our arrival. She has four lady nurses, two of whom we saw. One can hardly imagine petticoats out here. Weboth agreed that the sight of them did us a lot of good. 

_April 17th. _--Had breakfast at six, paraded at seven and stood ondeck till 10. 45 waiting our turn to cross to a collier that is to beused in the Gallipoli attack. The intention is to run her ashore atfull speed, ploughing into the sands, when her load of 2000 men are toget overboard as best they can on to floating gangways. By a longcircuitous route we all got into our places, and were packed close onthe various decks which have had large square openings cut through theiron plates of the sides of the ship, and from these and the upperdeck we have to decamp as quickly as possible. 

But there is now a rumour that the 89th Ambulance may not have thehonour of participating in this dash. Whyte and I are greatly upset bythis rumour which we hope to goodness is nothing but a mistake onMorris's part. 

Went out in the afternoon looking for the "Marquette, " but she has notyet arrived. With some officers of the West Riding Engineers, Whyteand I visited the "Queen Elizabeth, " the most powerful ship afloat, and went over her lower front turret, climbing by an iron ladder tothe top, lowering ourselves through a manhole and clattering down onthe floor behind the breeches of the guns. The muzzles of these gunslook enormous, but I was completely thunderstruck when I saw the twogreat breeches side by side. They reminded me of two big engineboilers. They must be about 6 feet in diameter and are probably notless. The officer who took us round had a breech block swung back, andwe were allowed to examine everything freely. 

_April 18th. _--Started once more on the hunt for the "Marquette" (nowB. 13) and found her at last out in the offing waiting for medicalleave and orders to enter the harbour. Until she was medicallyexamined we were not allowed on board, and had to yell to our friendson the upper deck and had a large mail bag lowered for the Ambulance. My letters had been looked out by Stephen, and these were lowered inhis helmet at the end of a 2-inch rope. 

We enjoyed the sail over an absolutely smooth sea, and being Sunday wecould hear and see that service was being conducted on severalwarships and troopers. That warlike tune "Onward! Christian Soldiers"was well played by a band on an Australian troopship, all singers andnon-singers on our boat joining in. "Queen Elizabeth" is familiarlyand affectionately known as "Lizzie" by all and sundry. 

_April 19th. _--To-day is warmer than we have felt it since we leftMex. I have been observing all along how few birds are to be seenhere. I saw a few small ones the day I was on shore, but I have neverseen any of these flying over the bay or about the ships. The harbourgets very filthy, and highly "smelly". All refuse is dumped overboard, and pipes are continually discharging their filth from openings atvarious levels all round each ship. Food of all kinds, especiallywhole loaves and buns float about everywhere, enough to feed thousandsof gulls, if they would only come along and scavenge. To-day I countedover thirty gulls in one flock, but I would not have believed beforethat there were so many about the whole bay. 

We had a call in the afternoon from our friends of the "Marquette"with another mail bag. I had one letter and an Aberdeen "EveningExpress". Whyte and I returned with them and all had a very jovialdinner together. The latest news from H. Q. On the Cunarder "Andania"is that we are not to lose our post of honour after all. It was afternine when we started for our own ship and had a pleasant and noisytrip. We were challenged by "Lizzie" under whose stern we passed, with"boat ahoy, " and we had to explain who we were. Not one of the shipsis showing any light. 

Our "Marquette" friends told us of a narrow escape they had had. Ontheir way from Alexandria they were immediately preceded by the"Manitou" (B. 12), which had three torpedoes fired at her by a Turkishtorpedo boat, but at such close range that the torpedoes as they divedinto the sea from the deck, went so deep that they passed under theship. The "Manitou" is a sister ship of the "Marquette". Making surethat their end had come there was a panic, and as a boat was beinglowered past the upper deck so many crowded on board that the davitsbroke and the whole mass crashed down on another boat already in thewater, killing about forty. 

_April 20th. _--In the afternoon I visited the village of Mudros on thesouth side of the harbour. There are several camps near this, and Ifirst visited the French Foreign Legion where there were troops frommany parts--Zouaves, Turcos, etc. I walked through the village whichwas very interesting. The money-making Greek is taking advantage ofthere being so many men about, and almost every house containssomething for sale, with numerous newly erected wooden shops near theFrench quarters. Alcohol is cheap, a bottle of wine costingsevenpence. There were fig trees in every garden, and dried figs forsale, strung on string, which looked dry and filthy. Honey was muchin evidence, this part of the world producing enormous quantities ofthis. The principal article of merchandise was Turkish delight. Whenexamining various articles at a stall, I chanced to open a box of thisand said "Turkish Delight!" "No, no, no, " said the man, "GraekeDelight!" The name "Turkish" will not do at present. 

An old fellow, clean shaved except for an enormous moustache, took usover his windmill, and it was strange to see the great wooden wheelsand wooden teeth all dry and creaking, no oil being used. 

The wind had risen and it cost us an hour and a half's hard pulling tocover less than a mile. A big gathering of men at the stern of ourship watched our perplexity and began to sing "Pull for the shore, sailor, " which was replied to by volleys of oaths and threats ofvengeance. By this time my hands were badly blistered, and we hadsmashed an oar so that our tempers were none of the best. 

_April 21st. _--Marching orders were received this morning. They run asfollows: "The object is to capture and dominate Kilid Bahr. The RoyalNaval Division is to make a feint attack on Bulair. The Australiansare to land at Kapa Teke. The 29th Division is to land at HellesBurnu. The French are to land at Kum Kale on the Asiatic side. 

"The 29th Division are to attack Kilid Bahr:--

"A. A force to land at Eski Hissarlik. 

"B. A force west of Krithia. 

"C. A force on the rest of the south of the peninsula. 

"1. The first line of defence to be '114, '138, '141. 

"2. The second through the "e" of Old Castle to join hands with Y. Beach. 

"3. From Eski Hissarlik to East of Krithia to '472. 

"4. To capture Achi Baba and line running south of it. 

"5. To occupy a line running East of Achi Baba to the sea; and west ofit to sea by 472. 

"The covering force is the 86th Brigade, the South Wales Borderers, 1st King's Own Scottish Borderers, 2nd Hampshires less two companies, Plymouth Royal Naval Division, West Riding Engineers, 1st SectionRoyal London Engineers, and a tent-subdivision of the 87th FieldAmbulance, and a part of a tent-subdivision of the 88th FieldAmbulance, and three bearer-subdivisions of the 89th Field Ambulance. 

"A hot meal is to be taken before leaving the ship. 

"There will be a signal station at W. Beach, Divisional Head-quarterson the 'Euryalus'. 

"No water to be drunk till tested owing to the risk of its beingpoisoned. "

So ran the orders from our G. O. C. In C. --General Sir IAN HAMILTON. 

On going on deck before breakfast I found everything had been arrangedfor our departure this afternoon at four o'clock, and since then allhas been hurry and bustle. But from early morning till about 3 p. M. Itrained and the wind blew, and the whole world was in haze, and as ithad been arranged that Gallipoli was to be well bombarded by our shipsto-day before the army attempted a landing all had to be postponed foranother twenty-four hours. 

_April 22nd. _--To-day we gave the men their Iodine ampules for usewith their first field dressings, and distributed GeneralHunter-Weston's address congratulating our Brigade on the honour doneus on receiving the chief post of danger in the coming attack, whichwill likely be at daybreak on Saturday, April 24. Before the Turkishtrenches can be reached by our men it is expected that they will haveto get through a wire entanglement 25 feet wide and 6 feet high. According to the present plans we are to be preceded by the RoyalMunster Fusiliers. 

There is great activity in Lemnos Harbour this morning, especiallyamong the torpedo boats which have been flitting about at theirhardest. No boats have been allowed to leave our ship for two days, the order being that this can only be done if to save life. Water, which we were much in need of, was brought on board last night, and weare ready to start off--and have been since yesterday at 4 p. M. Theappointed hour. But it would be contrary to all my experience if wegot away at the fixed time. 

Fiddes arrived from the "Marquette" at lunch time and brought myservice cap, helmets having been recalled a week ago. 

Lord Kitchener sent us the other day an account of the fighting atBusorah, preparing us for what was before us. The Turks had foughtdesperately, were well trained, and well led, and could only be turnedout of their trenches at the point of the bayonet. 

General Sir Ian Hamilton, Commander-in-Chief of the MediterraneanForce, sends us his address:--

 "FORCE ORDER (SPECIAL), "GENERAL HEAD-QUARTERS, "_April 21, 1915. _

 "Soldiers of France and of the King!

 "Before us lies an adventure unprecedented in modern war. Together with our comrades of the fleet we are about to force a landing upon an open beach in face of positions which have been vaunted by our enemies as impregnable. The landing will be made good, by the help of God and the Navy, the positions will be stormed, and the war brought one step nearer to a glorious close. 

 "'Remember, ' said Lord Kitchener, when bidding adieu to your commander, 'Remember, once you set foot on the Gallipoli Peninsula, you must fight the thing through to a finish'. 

 "The whole world will be watching our progress. Let us prove ourselves worthy of the great feat of arms entrusted to us. 

 "(Signed) IAN HAMILTON, _General_. "

_April 23rd. _--Spent most of the forenoon on the "Caledonia" (B. Iii), which is lashed to our port side. Agassiz and Thomson arrived thereyesterday with nineteen men, forming one tent-subdivision, and go withus. 

A different atmosphere pervades our ship to-day, a feeling of strainand anxiety is more or less on every mind, not that it would beapparent to an outsider except in a case or two. Bad news has leakedin all the time from the navy and our airmen, all the time thisgetting worse, such as the account that Gallipoli swarms withwell-armed Turks, wire entanglements of great breadth and heighteverywhere, and, of course, trenches. We have plans of their trenchesand gun emplacements, but these can only be roughly correct. Thenyesterday the airmen made another reconnaissance, and they say theyhave found a great increase of guns. We may be outnumbered ten ortwelve to one, and our having to face their well-defended positions inopen boats is not altogether comforting, and naturally all feel a bitanxious. General Hare, our Brigadier, spoke to me on the "Caledonia, "and I thought he looked worried, and is thinner than when I saw himlast at Coventry. Col. Rooth of the Dublins does not look over happy. He came down to lunch, had a look at the table, and went up to deckwith a cigarette, and at the present moment he stands near where I amwriting with both hands in his pockets, peering straight down the sideof the ship into the waters. Those of us with less responsibility arecertainly less troubled; all are prepared for great sacrifices, andevery one is ready to play his part in what will certainly be a greattragedy. 

The particular part of the coast on which I land with the 89th FieldAmbulance is a short way west of Sedd-el-Bahr, landing in the collier"River Clyde, " on which there will be a force of 2100. I have alreadyspoken about this boat. From what is going on I will be surprised ifwe do not leave Lemnos to-night. 

8. 30 p. M. Off! We set sail from Lemnos at 4. 57, two boats of the A. Class going out before us, but these two anchored outside while we ledstraight on. On coming on deck after dinner we found three warships onour starboard side, said to be the "Swiftsure, " "Dublin, " and"Euryalus, " all in line, no lights on them or us. Our port-holes arecovered first with cardboard and the iron shutters are down over it. The sharer of my cabin (Lt. G. A. Balfour, a relative of the statesman)and I wonder if we should sleep on deck, the atmosphere here will beuncomfortably close. The evening as we started was perfect, warm andabsolutely calm. Now the moon looks watery and has a big halo, andwind is prophesied by the ship's officers. We drag three large bargesalongside which prevent our going at much speed, and it is expectedthat we will reach Tenedos about 3 a. M. 

_April 24th. _--Saturday. Reached Tenedos and cast anchor at 9. 30 a. M. We had been delayed by the wind rising and the waves dashed over ourlighters till they were nearly swamped. On our east we have the coastof Asia with several high hills near the coast. 

All the transports--not many yet arrived but B. S. I. , ii. , and iii. Form a little group--torpedo boats and destroyers, mine-sweepers, tugsand other small fry lie in a bay, and as if for defence, and no doubtthat is their purpose, eight big battleships are drawn up in linefacing the open sea. The famous "Horse of Troy, " the "River Clyde, "lies near, and the thought of spending the coming night on her lowestdeck is not attractive. She is painted khaki on one side I see, butonly in patches, the idea evidently is to make her resemble asandstone rock--all very ingenious no doubt, but she will make a goodtarget in spite of her paint. 

I said yesterday that all the officers looked anxious, but in theevening all were their old selves exactly, and baccarat went on asusual among the younger officers who sang all their usual songs andyelled and laughed till midnight. I was in bed by ten and slept evenbetter than usual, and it was with an effort I got up at 8 o'clock. The fact that I was in a new part and in the midst of a big fleet didnot even seem to interest me very much. Nor does the thought ofto-morrow disturb any one, and, as far as I can judge, it is not veryoften in one's mind. 

We lie on the north side of Tenedos, near the foot of Mount St. Elias. Several of us were guessing the height of this hill, and none put itat over 250 feet although its actual height is 625 feet. 

At 3 p. M. Came a naval message ordering us all to be ready fortransfer to our respective boats at 3. 45--all hurry and bustle. I haveloaded up and am at present guarding a pile of coats, water-bottles, etc. , belonging to our men who have hurried off to the galley to gettheir last meal for the day. The sea has been rough all day but is nowcalmer, and there is every prospect of fine weather for to-morrow'smurderous work. Away to the east the Asiatic coast is beautifully litup by the setting sun, also the yellow rocks that stretch to Kum Kaleon the south of the entrance to the Dardanelles, while the hills onGallipoli are visible but in haze. From my present post I look overthe Plain of Troy to the high mountains beyond. To-morrow it is to beTroy Field and the wooden horse of Troy all over again. 

10. 30 p. M. --Arrived on coal boat at 6. 30. Place in stern fitted up forofficers' supper; two lime barrels and a few rough boards form table:whisky: tinned meat: biscuits: 2200 of us on board: all happy and fit. We start in two hours: only 12 or 13 miles to go: then anchor 1-1/2miles from land and wait for daylight and bombardment; then at propermoment rush in: said that coast is to be battered with 150, 000 shells. Supper finished some time ago and am writing this in the mess I havejust mentioned. Some sleeping or pretending; others smoking; I doinglatter and sitting on board after trying to snooze with head on a bigbox and less high one in small of back; but too uncomfortable foranything, so whipped out my "bookie" and scribbled; light bad, only anoily lamp with glass smoked black, and nearly 20 feet distant. Queerscene altogether. 

_April 25th. _--Sunday is just ten minutes old, and the ship's screwhas started--we are off!

_Later. _--Still Sunday the 25th--5. 15 p. M. 

Hell with the lid off! Yes, I know what hell is, nor do I believeanyone in the world knows better. To-day I have seen shells plungingthrough the ship's hold in which I was, carrying off heads and legs, but my pulse has not once given an extra beat. "My word, sir, " said atar coming up to me, "you have a nerve. " Tars have no lack of nerve asI have seen to-day, and I felt vastly proud of the compliment. Threeof our Generals are reported on the casualty list, and Col. Smith-Carrington shot through the head on the bridge of our ship. 

The bombardment commenced at 4. 50 a. M. And was expected to carry onfor an hour or a little over, but after twelve hours of the mostterrific cannonade ever experienced in this world it has not yet cometo an end. Now at 5. 30 an occasional shot comes from a battleship. The constant roar has made my head ache, and I am dead tired, havingworked hard all day, and I must give an account of this another day. 

_April 26th. _--The battle of Sedd-el-Bahr still rages, and with a furybut little less than yesterday. Yesterday was a very hard day, afterattending wounded almost continuously up to 8. 30 p. M. I volunteered togo ashore to see the wounded on the beach. The dead and dying werehere in hundreds. Before I got back to the ship at 4 this morning Ihad a very hot time of it, and cannot understand why I am not a deadman. We were told yesterday that a counter-attack was to be made andthat the Turks intended to blow the ship to pieces with cannon, whichthey were to bring up in the night. When the attack did come I gave upall hopes of anything but slaughter, as the men we had on land wereinsufficient in number to meet a large force. 

About fifty men were leaving the ship when this started, and at thesound of the firing all fell flat on their faces, and if any one daredto move he was at once fired at. Some one on a barge next the smallboat in which I had taken shelter asked if he could crawl into ourboat, but I dared him or anyone else to move as such movement wouldonly draw fire on every one of us. Not a man stirred, but lay on hisface from midnight to 4 o'clock. It was not till the end of the attackthat I learned these men had an officer with them. As I lay in theboat I shouted to them that an assault on us was likely, and orderedthem to load and fix bayonets, and to see that all had plenty ofammunition. Extra bandoliers of cartridges were passed up from therear, each pushing these along with a clatter. All this with the redcross on my arm! And with loaded revolver in hand I was prepared todie game. 

The wounds I saw yesterday were in every part of the body, and mostwere severe, and the death-rate in proportion to wounded will be veryhigh, many having four or five wounds. 

Snipers are giving an extraordinary amount of trouble, the groundyielding itself to numerous hiding places overlooking our beach, aboutthe rocks on our left as well as the immense old fort. The end of thefort nearest us is now but a jumble of huge stones and is an excellentplace for snipers. A number of jackdaws and three huge storks hadtheir dwelling here and have now to live pretty much in the heavens, circling over their old home in an excited condition. 

It is now but 11. 30 a. M. And I have been having a rest preparatory tothe advance we are to make this afternoon. I have not had a wink ofsleep since the 24th. 

We join up with the French this afternoon. How the guns still thunder!The "Queen Elizabeth" with her 15-inch guns thundering over our headsas we rushed in past her at close quarters seemed to make our boat of6600 tons sink some way in the water at every broadside. I wassurprised to find that the heavy gunfire gave me no trouble, althoughlike most of the others I began with cotton wool in my ears, but halfan hour of this was enough, it interfered with sounds it was necessaryto hear. 

Here I am writing in the midst of one of the greatest battles inhistory. Any bombardment this world has ever known was a merebagatelle to this. 

To-day we had a naval funeral of General Napier and ColonelSmith-Carrington. The former was killed on a barge attached to us, andthe other on the bridge. No one is to be present but the Catholicpadre. A number of men are to be buried at the same time. The orders Ireceived stated that all bodies had to be got rid of before weadvanced. A pinnace from a warship was signalled for and all weretaken out to sea. 

Our advance from the shore began to-day about noon, our men lining outalong the sands and the banks above, and gradually getting forward byshort rushes. Barbed wire had also to be cut. But the advance throughthe village was the most difficult, as the remains of houses andgarden walls contained snipers. I almost shiver to look back on a madthing I did to-day--mad because it was done out of mere curiosity. Iwas asked to go to "Old Fort" beyond the village, near the outermostcapture for to-day to see Colonel Doughty-Wylie and Major Grimshaw whowere reported badly wounded. Both were dead, and as I was about toreturn I was next asked if I would go to a garden at the top of thevillage to see some wounded men. Afterwards I went right through thevillage alone, with only my revolver in my hand, and from the housessniping was still going on. I had been assured that it was supposed tobe safe. I peered into a number of wrecked houses--every house hadbeen blown to bits--and I had not long returned when sniping commencedfrom a prominent corner house I had just passed. The only livingthings I saw in the village were two cats and a dog. I was very sorryfor a cat that had cuddled close to the face of a dead Turk in thestreet, one leg embracing the top of his head. I went up to stroke andsympathise with it for the loss of what I took to be its master, whenI found that the upper part of the man's head had been blown away, andthe cat was enjoying a meal of human brains. The dog followed till Icame upon three Dublin Fusiliers, who wished to shoot it straight awaywhen I pleaded for it, but one of them had a shot at it when my backwas turned and the poor brute went off howling. I had done my best, when going along the fosse of the "Old Fort, " to save a badly woundedTurk from three of another battalion who were standing over him anddiscussing the advisability of putting an end to him, but I am afraidmy interference was in vain here also. 

Away beyond the heights we have taken to-day the country is verypretty with plenty of trees and vegetation. Here I saw dead andwounded Turks in abundance, especially at some of their own wireentanglements, several wounded being stretched out on the wires. Theirwire is very barbarous and has long, closely set spikes, and theposition must have been anything but comfortable. 

Another counter-attack--the third--has just been made, and one of ourbattleships has joined in. 

The Dublins, whose officers I have associated most with, have onlythree of these left out of twenty-seven. I came across two of theseto-day--Padre Finn, R. C. Chaplain, whom I knew well and greatlyrespected, I found at the edge of the sea, with his clothes thrownopen exhibiting a wound in the chest. And in the village, all huddledup among long weeds and nettles I found a lieutenant who sat at mytable on the "Ausonia"--Bernard. In both cases death must have beeninstantaneous. 

Here comes a fourth attack. Our boys are to have a night of it. 

To-day only about eighteen shells were fired at the "River Clyde" allfrom the Asiatic side, only one hitting. We were putting wounded onboard at the time and most of the shots were directed against theseoperations. 

I have had no sleep since I left Tenedos, but to-night I feel veryfresh, although the day has been long and busy. 

All who know are quite satisfied with to-day's progress, and the hopethat the worst is over cheers one. To-morrow we will have to move on, we must keep the Turks on the run. Some of the prisoners taken to-dayare German. 

(Being unable in my letters to my wife to give a full account of allthat was doing, my diary was meant to fill in gaps, and as I had senthome a fairly full account of the landing much is omitted here, and Iwill give a more extended description as seen by myself. About thistime in particular my diary had to be written at odd moments, and itwas rare that I could go far without being disturbed, and writing afew sentences half a dozen times a day, or even oftener, often endedin a jumble. )

Of the five British landings the one at Sedd-el-Bahr (V. Beach) wasthe most difficult and disastrous. 

On the 24th of April we were still lying at Tenedos, and in theafternoon were transferred to the "River Clyde". We learned theprevious day that we were to land from this old coal boat that hadbeen rendered so peculiar with her great, gaping holes, and khakisplashes on her starboard side. She had been an object of curiosity tous in Lemnos harbour, no one having any idea of her purpose. 

Before dark all the men were served with tea and food, which we weretold was to be their last solid meal. Soon after this the men retiredto rest in a hold near the stern which had been allotted to the WestRiding Engineers and ourselves. The officers took up their quarters inthe stern deck house, where we had cocoa, tinned meat, etc. , afterwhich we too tried to make ourselves as comfortable as possible in themost uncomfortable of all quarters, most shutting their eyes andpretending to be asleep. 

Our nerves were now fully strung, we knew we were on the very eve ofthe landing, which we were assured was to be rendered easy by theNavy, which had promised that their bombardment was to be so terrificthat nothing the size of a cockroach would be left alive on thepeninsula. We soon learned to our cost how difficult it was tosubstantiate this assertion. 

From Tenedos we were but a small party of ships. In the pitchydarkness we had fallen in with the bigger fleet coming direct fromLemnos, and as we crept along, every ship in total darkness, we couldjust make out other ships alongside us. One with big hull and unusuallength of guns was immediately on our port. At close quarters therewas no mistaking this for anything but a dummy warship. 

After a time the searchlight on the point of the peninsula could beseen sweeping its rays in long, regular flashes across the sea. Bythis time those ships that had furthest to go were ahead of us to theright and left. Just as the inky darkness was beginning to bedispelled there was a change in these lazy flashes. We were detected. At once they changed their long, comprehensive sweeps into sharp jerksfrom one ship to another as each hove into the rays. The searchlightsoon went out, while hurried messages were no doubt being flashed overthe wires to Constantinople and many points in our immediateneighbourhood, announcing our long-expected arrival. 

Soon the guns began to roar, the first I heard being to our left upthe Gulf of Saros, but in a few minutes all the ships had joined inthe chorus, from what was afterwards known as Anzac all round thepoint and some way up the Dardanelles. A grand roar such as the worldhad never heard. The peninsula was quickly one dense cloud ofpoisonous-looking yellow-black smoke, through which flashes ofbursting shells were to be seen everywhere. It was truly a magnificentsight, and the roar of the guns stirred one's blood like some martialskirl from the bagpipes. The feeling one had was a longing for them tohurry up and do their work, and let us get at the Turk at closequarters. 

Our old ship crept slowly in through the ring of warships, took acircular turn just as we were passing through the line--apparently wewere in too great a hurry--then we straightened our course and passedclose past our covering ship, "Queen Elizabeth, " the finest ship inthe whole Navy, and which had been detailed to look after us. How herguns roared as she poured out broadside, as we passed by her portside, straight in on full steam for the strip of sand under thevillage and fort of Sedd-el-Bahr. 

Unable from our hold to see properly what was doing, I had spent mostof the time on deck, and when about 200 yards from land I darted downbelow to warn the men to lie down in case we struck rock, when theimpact would have been violent. I held on to a stanchion. We were fastin the sand before I was really aware that the ship was aground--thereto lie for four years, to be shot at constantly whilst we occupiedGallipoli, but in spite of all her buffeting to serve many uses, andfinally to become an object of veneration, "as holy as WestminsterAbbey" some one says of her in "The Sphere". For the 2100 of us onboard there was to be no retreat whatever happened. We had crossed theRubicon and burned our boats. 

On board we had the 1st Munster Fusiliers, two companies of the 1stDublin Fusiliers, one company of Hants, 100 marines, a few of theSignal Company, the West Riding Engineers, and 124 stretcher-bearersof the 89th Field Ambulance. 

We had been dragging along huge barges on either side, enough to forma couple of gangways, had they only behaved as was intended. When theship struck, the momentum these had on should have been enough to keepthem on their way till they grounded ahead of us, drawing but verylittle water as they did; but somehow or other this part was afailure, they grounded too soon, then broke away from each other. Themen had then to get ashore in open boats manned by the marines we hadon board. This was at once pushed on, boat after boat left the ship'sside for the beach, perhaps 30 yards off, terrific machine-gunfiresweeping each boat. 

The first few loads escaped with comparatively few casualties, butsoon the fire was so hot and accurate that practically not a man gotto the shelter of the 10 to 12-foot high sandbank beyond the narrowstrip of sand. About 300 yards to our left was a high projecting rock, a continuation of the high ground that closed in that side of the longslope of V. Beach, and from here came that infernal shower of bulletsthat was causing such terrible havoc. From the "Clyde" one couldeasily tell where the bullets were coming from by their sputter in thewater. 

A constant stream of shells was being kept up all the time on thisrock from the ships. The whole rim of V. Beach, as it stretchedbackwards for 500 or 600 yards, was searched time after time by highexplosives, each shell bursting with accurate precision 5 or 6 feetunder the crest. But the mischief was not coming from this crest, itwas from that infernal rock alone, but in spite of all their effortsour guns could not silence this machine-gunfire. 

It was an extraordinary sight to watch our men go off, boat afterboat, push off for a few yards, spring from the seats to dash into thewater which was now less than waist deep. It was just on this pointthat the enemy fire was concentrated. Those who got into the water, rifle in hand and heavy pack on back, generally made a dive forwardriddled through and through, if there was still life in them to drownin a few seconds. Many were being hit before they had time to springfrom the boats, their hands were thrown up in the air, or else theyheaved helplessly over stone dead. All this I watched from the holesin the side of the ship, but when not otherwise occupied, from thedeck where I could see on all sides. 

But soon we of the Field Ambulance had other work to do. Many of theboats had all their rowers killed and never returned, others were ableto push back, generally with most of their marines laid out, but withsufficient left to man a boat. Back they came to our starboard hole, and the wounded were lifted up to us and attended to. Repeatedly thewhole of our floor was covered with wounded and dead men; a pinnacewould arrive from a ship and relieve us of our wounded, but we filledup again almost at once. 

Along the water's edge there was now a mass of dead men, on the sand amixture of dead and weltering wounded, while a fair number had reachedthe sandbank just beyond, where, under an enfilading fire from therock, they scraped themselves into the recesses. Boats from the otherships were being towed in in threes by pinnaces, till close to thebeach when the pinnaces wheeled about, and for the last short distancethey had to trust to their oars. Those landing to our right and leftas they came in from the other ships were faring no better than thosefrom the "Clyde". One boat half-way to the rock, and which had beenleft stranded, had three men caught in the festooned rope that runsround the gunwale. Into this they had dived, probably as the boatheeled over to that side and the rope had floated outwards, and therethey swung for the rest of the day, two not moving a muscle andevidently dead, but for long I could see the other poor fellow stretchout his arms time after time, but before evening he too was still. 

They still kept splashing on between the boats and the sand, divedforward and fell dead at once, or were drowned, till at last it wasseen that it was useless to continue such slaughter to no purpose, andthe landing at this point had to be given up for the time being. 

After the hellish morning we had had, the afternoon thus becamecomparatively quiet. Those who were still unwounded made for the ruinsof the round tower of the fort, slightly to our right. Round this pileof stones they peered, looking for the Turk, who was always found, but here there were but few shots exchanged, as the Turks advanced ourmen made a rush backwards, or to the sands below, in time to prowlforward once more to have another look, and make the same rush back. 

Then came night with its full moon. An attempt was made to land moremen about 8 o'clock. These were fired on and again we had to desist. 

About 8. 30 an officer on shore made a dash for our ship, and ondescribing the terrible condition and suffering of the wounded who hadbeen in the sandbank for about fourteen hours, I decided to go totheir assistance. We had previously been officially warned that itwould be impossible for any of the Ambulance to land before morning, but heedless of this I set off alone over the barges and splashedthrough the remaining few yards of water. Here most of those stillalive were wounded more or less severely, and I set to work on them, removing many useless and harmful tourniquets for one thing, andworked my way to the left towards the high rocks where the snipersstill were. All the wounded on this side I attended to, an officeraccompanying me all the time. I then went to the other side, and afterseeing to all in the sand my companion left me, and I next went to along, low rock which projected into the water for about 20 yards ashort way to the right of the "Clyde". Here the dead and wounded wereheaped together two and three deep, and it was among these I had myhardest work. All had to be disentangled single-handed from theiruncomfortable positions, some lying with head and shoulders in thetideless water, with broken legs in some cases dangling on a higherlevel. 

At the very point of this rock, which had been a favourite spot forthe boats to steer to, there was a solid mass of dead and woundedmixed up together. The whole of these I saw to, although by this timethere was little I could do except lift and pull them into morecomfortable positions, but I was able to do something for every one ofthem. My last piece of work was to look after six men who weregroaning in a boat stranded close to the point of the rock. Three layon each side with their legs inwards; a plank ran the whole length ofthe middle of the boat, and along this as it rested on their legs, menhad been running during the landing. Getting on this plank some ofthem howled in agony and beseeched me to get off. I then got into thewater and as I could do nothing more for them, my dressings beingfinished some time before, I gave each a dose of morphia by the mouth. 

I had just finished and was standing waist-deep in the water when theTurkish counter-attack commenced with a volley from the distant end ofthe fort, not over 300 yards off. The only person the Turk could seewas myself, the sandbank protecting the others from view, and at leastseven or eight bullets spluttered round me in the water. I had beenwell warned that this counter-attack would take place at any moment, but I never gave it a single thought. It was in anticipation of thisthat the others clung to the shelter of the sandbank and I was left towork alone. I immediately splashed for a small boat that formed theend of one of the gangways, and into this I hauled myself. On lookingat my watch I found it was just midnight, and that I had thus been atwork for three and a half hours. 

Midnight had evidently been chosen by the Turk as the hour at which toattack, and also by us to make another attempt to land men. At thismoment a body of our men were coming along the gangway, the first ofthem being close to this boat which was on a slightly lower level thanthe barges that formed the bulk of the gangway. The five foremostthrew themselves into my boat and we lay stretched across the seats, the men on the barges lying down at once where they were. Here noneof us had any protection, and it was a miracle any one of us escaped, the fire from machine-guns and rifles was so terrific. Each bullet asit struck the "Clyde" drove sparks, while the old ship was ringinglike a great bell. Two of our six were hit, the man stretchedalongside me fatally. A seventh man in the water hauled himself inbeside us, and as he was getting over the gunwale shouted, "Oh! I amhit". Hit or not hit we could not pay the slightest attention to eachother now, all we could do was to lie low. 

All this time I was expecting a rush for the "Clyde" by the Turks, andthe boat I was in would be the first part of the gangway they wouldreach, and I could not help wondering what it would be like to get abayonet through my stomach, but the feeling that this would certainlyhappen was not half so terrible as I should have expected. I had myrevolver in my hand all the time, and it was a comfort to think that Iwould almost certainly account for two or three Turks before Iexperienced this new sensation. 

The fire was kept up for about four hours, mainly on the side of theship. As soon as there was a lull an officer in my boat shouted out. "This won't do, we must now land, follow me. " He got up and splashedashore, but the men, thinking he had been too hasty, preferred to waita little longer after the Turks had ceased fire, but soon they beganto move and dash singly for the land. I wished to get on the ship, andnot half liking to get into an upright position either, I creptthrough and over those still on the barges, amidst much cursing frommy paining the wounded, who must have been numerous. 

I had had a strenuous and exciting day and night, and I must say Ifelt it a relief when I hopped through the nearest hole in the"Clyde". It was now 4 o'clock, and I shivered with cold. I had beensoaked over the head, and lying four hours in the open boat in a coldnight it was impossible to keep warm. A big, black cloud had floatedup over the moon, and we had a fairly sharp but short shower of rain. By this time the moon was nearing the horizon, and it was when anothercloud came over her face that I succeeded in reaching the ship. 

I found they had had a fairly trying time here too, although theship's plates were thick enough to resist bullets. The noise of100, 000 bullets showering on the sides of the "Clyde" had caused adeafening din, and many had the wind up badly, not knowing what wasgoing on outside. 

The behaviour of the "River Clyde" had been a great puzzle to theTurks. She was not long aground when the guns on Kum Kale, across theDardanelles, opened on us, and this fire was kept up the whole day--onus and us only as far as I could make out. It took them some time toget our range, and for a considerable time we were not hit, all theshells being shorts or overs. At last they got us, the first shellthat hit going through our hold at an angle of 45 degrees, comingthrough the deck over our heads, and going out at the junction of thefloor and side wall. In its course it struck a man on the head, thisbeing splashed all through the hold. Another man squatting on thefloor was hit about the middle of both thighs, one leg beingcompletely severed, while the other hung by a tiny shred of skin only. He fell back with a howl with both stumps in the air. 

In five minutes a second shell entered our hold, wounding two or threewhere we were, mostly by the buckling of the floor plates, thenpassing down below to the lowest hold where many men were shelteringunder the water line. Here six or seven were laid out. 

After this we had many narrow escapes, but I believe only two othershells actually struck the ship that day. By good luck none explodedin their passage through, otherwise the casualty list would have beenvery heavy. Many had been hit and killed on deck by machine-gunbullets, and many bullets had found their way through the smallopenings cut for working the twelve machine-guns that were placedthere. 

(I have the kind permission of the author, a scholarly andmuch-respected member of our Corps, to insert the following poem whichappeared in "The British Weekly" and one of the Aberdeen papers. )

THE FACE OF DEATH. 

(_Dedicated to Lieutenant George Davidson. _)

 We shall not be the men we were before, No, never while we draw this mortal breath: For we have probed existence to the core, And looked upon the very Face of Death. 

 Upon our famous collier, "River Clyde, " We sat as men who wait the summons dread. Brave soldiers fell, defenceless, at our side, We, too, might soon be numbered with the dead. 

 With fateful frequency the shells did burst Around and near the members of our Corps: Within our hearts we asked, "Who'll be the first To converse with his comrades never more?"

 O never, never from our memory's page Shall be erased these moments of despair: An hour seemed an interminable age, But, in His mercy, God our lives did spare. 

 We care not what the worldly wise may say, We owe deliverance to the God of Heaven, Whose Power Omnipotent the worlds obey, 'Gainst whose decrees mankind in vain hath striven. 

 Had He but chosen that our hour had come, No scheming had availed our lives to save: 'Twas not the hour to call our spirits home, The Lord must take, as 'twas the Lord that gave. 

 And not in vain were we to death brought nigh, For He whose presence came our hearts so near Hath taught us we can ne'er His Will defy, But evermore should live in reverent Fear. 

 And men have scaled the sacred slopes of Prayer Who ne'er before aspired to heights above: And find the Universe divinely fair Because 'tis governed by a Heart of Love. 

 GEORGE STEPHEN. 

 89TH FIELD AMBULANCE, R. A. M. C. , GALLIPOLI, _24th May, 1915_. 

(The following is taken from my diary and dated August 3, 1916, justafter we had landed in the Ypres salient to which the remains of ourDivision went after being wiped out in the great Somme fight theprevious month:--

"I have to-day received a copy of the Aberdeen 'Free Press, ' datedJuly 28, where there is an article on Gallipoli by one of ourtransport men, G. Burnett, who is now a lieutenant in the ScottishHorse. It runs: 'It is scarcely fair to single out officers and menwho did gallant service that first week, but I feel that I ought tomention the names of Lieutenant George Davidson, and Private GavinGreig. Lieutenant (now Captain) Davidson gained the D. S. O. While Greigwas promoted sergeant shortly afterwards. We were told that LieutenantDavidson led a bayonet charge, but he certainly did go intoSedd-el-Bahr, revolver in hand, to look for curios when there was yetgreat danger from snipers. And he used to go up towards the Turkishtrenches, gathering flowers which he would show us on his return. Every man of us would have followed him anywhere. I recollect goingout to help the bearers to take in some wounded, when the party ofwhich I formed a member fell in with Lieutenant Davidson. "Oh, " hesaid, "would you men like to look for wounded on the hill-side?""Yes, " we answered. "Well, follow me, " and we did until an officerforbade us to go any further. '"

The D. S. O. Never materialized. I am assured a Cairo paper announcedthat it did, and I was often congratulated on the honour. But, asArtemus Ward would say, "Please, Mr. Printer, put a few asteriskshere". )

_April 28th. _--Yesterday was spent dodging shells, with a shortadvance in the evening, and I had not time to write up my diary. Atthe present moment I am out reconnoitring alone, my post being the topof the high cliff west of our landing place, where the snipers gave usso much trouble, and I sit on the slope of the two gun battery whichhas its big Krupp guns dismantled, the result of the naval battering afew weeks ago. 

A great advance on Krithia has begun, the various combatant unitshaving already moved off, or are busily preparing. Those already overthe ridges near the south point of the peninsula are having theattentions of the Krithia guns, a constant stream of shells comingfrom there. Many are also landing about our beach where the enemyknows large bodies of troops are still landing. All our sea monstersare busy off the whole point of Gallipoli, so far up the Dardanelles, and round the west coast. The air vibrates, and the roaring echoes allround never cease. And over all is a brilliant, scorching sun, the airotherwise a dead calm, and not a ripple on the Aegean. In spite ofthis calm a terrific day is in progress for the Turk and us, but wehope to make a great advance before night towards the capture of theforts at the Narrows. All round where I sit the ground is ploughed upwith great holes, some beside this battery the largest of any, bigenough to completely hide a horse and cart. Pieces of shell of severalhundredweight lie about. The precision of our gunfire has to be seenotherwise one could not believe how accurately they can hit a smallobject miles off. The very birds have got accustomed to the din, andon the face of the rocks where I sit is a pair of exquisitebirds--probably jays--flitting about as though nothing unusual wasgoing on. The variety of birds is not great, but all are new to me andhave interested me greatly, so also have the flowers, which are veryfine. I was specially taken with a big light purple rock rose, nearlythree inches across, and in great abundance. 

From this place of vantage I have watched our beach for some time, butas our services are not likely to be much needed here I must return toour Ambulance which lies to the east of the rock, and we must followour Brigade (86) shortly.... Back and seated here again. The van ofthe Munsters arrived at this spot before I left, and dodged and duckedat every shell. On Sunday and Monday they had 286 casualties, including most of their officers. They still stream past just behindme, with the Lancs. And others. The Lancs. Had suffered very badly atW. Beach, while the Dublins lost 550, with twenty officers out oftwenty-three. Four Dublin officers sat at my table on the "Ausonia"--two are dead, the other two wounded. 

_April 29th. _--I had no time to finish my account of the day's doingsyesterday. It was too soon for our Ambulance to go out so I spent partof the forenoon at the General's Observation Hill with General Reeks, who was afterwards joined by General Hunter-Weston. By way of excusefor being there I was waiting to see how our attack on the Turks wasgetting on to see when I could get off with my bearers. The A. D. M. S. Colonel Yarr, was also present. By 5 a. M. The attack had stretchedright across the peninsula, the French on our extreme right, next theHants and Lancs. , with Munsters and Dublins on the left. A furiouscannonade went on for many hours, we advancing slowly till we werenear the foot of Achi Baba, when the Hants ran short of ammunition andhad to retreat, the French of course retiring also. Things were reallylooking bad for a time, and rumours of defeat were soon afloat. Ammunition at last coming up, we could get on, but during the retreatwhich had to be carried out over an open piece of ground, the want ofshelter was the cause of very heavy casualties. 

By 1 p. M. Wounded began to pour past our camp from the 88th Brigade, and, although it was not our Brigade, I went up to their front withall the bearers, Morris remaining behind. We were able to do a lot ofwork, collecting the wounded beside a water supply, nearly two milesfrom where we started. After a time I left the men where they hadplenty of work, and went forward by myself for some distance, past the"Five Towers, " meeting scores of walking cases and assisting where Icould. Shells, especially from the Asiatic side, were numerous, threebig ones bursting quite near me. After a time I ordered the men toload their stretchers and had some trouble with a General who insistedon our remaining, but about this time we were to go out to our ownBrigade, and I marched them off all fully loaded. Things were notlooking too well and the General wished to get the wounded collectedas quickly as possible. But we had to go, we had been ordered to apoint further to the left "about 4 o'clock". 

The A. D. M. S. Had seen Morris and suggested that I should not go outagain, so I remained behind and formed a Divisional Collecting Stationfor all cases that passed the lighthouse. Morris now went out with hismen, mine remaining to assist me. We soon had several hundreds throughour hands, largely stretcher cases which we arranged in rows in frontof the ruins of the lighthouse, till we had more than we could dowith, and soon had to forward most of our cases to W. Beach. Atmidnight we still retained about thirty-five cases, and all had to benursed and protected from the bitterly cold wind and rain as best wecould. The men willingly parted with their own coats and groundsheets, and some even their tunics. We all spent a most miserablenight, and I never all my life felt the cold so acutely. But bymorning, in spite of this, most of the wounded had recovered from theinitial shock and were much brighter, and we had them forwarded to the88th H. Q. 

The chief reason for our not retaining over night a much larger numberwas that most hopeless accounts of the battle were being received fromthe wounded, that all our line was in retreat and that before morningwe would be forced back to the sea, if not to our boats. I called forvolunteers, at the suggestion of Major Bell, to go out and assist, anda number went off at once with their stretchers and did yeomanservice, some not returning till 3 a. M. The Turks had been mutilatingthe wounded--at least so it was said--and we were anxious none shouldagain fall into their hands. 

Through the night firing was heard a very short distance off, but thiswas only from a few snipers who had somehow got through our lines. 

By daylight the weather got warmer, and except for naval firing the29th was a day of rest. Whyte had been detached from thestretcher-bearers before the landing and was in the tent-subdivisionthat landed at W. Beach. He wished to have a little more excitementand he and I exchanged places, I now joining Thomson at W. Beach. Thomson, Whyte, and their nineteen men had done much work at thelanding and had a very hot time. After four days and nights of hardwork, although I could not say I was tired, I felt that a rest mightbe advisable, but the thought of leaving the bearers, even for a dayor two, was depressing. 

_April 30th. _--A slack day in a way, although I have been on my feetsince early morning. A great number of shells have landed near ourcamp at W. Beach at various times to-day, coming from Krithia or AchiBaba. It is strange how many shells may land in the midst of closelypacked men and horses and little or no damage be done--but there areexceptions. 

In the afternoon a hostile aeroplane flew over us--not the firsttime--which dropped three bombs at an anchored balloon we havefloating just off the coast. It missed and received a fierce cannonadefrom a number of warships but escaped, apparently untouched, and wasable to report to the Turks that our landing places would make asplendid target, and the firing, which had been fitful before, nowbecame continuous for a time. One man only was hit. About 12 yardsfrom the opening of my dugout one plunged into the ground with aterrific crash. Thomson and I reconnoitred for a mile or so to thenorth to view a spot to which we had been ordered to shift our camp, probably to-morrow. 

Last night, not being altogether in the open, I expected a comfortablenight, but it was intensely cold, as the nights here always are, thevery hot days making the cold noticeable. By day the sun is alwaysscorching hot, and I am absolutely nut-brown and my nose painfullyburned. 

On all sides I still hear of fresh casualties. The battalions I havebeen connected with have been nearly wiped out--the Munsters and halfthe Dublins at V. Beach, the Lancs. And the other half of the Dublinsat W. Beach, and the Royals at X. Beach. Our total casualties are putat over 4000. We must have reinforcements before we can do much more, and within the next two days 20, 000 are expected from Egypt. 

Last night when some one shot a dog at Sedd-el-Bahr the French thoughtthe Turks were on them and they opened fire on their own men, severalbeing killed and wounded. 

_May 1st. _--More or less idle all day, all resting before the proposedattack on Achi Baba. In the afternoon we had a visit from an enemyaeroplane again, which dropped a bomb 40 yards from my "funk hole, "and 4 yards from what had been taken for a pile of ammunition boxesbut was really provisions--only damage, a big hole and a vile smell. 

_May 2nd. _--Very fierce fighting all last night and the whole ofto-day on the south slopes and ridges of Achi Baba, the Turks firstcharging and repulsing the French, Munsters, and Lancs. The firingfrom the sea, the French 75's and our 60-pounders was incessant, especially during the night. The Turks were finally driven back, butKrithia and the hills are still in their hands. I spent most of thenight watching the progress of events, while the bearers, to whom I amunfortunately not attached to-day, were out at 1 a. M. Our casualtiesare not excessive considering the nature of the fight, while the Turksare said to have lost thousands from our artillery fire. Gettingimpatient at being out of it I succeeded in getting eight of thetent-subdivision out as bearers at 1 p. M. And I visited a good deal ofthe battlefield, as far as our reserve, where I found the Indianswaiting for night duty and a likely attack from the Turks, or, as ishalf expected, we may offer a vigorous offensive. 

Yesterday V. And W. Beaches had a hot attack by shell fire from theAsiatic, Krithia, and Achi Baba guns, about fifty shells landing in W. Where our Ambulance has now formed its base. The damage done wasslight. Two shells in quick succession exploded exactly over the headsof Thomson and myself when we were crossing the beach, both timessomething hitting me about the shoulders. These shrapnel shells aredoing little harm, I had likely been hit by pieces of the material (aresin) in which the bullets are embedded. The smell was the worst ofthem. 

Most of our transport came ashore to-day for the first time, and weare now eager to have our mails which are on board the "Marquette, "but I doubt if anyone will take the trouble to send them over to us. 

At 8 p. M. Thomson, myself, and fifty-six bearers set off to bring inwounded from a point 3 miles north of our Beach, and very nearly in aline with the Turkish and our firing lines. It was moderately darkwhen we started, but such a large body of men might have been visibleto the enemy at some distance, and we spread out into a long line. Allwent well, but at several points to which we were directed as ourdestination we were always told the wounded were further on, and webegan to think we were never to find them. We were getting very nearthe Turks' lines, and Thomson and I had various deliberations aboutthe advisability of going further, but I was always determined to goon. At last we got a guide, but his idea of the whereabouts of thewounded was most hazy; all he knew was that they were collected in anullah somewhere not far off. We came on a nullah at last and walkedalong its high steep banks, calling if anyone was at the bottom, in avoice not too loud owing to our proximity to the Turks. Just as wefound them the fighting on our immediate right became very violent, the artillery and rifle fire being a perfect roar. Star shells werethrown over us, and we hid in the nullah while we were loading thestretchers and raising them to the top of the bank. Each stretchersquad made off at its hardest as soon as its patient was passed up. Thomson and I saw them all off, then had to cross an open piece ofground where three bullets were fired among our feet evidently by asniper who was no distance away. This made us hurry still more, thenthe nullah had to be crossed to the south side. I stood in the middleof it, half-way to the knees in water and assisted ten stretchersacross. Things all the time got hotter and hotter, the variousbatteries all belching forth at their hardest, star shells and rocketsgot still more numerous, and a searchlight from the Dardanelles sideof Achi Baba swept the whole valley as far as our camp on W. Beach. Itwas a terrifying night and I was very happy to get all the men landedin camp at 10. 15 safe and sound. Most of them enjoyed the little bitof sport, but Thomson overheard one of them remarking that althoughLieut. Davidson didn't seem to know what fear was he had no businessto bring them there. The bearers were under me and I was responsible, and I admit the charge was just; we had gone too far at such a time. 

_May 3rd. _--Only occasional firing to-day. I went out with Kellas andAgassiz to show them the way to a point fixed on as a dressingstation. After much wandering about admiring the flora of Gallipoliwith Kellas we chose a spot which is unfortunately near one of ourbatteries. An officer there told us they intended to give the Turk ahot night and this will draw the enemy's fire about our new station, and as this is the first night ashore of these two officers I hopethey will enjoy it. They arrived from the "Marquette" this morningalong with Lt. -Col. Th. Fraser. 

We had our usual visit from an enemy aeroplane this morning. Repeatedshots went after it but away it flew towards the Narrows. The Asiaticguns have given us no trouble for two days. Commander Samson is saidto have reported that two of these are disabled. 

_May 4th. _--As far as the weather goes every day has been perfectsince we came to Gallipoli--maximum of sun absolutely, and cloudlesssky by night always, except on two occasions. 

We still wait for reinforcements which, however, are arriving, manyFrench troops landing at V. Beach. Our men are due from Egypt to-day. Last night the artillery and rifle fire was again constant, especiallyon our right, where the French lines were again driven in by theTurks, but during the day they are said to have recovered their lostposition. 

Two aeroplanes passed over us to-day, one firing three bombs, theother two--no damage. Our aeroplanes were also active, circling timeafter time round Achi Baba at a height of perhaps 5000 feet. From 110to 120 shots were fired at one of ours, all missing. An aeroplane camedown just behind our camp for orders. We had no aerodrome nearer thanTenedos before. Here we have prepared a landing place, which isbeautifully level, but being exposed to gunfire we cannot retain ourmachines over night, all have to return to Tenedos. 

We have had notice this afternoon that our Brigade, the famous 86th, no longer exists as a Brigade. After its wonderful feats of bravery wehave heard this with the greatest sadness, but some of the battalionsbeing reduced to a fourth or a fifth of their original strength, andthe officers killed and wounded in a still greater proportion, therewas no help but to amalgamate with the other two Brigades of ourDivision--87th and 88th. The Company of Hants who were with us on the"River Clyde" did well. No unit in the whole Division receives greaterpraise for its work than the Royal Scots (Queen's Own Edinburgh). 

According to the original programme the French were to land on theAsiatic side and advance up that side of the Dardanelles, but thisthey either failed to do or we had enough work for all on this side, and the right wing of the advance was assigned to them, and this theystill hold. From the point of Gallipoli to the top of Achi Baba is adistance of 5 miles, and before we take that it is expected thatseveral thousand of our men will bite the dust. 

The troublesome gun somewhere near Kum Kale has been more successfulto-day I hear, her bag being three men and nine horses on V. Beach. Well do I know the whizz and thud of her shells--sounds all their own. This gun is mounted either on rails behind rising ground, where shecan move sideways after firing a few rounds, or is on a disappearingplatform. 

_May 5th. _--The attack on Achi Baba was to have commenced to-day at 10o'clock, but the first cannon roar was not heard till 11, when allbelched forth at the same minute. There seemed to be batterieseverywhere, the French 75's being specially noticeable all day, alongwith some other field guns of theirs which had a peculiarly sharpbark. 

The Ambulance was unable to do anything till afternoon, when we got intouch with the Regimental Aid Post of the Lancs. And with the Drakeand Plymouth Battalions, whose wounded we were responsible for. Withus all went well, although some stretcher squads I was with had anarrow escape, two shrapnel shells bursting immediately over our headsand kicking up a dust all round us. 

Our transport men, who had nothing to do with carrying the wounded--byhand at any rate--requested me to get them some excitement, and "thehotter the better, " and their deputy gave me a list of those eager forthis. I took them up the lines as far as we were allowed, and it waswith difficulty I kept them from going still further when they heardthat out in the open there were wounded who could not be reached bythe Regimental bearers on account of shrapnel. When we reached ourown front line we found there was a small party of men along a watercourse still further out. Mainly for a "lark" we determined to go outto these to see if they had any wounded. The water course was dryexcept for green, stagnant pools, and coming on a deep and very filthyone I decided to mount the bank and make a rush for it. All madesimilar rushes, one at a time, and all of us were fired at at shortrange. We reached the small outpost of about a dozen men lying ontheir stomachs and got roundly sworn at, the small hole they were incould not hold us all and we had to show ourselves, which brought atorrent of bullets about the ears of all of us. It was a veryenjoyable and exciting little outing. These men would have gone allthe way to the Turkish lines with pleasure. 

Those in authority are well pleased with the progress made, the leftwing being pushed well forward. The weather during the day was bright, but windy, and with horses and wagons at the gallop the dust was verytroublesome, the whole scene being often blurred. Towards evening thecold was intense. What wind we have had here has always been from thenorth, and at night it might be blowing over snow. 

_May 6th. _--A furious attack was commenced by us at 11 p. M. On theTurkish right, while the French attacked their left. Judging by theincrease of the Turks heavy fire they must have brought up more heavyguns. Rumours about Krithia being captured floated in, but I couldnever believe this, our pouring a constant stream of shells into thevillage proves that it was not in our hands. The truth seems to bethat the Royal Scots pushed into it, and, while following theretreating Turks into a wood on the left, had one or more machine-gunsturned on to them which mowed down over 200, while the remainder hadto retreat. 

One of our men got wounded to-day by a shrapnel bullet which followedround the bend of one of his ribs. 

I paid a visit this afternoon to our old ship, the "River Clyde, " andduring the ten minutes I was there three shells were fired at her. During my short absence from W. Beach for this purpose three hadlanded there, presumably fired at two of our aeroplanes which hadalighted behind us. Only one of the shells did any damage and itsmashed a limbered wagon to matchwood. All came from Asia. 

_May 8th. _--My goodness, such a rattle. Since Sunday, April 25, Idoubt if I have heard its equal. 

Krithia is not yet ours in spite of the awful loss of life itsattempted capture has cost us. Batteries, right and left, in front andbehind all commenced a simultaneous roar at 5. 30 p. M. A fairly hotfire had gone on since 10 a. M. , but 5. 30 had been fixed for a morefurious cannonade, timed no doubt with an infantry attack on Krithia. The whole of that part and the whole face of Achi Baba reek, withdenser clouds, every here and there. The roar is simply grand, and onecannot help glorying in the tremendous power of man's devilment. Iwish they could make twice as much noise. 

_May 9th. _--I had to stop the above account of the day's doingssuddenly and go out with the stretcher-bearers when we had a terribletime--hard work up to 1 a. M. And most of the time to the music ofbullets about our ears. And amidst all the din and roar of battle anightingale sang the whole day and still more sweetly all through thenext night, perched in a clump of trees we had repeatedly to pass onthe way to the Regimental Aid Posts of the Lancs. And Plymouth andDrake Battalions--such a contrast of sounds!

_Later. _--It is now 7. 30 p. M. And the sun has gone down in a red glowbehind the rugged mountains of Imbros as viewed from the entrance ofmy dugout. It has been a glorious day, uncomfortably warm, but calmand without dust, which has been disagreeable for a day or two. I havejust had a bathe in the Aegean, which I was much in need of, thisbeing the first time I have taken off my clothes since I left Lemnos. Walking along the beach I picked up a photograph of a chubby baby, thedarling of some one no doubt. He will miss this link with home. 

The Turks have had little stomach for fighting to-day. Sniping hasgone on, of course, and occasionally a regular fusillade, but to usthe day on the whole has been peaceful. From 5 a. M. We have been verybusy among the Australian wounded, these being the principal sufferersin yesterday's fight, owing, it is said, to their charging with thebayonet at an inopportune moment. Many of their senior officers passedthrough our hands, and their men, fine, big fellows, in large numbers. 

Thomson and I were in charge of our dressing station at the "FiveTowers" from 9 a. M. Yesterday till noon to-day, and were busy thewhole time, except from about 1 to 5 a. M. To-day, when we loweredourselves into a trench and tried to sleep. 

Last night I started to go as far out as possible with five stretchersquads, but in the dark it is difficult to move, nearly every spot istaken up by men, horses, and transport, and you are continuallychallenged by sentries. After showing our men across a brook with adark lantern, some others crossing with stretchers asked for a light, and as soon as I threw a flash on the water a bullet whistled past mefrom a sniper who must have penetrated our front line. I heard thewhistle of many a bullet at close quarters yesterday, and to-day bigshells have fallen on all the four sides of our dressing station, coming from Achi Baba. 

Yesterday when the battle raged at its worst a telegram was handed tome, and read: "Good luck and fondest love--Mabel, " and the date wasApril 2 (March 16 it should have been). This had followed me all theway from Avonmouth where it failed to find me as I was leaving forthis expedition. 

The amount of horrors Thomson and I came through yesterday and thismorning was most sickening and depressing to both of us. TheAustralian Aid Post was a perfect shambles, about an acre of stretchercases, horrible wounds, and all the surroundings soaked with blood. But such brave fellows!

_May 10th. _--We were very busy last night erecting tents for wounded, being the overflow from the casualty clearing station, which, alongwith the hospital ships, is absolutely full. We had sixty-seven tofind shelter for and succeeded. Two died during the night, andnineteen more in other parts of the camp. Thomson and I were still onduty and we were busy changing dressings, setting fractures, etc. , upto 2 p. M. To-day, when an order came to evacuate completely to ahospital ship which had arrived. Welcome news! This gave us anafternoon's rest which we much needed. I spent the time making"couples" for our dugout, which was arched over before with twostretchers interlocking at a slope. 

The chief topic of conversation to-day is the brilliant dash of theAustralians on the 8th, in their bayonet charge over 300 yards ofground without cover. The Turks with five machine-guns mowed themdown, but they dashed on. Their casualties were about 2000. We wereall eager to assist them, their own Ambulances being unable to copewith the work. 

_May 11th. _--What we know as "Helles" is the point of the peninsula asfar north as Achi Baba. It is five miles long, and varies from two tofour in width. The whole valley is saucer shaped, with a more or lesscomplete high edge, except at a small part on the Dardanelles side, where the land shelves to the sea at Morto Bay, this low lying partbeing moist and fertile, with fairly heavy timber and huge downytopped reeds 12 feet high. Across this valley there has once been anaqueduct--perhaps centuries ago--the "Five Towers" being the remainsof the structure. While Achi Baba remains in the hands of the enemythere is not a safe inch in what we occupy, the whole being withineasy gunfire. 

Thomson and I are at present at the Five Towers Dressing Station fortwenty-four hours' duty. From the amount of heavy gun ammunition thatis being hurried past us we expect a heavy bombardment this afternoon, with a repetition of the trying work we had when last on duty. 

A Frenchman has just come into our station with half a loaf under hisarm. Great excitement! We were all willing to purchase it at anyprice, but he handed it over to one of our men who had been hobnobbingwith him in the morning. All are deadly sick of army biscuits, theonly form of bread we have, hard as the nether millstone andtasteless. The only decent food we have is McConnachie's ration ofmeat and vegetables, which is excellent cold or hot, or as soup. 

7. 30 p. M. --Had a weary day--little doing. Thomson in very low spirits, thinking everything is going wrong. News we get from a padre is thatin France everything goes badly. Pirie, M. O. To the Lancs, has justlooked us up and reports no progress here. We are certainly makinglittle speed, and it is now announced, whether correctly or not, thatAchi Baba is to be besieged into submission by starvation ifnecessary, owing to the great loss of life a direct attack wouldentail. In the afternoon I went out with a few bearers to the Lancs. Aid Post to find they had gone into reserve for forty-eight hours, arest they much needed. Shells were coming fast and furious round us, abattery we had to pass being the object of attack. Two big shells fellvery near our dressing station this afternoon, a pile of stores beingtaken for ammunition boxes, the first shell landing among these withterrible crash, and destroying a lot of jam. Rather a hot bombardmentof Krithia goes on to-night, while a number of Tommies are enjoying agame of football close to our camp. 

_May 12th. _--At 8 p. M. Yesterday a message reached us that the 29thDivision had been withdrawn to give them a much-needed rest offorty-eight hours. We accordingly packed up and returned to our campat W. Beach, and lucky for us we did, as it rained heavily during thenight, and we had shelter against showers in our dugouts. On the wholevery little fighting went on to-day till 6 p. M. When our big guns allalong the line bombarded Krithia and the face of Achi Baba. 

When studying our camp fires this morning before daylight I concludedthat we really had made but little progress since April 28, and aLancs. Officer I saw this afternoon agrees with this conclusion. Stillwe are said now to have about 100, 000 men here, while I cannot believethe enemy has anything like that number, but while they are on thedefensive, with their well-planned trenches and the best positions, and possessing, as they do, a large number of machine-guns, the costin life entailed by an open attack would be very costly to us. 

Three shells giving out coal-black smoke, and bursting with a terrificcrash, were fired at our beach to-day, but, as far as I know, withoutdamage. They all burst high in the air and with an unusual sound. (Thefirst of the "Black Marias" or "Jack Johnsons" although we had beenaccustomed to other forms of high explosive shells. )

The following "special order" from General Sir Ian Hamilton ofto-day's date came this afternoon: "For the first time for eighteendays it has been found possible to withdraw the 29th Division from thefire fight. During the whole of that period of unprecedented strainthe Division has held ground or gained it, against the bullets andbayonets of the constantly renewed forces of the foe. During the wholeof that long period they have been illuminating the pages of militaryhistory with their blood. The losses have been terrible, but minglingwith the deep sorrow for fellow-comrades arises a feeling of pride inthe invincible spirit which has enabled the survivors to triumph whereordinary troops must inevitably have failed. I tender to Major-GeneralHunter-Weston and to his Division, at the same time my profoundestsympathy and my warmest congratulations on their achievement. "

 "(Signed) IAN HAMILTON, _General_. "

_May 13th. _--Resting all day--but already have had enough of theprescribed forty-eight hours' rest. It was besides rendereduncomfortable by a very hot shelling in the afternoon. It is said theTurks have placed a new disappearing gun in position, which is doingthis, and is firing high explosives with jet black smoke. They haveour range to an inch from Achi Baba. At least twenty-four shells werefired at our Beach with a very creditable bag--three men killed, twomortally wounded, twelve severely wounded, and about fifteen horsesand mules killed. I saw the remains of some poor brutes that had beenstanding in a group when a shell fell among them. There was reallynothing left but a large red patch. Numerous pieces of shrapnel fellamong our tents. A piece whistled between Thomson and myself on ourway to attend a wounded officer near the lighthouse. 

Later in the day I heard the Turk had got a larger mixed bag than Ihave stated. I now hear as a fact that sixty-four horses and muleswere killed on our Beach. 

H. M. S. "Goliath" was sunk by a torpedo at the mouth of the Dardanellesat 2 a. M. To-day; 200 are said to have been saved which means adeath-roll of 500 or 600. 

We hear that one, if not three, German submarines have passed Malta. The big fleet lying off the coast has always been brilliantly lit, butto-night all are in absolute darkness, except the hospital ships whichare still showing their long rows of green lights. 

_May 14th. _--The shelling we got yesterday has made us all think, andwe all set to to-day and dug ourselves in deeper, the wagons going toSedd-el-Bahr and bringing beams and boards from the ruins, and withthese we are to make roofs strong enough to resist splinters. By 3p. M. Some of us had nearly finished and were getting disappointed thatour funk holes were not being put to the test. By 4 o'clock we gotmore than we wanted, then before 5 one of our aeroplanes came to griefimmediately behind us. Then commenced a terrible cannonade on this newtarget, and one big shot alighting just inside the entrance of one ofour operating tents it was blown into tiny shreds, and ten stretcherswere riven into matchwood. Strange to say, although this was in themiddle of our camp not a soul was injured. The excitement was ofcourse great, every little bit of shell and every tatter of the tentwere carefully gathered to be kept as souvenirs. Three men and anumber of horses had been killed in the afternoon's work. Many of theshells to-day were bigger than usual and some think the "Goeben" isthe culprit. She could easily fire from the Dardanelles over the eastridge of Achi Baba. 

_May 15th. _--A quiet day in camp: little firing by either side; three"Black Marias" reached us--no damage; a Taube fired three bombs--stillno harm. Rumour says one of our flying machines reports the BlackMaria gun was silenced by our fire, and her ammunition blown up thisafternoon. Her last shot was at 1 p. M. And it looks as if this mightbe true. 

By evening rain clouds appeared in the north and I have been preparingmy dugout for a wet night. 

_May 16th. _--We have just returned from church parade which was heldat 9. 30, amidst a continuous rattle of rifles to the front, thebooming of howitzers on the right and left, while just behind us laythe "Swiftsure, " which had evidently got word in the middle of theservice to open fire on some particular spot. Her guns roared till theconcussion made the leaves of our hymn books flutter. While writing aJack Johnson fell very near me (so close that in my original diary mypen made a big dash across the page). How helpless one feels! Nowcomes another in the very middle of W. Beach--a very big fellowtoo--and still another. We are to have a day of it. Eight of thesebrutes now in a few minutes. 

The C. O. Has gone to a meeting at H. Q. ; all the other officers arewisely at the edge of the sea under cliffs, while I am in my dugouttoo lazy to join them--but I may be forced to go yet, it is folly tosit here in the line of fire. 

Major Ward of the 88th Field Ambulance, which is alongside us, hasjust taken a photograph of a bursting-shell at 70 yards, which hejoyfully declares is "absolutely it". He got well battered with flyingdirt.... The shelling got too hot for my continuing my notes and I wasforced to close for a short time. 

Here we are shut up in the very point of Gallipoli, 100, 000 of us, and nearly as many horses and mules, every inch within easy range ofthe enemy's guns, and for three days now he has peppered us morefuriously than at first. For three weeks and a day we have had analmost continuous roar of cannon, sometimes many hundred shots perminute, at other times with a lull of a few minutes. To-day and lastnight the howitzers have been unusually busy, and I believe an attemptis to be made this coming night to straighten our lines. The horns ofthe line, especially the left, which is held by the Gurkhas, is toofar forward for the centre. This centre is directly opposite AchiBaba, and is exposed to the whole opposing line, and has less helpfrom the fleet than the flanks. It is held by the flower of ourtroops, and these will make any sacrifice to do what is expected ofthem. May we soon have a little more breathing space than this fouledlittle piece of the peninsula affords us. 

_May 17th. _--Three different spells of Black Marias to-day. One killedthree men and wounded nine. We have several others wounded and anumber of horses and mules killed. Altogether not a very pleasant day. 

In the afternoon Thomson and I went to Sedd-el-Bahr and photographedthe "River Clyde, " Major Frankland's grave, the whole of V. Beach, etc. , and brought back shell cases of the French 75's and 65's. Beforethis, while helping Pirie to build his dugout, Kellas shouted to me tolook up, and I beheld what I at first took to be a huge flock of enemyaeroplanes, and expected a shower of bombs, but they turned out to becranes--fifty-five of them in solid formation. They were aninteresting and beautiful sight. They hovered over us for aconsiderable time, and two of our men stupidly fired several shots atthem which got us into trouble with the powers that be. They had nevertaken into consideration the danger from dropping bullets where therewas such a congestion of humanity. 

The day has been fiery hot as usual, with the usual glorious sunsetbehind the mountains of Imbros. Yesterday Stephen and I studied thePlain of Troy, the monument of Ajax, and the town of Troy itself--theold and the new--all of which are visible from the rising groundbehind Sedd-el-Bahr. 

_May 18th. _--Black Marias paid their visit earlier than usual, threebidding us good morning at 6 o'clock. All got into our clothes atonce, so that now at 7 p. M. We have had a long day. Curiously these"coal boxes" have not been seen since, and they never trouble us afterthis time of night. 

About an hour ago I was watching one of our ships shelling a gully Ionce visited on a memorable night, and got into a shallow trench andwatched from there. I was out in the middle of the valley where Icould easily be seen from Achi Baba and a shell came singing straightat me. All the time shells had been passing high over my head but myear at once detected the change of flight and that a low one wascertainly coming my way. I had just time to throw myself flat in thetrench, which was about eighteen inches deep when the shell burst in astraight line for me. I raised myself intending to bolt when I heardthe song of another at its heels. I again fell flat, but as soon as itburst still nearer than the last I sprang and was just on my feet whena third burst three or four yards to my right. The concussion andshower of earth and stones sent me flying, and I peeled the palms ofboth hands and sprained my right wrist. Then I made a sprint for myfunk hole at record speed, arriving quite out of breath after coveringabout three-quarters of a mile. I felt that turning a big gun on asolitary individual was not playing the game. I was wearing awaterproof cover to my cap which had got bleached almost white, and Imay have been taken for some "big pot, " as I sat on the edge of thetrench with this unusual head dress, peering through my glasses. 

_May 19th. _--Am feeling very tired, the result of my bad tumble, andmy wrist feels stiff and tender. No doubt my behaviour made the Turkthink I was a superior officer and worth a shell or two. With myglasses I had examined very carefully the whole length of the lines, then stepped into a half-filled-in trench and sat on the edge for sometime, watching operations at the gully I have mentioned. The secondshell was so near that I felt certain the third would have me. Afourth shell followed and burst, but by this time I had picked myselfup and was at full gallop, and paid no heed to its whereabouts. Thewhole four were fired in five or six seconds. (I got the fright of mylife; I felt that they were determined to have me, but the fright wasentirely due to the fact that I was alone. Never before or afterwardsdid shells, however near, cause me the slightest discomfort. )

A camp story has it that a mule had to be shot the other day becauseits cry was so confoundedly like the sound of an approaching shell andcaused needless alarm. This is presumably only a story, but it isextraordinary how often one fancies one hears the song of a shell. Oneday just before tea we were treated to a Jack Johnson, and during ourmeal in the tent those of us who had not made off to our funk holesducked at every sound under the table, or behind a biscuit tin or anyother flimsy object utterly useless to give cover. Each time we raisedour heads we had a good laugh at our stupidity. 

Those in the firing line are pitying us at the base to which nearlyall the shells are directed. Padre Hardie (afterwards V. C. , D. S. O. , M. C. ) told me he had a major to tea the other day when the JackJohnsons started, and he bolted in the middle of tea, saying he couldnot stand the life here, and made off to the firing line which hethought much safer. 

I asked a man to-day if he kept a diary. "No, " he said, "there'snaething to say, I dee naething bit sleep, jink shells, and rin to theBeach. " It is amusing to see the "Beach Subdivision" move off when theshells start, all pretending they are off for a quiet stroll, andsaunter away with their hands in their pockets. 

_May 20th. _--Still in reserve and absolutely idle. I was up early, being requested by an officer of the 88th Field Ambulance to view histent which one of our water-carts had backed into and upset a numberof boxes of breakables, which he was terrified to look into, especially one which contained several bottles of whisky. This gave mea long day, and as a heavy cannonade was in progress it gave me anopportunity of watching it. We have had no heavy shells at W. Beach(now known as Lancashire Landing in honour of the brilliant work bythat battalion on April 25) so far, but we must not brag, they maygive us a visit to-day yet. Shrapnel we have had--but we do not caretwopence for shrapnel. 

6. 40. --We have had no shells since I wrote the above, for which we arethankful. When examining the situation before breakfast I felt thatthe whole valley up to Achi Baba was to be ours before night. Advancesall along the line have been made, some units having gained about 700yards, the French also taking a trench which they afterwards lost. This is the usual way with the French, they have repeatedly broken ourline across the peninsula. 

The Turks have to-day used their heavy guns much more freely than onany previous day, and doubtless have inflicted considerable damage onour troops, but the range they have been firing at pointed to theirhaving removed their guns further back, which points to theirexpecting to lose Achi Baba, which they have certainly held with theutmost fortitude. I am attributing the peace we have had to-day atLancashire Landing to this fortunate event, if my conjecture is right. 

I visited the "River Clyde" to-day to find she has a number of newholes punched through her, those on the water line having completelyflooded her. Her stern now rests on the bottom, and the lowest hold isfull of water. All this time only one shell has actually burst insidethe ship, and it entered a cabin on the starboard side, blew all thefittings to pieces, chunks flying through everything, some enteringthe engine room where they perforated and carried away pipes, and blewthe roof of the cabin off. An officer showed me the effects of therifle and machine-gun bombardment on the night on which I spent fourhours in a boat and watched the thousands of bullets striking fireover my head. Many had actually perforated the steel plates, 9/16th-inch thick, and there were deep dints innumerable. We hadtwelve machine-guns on board that memorable day, the one in the bowbeing managed by the son of the Earl of Leicester. This gun was saidto have done brilliant work. A large pile of empty cartridges stilllies where the gun was posted, and I carried away a few of these asthe only memento I possess of April 25, barring the memory of ahellish day and night. 

To-day we felt that we were probably beyond the reach of the enemy'sbig guns, and a load is apparently off every one's mind. Many sanglate into the night, and various hilarious games were indulged in, theone giving most fun being a bull fight, where one man held the end ofa string about three yards long and tied to a peg, and carried a jugwith a stone as a rattle, the other with a similar string having as aweapon a small bag stuffed with hay. Both were blindfolded, and theman with the bag let fly at the spot he thought the sound came from, the hit being usually many yards wide of the bull. 

The casualties among the Turks up to May 8 are said to number 40, 000. Since then the Australians have accounted for another 7000. To thepresent date the total is probably not less than 60, 000. We ought tobe well enough pleased with our work. 

_May 21st. _--Had a walk round Tekke Burnu, the S. W. Point ofGallipoli, where we have two 5-inch field guns. An officer to whom Ispoke said he was the first to locate the whereabouts of the gun thatthrew the Jack Johnsons. We had all guessed from their whistle thatthey came from the right ridge of Achi Baba. Two of the shells firedat this battery failed to explode, and this man had the holescarefully exposed for their whole depth, and two poles placed in thesepointed exactly to the same spot. Each of these shells had penetratedto a depth of 8 feet in very hard clay. 

_May 22nd. _--About 1 p. M. There seemed to be a strange stir among ourtransports. I noticed no fewer than six make off in a body towardsLemnos, while Thomson remarked that a destroyer had been goingbackwards and forwards among the shipping off the point of thepeninsula. We did not guess the reason of this till all at once Inoticed a warship fire a shot towards Imbros. This was followed byothers, and the splashes showed they were firing at something in thesea, no doubt an enemy submarine--which proved to be the case. Aboutsix shots in all were fired. Three destroyers were flying about in alldirections, absolutely at full speed. Two turned and made for the spotwhere the submarine had been seen. It is a beautiful sight to seethese boats turn in their own length when at full speed. From therocks at Tekke Burnu I watched for two hours the manoeuvres of theseand four warships. An anxious night will be spent by our navalbrethren. Several other transports have disappeared and gone to thesafe anchorage of Lemnos. A large four-funnelled French steamer hadjust arrived with troops who had no time to disembark, and she hasturned tail and gone after the others. 

_May 23rd. _--1. 15 p. M. Am sitting near the top of "The Gully". Thisruns north and south on the west side of the peninsula. I am at a spotslightly north of Krithia, and in the very middle of our firing line. All the tops of The Gully, on both sides and along its ramifications, are lined with our men and all are blazing away at the hardest, whilethe Turks bullets keep up a constant whizz over our heads. TheWorcesters have just gone into the trenches to relieve some otherunit. One of the Hants men I have been sitting beside and talking towas in our hold on the "River Clyde" when we landed exactly four weeksago. He tells me how gloomy his battalion was over the death of theirC. O. That day--Colonel Smith-Carrington, "a grand fellow, the best manthat ever lived, " as he put it. 

Wearying to death after twelve days of idleness I set off after churchparade to visit the Hants Dressing Station where I knew Pirie wasplaced. I went along the Krithia road till I came to The Gully I oncereached late one evening, when Thomson and I were sniped at. Here Ichanced to meet my old cabin companion, Balfour, who directed me tothe very top of The Gully where I came across a battery which againdirected me further to the left. Here three bullets flew past me, agunner saying these stray bullets were doing a great deal of damage. Balfour also told me that they had lost two men yesterday from thesame cause. 

At last I reached The Gully which is several miles long--overthree--and averages 100 yards in width at the top. All the slopes areone solid mass of shrubbery--laurel, juniper, dwarf conifers, hollyoak, and brilliant flowers innumerable. I brought back a bunch ofCytisus whose individual flowers might have been our broom (_C. Scoparius_). 

A road has been made the whole length of The Gully, and the whole wayis occupied by our troops, especially Indians, many of whom wereengaged in their ablutions as I passed. The sides of The Gully wouldaverage 100 feet in height, many parts being higher. The sides slopesteeply in parts, in many places are quite perpendicular orover-hanging, the walls being the usual hard, marly clay, while Inoticed broad layers of conglomerate and sandstone also occur. I wascharmed with the whole place, and when describing it at the mess I wasthought to be romancing. The heat in the depths of The Gully was veryintense and without a breath of wind. 

_May 24th. _--A little rain fell in the morning, and it was more orless cloudy during the day. We watched a fierce thunderstorm, whichcame round the south side of Imbros, up its east side, then it turnedwest towards Samothrace. Much shelling to-day, but mostly short andsome way from our camp. I hear of no damage. 

_May 25th. _--Had another walk to-day to the top of The Gully withKellas, Agassiz, and Thomson. Plenty of shells over our heads. Twenty-six shells were fired this morning at several aeroplanes thathad landed on our aerodrome. Two were more or less damaged, one with ahole through its petrol tank. 

As we were returning from The Gully and were ascending the high bankof Gully Beach I saw something was wrong out at sea, three or fourships being apparently huddled together in one mass. Through myglasses I saw the stern of a ship in the air, preparing for its finalplunge to the bottom of the sea. In three minutes or so she hadentirely gone. Strange to say what we had been watching was the lastof the "Triumph" which had been torpedoed by the submarine that causedthe excitement the other day. She is said to have sunk in twentyminutes. We have not yet heard how many perished in this mostregrettable disaster, but if it is true that her magazine blew up, aswe hear, the loss will likely be heavy. H. M. S. "Triumph" did muchuseful work out here. This is the second warship we have lost since wearrived in Gallipoli. 

_May 26th. _--Yesterday we opened a dressing station one and a halfmiles up the Krithia road. It was the duty of Fiddes and Whyte to beposted there for twenty-four hours, beginning at 3 p. M. , but thelatter having been kicked by a horse yesterday I offered to take hisplace. I am there now sitting on the edge of a deep funk hole which Ihave strewn with a thick layer of thyme, meaning to have a pleasantnight between "lavender sheets, " but I am told by Stephen and Thomsonthat there is no sleep to be had out here owing to the terrible dinthat goes on. At present--7. 30--there is a violent interchange ofshells going on, the enemy's mostly flying high over our heads on theway to our Beach. The aerodrome beside it has been very furiouslyattacked during the last two days with considerable damage. 

Beside us is the grave of a Turk who smells as all Turks do. Our men, I fancy, think they do not deserve much burial. This reminds me of aTurk on the top of whose grave I lunched with Pirie up in the firingline last Sunday. A man the day before was digging a funk hole, andcoming on something soft he plunged his spade into it. The smell wasso terrific that he threw his spade and bolted, and the Turk had to becovered up by sand thrown from a distance of several yards. Then thenight before one of our men, when it was getting dark, saw asuspicious object slipping down the side of The Gully, as he thought, so he proceeded to stalk it through the dense shrubs that clothe allthe slopes of The Gully, and, on getting close enough to get a view ofit through the bushes he recognised the Turkish uniform and sprang onthe man like a tiger driving his bayonet clean through him. The Turkhad been dead for nearly a month, and his assailant, like the otherman, had to make a hasty retreat. 

We are to have a very lively night, that is evident. The Turks usuallycease firing their big guns by this time of night, but their shellsare still flying thick. The British guns are at present quiet, but theFrench 75's are barking furiously. It is a delight to hear theirsharp, clean bark. The enemy's machine-guns have also been very activethis afternoon, the crack, crack, crack, of the Turkish one beingeasily distinguishable from the noise made by ours. The day of ourlanding taught me this. 

_May 27th. _--I must have slept three or four hours last night, but notsoundly. There was constant rifle fire beside us with one bigfusillade before midnight. But what annoyed me was the smell of thethyme and other sweet-smelling herbs I had made a bed of, covering allover with a new rubber ground sheet which was very odoriferous. Themixture of odours was not pleasant. I had trampled the plants with myboots to produce as strong a smell as possible, and succeeded so wellthat it actually made my eyes smart all night. I rose early and wasover near Gully Beach about 6 o'clock. Since then shells have beenflying on our four sides and high in the air, and I hear ofconsiderable damage. 

We are much upset by the news which reached us at 7. 45 that at 7another of our ships had been torpedoed, lying just off our Beach infull view of all there. It is rumoured that it is the "Majestic, " buther name we are not yet sure of. The men who brought this news out tous say they saw the men on board line up before she went down, anddive into the sea. Terrible news!

_May 28th. _--Back at W. Beach. What we heard yesterday about the"Majestic" was only too true. She lies in front of our camp, about 300yards from the edge of the cliff, a considerable part of her stillabove water. There is much discussion as to what part of her it isthat is visible, but it appears to me to be the keel, certainly theram is there. The killed and drowned are between fifty and sixty. Several I have spoken to distinctly saw the wake of the torpedo formany hundred yards. The "Majestic" was lying in the midst of othershipping--only supply boats of no great size, besides trawlers anddestroyers, but a gap must have been left and through this the torpedohad found its way. The Admiral and Ashmead-Bartlett were both onboard. The latter was on the "Triumph" when she went down two daysbefore. 

The "Majestic" was able to fire five shots at the submarine when sherose to find her bearings, which she did about a mile off, but whetherstruck or not she managed to discharge her deadly bolt, which wenthome right amidships, and in about eight to ten minutes the "Majestic"turned over and sank. Her torpedo nets were out, and as many werescrambling up the side of the hull, as she turned over, the nets onthe starboard side swept right over, and must have accounted for manydeaths. 

It is said that the form of torpedo used is most efficient at rangesof 3000 yards or more, this long distance being necessary to get upfull momentum. One of the camp sanitary men, who tells me the story, was on the beach as the men swam ashore, and one sailor was no sooneron his feet than he said: "It was time the damned b---- was down; shewas twenty-five years old; any of you chaps got a clay pipe, I amdying for a clay pipe"--all said in one breath. The "Majestic" is saidto have been built in 1902 and was an old boat, but her armament wasquite serviceable. 

An enemy aeroplane crossed over our heads at 7. 15 this morning, anddropped a bomb, presumably at our C. C. S. And just missed it. Three menwere standing near; all were knocked over, one dying soon after. 

_May 29th. _--This forenoon I walked out to White House Farm, which isabout 3 or 3-1/2 miles up the centre of the valley, and is within afew hundred yards of our firing trenches. It was rumoured in theevening that these front trenches had been taken by the Turks. At theWhite House there is the finest specimen of a fig tree I have yetseen, being large and spreading, and growing in a piece of good turfbeside a well. In that part the whole ground is strewn with bullets. 

_May 30th. _--I have not been out of camp to-day. The men in ourdressing station came in at 3 a. M. With a long tale of the fury of theshelling out there, many casualties occurring round it. Evidentlythere is no better place to be had, but the part devoted to thewounded runs in such a way that it can be directly enfiladed by gunand rifle fire from Achi Baba. Another trench at right angles to thiscould easily be broadened and deepened to hold all the wounded and awhole tent-subdivision. 

Three shots were fired from our battery on Tekke Burnu about 6. 30 p. M. And at once all the destroyers darted out to sea. Evidently asubmarine had been sighted. It is now getting dark, and the sea iscovered with our mosquito craft darting about in all directions. 

We employ several hundred Greeks, mostly road making. They receive2s. 6d. A day and their food. All those working at the Beach struckwork to-day, demanding higher wages, and retired to their shelterholes in the cliff. A company of Dublin Fusiliers was called out, andfixing bayonets they kicked the mutineers out of their holes, and allwere driven into a corner at the foot of the rocks, the open side shutin by a line of bayonets, and there they are to be kept, without foodand water till they come to their senses. The Greek nation has alwaysbeen greedy, always unreliable, and the most notorious liars on theface of the earth. 

_May 31st. _--This has been a very quiet day, the Turks and ourselveshaving fired comparatively few shots. Although there has been no hardfighting lately, really little more than sniping, we still have acasualty list of some size. Those leaving for treatment on the boatsor at the base hospitals of Malta and Alexandria have a daily averageof about 125. This includes sickness as well as wounds. 

_June 1st. _--There was much noise last night after all, there beingmuch gun and rifle fire, especially on our centre, but with fewcasualties, as far as I can learn. 

It has been known for two days that the Turks are to make a determinedattack on us to-night, for which we are no doubt fully prepared. Since5 this evening both sides have been very liberal with their shells. Krithia and its neighbourhood, as well as the right ridge of AchiBaba, has been reeking from the discharge of our and the Frenchshells. 

It is said that the Turks and Gurkha trenches are so near each otherat the top of The Gully that the two are connected by a tunnel throughwhich they hobnob, and that the Turks have asked the help of theIndians to murder their German officers, then they would hand overthe Dardanelles to us without further trouble. A mere story of course, although one firmly believes that it is these savage officers who areforcing the Turks to fight, under threats that they will shoot them ifthey refuse to go forward. 

A few shrapnel shells were fired half an hour ago at the top of ourBeach, in resentment of our Ambulance men gathering on the sky line towatch the shells bursting on Achi Baba. This made them beat a hastyretreat. But on the whole the day has been very quiet. 

_June 2nd. _--It appeared in "Orders" to-day that we held an advanceddressing station 100 yards on this side of White Farm, and as no oneunderstood what this referred to, the C. O. After consulting with theA. D. M. S. (Col. Yarr), who could throw no light on the subject, askedme to go out and investigate the ground to see if such a station mightbe established there. As a big engagement is anticipated withinforty-eight hours such a place would be useful. I started at 2. 30 withKellas and Agassiz who were going out to our present dressing station, but on reaching that they proposed to go along with me, as they hadnever been in that part of the country. All went well on the way out, only an occasional stray bullet being heard. On reaching "Y Battery, "about 100 yards from White Farm a gunner joined us and took us quicklyover the remaining short distance, where stray bullets are apt to betoo plentiful. But worse, a sniper several hundred yards off had theexact range. He took us into a vineyard behind the farm, and pointedout to us all our advanced trenches, warning us not to shake the vinesas that might attract fire, and on no account to show ourselves. Wereturned to this man's battery, and as soon as I started off withAgassiz the sniper had a shot at us, his bullet landing in a tuft ofgrass a few feet to our right. I thought it was some animal andproceeded to stir it out of the grass, but Agassiz declared it was ashot. In a second or two another kicked up a dust beside us, whichsettled the question. We scattered at once, but three other shots cameafter us before we got out of sight behind some small trees. Fromthese we watched Kellas sauntering along, hoping he would also have totake to his heels, but the sniper left him alone. 

I had next to visit the 88th Brigade H. Q. Where I explained to GeneralDoran that the spot mentioned for our dressing station was much toodangerous. He agreed at once, and said even where he was, on the sideof rising ground with its back to the enemy, was unsafe, and that oneof his sergeants had just been shot through the knee lying in hisdugout. 

_June 4th. _--To all appearances this is to be a great day. At 11 a. M. To the minute about 150 field guns and howitzers opened on the Turkishtrenches, and now at 11. 20 all is one great roar. Eight aeroplanes arecircling about, two big battleships with seven destroyers appeared outof the haze, coming from Imbros. These are on the constant move, forsubmarines will be about for certain, and we must not give them morefixed targets, they have already had too many. Pandemonium will reignin a few minutes. We have waited long for this, and all are overjoyed. 

I have been round the C. C. S. And Ordnance Stores collecting all thestretchers I can lay my hands on. Apparently we do not expect theTurks to be the only sufferers to-day. 

12. 10. --Achi Baba and the whole Gallipoli point reek as they have notreeked since April 25. The battleships keep moving and belching outtheir deadly hail, encircled always by the destroyers, while anaeroplane hovers, at a low height, over and around them, peering intothe depths of the Aegean in case a submarine should come sneaking up. The French guns are very busy. 

6. 30 p. M. --Dressing St. Krithia Road. I came out here about two hoursago, with six squads of stretcher-bearers. We cannot advance yet, things are too hot, rifle fire being still a constant rattle, especially on our left. When I arrived the French were very active onour right, but judging from their comparative quietness now I thinkthey may have seized at least part of a great gully which had beenimmediately in front of them all this time, and which has containedone or more Turkish batteries. These have annoyed the French forlong--and us. The front of the hill is now fairly quiet, but we arefiring huge shells into Krithia and that end of Achi Baba. We knowfrom the wounded, who have been coming in for some hours in a steadystream, that our line is greatly advanced, some of our battalionshaving taken as many as five trenches. 

About 8. 15 I set off with thirteen stretcher squads to the dressingstation of the 88th Field Ambulance, which we found two miles up TheGully. It was getting dark when we started, and was pitch dark, therebeing no moon, when we reached that point. The order we had got was tosend up thirteen stretchers at once, and we interpreted this to meanthe full complement of bearers as well, but these were not required. The great battle was still raging, and bullets were flying across TheGully in thousands. During the day there had been numerous casualtiesfrom these in the depths of The Gully. On the way back the whole placewas packed tight with wagons of every description, and pack animalstaking up ammunition and stores for next day, and it was often withthe greatest difficulty we got through the blocks. Having to cross alevel piece of ground from Gully Beach to our station, and this beingswept by bullets, which were passing among us, we had many narrowescapes, but no one was hit. At our station, which was now in the lineof fire for stray shot, we heard bullets pass all night long. Abullet went "phut" into the ground at my feet as I lay on a stretcher. I merely drew up my feet and tried to sleep, but being saturated withperspiration and generally uncomfortable I never even felt drowsy. Then about 3 in the morning a more resounding shot landed in the samespot as the last--both certainly within 2 feet of me. I now got up andsat till 6 in a corner more protected from the N. E. Which appeared tobe the direction of the bullets. 

On the way to The Gully I had walked with a sergeant of theWorcester's as guide. He tells me the French did not do well to-day, having as usual advanced and retired, thus leaving our Naval Division, on our extreme right, exposed. The Turks opened fire on them and theK. O. S. B. 's and mowed them down with their machine-guns. At H. Q. Theyare reported to have used very strong language about this. My guidealso tells me of the bravery displayed by the Sikhs and Gurkhas, alsoby the Territorials who are drafted through the Regulars, many of themmere boys, but they are said to have shown great pluck. 

_June 5th. _--I believe according to programme we should have started abig gun bombardment at 11 a. M. To-day, but we have only had occasionalshots--so far at any rate, and it is now 5. 45, too late to do muchbefore night comes on. 

I mentioned yesterday that we had 150 field guns and howitzers, but Ifind the numbers were 180 French and 150 British guns. An aeroplanecrossed us at 7 p. M. Flying at a great height. No bombs were dropped. 

"Asiatic Annie, " as a famous gun across the Dardanelles is called, hasthrown a number of ugly shells this way to-day, but all were short ofW. Beach. 

The "Majestic" is sinking gradually, her ram, which must have been 15feet out of the water, is now nearly submerged. 

_June 6th. _--Sunday--6. 40 a. M. --The day by preference for a big fight. Last night--about 8--the Turks appear to have made a feint attack onthe French, this going on for hours, the rifle fire very heavy. Thenin the small hours of this morning they had concentrated on ourleft--the other end of the line--where they were in great force. Myinformants are three wounded from the Essex Regiment who have walkedin to hospital. They say the Turks were ten to our one, and they cameon with great dash, fighting being very fierce at a distance of only20 yards. Then they got mixed up with the Essex and Royals, who musthave been badly cut up and were the last to retire. The Turks used alarge quantity of hand grenades. These are very deadly, and have beenmaking ghastly wounds as we know. We too use these freely, all theempty 1 lb. Tins of the camp having been collected for some time back, and charged with gun-cotton. For missiles they have chopped up Turkishbarbed wire into inch lengths. 

The howitzer fire was terrific between 4 and 5 when I woke up and cameto the top of the ridge to see what was doing. Plainly somethingunusually desperate was on the move. "Asiatic Annie" was also busy andseveral shells came this way, one falling in the C. C. S. Where no harmwas done. Luckily it had chosen a clear spot in front of the storetent to pitch into. I had gone down to examine this when the woundedmen I have referred to arrived. They say that all the trenches we tooktwo days ago, after so much hard fighting, are lost. Now at 7. 15firing has become much more desultory, and judging from where ourshells are bursting the distance we have been driven back is notserious--and so to breakfast. 

10 a. M. --Firing is too hot for us to collect in groups, therefore, there is to be no church parade this morning. The walking woundedstill come straggling in, singly or in groups, all greatly depressedat having such bad news to relate. Another constant stream flows fromthe C. C. S. To the little cemetery at the top of the Beach, each unitof this stream consisting of two bearers carrying a dead comrade on astretcher. The cemetery may be small but it already contains manygraves, and inside its barbed wire fence there is still room for manyof our gallant men, who fondly fancy that the shell or bullet thatcould lay them low is not yet cast. This very comforting feeling Ihope we all possess--more or less. One of the graves has a cross ofgreat taste and is over a "Driver Page, " a New Zealand Artillery man, and after the inscription is the word "Ake--Ake". 

No one knows the extent of our casualties, but they must be heavy. TheIndian contingent alone is said to have lost 1000 yesterday. TheRoyals, Essex, and K. O. S. B. 's are said to have suffered most in themorning's attack. 

_Later. _--I heard in the evening that yesterday's casualties amountedto at least 1800, but some think that an under-estimate. 

We hear to-night that General Wolley-Dod has been appointed to commandour 86th Brigade. He is said to be a very able soldier. 

In the afternoon there was an occasional interchange of shots, but onthe whole it was quiet till 8 p. M. , the hour darkness sets in, whenthe usual fusillade began. The Turks are nearly always responsible forthis, and our men rarely reply. 

_June 7th. _--I notice in yesterday's Routine Orders issued by Generalde Lisle, commanding the 29th Division, that the old Etonians are tohave a dinner at Lancashire Landing, and those attending are requestedto bring knife, fork, plate, and cup--their mugs in short. Thisrequest seems quite natural out here. Then follows a notice that someunit has lost a bay horse and two mules, finder to return them tosuch and such a place. This again is a curiosity, horses and mules arealways straying. The correct way to do if you lose a horse is to seizethe first stray one you come across, and swear you brought him outfrom England. 

Last night about 10. 30 the Turks disturbed our peace by firing fiftyor sixty shells about our Beach, some being very near our camp, nearenough to bespatter our tents and dugouts with lumps of earth. One ofthe men of the 88th Field Ambulance, just in front of us, got wounded. They began again with heavier shells--Jack Johnsons--about 5 a. M. To-day, seven falling near us, and as we lay underground we could feelthe earth shake with every detonation. Last night was the first timethey ever gave us such a visit. They are chary of using their big gunsafter dark in case they should give away their positions. 

2. 15 p. M. --I spent sometime on a ridge overlooking the sea and watchedthe Turks shelling the ships close by. Their firing from Kum Kale waswild, but there was one ship they were determined to have, shell aftershell falling near and throwing up splashes mast high. At last she washit and a loud report was followed by dense smoke from her fore part. Flames quickly followed, and several minesweepers and destroyers sooncame to her aid, and unloaded part of her cargo. She was finallyanchored close inshore to await events. By 2 o'clock the flames seemedto be pretty well under control. 

While watching this a young officer came up and spoke to me. He hadarrived with us on the "River Clyde" and since then has had verytrying experiences. He said his birthday was to-morrow, and I shouldsay it might be his twenty-first. He is in the Anson Battalion, andhad come through the Antwerp retreat. His battalion left England 1000strong with thirty-three officers. They are now 198 men, while he isthe only officer remaining. He thinks we must beat a retreat fromGallipoli one of these days, to take it would mean too great awithdrawal of troops from France, but, as he says, a retreat means agreater loss of honour than Britain can bear. He told me about theCollingwood Battalion which left England on May 9, and went into thefight fresh and at full strength. They lost twenty-three officers andnearly six hundred men. In spite of all opinions and rumours we mustbring this campaign to a victorious end, be the cost what it may. 

_June 8th. _--A day of wind, one big cloud of dust, and swarms offlies. These last have become a terrible curse lately, and as timegoes on they will get no less. 

About a week ago Col. Yarr proposed that I should join him atHead-quarters, and this morning I was ordered to present myself atCorps H. Q. At 3 p. M. I had given the necessary undertaking to divulgeno secrets, and as the hour approached I rigged myself out in my bestboots and tunic, and had chosen a smart orderly to look afterme--Melrose, from Kincardine O'Neil. Then the A. D. M. S. Appeared, tosay that their staff was broken up, most of them having gone to GullyBeach, and as there were only twelve all told remaining there was noexcuse for my joining just yet. They have interesting personalities atH. Q. And I feel disappointed. Sir Ian Hamilton, for example, dinedthere last night. 

_June 9th. _--We had a visit from Pirie, M. O. To the Lancs. He isterribly depressed over the fight of the 6th when they lost 450 men. They were held up by barbed wire in a charge and were shot down. Ihave heard of three battalions that were left with only one officerafter that fight. 

We are now erecting at the "two-gun fort" two naval guns of 4. 7calibre to reply to our Asiatic friends. It is supposed there arethree guns on the other side of the Dardanelles of 6-inch calibre. These were carefully watched last night, and it was observed that theflashes always came from different points, as if they were placed onrails and were run sideways. This has long been suspected. These"Asiatic Annies" have accounted for 120 Frenchmen within the last fewdays. 

Stephen and Thomson are out at the dressing station to-night. I havebeen watching Jack Johnsons bursting in their neighbourhood. 

We received four motor ambulances to-day to reinforce our mule-drawnwagons. 

_June 10th. _--The dust storm continues, and some one has beencomforting enough to say that these storms often last for twenty-onedays. They are about as bad as the flies. 

_June 11th. _--Wind stronger than ever but the dust has been largelyblown into the sea. Towards evening it fell somewhat. The sea has beentoo rough to get patients away from the C. C. S. To the hospital ships, and we have had to relieve it by taking fifty walking cases into ourtents. All are very cheery, and I fancy most are looking forward to ashort holiday after their recent experiences. Some have not yet beenin a fight, some of the naval men who landed two days ago were only ontheir way to the trenches when they were wounded by shrapnel, whichwas showered on them plentifully from several points. 

Stephen and Thomson had such a hot time at the dressing station thatthey were forced to return to the Beach. There were eighty-eightshells in their vicinity within an hour. About 2 p. M. When I went outthe Krithia road with several squads of bearers in answer to an urgentbut vain message, we were held up half a mile on this side of thedressing station by a perfect tornado of shrapnel just in front of us. I heard afterwards that the road in that part was entirely ploughedup. 

_June 12th. _--A quiet day but full of rumours. Late last night we hadfive Jack Johnsons with their terrific crashes, and in the distancerifle fire went on all night. About 5 a. M. To-day a number of shellslanded among the shipping off our Beach. Due north about the sametime, at the distance of a good many miles, what sounded like repeatedbroadsides from warships. Probably the Australians are having a bigfight. Then at 7 a. M. Ten or twelve rifle shots on the aerodromebehind us took me up in a hurry, this being unusual. I half thoughtthey might be shooting a spy, but found some one had been blazing awayat some huge bird, either a vulture or an eagle. I watched its largedark form as it flew towards X. Beach. Shrapnel and Jack Johnsons wereflying about in other parts during the day, but none near us. 

Now for rumours--(1) the 29th Division is to be withdrawn for certain, having done its bit out here. This is an old rumour which we stilldoubt. I for one would be sorry were we withdrawn before seeing thispart of the campaign through. (2) The Russians are landing an armynorth of Constantinople. (3) The Italians have landed at Rhodes, andare to make a descent on Smyrna--the last two cheer us up. 

Kellas and Agassiz had a quieter time at the dressing station thanyesterday's two. The latter returned about 8 and said "Arthur" was toobusy playing with a spider and he left him behind. 

_June 13th. _--Had a walk with the C. O. To the top of The Gully to finda site for a new dressing station. We breakfasted at 7 as we wished tocross the exposed piece of ground between this and Gully Beach. Forsometime back this has been a favourite mark for the Turkish guns, andwe thought the morning the most likely time to be allowed to passunnoticed. We were in the foot of The Gully before 8 o'clock. Thewhole valley between this and Achi Baba was so quiet in the brilliantsunshine that we remarked that it might have been a Sunday at home. Near the top of The Gully we found Taylor of the 87th Field Ambulanceat breakfast and had a cup of tea with him. He came along with us tofind a suitable place, and one was fixed on, but I do not like it. Inmy opinion it will be terribly exposed to a dropping fire, thesurroundings are not high enough to give much protection. The groundis also much soiled--I preferred a small side gully but the C. O. Thought it unfeasible. 

We called on Major Ward of the 88th F. A. Who was also in theneighbourhood. After much labour he has got an ideal spot, very safe, and plainly made by a man of artistic tastes. He is as happy as a larkup there with his camera, and is studying the birds and their nests. 

Col. O'Hagan and Major Bell were next called on at Gully Beach, and wereached our camp about 1 o'clock. 

We hear that Gen. De Lisle estimates that the European war will beended by September--absolutely without fail. 

_June 14th. _--I marched a number of our men up The Gully to work atour new dressing station. I had a look at the place chosen but likedit worse than ever, and proceeded to tear down the sides of the littlegully I preferred. By night we had converted it into a most romanticand safe retreat for the wounded and ourselves. The dry bed of astream, for about 100 yards, we levelled down into a beautiful path, with several twists and high towering walls, and in the extreme end welevelled the floor of a water-worn amphitheatre making room for abouttwenty stretcher cases. A little water drips over the centre of the 40feet high overhanging wall, which in wet weather would be a ragingtorrent. (This was afterwards known, and figured in our maps, asAberdeen Gully. It was most suitable for our work, very safe, and muchadmired by every one. )

_June 15th. _--Been working all day in our Gully, and am now preparedfor the night, and am sitting in my new dugout, which is merely anexcavation on a slope with a projecting cliff overhead. At the presentmoment a long string of Gurkhas are filing up a twisting and high pathon the north side of our little gully, on their way to the trenchesfor the night. We have watched all sorts on this path, but mostlySikhs and Gurkhas on their way to the firing line, and Indian watercarriers with their great skin bags which look as if they would holdabout six gallons. Much water has gone up in tanks, slung on mules. 

One of our big guns is immediately above us on the top of the cliff, and is making a terrific din, with long rolling echoes. All our gunshave been very busy to-day and the Turks still more so, and I amafraid from their long range, which I observed in the morning, thesehave got new guns with very high explosive shells. It is now 7. 45 andthey may soon stop, as it is dark by 8, but for the last few nightsthey have fired at all hours. 

_June 16th. _--Still at our new place, and all of us busy with pick andspade all day. Had a good night's sleep in spite of a continuous riflefire very near us. We had a visit in the afternoon from the C. O. , Agassiz, and Dickie. With the two last I walked over to Y. Beach, andat the Artillery Observation Post there, under the guidance of theofficer in charge, we had a capital view of all our trenches on theleft flank, including one that has been a bone of contention for sometime, and was the cause of an attack by the Turks last night. Thistrench was formerly Turkish, but half of it is now in our possessionand between us is a pile of sandbags. Over this barrier each takes itinto his head to throw a few bombs at his enemy. We are trying torectify our position by cutting a new sap. The whole of the Turkishtrenches from Achi Baba to the sea are visible from Y. Beach O. P. Fora long way in front of where we were the distance between the two ofus is not many yards, and in one part the trenches look as if theywere mixed up in an extraordinary way. 

I spent the evening making a table for our new quarters, and retiredto bed about 9 in the midst of big gun, machine and rifle fire, allvery near. 

_June 17th. _--Aberdeen Gully. We opened our new station to-day andrelieved the 87th F. A. We had but a few patients. Agassiz visited usin the afternoon with Fiddes and Dickie. The first and I walked overto the O. P. At Y. Beach. On the way back along the sunk mule track wehad to pass a string of mule water carriers. Each Indian leads threemules in Indian file. One brute took it into his head to rub the sharpedge of his tank into my ribs, and with his feet well to the side hestood up and jammed me as hard as he could against the wall of thetrench. Agassiz, as transport officer, had to dilate on the amount ofintelligence he has noticed in the Indian mules, while I could onlyuse strong language over the wickedness of this particular brute. 

We had a number of visitors to-day from neighbouring units--M. O. 's andothers. Padres Creighton and Komlosy and Major Lindsay dined with us. 

_June 18th. _--The centenary of Waterloo. I hear the French are to makean attack to-day. I hope they will be more successful than they werethis day one hundred years ago. This morning we have been annoyed bythe Turks' shrapnel, the whole of the gully being peppered, and alsoby defective shells from our own battery above our heads. Severalsince we came up here have burst almost as soon as they left the gun. 

After breakfast I walked to Y. Beach, and for the first timescrambled down to the foot. "The Dardanelles Driveller, " whose one andonly copy was most amusing, said about this spot, "Why call it aBeach, it is only a bloody cliff"? It was here the K. O. S. B. 's andS. W. B. 's landed on April 25 and met with no opposition at the landing, and had proceeded nearly two miles inland, when they were attacked bythe Turks in overwhelming force, and lost a large number in theirretreat to the Beach and then to their boats. This was afterwardsretaken by the Gurkhas, who pushed through from W. Beach, and the highcliff on the north side is now known as Gurkha Bluff. The IndianBrigade have their H. Q. Here, and this morning there were about 2000Gurkhas and Sikhs about. I was toiling up the "bloody cliff" when someGurkhas passed me, thinking nothing of the steep ascent; while Istraightened my knees slowly at each step, I noticed they broughttheir legs straight with a jerk. 

This day two years ago I was lying in bed in Brussels, readingBaedeker, when I discovered it was the 98th anniversary of Waterloo. Ihad given up all intention of visiting the battlefield, being pressedfor time, but after such a discovery I felt compelled to pay it avisit. I was thankful I went, it proved one of the most enjoyable daysI ever spent. At that time Holland and Belgium hated each other, butwere outwardly kept friendly by their common enemy, Germany, of whichthey were very suspicious. What has now happened has surprised neitherof these two States. 

7 p. M. --Returned a few minutes ago from my favourite Observation Postat Y. Beach--Major Ward dragged me over to.... 

11 p. M. --The preliminary big gun bombardment was to commence at 7, andI had just made a start with my diary when the din began, and I had tostop short. We are in the very middle of four batteries--two mountain(Ross and Cromarty), one 64-pounder, and a fourth of four 6-inchhowitzers. All blazed forth at once, and all drew fire. As far as wecould make out this was the hottest corner of the whole front. Shellsin hundreds burst about our ears, chunks of shell and four nose capscame into Aberdeen Gully. The noise of our guns and the bursting ofTurkish shells was the worst I have heard since the day of ourlanding. Stones and earth we had flying about in plenty. In the midstof it all Captain Rowland, R. E. , shouted from the mule track, askingif a M. O. Would go and see Major Archibald in the front trench. I setoff with two bearers and a stretcher, and found him in a side trenchclose to Gully Beach. He was mortally wounded. I dressed him and lefthim where he lay, in charge of an orderly. We now hurried back to themule track, the whole length of which we had to traverse. It had beenrepeatedly and most thoroughly shelled from end to end during the day, and we expected the Turk to sweep along it again at any minute. We hadjust cleared it when this actually happened, and howls behind us tookus back to find that some Indians had been caught in the fire. A Sikhhad a leg almost entirely blown off. Though suffering badly he wasmost plucky. 

From that time onwards we had a steady flow of wounded, which stillgoes on, but those now coming in are being dressed by the RegimentalM. O. 's before they are carried in by our bearers. 

As far as I can gather from the wounded the Turks made an attack onour extreme left at the very hour appointed for the attack by theFrench and us. They came on four deep protected by their artillerywhich blew in two of our front trenches, which were held by theS. W. B. 's and Inniskillings. These had to retreat, as many as possiblethrough their communication trenches, but many had to get over theparapets and rush back over the open. There were 500 Turks in thispart alone, and our men say only two ever returned, our men forming upand charging quickly retook what they had lost. We have had severalK. O. S. B. 's from the centre where there was also an attack. These weremore successful from the beginning, and within fifteen minutes hadtaken the Turks' first line. 

_June 19th. _--The above was not the end of last night's work. A littleafter midnight we were requested to send a M. O. And as many nursingorderlies as possible to the Inniskillings Aid Post, where they weresaid to be overwhelmed with work. This was at the very top of TheGully, three-quarters of a mile beyond our station. I jumped at theopportunity of a little excitement, and set off with five orderlies. We found the road dotted with dead mules and horses, but could notfind the M. O. For some time. At last he was roused out of his holehalf asleep. He said he had never sent for help, that they were quiteable to cope with the work, his men being at the time occupied withcases, which seemed to be coming in fast. What cases he had we tookback with us, an Inniskilling who had a bad wound in the foot from agrenade I helped back with his arm round my neck. 

The guide who came for us deserted us half-way to the Aid Post, and onreturning I found him minus his equipment making himself comfortablefor the night in our gully. I ordered him off to the firing lineknowing that this was a favourite dodge to escape for a time. Afterhalf an hour I found him in our cook house, when I took his number andname to report him to his C. O. The man was in a state of funk, anddeclared that the Turks would certainly break through before morning. Believing that there might be some reason for his alarm I made surebefore starting that my loaded revolver was at my belt, in case of ourhaving to beat a retreat. 

By 3 a. M. I was able to lie down for a short time, but another furiousattack by the Turks commenced at 4. 15. Later in the day I was relievedby Fiddes, and about 11 o'clock set off with Agassiz who had riddenout from our base. On reaching Gully Beach we took the high road forhome, but opposite X. Beach the explosions of high explosive shells onthe road in front of us were too terrifying, and we descended to theunder-cliff road. 

W. Beach had had the worst bombardment it had so far experiencedduring the morning, hundreds of shells falling. Many horses and threemen were killed. At Corps H. Q. And V. Beach the same went on, and nodoubt with similar results. 

_June 21st. _--The A. D. M. S. Col. Yarr, called at 9 a. M. And asked me torelieve him for the day, and I am now in his dugout at H. Q. Of the 8thArmy Corps, perhaps the hottest place to shell fire on the wholepeninsula. I found six aeroplanes drawn up waiting for messages, andbefore 10. 30 we had twenty-nine shells all within a few yards of us. Only very few exploded luckily, but the others buried themselves atleast six feet in the earth. H. Q. Is a network of deep dugouts withcommunication trenches, but a direct hit will pierce any one of them. Already two have been struck since I arrived, and the wings carriedoff a French biplane. They had 200 shells here yesterday, one of theorderlies being killed and another has been showing me how his tunicwas riddled by pieces of a shell that exploded. The aeroplanes arereally the target aimed at. Two have just ascended, but as long as itis daylight they will come and go. We usually get less fire when a fewof our planes are up, when the Turks' guns lie low not to give awaytheir positions. 

Corps H. Q. Is on the east side of the aerodrome, while our camp at W. Beach is on the other. When I entered the mess for lunch the onlyperson there was an officer in a half faint, seated in a cornerglaring at a shell on the floor. This had come through the roof thatvery minute and was luckily a "dud". The roof is made of heavy beams, thick iron plates from the "River Clyde, " sandbags and earth, but thisshell entered at the edge of the iron which did not project far enoughover the wall. The place had just been excavated and completed and wasused to-day for the first time. General Hunter-Weston and his staffwere present at lunch, also Compton Mackenzie, author and warcorrespondent. 

The French have been very busy all day. The Turks are only a littleless active from their having fewer guns--fifty-two on Achi Baba saidto be, and they must have six very big guns on the Asiatic side, andthese have been throwing huge shells into our lines, across Morto Bay, all morning. Occasionally there is a burst of rifle fire which wouldshow that the French are making an attempt to regain two trenches Ihear they lost yesterday or the day before. It is said that to-day'sattack is to be entirely French. We are giving no help at present, butfor an hour in the early morning we bombarded, likely with the view todistract the Turks' attention from the French front. 

10. 15 p. M. --The French are said to have been very successful in theirattack at 4. 30, when they captured two Turkish trenches. The storyabout their losing two trenches is said, at H. Q. , to be incorrect. About 8 o'clock a counter-attack was made, the result of which is notyet known. 

_June 22nd. _--The fight between the French and the Turks raged withoutthe slightest intermission for seventeen hours, in which time theformer must have fired at least 60, 000 shells. I hear the French hadtaken either two or three trenches in the early morning, and duringthe day had repulsed several counter-attacks. Just before dark Iobserved the continuous bursting of French shells on the S. E. Cornerof Achi Baba, as if the Turks were forced back out of Kereves Dere, which has so long been a natural protection to them. 

I have been asked to-day for a report of the case of ---- No. --, whois to be court-martialled for spreading alarmist reports of the fightthe other day. The double charge of leaving the firing line withoutpermission and spreading alarmist reports is a serious one. 

The last time Agassiz and I were at the Y. Beach O. P. We had peeps atthe Turks' trenches from four different points, and at each a bulletflew past us, showing that their snipers keep their eyes open. MajorW---- and I were fired at the other day when out in the open, and wehad to take to our heels to find cover. 

To-day the 5th Battalion Royal Scots have received the highest praisefrom General Hunter-Weston for their brilliant work. They have threetimes retaken trenches from the Turks that had been lost by ourRegulars. This is the only Territorial Battalion in the whole of ourDivision, and was looked on by the others as our one weak point. TheirLt-Col. (Wilson) received the D. S. O. From His Majesty by cable the dayafter he was recommended. 

_Later. _--The French captured five lines of trenches, a large concreteredoubt, and possibly a battery, but there is some doubt about thislast. All are greatly satisfied at the result, although the cost tothe French was very heavy. A great number of Turks are said to havebeen slaughtered and a large number taken prisoners, but so far I haveheard no exact figures. 

_Still Later. _--The French casualties are placed at 3000 and they aresaid to have taken that number of prisoners, but as a man said to me, "Where are they then, they must have buried them?" GeneralHunter-Weston, I was told, "is as proud as a dog with two tails overthe French success". 

A Taube visited us early and one of our biplanes gave chase and issaid to have winged it, as it was seen to descend behind Achi Baba, while our airmen dropped bombs on it. I watched the chase as the twocircled about. While the chase was in progress a second Taubeappeared, and the coast being clear it flew round us and dropped acouple of bombs. 

Yesterday I passed in The Gully what remained of the DublinFusiliers--less than a company. They were parading in their gasrespirators, their M. O. Lecturing them, and saying that if a rifle isa soldier's best friend, his respirator should come next. We are allprovided with these. 

A strange occurrence happened the other day at W. Beach, when I was upThe Gully. A figure appeared over the sky line in petticoats, as itwas thought. Our men began yelling "A wuman, a wuman, " and all toreout to see what they had not seen for months. Lieut. Thomson andCorporal Morrice were the most excited. These two have not yet gotover their disappointment on discovering this was an Egyptian--and amale one--in a long coat. 

_June 24th. _--Whyte left us to-day on sick leave. There is a proposalthat the rest of us should get short leave--four days to Lemnos. 

I have just had a visit from a couple of Senegalese--French troops. They were going through our camp, grinning as only a nigger can, ourmen making fun of them. One carried off a tin of jam in great glee. They stopped at my dugout and I could not get rid of them till I gaveeach a chunk of Turkish delight, which pleased them immensely. I hadto get rid of two sailors the same way yesterday, giving each aTurkish nose cap. Every Turkish curio is valued in the Navy, extensivebarter being carried on between them and men ashore, whisky and allsorts of goods being received by us. 

10 p. M. --I have been watching a big green frog which came jumpingthrough our tents at a great speed, as if bound on business. He wentstraight to the cook's tent and crept under the flap. Plainly he hadbeen there before. Flies are everywhere by the million, but he knewwhere they were particularly plentiful. Half an hour ago I saw abrilliant speck of light on a piece of heath, which I thought was toobright to be the reflection of the moon from some bright object. Ifound it came from an insect nearly one inch long, jointed like alobster, the glow coming from the last two joints on the under side. Even when held close to the flame of a candle the apple-green glow wasstill very bright. 

_June 25th. _--Walked to Aberdeen Gully, but nothing worth notingto-day. 

_June 26th. _--Like yesterday an uneventful day--unless a visit from aTaube is worth noting, and a thunderstorm over in Imbros. The sky hasbeen more or less cloudy, which is certainly unusual, while yesterdayin The Gully the heat was perhaps more trying than I ever felt it. 

All preparations are ready for a very big day on Monday (28th) whenthe Turks on our left are all to be blown sky high; such a bombardmentas Flanders has never seen the like of. So says General de Lisle whohas been in France from the beginning of the war until the other day, when he became our Divisional-General. 

_June 27th. _--I went to Aberdeen Gully to-day with Kellas, Agassiz, and Morris. We wondered if we could extend our accommodation forwounded in anticipation of to-morrow's fight. We did nothing in thatdirection, but Kellas getting a message to attend a meeting at BrigadeH. Q. As we went up The Gully, he brought up word that General de Lislewished us to open another dressing station, as far as I could makeout, in the slight dip immediately in front of our first firing lineto which we are expected to creep out, and dig ourselves in, and waitfor to-morrow's advance. I know the ground, and saw his sketch of thesite, and pronounced it impossible. We next went to Y. Beach and alonga small gully beside Gurkha Bluff, till we were stopped by our fronttrenches, and could find no possible way of opening another station. We next visited the A. D. M. S. , Major Bell, who had not heard of thissuggestion. 

The bombardment by the naval and field guns commences at 9 to-morrow, and as Thomson and I, who are at present in reserve at W. Beach, areboth anxious to take part in what is likely to be one of our biggestfights, we have permission to be out in Aberdeen Gully before itstarts. I have just been ordering breakfast for 6. 45 to-morrow, thecook remarking sarcastically to a bystander, "Widna five be a betteroor": "I dinna think ye shud gang to bed, min, " was the reply. 

We had seven aeroplanes up at one time this evening, viewing the landand the movements of the Turks, preparing for to-morrow's row. 

_June 28th. _--After an early breakfast Thomson and I set off forAberdeen Gully, and as our three mule ambulance wagons were going upfor the day we had a ride in a four-in-hand to Gully Beach. All theway out we watched the Turks' shells falling right along The Gully, all the batteries, which are numerous there, getting their attentions, while we sat and wondered what we were to do. At the foot of the steepdescent into Gully Beach Major Bell shouted to me from a high terracein which he lives, and advised us not to risk taking the wagons andmules further, especially as mules were getting scarce and are veryvaluable, so, after consulting with Col. O'Hagan, he suggested parkingthem where they were. Col. O'Hagan, thinking this gave him the powerto do with our wagons as he liked, dared our men to do anythingwithout consulting him, otherwise he would put them under arrest--athreat not much to the liking of Serg. Philip. 

We now decided to give The Gully as wide a berth as possible and tookthe track by the foot of the rocks to Y. Beach, about 2-1/4 milesfurther on. The attack was to commence at 9 a. M. And we hadthree-quarters of an hour to do this, climb the long, steep ascent atY. Beach, and cross by the sunk mule track to Aberdeen Gully. The gunshad been unusually active for the last two days, and to-day fromdaybreak the heavy howitzers had been throwing shells among the Turksto knock in their trenches, and these and many others were droppingtheir shells a short way to our left as we crossed the mule track. Theheat by this time was intense, and I was absolutely soaked by the timeI reached the top of the cliff, scrambling through the Gurkha and Sikhdugouts by the nearest cut possible, not much to their relish Ithought. Many of the Gurkhas were handling their knives, and one ortwo sharpening them on stones. These knives of theirs are not sosacred as some say they are, although I was once warned sharply not totouch one I was to pick up beside its owner. I have often seen themchopping wood and meat with these, hence the necessity for theirrequiring sharpening this morning. Poor Gurkhas! later in the day someof our men mistook them for Turks and mowed down seventy of them withtheir machine-guns. In every battle we have had some such mistake, andthe Dublins in the afternoon had the same experience as the Gurkhas. 

We were not many minutes in Aberdeen Gully when the Turks shrapnelledthe mule track very thoroughly, as they did in our last battle, andwounded came in thick from here. Of course the Turks, by means ofspies, who are said to be numerous, knew the exact minute of theattack, and were fully prepared to give us a hot time. The mule trackis merely an old trench widened and deepened, and when there isfighting many troops pass along this, and the Turks guessed they couldget a rich harvest here. 

From 9 to 11 every gun on the peninsula fired as fast as it could beloaded--between 300 and 400 guns. We were in the thick of it, betweenthe two artillery lines, and the shells of both passed directly overour heads. Orders to the artillery were that ammunition was not to bespared. 

At 11 the infantry assault on the first Turkish trench was to be made, and the guns were then to lift and be trained on the third. All alongthe first line seemed to fall easily, and many of our men rushed tothe second, some even taking a third, while a Scotch battalion eventook five. This sort of thing usually proves disastrous, as most ofour own big guns are out of sight of their objective, and fireentirely by range, and in this case the guns were trained on the thirdtrench while this battalion rushed through to the fifth, withcalamitous results. This battalion--either Royal Scots, ScotchFusiliers, or K. O. S. B. 's I forget which--had lost all its officers, but, with no one to lead them, they dashed on, greatly to theadmiration of all onlookers. Two Munster officers had finally to goforward and recall them. Pushing forward at this rate, even apart fromthe chance of running into your own artillery fire, generally endsdisastrously; if too much progress is made we can rarely retain ourposition. 

The Turks were entirely demoralised by the heavy bombardment andcleared out of their trenches, some of our men, as they came to uswounded, complaining that they ran so fast that they could not getnear them. Many got down on their knees and surrendered, stillshouting their war cry, "Allah, Allah". 

Large bodies of prisoners, all motley crews, passed us during the day, and we had a good many wounded Turks to attend to. I dressed one I wasmuch interested in--a short, swarthy chap of middle age, who wasbrought in by some Fusiliers. This man had jumped on the parapet ofhis trench, where he coolly stood upright and shot five Fusiliers deadbefore they managed to bowl him over, but a shattered left arm lefthim helpless. He walked in with about sixty other prisoners, with abullet through his upper jaw and tongue, which had come out at theback of his neck; another shattered completely his left arm, thesplintered humerus being at a very sharp angle, and a third throughhis thigh. He had lost much blood from the divided brachial artery, and was very thirsty, and soon drained the fill of a feeding cup ofwater, in spite of the state of his mouth. He soon wanted more "su"(Turkish for "water") and was given a bowlful, but he would havenothing to do with the bowl, he stuck his finger to its side to showthat he wanted the one with the spout. Evidently he was surprised Idid not cut his throat, and all the time I was dressing him he pattedme with his sound hand. 

All the guns were trained on a small patch to begin with, atroublesome part known as the "boomerang, " a redoubt with sixteenmachine-guns. This was blown to smithereens. 

The whole fight was on our extreme left, with a front of not much overhalf a mile. This must have been very thoroughly ploughed up, and alarge number of Turks blown to pieces. One woman was found among thedead, but it is believed that many of them had their wives with them. Many of their underground dwellings were so elaborate that they hadevidently made up their minds that they were to spend the comingwinter here. 

Our casualties, although light compared with the Turks, must be heavy. Over 300 passed through our station before dark, but at that timeperhaps the bigger half was still to come. Those lying betweentrenches have usually to lie where they fall till dark. Our losseswould likely be 3000 to 4000. 

The Asiatic guns, finding they could take little active part in theproceedings, although they fired occasionally on the French, amusedthemselves by firing at W. Beach and the battery on Tekke Burnu, andwith forty-two shots managed to kill two men and wound eight. One ofour men, Corporal Dunn, got badly hit while in Aberdeen Gully by atwo-pound shell cap. It was due to the premature bursting of one ofour own shells. (Corporal Dunn died a day or two afterwards. ) So farthe wounds received by our Ambulance have been slight. 

Padre Creighton had a peculiar experience at 1 a. M. To-day, whileasleep in his "crow's nest". He has taken up his quarters with us inAberdeen Gully, and has a dugout about 15 feet above the path thatwinds the length of our Gully. This is almost sheer up and is reachedby steps cut in the rock and sandbags. It was formed by levelling anatural recess, and had a galvanised iron roof. Sheer up from thisagain the rock rises another 70 or 80 feet to the mule track above. Apackhorse with two heavy tanks lost its footing on its way up and fellcrashing down on Creighton's place, carrying away the roof and anumber of sandbags, and dropping one of the boxes in the middle of hisbed. The padre escaped untouched. Kellas, sleeping further down thepath, rushed out and found himself face to face with the runawaysteed, which, still more strange to say, was also unhurt. The padre inthe bright moonlight was standing in his pyjamas on the top of hissteps, scratching his head, and wondering what it all meant. 

The heat all through the day had been most trying, and as I trudgeddown The Gully by myself, Thomson remaining behind, in the swelteringheat, the whole way packed tight with ammunition and other wagons, through a dust that filled The Gully to the very brim, I felt deadtired after a hard day's work and the long tramp of yesterday, when welooked in vain for a site for a new advanced dressing station. Theroad seemed without end. As I neared "home" and came over the slightrise at our cemetery the moon rose through a slight haze over theclassic Mount Ida, as a great blood-red ball, while on my other side, out in the Gulf of Saros, a dense cloud hung over Imbros, which everyfew seconds was lit up by a flash of lightning. I had little food allday, and was too tired to eat, but after a big drink of lime juice Iretired to bed and slept the sleep of the just--of the tired at anyrate. 

And so ended a day in which we had had a good specimen of a modernbattle, where both sides had shown equal and indomitable pluck. 

_June 29th. _--Spent the day resting and washing clothes. When I can Ihave a washing day twice a week. 

Many wounded passed through Aberdeen Gully after I left last night, the total up to some hour this morning being 566, which meant a lot ofhard work. 

After I left, Ashmead-Bartlett was passing, and recognising PadreCreighton he went over our Gully, and greatly admired the place forits suitability and picturesqueness, and is to give a description ofit in one of his early articles to the home papers--so he says. Hetold our fellows the following story of a friend of his, who had beenthrough the landing of April 25. He wrote home saying that shells flewthick about his ears, torpedoes chased him about, and mines floatedall round; still he was not in the least afraid, he just thought ofwhat his padre told them the previous Sunday, when he exhorted themwhen in danger to look upwards. He looked upwards, and behold! herewas a bloody aeroplane dropping bombs. 

Early in the afternoon we had a goodly number of shells. Yesterday, when I was up The Gully, a large piece of shell flew through our messtent, where the servants were sitting, and landed in a jam pot on thetable, splashing an orderly all over; he, mistaking jam for his ownblood, did not know whether he was really alive or dead. 

_June 30th. _--We had seven large shells during the night, all landingon our side of W. Beach. Two traction engines have been fitted uplately down on the shore, and one of these was smashed, and atool-house beside it blown pretty well to pieces. There was also somefighting about our left and centre, but I have not heard the result. The Turks have now a plentiful supply of ammunition, and all yesterdayafternoon and this morning have poured a constant stream of highexplosives into the French side of Kereves Dere. 

Soon after 8 p. M. Lightning flashed thick about Imbros, which had aninky black cloud hanging overhead. The storm moved to the east, tillit came over Achi Baba, and by this time the flashes were almostconstant and the thunder loud. It was one of the grandestthunderstorms I ever saw, and what made it more impressive was the dinand flashing of all our guns, the searchlight from Chanak, whichalways plays over the Dardanelles and us, and then we had a severeshelling from Asia all to ourselves. We just wanted a good rattlingearthquake to complete this fearsome picture of hell where both manand the gods warred. 

The Turks have started a new form of frightfulness. They shell usevery now and then from Asia, and from there last night they droppedinto W. Beach a huge shell that detonates with a terrible crash, andevery twenty minutes or so they treated us to one of these, and madethe whole night hideous, and sleep impossible. 

This afternoon a French battleship stationed herself off the entranceto the Dardanelles, and fired about fifty rounds from her biggest gunsat a point on a hill about a mile beyond Kum Kale. As the Turkish gunsare believed to be in tunnels they were firing practically at rightangles to these, and I could not possibly see how they could get adirect hit, and prophesied that as soon as the ship left they wouldshow that there was life in the old dog yet, by giving a worsecannonade than usual, and this was just what happened. No fewer thanfive shells fell in the C. C. S. Beside us, killing the cook, andwounding two orderlies, and a number of the already wounded. I sawseveral horses and mules fall to their bag also. Then as soon as itgot dark they made up their minds that we were not to be allowed tosleep, and every fifteen to twenty minutes we had a terrific crash inthe camp up to 5 a. M. This becomes very trying, and all wish thatsomething could be done to silence these guns. Nothing will do but alanding on the Asiatic side. 

_July 1st. _--I came out to Aberdeen Gully after breakfast. Here onefeels comparatively safe, and we are enjoying the peace after ournocturnal shellings, and the thought of a good night's sleep bracesone up wonderfully. Fiddes and I walked over to the ArtilleryObservation Post to see the extent of our advance, the other day, andI was surprised to find our front trenches so far forward. Some ofthese front trenches we still divide with the Turks, and during theirattempts to recover some of these last night the darkness of the nightand the thunderstorm terrified the Gurkhas so much that they nearlylost their most advanced line. 

_July 2nd. _--Spent a quiet day out at the dressing station--as far aswork went. I went over to Y. Beach by the mule track, but as shellswere dropping about both these places I returned sooner than Iintended. In the afternoon a message from the Turks, dropped from anaeroplane, gave the whole army half an hour to clear out of thepeninsula, otherwise they would shell us into the sea. The shellinghad to be resorted to, and commencing at 5 p. M. They worked sovigorously that plainly they meant what they said. The artillery duelthen started was on this left side, and, our Gully being between thetwo fires, all the shells went right over our heads, and the shriekingwas as bad as any I ever heard. At periods during the three hours thislasted they crossed at the rate of 200 per minute. We were close tothree of our own batteries, and these had to be peppered over ourheads, and most of the shells being shrapnel, timed to burst in theair, we had many an explosion immediately above us. We all cowered aswell as we could up against the rocks, and although shrapnel bulletsand half a shell base came among us no one was hit. In spite of allthis bombardment, an artillery officer told me next day that all thecasualties he knows of are one man and five horses wounded. All thesewere hit in a small side Gully like our own, a shell bursting in theirmidst. 

Padre Creighton came back tired and hungry at 8. 30 and found no suppernor fire to cook it with, the cook's life having been frightened outof him he forgot the necessity for bodily sustenance for the rest ofus. I noticed the cook at one time flourishing a spade like a cricketbat, and on asking him what this was for he declared, "You can easysee the bloody thing comin'". He intended to let fly at the firstshell that came his way. Creighton in his usual energetic way buckledto, and prepared an excellent supper of fried onions on toast, with alittle bacon. This was much enjoyed, as was also the Bivouac cocoawith which it was washed down. 

_July 4th. _--Aberdeen Gully. A glorious Sunday morning. A slightshower during the night has refreshed the air and nature's dusty face, and now, with a brilliant sun and a gentle breeze, one can feel ashappy as one can out here, thousands of miles from home--but are wedownhearted? No! There is also almost an absolute calm from thosenoisy death dealers, shots being only very occasional. A big howitzeris going off at times, but apart from that the unnatural silence seemsominous, like a calm before a storm. 

Padre Creighton is to-day offering five pounds to a shilling that itwill be Christmas before we take Achi Baba. My forecast is we will bethere before this day week, while any combatants I have spoken to sayit will take us to the end of July. At the present rate we will takemonths, but in my opinion it will be necessary to push on faster thanwe have been able to do so far, although I believe by wearing out theTurks slowly our casualties will be less. But a more rapid advancewould be a greater help to our comrades fighting in other parts of theContinent. 

_Afternoon. _--Had an excellent lunch cooked by Fiddes, who is afirst-rate _chef_. An officer lunched with us who says he is the lastof his battalion. He came in slightly wounded, but his nerves have socompletely gone that he says he will never be able to shoot a rabbitagain, and sheds tears at the thought of such cruelty. Many willfollow in the same condition if we cannot get relief, and out of reachof the Turks' guns for an occasional rest. 

_July 5th. _--We have had a terribly hot morning, we opening theartillery ball at 3. 45, when the Turks made an attack on the mostimportant front trench we now hold, and took from them this day lastweek. Now, at 9 o'clock, things are still very warm, but nothing towhat they were during the first three hours, when the fire from bothsides was about equal. After the first rush of the Turks the fight hasbeen nothing but an artillery duel. 

In Aberdeen Gully, we are wonderfully protected by our high rocks, andnatural banks which have been improved by ourselves, and although manypieces of shell have fallen in it to-day no one was hit. 

The Turks are said to have suffered enormously, being taken bysurprise in a nullah along which they were marching in closeformation. An officer with a machine-gun says he alone accounted forabout eighty. We have had about twenty-four wounded Dublins so far, some mere boys. Those boys who are slightly hit are in great glee overtheir prowess, one as he walked proudly in exclaiming, "Py Jasus, wegave them a holy paestin' this mornin'". 

Last night we had a call from the M. O. Of the Scottish Rifles. He wastelling us about the casualties in the Lowland Brigade on Monday last. They went in 2900 strong and only 1200 came out. Their Brigadier andthree Colonels were killed. I have spoken to several officers of theBrigade, and they unanimously put this loss down to some tacticalmistake. They charged much too soon, and moreover the men had toassault trenches that had never been shelled. This M. O. Says he hadbeen speaking to an officer who said he assisted to cut the rope bywhich one of the Turkish gunners was bound to his machine-gun. Toprevent their running away we have heard that they are sometimes tiedto their guns by chains. 

6 p. M. --I am back again at W. Beach where I find they have had aperfect hell of a time. A big French transport was sunk off this by atorpedo on Saturday. 

In the morning after the fight of the 29th I met in The Gully threewounded soldiers of the Lowland Brigade, two of them trying to put asling on the third, who had a smashed hand. I assisted and asked abouttheir casualties. One said, "We lost our Brigadier, Scott-Moncrieff, did ye ken him, a wee wiry beggar?"

After dinner to-day I walked to the Dublin trenches with Creighton, who was to bury some of the men killed last night. As we passed aworkshop and engineers' dump on our way back, Creighton was againasked to bury a man. While he was doing so I sharpened my pocket knifeon a grindstone standing by, and asked a soldier if that was all thekilled they had last night. "Yes, " he said, "and we had an officerburied to-day. " "Oh, " said I, "when was he killed?" "He wasn't killedat all. " "Then why did you bury him?" "A shell blew in a trench on thetop of him, but we dug him out, and he was none the worse. "

Another mule--but it was a horse this time--toppled down from the pathabove us this afternoon. He started on his career with his full load, but he had nothing but his saddle when he dumped himself down on thepath three yards from my sleeping bunk, after a drop of about 50 feet. I would much rather have a whole mule flying in among us than a chunkof shell. He picked himself up and looked scared, and went awaypuffing hard, but quite unharmed except for a bleeding nose. 

_July 6th. _--W. Beach. What's wrong? Not a shot in our neighbourhoodduring the night, and I must have slept seven hours. 

_Later. _--By afternoon we had a few shells, some droppinguncomfortably near--forty-five in all, so many from Achi Baba, and tenhuge ones, with big explosions, from Asia. These last were aimed atour ammunition dumps, where some damage was done. 

At supper our Q. M. Dickie told us the following little anecdote, which I jot down as it was connected with our Corps. One evening arecruit presented himself at Fonthill Barracks, Aberdeen, and informedthe CO. --Captain Robertson--that he wanted to "Jine". "But we are fullup, " says R. "Oh, I thocht ye wintet men. " "Oh well, as you are alikely looking chap, I think I'll take you; when would you like to beexamined?" "I'll be examined noo, far's the doctor?" "I'm the doctor, "said R. "God, " says the chap, "ye dinna look muckle like a doctor. ""But why do you wish to join?" "It's jist like this, I hid a dram, an'the maister said I was a damned feel, so I telt him if I wis a damnedfeel, he wis a damneder, an' he telt me to gang tae hell, sae I jistgaed, an' here I am. " "When can you join?" "Weel, this is Saeterdaynicht, it wid need tae be Tiesday or Wednesday. Ye see I drive themilk caert, a damned responsible poseeshen. " Not much of a story butreal Aberdeen. 

_July 7th. _--Had seventy shells to-day on W. Beach, mostly big onesfrom the "Asiatic Annies"; bag, two killed and three wounded. 

_July 8th. _--W. Beach. Yesterday we had a big mail--great rejoicing. 

When we came out of the mess tent to-day at 1. 15 we found a greatswarm of what we all think must be locusts, but no one is sufficientlywell up in zoology to be certain. All are flying inwards in the samedirection, as if they had come out of the sea, but it is more likelythey have come from Asia, across the Dardanelles. There is a slightbreeze and they have difficulty in flying, and are resting everywhere, and bump up against tents and everything that comes in their way, andare not strong flyers. They have powerful grasshopper legs, red fromthe knee downwards, and an inner pair of wings, which are also redand give the whole animal a red colour when in flight. Now, after anhour, they are still more plentiful, and are flying past actually inmyriads. 

At 4. 30 I got a message to relieve Col. Yarr at Corps H. Q. Anaeroplane was drawn up there, and along with myself a second onearrived. Now I am in for a shelling, I said to myself, and I had justentered Col. Yarr's dugout when the first shell exploded a few yardsoff, and this was immediately followed by two others. Near the middleof the aerodrome a large gun emplacement--or whatever it is--is beingdug, which, it is hoped, will draw some of the fire away from here. 

The swarm of locusts (?) did not diminish for three hours, when ittailed off. Their bumping into one's face made walking almostimpossible. 

_July 9th. _--Head-quarters. We have had a quiet night. The shellingdoes not commence here till the aeroplanes arrive from Tenedos. Lastnight at dinner various subjects were discussed, such as the durationof the war. The views of all were very depressing, although no one hadthe slightest doubt as to the ultimate complete smashing up ofGermany, and the longer the war lasted the more complete would thesmashing be. One man was sure it would be ended by next spring, another, who had lived long in Macedonia, is positive it will take twoyears from now. General Hunter-Weston took no part in this discussion, but looked interested and amused while his juniors threshed thesubject out. All agreed that it was most laughable to read theforecasts in the papers at home, and that it was only now that Englandwas realising how enormous the task before her was, and that the warwill continue till both sides are just about played out, but there canbe no doubt of our ability to hold out longest. 

The plans for the next big attack were also discussed. The General, who commands the whole army on the peninsula--including theFrench--arranges all details, under the Commander-in-chief, Sir IanHamilton. The dates of former attacks were known to us all severaldays before they took place, and these invariably reached the Turks. To avoid this more secrecy is now observed, and it amused me lastnight to hear the General emphasise his dates in a voice that denotedthat he did not mean them to be taken literally. This was to bamboozleme, I thought, the only non-combatant present, but occasionally hestumbled. As it was always with regret that I came to know the datesof former attacks some days ahead I was glad to observe this attemptat secrecy. I remember we were once to commence at 7 o'clock, and theTurk let fly at us at 6. 45, determined, sensible man, to get in thefirst blow. 

When talking about crushing Germany, all regretted that our countrywas so soft, and would not crush sufficiently; however, they thoughtthey could rely on Russia and France insisting on this being carriedout very thoroughly. 

After breakfast I walked down about 300 yards to Helles point, wondering what had come of all our shipping. The hospital ships arethere, one small supply ship only, a few mine-sweepers, and close inunder the rocks a British and a French submarine, lying beside thekeel of the "Majestic". It appears a German submarine had been sightedlast night, hence as many of the ships as possible had fled. A Frenchship is battering Kum Kale, and kicking up a tremendous dust. Anofficer from H. Q. Was regretting the inability of the Navy to help us. At last, I hope, even the Navy has discovered this for themselves, forland operations they are of little use. Then we must rely on our fieldguns and howitzers, and these only. Another 5-inch howitzer batteryarrived last night, I hear, and we have 9. 2-inch guns somewhere, butI fail to gather whether these had been actually landed. 

_July 10th. _--We had an unusually good dinner last night, a feast fitfor the gods to one who has had nothing but camp rations for threemonths, where the staple diet is bully beef. We had various liqueursbefore dinner, and excellent cocktails made by the General's A. D. C. But I never enjoyed anything so much as a bottle of Bass the nightbefore. The A. D. C. Is a jovial fellow, always happy, with plenty offoresight, and with a fatherly interest in everybody. GeneralHunter-Weston has been spending the night at Imbros with Sir IanHamilton, and the Staff had asked several of their friends to dinewith them. I was able to find out from one of our visitors that thereis absolutely no truth in a most persistent rumour we hear, that thewhole of the 29th Division is going home to be re-equipped, aftertheir almost complete annihilation. He says we are to get a rest, butwe only go to Lemnos. Why send troops away in the meantime?

The Turks for some days back have been making a huge excavation onthis side of the actual peak of Achi Baba. Its purpose is a greatpuzzle here. The first object one would think of is that it is a biggun emplacement, but, as they say at H. Q. , they have made it on thewrong side of the hill. Still I cannot see why not, if they front itwith a big enough mound. But there could be no advantage in making iton this side, where we could so easily "spot" our shots. 

We, too, are making a big excavation on one side of the aerodrome, butwhen the first aeroplane enters it for the night I am mistaken if theTurks do not knock it out within an hour. It is intended for amonoplane that can fly 113 miles an hour, and its special purpose isto give chase to the first Taube that appears. 

That Achi Baba excavation makes one suspicious that the Germanofficers with the Turks are to be up to some form of frightfulness. Itcannot be gas, but, if it is, we have been prepared for that for someweeks, and every man has his respirator. To-day I was asked by theA. D. C. About a paper dealing with gases, with which we are toretaliate should the Turk use these first, but it contains names Inever heard before, and can give him no enlightenment on the subject. 

6 p. M. --I have been on the General's observation hill with one of thestaff, and his opinion about the excavation is probably correct. Itmust be a redoubt, in which the Turks will have a large number offield and machine-guns, which will mean some taking, but our artilleryshould make short work of it. 

_July 11th. _--Was knocked up at 6. 30 to see the General who is ill. This is awkward, as I have just gathered at breakfast that the nextbig fight ("stunt" is the word always used) comes off to-morrow. Ialso heard at breakfast that in our last stunt when the first lines ofthe Turks were slaughtered, new troops as they were brought up refusedto cross the masses of their dead comrades, and that one of thereasons for General Hunter-Weston refusing the armistice asked for bythe Turks two days ago was that he wished to retain their dead as awall of defence. 

Much business has to be transacted in preparation for to-morrow andthe General is getting little rest. 

6 p. M. --I walked over to the Ambulance to notify them aboutto-morrow's stunt. The road between the aerodrome and the Beach wasbeing shelled, so I took the other side of the aerodrome, past theOrdnance Stores, and as I was nearing these the Asiatic gunnersthought they might pepper this side, and I had some big crashes nearme. A shell entered the road just behind the 89th F. A. Withoutexploding, and one of our men pushed a 7-foot stick down the holewithout reaching the bottom. The hole was the cleanest I ever saw, 7inches in diameter, and every mark of the rifling of the driving bandwas beautifully moulded in the clay. Here at H. Q. They dug up one ofthese new and unexploded shells, and it had penetrated 14 feet intothe ground. 

A New Zealander was telling me yesterday that his people closelyresembled those of the old country in every respect, while theAustralians seem to completely alter. When the British and NewZealanders hear a shell approaching they duck, while an Australianstraightens his back, gets his head and shoulders over the parapet, and swears. 

General Hunter-Weston kept improving during the day, and by eveningwas much better. 

_July 12th. _--An important battle took place to-day, and still rages, beginning at 4 a. M. But in real earnest by 5, when many new big gunswere used for the first time. Our centre (Naval Division) and theright (French) are mainly involved, although the whole line took partin the preliminary bombardment. News came in that the first attackfailed, but that by 7. 30 the first line of the Turks was captured. Onthe top of the Observation Hill at H. Q. I met an interesting fellow, who said he was the only civil surgeon who had got permission to joinus. He had a Government appointment in the Soudan, and having threemonths' leave he was allowed to spend it here without pay. He said hewould have been ashamed to go home. 

The General feels better to-day, and by lunch time looked as if thingswere going well at the Front. However, the French have a mostdifficult piece of work before them, namely, the capture of KerevesDere, which has blocked their way since April 28. This gully runs ina S. E. Direction from the foot of Achi Baba to the Dardanelles, isflat at the bottom, and about 400 yards wide, with steep perpendicularcliffs on both sides, nearly 200 feet high. At the bottom each sideholds a trench facing the other, while there are others half-way upwherever there are slopes. In a spot or two the French are said tohave pushed through before, and for a time held a piece of the otherside, but the difficulty is to get the Turk entirely out and theposition consolidated. 

The enemy submarines would like to do some mischief to-day, could theyfind something worth a torpedo, but all our shipping has gone, exceptthree hospital ships and the torpedo craft. Within the last fifteenminutes a destroyer has given a long blast on her whistle, followed bytwo short, the signal that a submarine has been sighted. Threedestroyers are at the present moment grouped together evidently havinga conference. 

6. 15 p. M. --The battle has raged the whole day, but less violently from11 to 4, but at the latter hour, a warship, lying close in, with allour field guns, raised a great roar, and a solid mass of smoke anddust rose high in the air enveloping the whole of the Turkish linesfrom the west of Krithia to the Dardanelles. The Turks have repliedall day, but feebly in comparison. 

Most of the day I had been watching the battlefield from theObservation Hill, then at 5 went to tea in the mess where I was alone. General Hunter-Weston entered in a few minutes, and sitting oppositeme said, "What an extraordinary thing war is". The progress of the dayhad greatly satisfied him I could see, and he was in great glee. "Yes, " I said, "but I wish to goodness it was all over. " "My dearsir, " he replied, "we'll have years of it yet. " I asked if he thoughtthere was any possibility of its ending this year. "Absolutely none; Ithink there may be trouble in Germany over the food supply by thebeginning of next harvest and, if so, there will be a chance of itsending in twelve months, but it is more likely to take two years. " Iwas afterwards speaking to Major ---- about this, and I have alwaysagreed with his remark, "It is all damned nonsense to talk aboutstarving Germany". 

After tea I returned to the Hill where several of the Staff werecollected. We watched a body of Turks, about 200 in number, leavetheir own lines and come towards ours with a large white flag. Withinthree seconds after their forming into a body five of our shellslanded among them, and there was nothing to be seen when the smokecleared off. But in a few minutes those remaining gathered into a bodyagain, and immediately two more shells exploded in their midst. Thefew remaining could now be seen coming out of the smoke and tearingdown a slope to a nullah a short way off, and they were not seenagain. Major ---- was here called away to interpret to three Turkishprisoners who had come in, but I have heard no particulars of theirexamination.... I hear from one of the orderlies that a prisonercomplained that their own guns opened on them as soon as a body formedup to surrender. (This is what actually happened, Turkish shells, notours, fell among them, a lesson to others what would happen if theysurrendered. )

We seem to have made a great advance in front of our Naval Division. It is more difficult to say what the French have done, their line ismore hidden from here, owing to the contour of the ground. It will bedark by 8, and now at 6. 45 it is high time we were straightening upour line, otherwise the forward positions will be enfiladed by night. 

I heard our Artillery Staff-General being asked at the ObservationHill if he was satisfied with the day's work, and he replied, "Quite, on the whole, quite, quite". 

I was interested to find that none of our Generals left H. Q. To-day;everything is worked from there by telephone. Each was at his own postand spent little time on the Observation Hill--much less than I didmyself. 

_July 13th. _--Rumours after a battle are always plentiful, but at H. Q. One has an opportunity of sifting these, in fact I could always getthe exact truth by asking members of the Staff, but I feel as anon-combatant that I have no right to openly poke my nose into purelymilitary matters. Rumour said we had taken 700 prisoners yesterday;another rumour puts the number at 2000. I heard at dinner that eightyhad come in. Mention was laughingly made of "the lost regiment". Icould not imagine at the time that we had lost a regiment and thoughtit was a joke of the General's, but to-day I find that a wholebattalion of K. O. S. B. 's are amissing. Those must be prisoners in thehands of the Turks. They had lost so heavily before that they couldnot have been at anything like full strength. The curious thing is theofficers are said to have turned up, and can give no account of whathappened. I expect this is not the exact truth. They are said to havepushed too far forward, which is the usual cause of our worstdisasters. 

Three violent counter-attacks were made last night. Fighting had neverceased the whole night, and I hear we had to retire all along theline. The extent of our falling back I do not know, but the news ismost depressing. 

Major ---- told me yesterday that the best troops in the world wouldget so completely demoralised under a shelling like that we gave theTurks that every man would be absolutely limp, and could not even aimwhen firing. Then, the more shells we have the better, as we all knowhere and at home. Yesterday we used very little shrapnel, it wasalmost entirely high explosives. At home it was discovered that we hadused too much of the former in France. The demoralising effect ofshrapnel is slight, and it has little effect on troops under cover, but you might as well fight an earthquake as the other, if it isanywhere near you. 

Yesterday's casualties up to evening were put at 3000 to 4000, butthis number will have been added to over night. 

10. 55 p. M. --Fighting has gone on all day, and with great success onour side; we have regained our lost trenches and taken several newones. 

I had a very exciting and hot motor ride in search of the Liaisonofficer, at General Hunter-Weston's request, word having come in thathe was badly wounded. I had many narrow escapes, especially from highexplosives fired at a battery astride the road through which I had todart, and afterwards from bullets when I left the car and went forwardon foot. On stepping out of the car a man seeing I was on businessstepped up to me and immediately dropped dead with a bullet throughhim. I searched our own and the French front lines amidst showers ofbullets but could find no trace of the man I wanted. I had taken Col. Yarr's orderly with me, an old regular. After clearing the battery, where big shells from Asia were dropping on all sides of us, and at aterrific rate, he picked himself up from the floor of the car andswore roundly, and said Col. Yarr would never have taken him into sucha hot place. 

_July 15th. _--About 5. 30 a. M. We had a Taube overhead, which droppedtwo bombs on W. Beach, the acres of boxes at the Ordnance Stores beingaimed at. A man's arm was blown off and two or three mules killed. Wehave moved our ammunition from Tekke Burnu, where it was too exposed, and the Turks seem to think we have mixed it up with these stores as adeception, hence these bombs to-day. The machine was at an enormousheight, and its approach was neither seen nor heard, and the Frenchmonoplane gave it a start of at least five minutes before pursuing. The Taube went in a westward direction, ours directly north, evidentlywith the view of cutting it off from its usual landing place. Ourmachine returned after forty minutes, but I have not heard if it wassuccessful. 

I went to Aberdeen Gully this morning having returned from H. Q. Yesterday forenoon. 

_July 16th. _--Woke this morning about 6 after a delightfully peacefulnight. I lay in my bunk, surrounded by muslin to keep the flies out, and felt wonderfully contented with my lot. Such peace could not lastlong, soon the booming of guns was heard some way off, others nearerfollowed, and one over our heads joined in the chorus, and by 10o'clock rather a fierce Turkish cannonade commenced. 

6 p. M. --I took the temperature of the air to-day for the first timeand found it 92. 5--not the hottest day I have felt here, stilluncomfortably warm. Walked over to Y. Beach in the forenoon, and upThe Gully later, meeting the Hants and Worcesters marching down withtheir full kits--all off to Lemnos or somewhere out of the reach ofshells. These are the very last of the 29th Division to leave exceptthe three ambulances. 

_July 17th. _--W. Beach. Returned from Aberdeen Gully to-day. Lastnight the Asiatic guns were troublesome about W. Beach, also a Taubewhich dropped bombs about the ammunition dump. By shell or bomb a firewas started that cost us 1, 000, 000 rounds of rifle ammunition. 

I had an order in the forenoon to inoculate the H. Q. Staff againstcholera. On going over at 6. 15, the appointed hour, I found GeneralHunter-Weston had gone some hours before, along with Col. Yarr, toLemnos for a much-needed rest. I inoculated two other Generals andforty-five others, finishing up with a dose for myself. 

One of our men had a letter from a friend who is with the 2nd HighlandF. A. In France. He spoke about them retiring out of shell fire for arest, and after pitching camp a shell fell in the next field. Theythen struck camp and went back another 5 miles. "Good God, " some oneheard him declare, "an' here's his, we could na gang five inches. "

_July 18th. _--Last night about 11 o'clock seventeen shells came overfrom Asia, and one hit a huge pile of cartridge boxes and set itablaze. It burned furiously, with a very alarming sputter, bulletsflying everywhere, although their velocity was not great. They wereflying over our heads and we had to go underground. Several about thefire got rather badly wounded. When fully alight the noise was themost earsplitting I ever heard, not that it was so very loud, butthere was something painful about it. This pile was composed ofcartridges taken off our own dead and wounded, and those picked upabout the trenches, where a sinful waste goes on, although I believethe big half was captured Turkish ammunition. Many millions wereburned. 

In the morning I was asked to spend the day at H. Q. To relieve Col. Yarr's successor. Major-General Stopford (afterwards in command at theSulva landing) was acting as G. O. C. Everything seems very quiet atpresent, as if we were to be in no hurry to make another attack--apity, I think. 

At 9. 30 p. M. I went over to the "River Clyde" to guide an ambulancethat was coming out from England. They landed at midnight, and are toencamp with us--we fondly hope and believe for the purpose ofrelieving us. Asiatic shells were flying as they landed, and for somehours afterwards, an unfortunate and alarming experience as all wereraw to warfare. 

_July 19th. _--For some days we have been looking for orders to gosomewhere for a rest. The order came suddenly to-day at 8 p. M. And wewere ordered to be on board at 10 at V. Beach. A tall order indeed, all had to pack up and stow away what we were leaving behind. The mostof B Section was at Aberdeen Gully, 4 miles away. Word was sent tothese, but the note miscarried, and by the time they were able to comein it was long past midnight. 

_July 20th. _--Last night C Section was sent off in advance, Afollowing about 11 o'clock. We hoped to get off quickly, the object ofthe rest being to take us out of shell fire. We had to pass along theroad at the top of the lighthouse cliff, and C Section, as they waitedfor us beside the "River Clyde, " observed a signal about the time wehad been passing that point. The Kum Kale guns gave us what theyconsidered a fair time to cover the remaining piece of ground, andjust as we were coming up to the "River Clyde, " under whose shelter wewere to embark, we heard the whistle of an approaching shell. We layflat but there was no time for shelter. Instead of one shell, as wethought, four (some say six) burst simultaneously about us, all highexplosives. Not a man was hit, which was an absolute miracle; all hadburst beside us, and actually among us, as I thought. I rushed backthrough the dense smoke and dust, expecting to find terrible havoc inour ranks, and found the men had bolted to shelter, leaving theirpacks in the middle of the road. I shouted but got no reply, but intwos and threes they collected near the pier, and rushed along to theside of the boat. Other men had been passing along this pier when theshells burst, and a number were killed and mangled, one of the bargesbeing simply splashed with blood. All this was most unfortunate, butit did not end until we got sixteen shells in all. The officers afterthe first salvo sheltered at the entrance of a deep dugout owned by aFrenchman. Whenever he saw the flash of a gun over the water heshouted "Kum Kale" and pointed to his dugout, when we dived down inbeautiful style, tumbling over each other down the dark steps. At lastour mine-sweeper came in and we boarded her about 1. 30 a. M. To-day. She took us beyond the reach of the guns to the "Osmanieh, " a fineboat of the Khedivial mail line. I had had practically no sleep forthe last three nights, and I was soon on the top of my bed halfundressed and fast asleep. 

We breakfasted at 8 as we were entering the outer roads of Lemnos. Here we had two more transfers before we landed on the mostinhospitable looking shore we had ever seen. We soon wished ourselvesback in Gallipoli with its shells. The wind blew, and such a dust. Allthe land round the harbour, and far inland is one large camp. Theharbour is covered with battleships and transports, most of the formerflying the tricolour flag, and among the others are many of thelargest liners in the world, the "Mauretania" with her four funnelsbeing one of them. We trudged on for 1-1/2 miles through the mostterrible dust, underfoot and in the air, and took possession of arushy piece of ground, the only natural piece we could find, all therest being under cultivation of vines, French beans, maize, and othercrops. It is a god-forsaken place in the meantime. We could getnothing to eat or drink, but finally, after 4 o'clock, we managed to"borrow" sufficient water to make tea. After a meal of bread, and asmall tin of salmon between us all, we felt a bit revived, and thedesire to return to the shells of Gallipoli lessened. But we areordered to strike camp, we are interfering with the privacy of somefellows who have the honour to belong to H. Q. Of the 87th Division, and we must be off to-night. 

_July 21st. _--I expected to have to go to bed hungry last night, butPirie of the Lancs. Called and asked Kellas and myself to dine withhim, so that I finally went to rest under the stars feeling quitecomfortable. I spread my two coats on the ground, thought twice aboutundressing, but, wishing to have a good sleep, got into my pyjamas, and with a single blanket over me slept till about 3 a. M. When I wokeup feeling bitterly cold. We are now encamped in the midst ofvineyards, where there is an excellent crop of grapes, but they aresour and unripe. I got hold of a Greek yesterday and asked him if hecould bring a supply of fruit to us in the evening. He did a big tradeamong the men with oranges and lemons, and when he saw me produced aspecial sack with some really fine pears and oranges, and a hugered-fleshed water melon which we had for breakfast, in spite of thewarning that we were to guard against all sorts of fruit, but melonsin particular. This morning I gathered a supply of French beans andthink a good dish of green food will benefit our health. Except atH. Q. I have never had an opportunity of anything of the kind. 

The 29th Division, which left Gallipoli less than a week ago, areordered back already, before they have time to benefit much by thechange. An officer of the Dublins was lamenting about this to me, andcompared his men with Kitchener's army, which is largely representedhere, being on their way to the Front for the first time. All the oldcampaigners are thin, hollow-eyed and haggard. I know I myself havelost over a stone weight, and feel very tired--to do anything is anexertion. 

Here the heat is intense, and we have not a particle of shade, therebeing no trees where we are, but this morning we are arranging abouttents, and in a few hours we may be able to escape from the sun'sperpendicular rays. I hope within the next day or two to explore partof the island and its villages. The natives are inclined to be veryfriendly, the Greek who brought me the fruit absolutely refusedpayment, saying, "It's for the commander, he take Constantinople andme give him this". I promised to take it in less than no time. If Icould fulfil my promise the Greek would have the best of the bargain, but this has been characteristic of the race from all time. 

Towards evening Thomson and I walked to Mudros by a back road, andwere fascinated with the primitive ways of the natives. Their mode ofthreshing in particular interested us. We wandered through thevillage, meeting crowds of native men, women, and children, the menmostly squatting in front of dirty cafés, or lounging inside, sipping, as far as I could make out, syrup and soda water. This love of syrup Ihave seen in Holland and Belgium and in France, and I fancy isuniversal in hot countries. We visited the church, which I had been inthree months before. An old verger--for such I took him to be--took usround, a venerable old fellow with kindly eyes, and long beard, longrobe, and tall brimless hat. He pointed out everything, talking amixture of French and Greek; showed us the Bible on the altar, abeautiful silver covered tome, the various pictures, etc. , and thepulpit of the "Episcopos". "Oh, the bishop, " said I. "No, no, CastroEpiscopos. " He meant the Bishop, who perhaps pays the place periodicvisits, his palace being in Castro, the largest town on the island. Acandle--a mere taper--had been lighted for each of us on entering, andwas set in a circular candlestick. For this performance we wereexpected to pay of course. Before leaving I dropped a piastre(2-1/2d. ) into a plate, and handed Thomson another, but he finding hehad three British pennies dropped all in, greatly to the delight ofour guide into whose pocket all this wealth went. "Merci, merci, " saysthe old chap who dives for another candle, and lit a second for thegood of Thomson's soul. 

_July 22nd. _--Thomson and I set off after breakfast to Rosapool, avillage to the N. E. On the way we studied the method of threshing thewheat, which seems to be occupying the full time of every member ofthe families at this time. The threshing floor on which the operationis conducted is twenty yards across, circular and laid with flatstones. About sufficient sheaves to form half a dozen of our "stooks"at home is evenly spread on the floor, while a pair of oxen draw asledge made of two stout boards, about 5 feet long, turned up at thepoint, and studded most carefully with flints projecting fully half aninch. The driver, who is usually a woman, stands on this and directsthe cattle round and round, prodding them freely with a goad. Some ofthe larger floors have a second team: several I saw to-day consistingof two donkeys and a pony. These were not muzzled like the oxen, theyhad no sledge, their hoofs doing the work, and they were kept goinground at a good pace. The winnowing follows, after the whole isreduced almost to snuff. This is carried out by throwing shovelfuls inthe air, the slight breeze we have to-day carrying the pounded strawaway and leaving the heavy grain. 

Rosapool is off the beaten track and is not much spoiled by thepresent influx of men. We managed to get a drink of excellentbeer--Pilsner, from Athens--the old fellow who served us explainingthat he had no right to let us have it, but as soon as a militarypoliceman who was standing at his door, moved on we were placed onchairs at a small table and had our repast. We visited the churchwhich was not unlike the bigger one at Mudros. With her head on thedoorstep was a wizened old woman fast asleep, guarding three piles ofsalt she had laid out to dry in the sun. She got on her haunches, mumbled to us in a friendly way, and showed us how she worked herspinning machine, which she had with her. This consisted of a poleabout 2 feet high, with a base which she clutched with her great, coarse, bare toes, and as she teased out the wool from the bunch atthe top she twirled a short spindle with her right hand making aremarkably even thread. 

We next climbed a hill near this, which we found rough and rugged, asevery hill here is. It was scorched absolutely brown, thistles--especially yellow-flowered ones--alone showing signs of life, along with a pretty, dwarf Dianthus. The rocks are covered with anorange-coloured lichen which gives them a warm colour. When lying onthe top I could almost imagine myself in Scotland, if I kept my eyesabove the villages and valleys, and viewed the hill-tops only. Away tothe north of us was a large, pure white lagoon, shut off from the seaby a sandbar. No doubt this was a layer of salt formed the same way asthe inland lakes with their salt we were accustomed to at Mex, and itwas likely from this the "old wifie" had got her salt. 

Every village has its fig trees, the largest under 20 feet high, theirlarge leaves rich green and luscious. Almost every house has one ormore of these. There is but one pattern for their houses, a square boxtwo storeys high, often with a bit of balcony covered with vines. Thegeneral colour of a village is grey, cold, and forbidding, but this isrelieved by the fig trees, and the bright green and blue paint manyuse on their doors and windows. Everything is primitive, and long mayit remain so; all seem happy and contented on the small pittance anyof them can earn. There is no attempt at farming on anything but thesmallest scale. 

Was it in Lemnos, the Ćgean Isle, Milton lands Satan when thrown outof Heaven?

We hear that Achi Baba was to be stormed to-day, but we do not believeit. Big gunfire is distinctly heard at this distance (over 40 miles)and we have heard but a very few shots. Last night the booming wasconstant for a time. 

_July 23rd. _--To-day we had a route march of nearly twelve miles, thefirst since we left England. We went through Rosapool to the northernshore of Lemnos, where the men bathed and rested for an hour. We founda fine beach of silver sand. We reached camp a little after 2, withexcellent appetites. By a little clever manoeuvring--and with the aidof Sergeant-Major Shaw--Kellas and I managed to reach Rosapool whilethe men rested outside, and we had a long, cooling drink of Pilsner. 

_July 24th. _--Went over almost every street in Mudros this morning. There were five of us, and we made many purchases for our mess--whitewine, plums, Turkish delight, preserved fruit, tomatoes, etc. In theevening Thomson and I inoculated every one in camp against cholera--mysecond dose. 

_July 25th. _--When we landed at Lemnos we chanced to meet PadreKomlosy, who has looked us up in camp a time or two since. He had aservice at 10 for us and the Welsh Fusiliers who are on their way toGallipoli for the first time. These Welshmen wear a cockade of whitefeathers in their helmets and the officers three black ribbons downtheir backs, from below their coat collars. Padre Hardie also visitedus in the evening. 

H. Q. Of the lines of communication is on the "Aragon, " a magnificentship lying in Lemnos harbour. The "Aragon" is notorious for its numberof monocles. Up to now any officer has been allowed to go on board toany meal on payment, but evidently that privilege is about to bestopped. If anyone went in his grimy, war-worn garments, and many nowhave nothing else, he was glowered at by these toffs, as if he had noright to be there. Besides, many officers who were not sick enough toenter a hospital, but too ill to carry on at the Front, were sentthere for a rest. These too were attacked by these fellows and toldthat if they were ill they should be on a hospital ship or if not illthey ought to be at the Front. These men have no intention themselvesof going nearer the Front, they are all fat and sleek and live on thefat of the land, are faultlessly dressed, and strut about with theirmonocles, looking with contempt on all the poor devils who are doingthe dirty work. Every one is now up in arms against them. 

In the evening the CO. , Kellas, and I climbed a rocky hill of about800 feet, lying to the east. The view of the harbour with over 100 bigships, and about as many small craft was very fine in its setting ofrugged hills. We watched the sun go down in all his glory on thedistant side of the island. 

_July 27th. _--Still in Lemnos. There has been nothing doing to-day. Welie about camp a good deal where we have an abundance of lightliterature, sheltering under two large, double-lined Indian tents wewere lucky enough to secure the day after our arrival. Yesterday wehad a mail, which of course had to go to Gallipoli first, and wasdelayed at least a week by this short double journey. 

At 9 a. M. Fiddes and I took the men for a route march through thevillage of Romano and up a hill beyond. 

_July 28th. _--Another slow day. I amused myself in the morning with afine specimen of a tarantula which I caught crawling up a tent. I hadseen three others in Gallipoli but this was the finest of all. Kellasand I had a praying mantis in a large tin box with gauze as a lid sothat we might watch him at his devotions. The mantis reminds one of asmall, green monkey, the fore pair of legs being well developed andused in prehension. A large number of the insects we have are of thegrasshopper tribe with well-developed hind-legs. The tarantula was putbeside the mantis and he pounced on him like a cat at a mouse, seizedhim round the middle and with his great mandibles chewed right alongto his head, squeezing every drop of juice out of him. Nothing wasleft but a few dry pellets. Kellas next gave him about a dozen fliesand he found room for the lot. These he sprawled at with hisfore-legs, rarely missing a dart, keeping his mouth open till a flywas grabbed and forced between his jaws. He has had another meal offlies and looks well satisfied with the easy way in which he has beenable to capture his prey to-day, and is much inclined to sleep. 

An aeroplane crossed directly over us at 4. 15 this morning, comingfrom the S. W. , probably Smyrna. It was flying at a moderate height, and was quite visible in the dim light. After completely crossing theharbour and taking careful note of our shipping, it turned and droppeda bomb at something about the harbour entrance. And all this happenedwithout a single shot being fired by us--like our watchfulauthorities!

_July 29th. _--To-day I had a very enjoyable tramp with Stephen to thetop of a hill, then to Rosapool, which is the only place near whereone can quench one's thirst with bitter beer, or even the local sweetwine. All shops are strictly forbidden to sell either, and militarypolice are everywhere on the prowl. Still the trade goes on, a Greekcan never refuse money, he will sell his soul rather than miss thechance of making a penny. Our usual place of call is kept by a veryknowing and intelligent Greek, but he was from home to-day--gone toVaros, we were told, to buy beer. The son, a boy of eleven or twelve, was in sole charge, a keen little chap as ever lived, with a genuineGreek eye for business, but a fine and intelligent boy, and by takinga seat in the shop for fifteen minutes and threatening to spend theday if necessary, he was at last persuaded to produce a couple ofbottles of beer from Salonika, which we found to be really good. Theboy has a smattering of English and French, and says he has been atschool. I have never seen any sign of a school in any of the villagesso far. He says "the English soldier drink, drink, he no good, " andshakes his head, as though the national curse would end in our losingthe war. We discovered in a corner four barrels of mysterious lookingstuff that attracted flies. These were full of cheese floating inwater, little more than stiff curd, but palatable, and this along withbiscuits and beer made an enjoyable little lunch. Then we set off for"home, " Stephen carrying a kilo of cheese, I with a bottle of beerinside my shirt, as a very small treat for the other fellows. 

_July 30th. _--Stephen, Dickie, and I set off at 9. 30 to have a day'senjoyment at Varos, a village we had heard a good deal about. The daywas scorching but we covered the 6 miles, via Lychkna, at about 3-1/2miles an hour. In the last-mentioned village we were studying a noticeon a house door when we discovered a nicely dressed woman beside us, evidently regarding us with some interest, and, what was mostunusual, with a smile on her face. "Are you English?" said Stephen. "No, " she replied, "but I have been in England. " "What part?"--answer"America". She went for her husband, who, she said, would give usbeer, although she admitted it was forbidden, but he was hard asadamant and absolutely refused, saying "He cared for the notice" wehad been reading. This vowed dire punishment on all who dared tosupply anyone with alcohol. We shortly afterwards reached Varos, withits twelve windmills all in a row. This being in French occupationthere is no prohibition for the British, so we searched out a suitableplace for a cooling drink, and chose a very interesting spot in thevillage square. All the shops are somewhat alike, bare, black rafters, with earth or stone floor, and in this particular one a flock ofswallows had their nests in every niche in the ceiling. Each of us hada bottle of beer on the pavement, alongside a French sentry whose soleduty was to see that no Frenchman had a drink. He seemed to think thatit was unfair that his countrymen were not allowed to quench theirthirst, so he defied the law by having a drink with us, and allowingevery Frenchman who made the request to enter and have his bigwater-bottle filled with water--but really with red wine, a wholelitre of which they could buy for sixpence. Delicious wine it was, although rather sweet. 

We had very interesting talks with several of the younger men, who hadall been in America, but had been recalled by their Government lately, when there were signs of Greece taking the field, which, according toour informants, she would do in September. All we spoke to seemed verydesirous to have a blow at Turkey, they wished the Turk turned out ofEurope. I had an idea there were no schools here, but I was told everyvillage had its two schools. Young children were taught together, butas they grew up the sexes went to different schools, and education iscompulsory to the age of fifteen. All are taught to read and writeEnglish. This is due, our man told me, to Alexandria being theirgreatest mart. 

We had coffee, real Turkish coffee, at another place, where we wereattracted by a curious advertisement. It was an oil painting of aScotch lassie in kilt and plaid, dancing with a jug of foaming beerabove her head, and alongside her it was announced that they sold"tea, coffee, and milk". Stephen at once wished to buy it, but theterms were exorbitant. To make Turkish coffee you put a teaspoonful ofground coffee in a little pot with an equal quantity of sugar, thenrun in about two ounces of boiling water, and push this intosmouldering charcoal until it boils. Along with this is served a largetumbler of ice-cold water, which you sip time about with the coffee. 

Before we could get Dickie away from Varos he insisted on beingphotographed by Stephen, astride a huge cask in front of a shop, butthe cask refused to keep steady--so Dicky asserted, although to allappearances it was most solidly fixed to a substantial stand. PlainlyDickie was feeling weak after his long walk. 

_July 31st. _--Dickie much stronger to-day. I accompanied him toH. M. M. P. "Aragon" to get some money from the army cashier. We lunchedon board and had a glorious meal, everything to eat good, excellentcider with ice, and comfortable lounges in which to smoke. Such thingsare almost unthinkable after our simple--very simple--fare onGallipoli. I sat between two New Zealanders who had come over fromAnzac last night. One of them said they were only 10 yards from theTurks' trench in one part of their line. The other day a New Zealandershouted across, "Do you want any jam this morning?" "Yes, " said theTurks from the depths of their trench. "How many of you are there?""Eight, " was the reply. "All right, here's one pot of jam, " and a potof real jam was thrown over. The next morning the same proceedingswere gone through, and the eight got together to get their jam. Butthis time the pot was filled with nitroglycerine and the Turks wereblown to pieces. We are now using hand grenades from home, but tilljust lately when we had to retaliate on the Turks, who took to usingdeadly grenades, ours were made hurriedly of empty jam tins. Thesewere filled with nitroglycerine mixed with pieces of old iron, such asshrapnel bullets and pieces of burst shells which we allcollected--and most deadly weapons they proved, if a Turk got one inthe stomach it simply blew him in two. 

Word came in the early hours of last night that we had to prepare forour return to Gallipoli on Monday August 2. No one seems actuallysorry, we feel that we have got all the good out of this place that isto be had, and the sooner we are all in our places the sooner will thewar be over. We had much wind and dust in the morning, the windfalling later when it became uncomfortably warm. We had few flies inour camp at first, but they soon found us out and became as trying aplague as in Gallipoli. The Kaffirs say God made the bees, and theDevil made the flies. 

_August 2nd. _--We left our camp in Lemnos at 12. 15 and marched in asolid cloud of dust to Australian Pier, where we had to wait in thegrilling sun for another hour before we got off to the "Abessiah, " ofthe Khedivial Line, which sailed at 4. 15, taking a long time tomanoeuvre before she got her head towards the entrance of the harbour. We had a good afternoon tea of crisp toast and real butter, likely ourlast respectable meal for many a day. 

As we passed through the shipping the old familiar cry of "Are wedownhearted?" came from some of the shiploads of fresh troops. Therewas but a feeble reply from our men, very unlike their shouts as wepassed through Malta on the way out. We could not raise a cheernow-a-days, we are still too tired in spite of our rest. We feel a lotof desperate men, prepared to go back and face the worst if need be. We passed a British and French submarine just inside the boom guardingthe harbour. 

Before midnight our ambulance was transferred to a mine-sweeper andlanded at V. Beach, leaving myself and twenty-one men behind to lookafter the baggage, which is always landed at W. We had a weary nightof it, the trans-shipping of our heavy goods with fifteen mail bagswhich we picked up just as we were leaving Lemnos, being a big job. Oncoming round to W. Beach we were told we would have to remain where wewere till 7 o'clock, or perhaps later. 

_August 3rd. _--It is now 6. 30 a. M. And the captain and crew are stillsound asleep, at any rate not a soul is stirring. 

We overlook our old Beach, which looks as forbidding from the sea asit is in reality. A few minutes ago I watched a Taube drop a bombbeside our Ordnance Stores, another near the C. C. S. , and a third alittle further on. What has come of that French monoplane whosepurpose was to chase such visitors? At 7 we transferred to a pinnace, and after much bother about baggage we reached our familiar dug-outsabout 8. On our way up from the Beach, we passed the Signal Stationwhich was a heap of ruins. A shell fell on the roof two days ago, killed six men outright, and wounded ten, one of these afterwardsdying. The numerous recent shell holes in the road and elsewhereshowed that the Turks had not been idle in our absence. The 88th F. A. Beside us had several casualties, one day losing ten mules and threeanother, with one man wounded. 

_August 4th. _--It is twelve months to-day since war was declared byEngland on Germany. The number of men slaughtered in that time shouldbe an easy record in the whole history of the world. 

We are ordered to relieve the 88th F. A. At their dressing station nearPink Farm on the West Krithia road, and I walked out in the morning toview the place and to see what extras it would be necessary for us totake with us. I found Whitaker there with thirty men. Towards eveningFiddes and I came out with thirty-two men, and we are now in ourdug-outs, which are really part of an old trench. It is a narrowbedroom but airy. We have a stretcher or two as a roof to keep the sunout, but with their huge blood stains they do not form an artisticceiling. 

It is now 10 p. M. And having come 2 miles nearer Achi Baba I had to goout and study what was doing. The usual all-night rifle fire goes on;roars occasionally from the batteries near us; Asiatic shells I canhear exploding over at V. Beach; star shells are going up from ourlines, and the French, but theirs are superior to ours. Ours aremerely rockets, theirs have parachutes which open when the rocketreaches its highest point, and they remain practically stationary fora considerable time. 

We are in a very exposed position and have been warned that we will besniped at once if we show a light. A few stray bullets have come aboutus, and I could wish that my parapet was a trifle higher, and I am, moreover, doubtful whether my candle light is not reflected throughthe roof stretchers which have a wrong tilt. But I will risk bothdangers to-night, and will heighten my wall by daylight. 

The Achi Baba guns shelled W. Beach rather furiously to-day, and inthe afternoon a large number of shells fell in the harbour. 

_August 5th. _--Had a quiet day at Pink Farm (in some of our maps thisis called Saliri Farm). In the forenoon, our water-cart not arrivingwhen expected, I had a long hunt for a well where we could draw asmall quantity of water, but it was with great difficulty we got it, every well being reserved for some particular unit. 

We are on the eve of a big battle. To-morrow the front of Krithia isto be captured at any cost. We must get on and the cost must no longerbe counted. In preparation for this there has been much ranging by allthe batteries, to which the Turks feebly replied. We have no right tohave our dressing station where it is, we have dumped ourselves down, and have erected our largest Red Cross flag, in front of severalclosely packed lines of reserve trenches, which is contrary to therules of warfare, and if we get shelled it is our own lookout. To-daythese trenches swarmed with men, and four shells were fired at them, the first just grazing the trench we are in. In the same way twosubmarines lie off the coast, close to the C. C. S. On one side and thehospital ships on the other, hence shells are continuously dropping inthe former, but for this we cannot blame the Turk. So far, all areagreed that the Turk has not only put up a valiant fight, but astraight one, and if he continues as he is doing it will be better forhim when the day of reckoning comes round. 

_August 6th. _--When sitting at dinner with Fiddes word reached us thatKellas had been killed. Such a blow to us and to all who knew good andgentle Kellas. Curiosity had frequently led us both into positions ofdanger where we ought not to have been, and I always noted howfearless he was. To-day he had been along a deep communication trench, along which wounded were to be carried in the action we knew was aboutto take place, and he had been viewing the ground, and while standingat the extreme end of this trench a sniper had caught sight of thegroup he was standing in and a shot laid him low. About an hour afterthis sad event I had orders to take his place in The Gully. As thefight was to begin at 2 p. M. I had little time to get into my place, at least three miles distant. I set off at once to our advanceddressing station at the Zigzag, three-quarters of a mile up The Gullyfrom Aberdeen Gully. 

To-day's battle has been a most bloody affair, wounded beginning todrop in at once. As often happens, out of our four first cases threewere wounds in the left hand--one a bullet through the centre of thepalm, another was minus the first phalanx of his fore finger, thethird minus another finger. All these were undoubtedly self-inflicted. We are bound to notify all these suspicious cases to their C. O. 's anduntil a guard is sent for them we retain them under a guard of our ownmen. If a hand is found blackened it of course shows that it was doneat very close quarters, but to avoid this a glove or bandage isapplied before firing. 

I was kept very busy and had no time for food during the rest of theday. The wounds were particularly severe, and very few had singlewounds, many having four to six. 

_August 7th. _--The Turks failed to make their usual counter-attacklast night, though firing never ceased. I worked for nine hourswithout one minute's halt, and by night felt very tired. I lay down ona stretcher and tried to get a little sleep, but got none. The snoresof my neighbours, the groans of a few wounded we had retainedover-night, and the death rattle of two dying men beside me weresufficient to banish sleep. 

Two of our battalions have each lost 700 out of the 900 they went intoaction with. We have gained very little ground; we took trenches andlost them. The long interval from the last fight to the present gavethe Turks time to dig trenches almost proof against shell fire, sothat when the bombardment began they retired back to these, knowingthere could be no assault on their front trenches by the infantrywhile this lasted. 

Yesterday our army made a fresh landing which we hear was mostsuccessful, one Division landing at Anzac, the other a short waybeyond on fresh ground. Our casualties we are told were two, anotherreport says five, so that it was practically unopposed. Our attackyesterday and during the night kept the whole of the Turkish armyconcentrated here. Looking at it in this light some think our losseswere not excessive. 

Yesterday I spoke about three cases we suspected to be self-inflicted. A guard took these away to-day, and they are to be court-martialledto-morrow. Our fourth case also came in just as the action wasbeginning. A zigzag path comes down a steep cliff behind us, and downthis came a man at full gallop, and I thought he was coming to warn usthat the Turks were using gas, but, instead, he threw himself on theground and yelled and kicked like an infant, and for about an hournothing could calm him. It was a simple case of funk, quite a commonailment. A Tommy was sympathising to-day with another who was severelywounded and he replied, "I don't care a damn, I did for the bloke whoshot me". That is the sort of men we want in the army. 

_August 8th. _--Two Divisions were landed at Suvla Bay, beyond Anzac, and it is said a third Division will also land there. They are said tohave made good progress inland, on their way to Maidos, and if theysucceed in cutting the Turkish line of communication Achi Baba islikely to be evacuated--so it is said, but the Turk has already givenus more than one surprise--we shall see. 

On my hurry round from Pink Farm two days ago an orderly dumped mypack at the Zigzag among a pile of packs belonging to the wounded, andsince then it has not been seen. I set off to-day for Gully Beach halfexpecting to find it there as it was from here the wounded weretransferred to the hospital ships. I next went on to W. Beach andinquired at Ordnance and the C. C. S. But all to no purpose; however, Iwas able to pick up a few necessities from each of these places. Idined at our base, the C. O. And Dickie being the only officerspresent. 

I afterwards attended Kellas's funeral. We buried him in the littlecemetery inland from our Beach, to the music of flying shells, onelanding at the entrance as the ambulance wagon with his body drew up, and several others followed. The padre who officiated said this wasthe first time he had seen a funeral shelled. During the service weall stood in the big grave for safety, and, I am afraid, were forcedto think more of our own protection than the solemnity of theoccasion. The whole company consisted of four officers and eight men, all that we could muster. Poor Kellas we left sewn in a blanket of theusual military type and covered with a Union Jack. I never met a man Irespected more than Kellas, he was most gentle and brave, and in everyway a good sort. If a man really deserved to be "sat upon" no onecould squash him better than Kellas. 

_August 9th. _--Fiddes and I came to Aberdeen Gully last night withmost of the men, leaving twelve and an N. C. O. To act as bearers in theZigzag track, these to be relieved every twelve hours. A few woundedstragglers reached us, but there was little doing to-day. We had onecowardly chap, who had had his fill of fighting and tried to do awaywith himself by taking a draught from a cresol tin. He is now underclose arrest and will be handed over to the tender mercies of acourt-martial. 

_August 10th. _--Walked up to our advanced dressing station at theZigzag, and found some unknown persons had dumped there, during thenight, a body in an advanced state of decomposition. I managed tounearth his recent history. He had been killed on the 7th, beingwounded by the Turks, and when crawling back to our lines, along withsome others in the same condition, he shouted in the dark, "Don'tfire, we are English". Thinking this was a ruse so often practised bythe Turks an officer ordered his men to fire, and this poor fellow waskilled. 

In the afternoon a well-known lion hunter looked in and had a shrapnelbullet removed from his shoulder. He was a most interesting man, andgave us all his views about the conduct of the war. Every mistake thatit is possible to make has been made, he thinks. Once more we are hungup for want of ammunition. He is no optimist with regard to theduration of the war. Unless the new landing pushes on and keepshitting he fails to see how they will do much. Even though Austria andTurkey are knocked out, Germany is one vast fort, with everythingwithin herself, and will hold out for long. He condemns our statesmenfor even now not initiating conscription, and making every unmarriedman serve. He severely criticises the quality of our shells, half percent. Of which burst prematurely. The fuses of all those available, where this has happened, have been picked up and examined and all havebeen correctly set. A French battery of 75's is stationed behind thisman's battery, firing its shells just 8 feet above his head, and sinceit took up its position it has only had two premature bursts, and oneof these was caused by the shell striking the branch of a tree. Wehave been buying shells everywhere, and he says those supplied byAmerica are far and away the worst. 

_August 11th. _--While we were at tea this afternoon de Boer rushedinto our mess in Aberdeen Gully to say that he had brought down, byour bearers at the Zigzag, Captain O'Hara, whom I have spoken aboutbefore as the only officer of the 86th Brigade left alive andunwounded. He had lately been sent to Egypt to look after prisoners, and I was unaware that he had again joined the firing line, but Ifancy he had found the other job much too slow. He was full of pluck, it was not from attempts to save his skin that O'Hara had escaped solong. To-day he and a Turk were sniping each other, and after a timeO'Hara had such a poor opinion of his opponent's firing that he gotupright to walk away when the Turk hit him through the back. When Iwent up to him I said, "Hullo! O'Hara, I haven't seen you for ages". "No, " he answered, "and perhaps you'll never see me again. " He was oneof our greatest heroes, and a most likeable fellow. (Long afterwards Iheard that he progressed well for three weeks when he suddenly grewworse, and died on his way home. )

Twenty-four K. O. S. B. 's came in between 2 and 4 a. M. To-day. They hadblown up a Turkish sap, and on rushing forward to seize and hold itthey found themselves greatly outnumbered. Most of them were verybadly wounded, and four died in our station before morning. 

_August 12th. _--Feeling lazy I rode from Aberdeen Gully to W. Beach, where I spend the next four days. This is only about the fourth time Ihave been on horseback since I left Mex, the reason for my walking isthat I require exercise--and a lot of it--and besides you cannot dodgea shell when mounted. 

_August 13th. _--We had a big mail to-day. The papers of July 21announce that all lieutenants in the R. A. M. C. , T. F. , become captainsafter six months' service. My captaincy will thus date from April 16last. The Turks made an attack on the French and our centre lastnight. We replied with a furious cannonade, then rifle fire continuedfor the remainder of the night. 

_August 14th. _--W. Beach. Beautiful, still morning, as most morningsare, but to-day is unusually calm. The sea without a ripple, and aheat haze hangs over all. Our harbour at W. Beach is full of ships, and just beyond it, at anchor, with their smoke rising lazily, are twohospital ships, white to their mast heads except for their surroundingbelt of green broken by three large Red Crosses, all dazzling in thesunlight. The harbour is a busy place, and is now a good andcommodious one, formed by a pier which it has taken months to buildfrom the rocks of Tekke Burnu. As the work proceeded slowly, the waterit was desired to enclose was further shut in by sinking two largesteamers, a costly method of pier building perhaps, but here I believeit may be the cheapest, as Greek labour which built the stonework isdear, and the Greeks poor workmen. They are so nervous that when ashell comes their way from "Asiatic Annie" they bolt like a lot ofrabbits to their holes, where they cannot be unearthed for the nexthalf-hour. They were not engaged, they rightly say, to work undershell fire, and this often happening several times a day the pier madelittle progress. We have also put the Turkish prisoners on this job, and this morning I watched two bodies of these being marched downunder French guards with fixed bayonets--a capital idea this to putthe Turks under their own fire. 

10 p. M. --Tremendous blasts came floating in from the sea about 5o'clock, so I went over to the lighthouse ruins to find out what wasdoing. One of our monitors lay beside Rabbit Island and was throwingher 14-inch shells at a ridge on the Dardanelles beyond Kum Kale, where we know "Asiatic Annie" and her sisters live. These had beenfiring at V. Beach and the French lines just before. All very well, Ithought, the monitor can do no harm, but she will stir up these gunsto give us a lively time at W. , and I was not many minutes back whenthey started, the shells coming in fours, just to prove to us thattheir guns were all there. We received about fifty shots in all. Wehad seven destroyers all afternoon at the mouth of the Dardanelles, which looked as if they intended something unusual. Now again after apause these guns are firing at their hardest at V. Beach--aye, andhere too. 

_August 15th. _--I wrote the last clause (aye, and here too) justbefore a shell burst behind me. It was one of a group of four, and wastwo seconds at most in front of the other three, which weresimultaneous absolutely. Howls and cries for help at once came from atent 15 yards in front of my dugout. A shell had crashed into thistent where five men were lying, exploding at the feet of one, andshattering his leg at the ankle. The other four were untouched. Someof the fuses of yesterday's shells have been dug up to-day, and wefind from the brilliant orange colour on these that lydite had beenused, in some of the shells at least. 

To-day a snake 38 inches long was caught in our camp. About twenty menarmed themselves with sticks, axes, etc. , and surrounded it, but kepta most respectful distance away, having great faith in its springingpowers. Sergeant Gavin Greig, who has been in Ceylon and knowsotherwise, got it by the neck and put it in a bottle which he filledup with methylated spirit much to the poor brute's dislike as waswitnessed by its contortions. 

An order came yesterday from the A. D. M. S. Asking if we could move offwith our present equipment on a sudden call. This has stimulated allthose responsible to overhaul all our material, which, thoughdeficient in some points, is adequate. Our greatest deficiency is inpersonnel; we are short of our original number by three officers andthirty-eight men, this being due to casualties and sickness. Kellaswas killed nine days ago, Whyte and Morris are home on sick leave. 

_August 16th. _--At 8 a. M. As Fiddes and I were preparing to go out toPink Farm, a message came that we were to embark any time after 17o'clock (i. E. 5 p. M. ). We withdrew all men and equipment from our twoadvanced dressing stations, and had a busy day in camp packing up allwe possessed. We left at 8. 30 after a supper of chicken andchampagne--something very unusual--and got on board the "Ermine, " aGlasgow boat. The officers made themselves as comfortable as possiblefor the night in the smoke room, where several K. O. S. B. Officers hadalready deposited themselves. I managed to sleep a little at first, but my nearest companion, a K. O. S. B. , being unable to persuade me toput my legs over his, placed his over mine while I was in an awkwardposition, and rather than disturb him, I lay still. My friend was lessconsiderate, he next planked his big, dirty boots alongside my face, which were anything but pleasant, they smelt as if their owner keptcows. 

We only steamed about one and a half hours when the anchor was let gowith the usual rattle, and we heard some one from another boatshouting that the troops were to remain on board till morning. No onetook the trouble to look out to see where we were, such a thing seemedto be of no interest. 

_August 17th. _--Suvla Bay. Tuesday, 2 p. M. We landed at Suvla Bayabout 5 a. M. And marched to the point of the projecting piece of landon the north side. The bay is entirely closed by a boom, and inside wehave a fairly large fleet of battleships and transports, and a largenumber of smaller boats, while three hospital ships lie outside. TheTurks have been shelling these rather furiously, but I have seen nohits. Our troops on land are also having their share. All ourequipment was sent off on a lighter, which has not yet arrived, and asall our rations are with it we are in dire straits. Luckily anotherambulance took pity on us and gave us tea and hard ration biscuits, but there is no sign of further meals, nor do we expect any. 

I am sitting on the side of a rocky slope, and just in front, in a dipof the hill, are crowded the whole of the 87th Brigade to which we arefor the present attached. All arrived this morning and there isnothing but confusion. The heat is terrific, and is intensified by thelarge amount of bare rocks, which are so hot that it is impossible tolay your hand on them. The surrounding hills, especially hill 972, S. E. Of the Salt Lake which glistens in the distance, are barren andrugged, with no sign of cultivation, except about the foot of thathill, where there is said to be a village, but it is invisible. Roundthe Salt Lake a good many trees are dotted about, likely olives andfigs, and a good deal of bright green scrub exists on the lower hillslopes. This scrub Ashmead-Bartlett calls furze in his articles, but Ihave never seen furze in Gallipoli. This plant is generally 2 to 3feet high, is in very solid bushes of a stiff, fibrey nature, with anovate, dark green glaucous leaf. Thyme and numerous other plantsabound. I have been interested in the weathering of the rocks besidethe sea, this reminding me of the Brig at Filey. This follows a mostpeculiar pattern, like a number of leopard skins spread out on therocks. 

I wish night was here, even though we are to go supperless to bed; onewould give anything for the cool air one can be sure of after sundown. 

It was here that a landing was made by Kitchener's army ten days ago. They are said to have put up a very poor fight. Trained and steadytroops, it is said, would have had practically a walk over, as theopposition was slight, little more than a brigade of Turks havingchecked two divisions of our men. A few shells fell on the top of aridge where they were advancing. This made a number of the men bolt, others were seized with panic, and all seem to have got out of hand. Asplendid opportunity of turning the Turks' flank, joining up with theAustralians, and seizing Achi Baba from the north, has been lost, andthe difficulties in front of us are much increased. There is nothingfor it now but to land troops in such numbers that defeat is out ofthe question, and it must be done quickly before the wet season setsin. I am afraid we must be content to hold the Germans in check inFrance, and withdraw the necessary troops from there. 

_August 18th. _--Yesterday and to-day have been the warmest days wehave experienced in Gallipoli. The reason that our present station iswarmer than the point (Helles) is the attraction and retention of heatby the rocks, and our camp is on the south face of a high ridge, wherewe have absolutely no shade. Last evening a Taube sailed over us anddischarged four bombs at the warships, all missing, but one was withina few yards of its mark. This evening two came over together, but werefired at before they got overhead, and bore off to the left, unharmedalthough numerous shots from the ships followed them. 

After breakfast I went to Brigade H. Q. To announce that the ship("Manitou"--B. 12) which brought our baggage came in yesterday, andafter discharging about a third of our belongings set sail forLemnos, as she had to be there by a given hour. I had to explain thatwe could not open a clearing station with our shortage of equipment, but that by afternoon we would be prepared to put patients intoimprovised blanket shelters. The Brigadier for the time being isColonel Lucas, who was absent on a visit to his regiments, and I hadan interview with Major Brand of his staff. He gave me orders that ourunit had to dig itself in before night. This is very necessary as weare still under shell fire in every part we hold here, and are just asexposed as in Helles. Another ambulance is encamped beside us, and twoshells bursting among them this morning killed two men and woundedtwo. A big piece of shell hurtled over my head last night, hitting arock about two yards away. 

Three rumours have come to us this evening, which have put us all intothe best of spirits, although we know one is a story, and we are soaccustomed to rumours that we doubt the truth of the other two:--

1. Achi Baba has been captured!--certainly not true. The ships in thebay were well bombarded this afternoon, and we saw two shells hit abig transport. A section of an ambulance was on board this ship, and, on their landing in the evening, their comrades gave them a rousingcheer, and when this was heard in other parts the only interpretationthat could be put on it was the capture of this troublesome hill. 

2. Warsaw we could guess had to fall to the German army, but we hearthey soon had the worst of it and fled with enormous casualties. 

3. We hear we have advanced 26 miles in France. We try to believethere is some truth in this, but it must be a great exaggeration. 

The Turks are supposed to have a number of big guns mounted on railsbehind one of the higher ridges overlooking us, and rumour says thisrailway was taken this afternoon, but I do not believe it. Uglyridges they are, and certainly we can never capture some of themexcept by turning, many having a sheer, rocky face of 400 or 500 feet. We know extremely little about what is going on within a few miles ofus. I have seen eleven sour-looking Turks marched in as prisonersto-day, which shows we are doing something at any rate. Constant firegoes on, and the ships strike in several times a day for half an houror so, but naval guns are not well suited for this work. Down aboutHelles--15 miles off--we can hear much booming too. 

_August 19th. _--Two days ago I spoke about the scrub Ashmead-Bartlettcalls furze. I now find it is almost certainly the plant from whichour briar pipes are made. The stem is slender, but the root expands toa considerable extent, and I have seen parts of these, which our menhave dug up when clearing the ground, about 4 to 6 inches thick. Thefibres are twisted in all directions, giving the wood the well-knownbird's eye appearance. What is exposed to the weather seems quickly todarken. 

The geology is interesting. I have spoken about the strange weatheringof the rocks at the Beach. All the rock on this point of land dips atan angle of 45 degrees, and points northwards. I put it all down asDevonian, it is almost exactly like Hugh Miller's old red sandstone, as seen in Ross-shire, the matrix of a paler red, but the mass ofwater-worn pebbles embedded in it is the same. The matrix containslime as is seen in the large amount of calcite that exists. A vein, perhaps 5 feet thick, of a slatey substance runs across just in frontof us, and contains a well, which is the only sign of fresh water Ihave seen so far. The Engineers have sunk a well in a marly part nearthis, but the earth they are throwing up is perfectly dry, and theymight as well give it up. 

_Later. _--Some one now tells me that the rocks are Tertiary and notDevonian, and that my slatey vein is cobalt. Much of the stone peelsreadily into large flat slabs which we find useful in building ourdug-outs. 

There was much rifle and big gunfire last night. The ships havedisplayed about a normal amount of activity to which the Turk hasreplied, but his marksmanship is worse than it was yesterday. 

We had rain this morning, which was heavy enough to be disagreeable, and it was with difficulty we kept ourselves and our belongings dry. It gives us a foretaste of what to expect soon. But before then wemust get on. About Helles the naval guns are very busy. 

This morning we had sixty-nine cases of sick and wounded in ourhospital. We are expected to keep all minor cases of wounds, and casesof sickness likely to return to duty in a few days, while the moresevere cases we send to the hospital ships for the various bases. Wesaw besides about fifty walking cases, all belonging to our 86thBrigade. 

_August 20th. _--Last night was very chilly, and for the first time forweeks we had to put on our tunics and unroll our shirt sleeves. Butthe weather has again changed and to-day is uncomfortably warm. 

On landing on the 17th a man I chanced to speak to told me that arumour is afloat that the Kaiser was suing for peace through the Pope. This I give no heed to, but to-day we have it on better authority, andit is said he is prepared to give up Belgium, Poland, andAlsace-Lorraine. He will have to give these up and a great deal more, nothing but unconditional surrender will be listened to, withpartition of his fleet among the Allies. The Emperor of Austria isalso said to have declared that he will not allow his people to endureanother winter campaign. 

7 p. M. --The bearers of our Ambulance have been ordered to proceed tothe foot of a hill 3 miles off, beside the Salt Lake, and to take uptheir position before dawn. I for one will have to go too. I know thespot well in the distance, and know it is a favourite dumping groundfor Turkish shells. At present it is pitch dark at night, and we haveno idea what we have to encounter on the way. 

_August 21st. _--Last night we were all busy preparing for our start at3 a. M. We got off punctually at that hour, and marched in the dark fornearly 3 miles, by an unknown road, which was only a rough twistingtrack with many off-shoots. We were bound for "Chocolate Hill, " eastof the Salt Lake, but we have not got there yet. We floundered, andsquabbled about what should be done so that daylight was on us beforewe passed the bar between the bay and the lake, where the mainClearing Station is, also three or four Ambulances. One of these tookpity on us, and gave us breakfast, and the use of their ground untilwe should hear from the A. D. M. S. To whom we have sent a message forinstructions. The A. D. M. S. Lt. -Col. J. G. Bell, appeared about 10, andwe were planted by him in the middle of the bar, facing the bay, wherewe can get no shelter from the sun or shells, the bank behind usrising after much digging to less than 5 feet. Our orders are to forman Aid Post here, catching all the wounded that come our way. 

We have an attack at 3 p. M. , and apparently a very big one isexpected, and we are waiting for its commencement. I have explored thebar which is about a mile long, and 300 yards wide, and have studiedits flora. There is a large lily with a bunch of sweet-smellingflowers, not unlike the Madonna lily, but the flower is more notchedand less of a funnel. It has enormous bulbs, some of which I scrapedout of pure sand at a depth of 2 feet. Other bulbous plants arecommon, and huge downy reeds. 

It is now 2 p. M. I am sitting in a juniper bush in the middle of thebar, scribbling, all the country in a scorching haze, the shells fromthe ships screeching over our heads, searching all the ridges andhollows in front of us. The Turks' guns have been silent for the lasthour, no doubt in anticipation of giving us something warm; ourbearers are off and have just passed in twos and threes across thenorth side of the lake, which at this period of the year is dry, except in the middle. On our side all is ready to give the Turk a goodhiding, but every time at Helles we were just as prepared and theresult always a practical failure. Now for the battle, and littlechance of concluding my notes to-day. 

6. 50 p. M. --Ever since the appointed hour a very big fight has been inprogress. To me the most exciting part was the advance of the 11thDivision from the south side of Lala Baba, over a mile of absolutelyunprotected country, where our men could not fire a shot in return tothe perfect hail of shrapnel to which they were subjected, shellscoming in fours and fives at a time right in their midst. There wasthe breadth of the lake between us, but with our glasses we had a goodview of the whole proceedings. The number bowled over seemed small, considering that the last half-mile had to be crossed at the double, in a dense cloud of smoke from bursting shells. Whenever the cloudcleared off we saw distinctly that many dead and wounded lay about thefield. 

What I admired most was the plucky way the bearers did their work, allround the north and east side of the lake, while all the time theywere subjected to fire, and towards the end of the day, when the Turk, apparently desperate, sent shell after shell among the bearers andambulance wagons, at a time when there were no other troops near. 

We have tried to dig ourselves into the banks of soft sea sand for thenight, but the constant stream of fine sand fills up our excavationsas fast as we dig. Four ships still keep firing--"Lord Nelson, ""Swiftsure, " "Agamemnon" (?) and "Euryalus"--and every shot bringsdown more sand. 

Being off the direct track from the battlefield we have missed thewounded we expected. In spite of our tramping about all night in thedark we feel very fresh, and disappointed at having nothing to do, although in good spirits over our victory--for such we take it to be. 

This is the first occasion on which we can find fault with the Turks'method of fighting, but to-day they have fired on all andsundry--bearers, ambulance wagons, Red Cross flags, and the C. C. S. 

_August 23rd. _--I ended my notes two days ago by remarking that wewere all in good spirits over what seemed to us to be a victory. Soonafter that some of us had to change our tune. Two officers wereordered up to Chocolate Hill, so Agassiz and I went across the northside of the Salt Lake which we found dry and caked hard. Towards thefar end, as we neared the terrible hill, bullets were flying inhundreds--one struck the ground practically under my left foot, another passed between Agassiz and myself when we certainly were not afoot apart. A few more hundred yards, at the double, took us to thatabsolute inferno, Hill 53. (The hills were named according to theirheight, 53 meaning 53 metres high. ) We got to the top through dead anddying men lined out everywhere. We at once looked up the A. D. M. S. Who, along with the heads of the 29th Division, was in a deep and stronglyprotected dug-out. Now came the terrible and most unexpectednews--the Staff were in a state of hysterics--Hill 72, which isseparated from Hill 53 by a small dip, had been fought for all day andcaptured at immense cost, and was now about to be given up, it wasimpossible for us to hold it. The 11th Division had sent word thatthey were at a certain point which was their objective, but they wereactually some distance behind that, and never did reach that point. But this piece of information, which the line had been eagerly waitingfor, now allowed our centre to advance, thinking they had the 11thDivision protecting their flank. They soon got too far forward andwere at once enfiladed. This was the beginning of what was acatastrophe and which will cost us thousands of lives to rectify. "Weare to give up Hill 72, " said the A. D. M. S. , "and if the Turks make anight attack, as they always do after an engagement, we'll be pushedoff this Hill (53) into the valley, and it is hard to say where itwill end. In that case we want every stretcher-bearer we can lay ourhands on to work with might and main to get the wounded back from thetrenches, or they will fall into the hands of the Turks. " This soundedterrible, but we had to face it, so we sent back for all our men whocould be spared, and many regimental men had to help to carry thewounded back, which was a most difficult piece of work. 

In making communication trenches along which the wounded have to becarried from the firing trench, the carrying of stretchers is neverconsidered. Traverses must be made certainly, and the narrower thetrenches the better while fighting, but they should be made wideenough to let stretchers along, and the corners of the traversesshould be rounded. As it was the stretchers could only be carriedalong the straight parts with the stretcher traverses "kicked in, " andeven then the backs of all the men's hands were peeled to the bone. Being impossible to get round the corners the stretchers had to beraised above the top of the trench, and as a rule the bearers soontired of doing this at every few yards, and got right over theparapets and carried in the open. 

We had a terrible night, and next morning as soon as the day began tobreak, although we were on the opposite side of the Hill from theenemy, they knew the range so thoroughly that they dropped theirshells at the exact angle of the Hill, which was but a gentle slope, and raked it from top to bottom time after time. 

Those of us who escaped were lucky, but it was a bit trying to one'snerves. The Turks had made great preparations for this battle, whichof course had to come off, and they fired as much ammunition as wedid, and everything was to their advantage. Their snipers, often armedwith machine-guns, played the very devil with our men. By good luckthe Turks had had enough and did not attack at night, and we were gladwhen daylight came, although with it came again the terrible, rakingfire. 

Through the day our troops deliberately and slowly evacuated part ofHill 72, but most of it we unexpectedly managed to hold, and arelikely now to stick to. Had we thoroughly defeated the Turks, as weshould have done had there been no bungling, the end of this part ofthe campaign might have been in sight, but now we are held up, and howwe are to get out of the fix will sadly baffle our Staff. 

The men of the 89th F. A. Behaved with admirable pluck, and workedhard, and up to evening we had eight men more or less badlywounded--one at least fatally, poor Adams. The 21st and 22nd werespent practically without food, and hardly a drop of water was to behad, and all suffered badly from thirst--more bungling. 

In the afternoon of the second day it was rumoured that the whole ofour Division was to be withdrawn to the reserve lines, and that our86th Brigade, to which we had been again attached, were to march offas soon as it was dark, and we were to follow and take up our positionbehind the Infantry. Good news indeed! The G. O. C. In C. Had done awise thing in bringing two Brigades of the 29th Division round fromHelles to stiffen Kitchener's Army. Our Royal Fusiliers were inreserve all the time, and although they never fired a shot were insuch a position that they were badly exposed to shell fire, and werewithin view of snipers, and lost no fewer than 150 men. 

In the dark we set off over the N. W. Corner of the lake making for acertain point at the foot of a ridge. It was difficult to strike theexact spot, the night being dark, but we got wonderfully near it, andafter spending a bitterly cold and cheerless night at the back of alow stone wall, across which bullets whistled all night we rectifiedour position before the sun rose. As we came across the lake threemore of our men were hit, bullets flying about for the first mile orso. To-day, after reaching our destination, and while in a shelter, abullet hit another in the thigh, bringing our casualty list for thisfight up to sixteen. All are agreed that it has been a very bloodyaffair, and the difficulty of seeing a way out of our present positionhas made all despondent, and a number of those in high positions arebeing torn to shreds. Our men are not grumbling, and look as if theycould go through it again, but it was a very trying two days andnights. 

Fires broke out in the thick scrub almost at the very start of thebattle, and after a few hours many acres were ablaze, and as it waslargely from such places the men of both sides were firing manywounded were burned to death. 

_August 24th. _--Last night we got orders to move as we were certain tobe shelled, lying as we were behind the Infantry of our Brigade. Weaccordingly moved after dark to a gully, which is really a drywatercourse entering the middle of the north side of the Salt Lake. Agassiz and I, followed at a short distance by a few men, had nodifficulty in striking the desired spot, but the others, following insmall lots, got lost, only one lot reaching its destination thatnight. Others lay behind bushes till daylight, while Stephen and hismen returned for the night to their starting-point. It showed thedifficulty of moving about in the dark in a strange country. The 86thBrigade, which left Chocolate Hill the same time as ourselves got lostand wandered about for six hours. Our new site is no safer than thelast, we are beside a well where men congregate from the variousbattalions encamped near us, and this was shelled furiously on twooccasions yesterday. 

_August 25th. _--Four calendar months since we landed on Gallipoli. Andnot much progress made yet. 

The Royal Fusiliers, who had watched our men at work in the "Battle ofChocolate Hill, " are giving them great praise for their daring. Pirie, who was waiting for bearers for his wounded, on hearing that some mencoming towards him belonged to the 89th F. A. Replied, "Thank God, nowwe are all right". Several--two at least--high-placed officers alsotook note of them and promised that some would be mentioned in thenext despatch. 

Seeing some big black Arum lilies--known as the "Dead Turk" from itsevil smell--with flowers about 2 feet long, I dug up two enormousbulbs this morning, one fully 6 inches in diameter. These, with otherbulbs, I will send home. (They were not an acceptable gift, they wereallowed to die owing to their horrible smell. ) These were growingbeside a well which was shelled a couple of hours ago, but I sneakedout in safety when this had finished. I heard this evening that I hadbeen "mentioned" in Sir Ian Hamilton's first despatch. Two othermedical men of our Division are also mentioned--Col. Yarr, ourA. D. M. S. At Helles, and Major Lindsay of the 87th F. A. 

_August 26th. _--Pottered about in the morning after seeing somebatches of sick sent in by the Regimental M. O. 's, then walked to ourbase on Suvla Bay Beach. Fiddes and McKenzie, who joined our Ambulancetwo days ago, walked out with me. They dilated to Agassiz and myselfabout a great discovery they had made, namely, that excellent rissolescould be made of bully beef and ground biscuits. On their departure wedecided to have rissoles for supper, so Agassiz prepared a frying panand a tin of bully, while I with a pick-shaft ground up a couple ofour flinty biscuits. We had them done to a turn, and felt much betterfor a decent feed. We then smoked and watched big, threatening cloudsscurrying over the moon, and away in the S. W. Constant flashes oflightning. The weather is changing, and the rainy season is not faroff. Then what on earth is to come of us? We'll be washed out of thegullies, to be shot down in the open. 

_August 27th. _--Agassiz and I returned to the base at 7. 30 p. M. Andwere relieved by Fiddes and McKenzie. Plenty of firing by both sides, but nothing worth noting. 

_August 28th. _--A day at the Beach--a weary place and I wish I wasback in The Gully. Here we are encamped at the top of Suvla Bay, atthe edge of a wide stretch of soft sand, which is dotted all over withmen and their shallow dug-outs in the sand. We are protected by anumber of Red Cross flags, several Ambulances and the C. C. S. Thesehave never been shelled by the Turks, and one feels absolutely safe, but I miss the healthy excitement of our little Gully. As I watchedthe bearers and wagons being shelled during the last fight it struckme at the time that all the shrapnel might be coming from a singlebattery, and I now think there can be no doubt about this. It musthave been a battery of four or five guns in command of a beastlyGerman. 

_August 29th. _--Sunday. Nothing doing--except that the usual artilleryduel goes on, and a Taube crossed over us. These we occasionally fireat but never hit. 

_August 30th. _--Feeling bored to death I took a pleasure walk out toour dressing station in The Gully, where Stephen and Thomson are atpresent on duty. After dark I returned alone, trudging first down TheGully almost to the Salt Lake, then cutting off to the right towardsour base. It is very different from the great Gully at Helles (TheGully), being but a watercourse, averaging 8 to 10 yards in width andmost of it not over 6 feet deep. It has huge clumps of rushes andlofty, graceful reeds which give it a tropical appearance, and in afew places are pools of dirty, green water that has not dried up sincethe last rainy season, and in these water tortoises and big greenfrogs live in hundreds. To-night it was rather weird as I came along, with the bull frogs croaking, and several other nocturnal animalsmaking loud cries, down past the "Turk's grave, " where a pile of deadhad been collected in The Gully and a little earth thrown over them, and now the odour is so strong that one has to pass at the double, holding one's breath. The very earth over them looks wet and greasy asI noticed to-day. The whole Gully is full of dug-outs from end to end. These had been made on the first days of the landing and are nowuntenanted. Lying about unheeded is equipment of all sorts, which hadbelonged to our dead and wounded. 

A Taube dropped two bombs at our ships to-day, but missed as usual. Andour not firing at the marauder showed that we had not much faith in ourown shooting. The warships and a monitor were busy towards eveningbattering some unseen object away beyond the mountains--perhaps theforts of "The Narrows". 

We have two Welsh Ambulances beside us. The men move very smartly andare evidently well drilled. They are great psalm singers, and always atit. 

_August 31st. _--The Australians over at Anzac seem very busy to-day. So also are the Turks whose shells are falling thick on land and sea, and our ships are firing at some target beyond Sari Bair (Hill 972). 

We had a curious plague of midges last night: they attacked the lampand table in our mess in thousands, and made things so unpleasant thatwe had to hurry from the table. These have never bothered us before, and I doubt if I ever saw a midge on Gallipoli before. 

_September 1st. _--Agassiz and I came out to the dressing station as itwas getting dark last night. 

Two new officers and twenty men joined us yesterday--Captains Wilsonand Tawse. 

Wiseley, M. O. To the Lancs. , passed through our station this forenoon, badly wounded in the head by a sniper. It looks as if it was all upwith him. (He died before he reached the C. C. S. ) Tawse followed fromour base to take his place. Pirie of the Royals looked us up, and toldus he was down for "mention" in the next despatch. We have alladmired, and often spoken about, the good work and earnest devotion ofPirie, and are delighted these are to be recognised, even in thissmall way. We were talking about the huge bungle of the landing atSuvla. It seems agreed had it not been that two Territorial Battalionsturned tail when faced by a handful of Turks things here would havebeen totally different, and the ridges which are not yet ours shouldhave been taken and held the first day. A distinguished General issaid to have remarked: "Had there been more sweat on the part of themen there would have been less blood". We have one excellent Generalhere now who pokes his nose into everything, says what he thinks, whether polite or otherwise, and swears at large. He says that withouta good backing of swears people will never believe you are in earnest. Only men of blood and iron are of any use at the present moment forfilling our high places. 

Pirie was telling us that they had two Australian snipers attached tothe Royals, and one of their own men who had done a good deal ofjungle shooting was an excellent sniper. One night he was out and hadcrawled to within 30 yards of the Turks' trenches trying to get asmuch information as possible, when lo, and behold! he found by hiswatch it was 5. 30 and broad daylight. He had fallen asleep. However, by careful crawling he succeeded in gaining his own lines in safety. It is always by night these men work, and the Australian snipers gettwo days off every week to go to the base for a rest. This time isusually spent in their going somewhere else to snipe. Fighting to theAustralians is great sport and nothing else. 

In the afternoon an East Kent officer paid us a visit. He tells usthat rumours of peace with Turkey are again afloat. We have heard thissort of stuff before and don't believe it. 

_September 2nd. _--Agassiz and I had attended the sick of our Brigadeduring the day, and spent a quiet time about the dressing station, gathering enough brambles to make an excellent dish for supper, whensuddenly at 7. 30 the scene changed. First two cannon shots, thewell-known signal for a Turkish attack, a short pause then a generalcannonade from the Turks which was fast and furious. I do not supposeanyone could have guessed they had so many guns in position, but forhalf an hour--twenty-three minutes to be exact--they simply delugedwith shrapnel our trenches on the hill on our extreme left (HizlarDagh), and rifle fire from both sides was equally furious. The part ofThe Gully we occupy as a dressing station runs north and south, and Icould not have believed it could possibly have been enfiladed, butbullets, after the first few minutes, got diverted our way, and cameright along our position in a most alarming way. All lay low at once, except our servant, Wallace, who had just removed our supper thingsand was sitting on the edge of a low trench leading into our dug-outwhen he called out, "Oh!" I turned round and said, "What's up?" "I amstruck, " he said, and fell into my arms. We laid him down on the floorof the dug-out, and in a few minutes he breathed his last. So endedthe days of an excellent fellow. Formerly a ship's steward he had seenthe world, and was a splendid servant and much liked by the wholeAmbulance. This only added to the alarm that had seized us all, whichwas due to the very insufficient protection we had on the side thebullets were coming from. Agassiz and I lay hard up against the northside of our dug-out--little more than a few dry lumps of clay--whileWallace's body was stretched alongside us. As I have said, this attackended in twenty-three minutes, but at 8. 30 there was a second andsimilar one. We had all made up our minds that the Turks were to breakthrough and would be down on us, and all had secretly decided whatthey were to do, and how much of their equipment they would take incase we were forced to retreat. All this fighting was but a very shortway to our left. 

This morning we sent Wallace's body back to our base, where it laytill the return of C Section at 7. 30 p. M. , as we wished to be presentat the last rites, and we could only turn out in a body after dark. The moon was not due for hours, but in the dark, with only the starsfor light, and a brilliant planet in the east, we listened to PadreCampion's short service. He, being an Episcopal clergyman, had toaccommodate himself to us Presbyterians, and he recited "Abide withme, " then read the piece, "I am the Resurrection, " and ended with "TheLord's Prayer". Then back again to camp, supper, and generalconversation. 

Rumours reach us that the Germans are still being pressed back aboutWarsaw, that the Austrians have been defeated in Galicia, and theTurks in the Caucasus. 

The Australians at Anzac are making steady, though slow, progress, which appears to be the only point where we can press on at all. TheMarquis of Tullibardine arrived here to-day with a body of ScottishHorse--unmounted of course. Padre Campion says he was at Eton withthis brilliant soldier. 

_September 4th. _--A very moderate S. W. Breeze is blowing to-day, andour pontoon pier of about thirty boats has gone all to pieces and lieson the sand. Its sole use was to get patients away from the C. C. S. Tothe hospital ships. This shows us the difficulties we will have toface in winter with our patients and stores--if we are to be here, which heaven forbid! Padre Dennis Jones has just told me that thebetting is that the war in Turkey will be over in a fortnight. He alsosays he was in the trenches last night when word was passed round toprepare to meet a big Turkish attack after dark. This did not comeoff, last night was quiet except for an occasional spurt of riflefire. 

_September 5th. _--Sir Ian Hamilton is reported to have said that thewar will be over in ten days. 

This morning we have been notified that we go to Imbros, probably fora week, on the night of the 8/9th. This does not seem to give pleasureto many. It means a night spent in crossing, and being tired all nextday when we will have to work hard to provide shelter, then returningbefore we get really settled down. If this order takes effect we willbesides miss the "grand finale" which will be held among the forts of"The Narrows" (!!!)

There was much artillery fire by both sides yesterday, and thismorning they have been very busy--they even managed to send two shellsafter a Taube, these bursting many hundred yards behind theirobjective. But it let the Taube see that we were not asleep at 7. 30a. M. 

My friend Pirie, M. O. To the Royals, passed through this in theafternoon, having been wounded in the back while he was holding hisSick Parade--only a "couchy wound, " such as the Irish pray to theVirgin Mary to send them at the beginning of a fight, so that theymight escape something worse. Pirie walked in with his usual smile, and pleaded with us, before we knew there was anything wrong, "not tomake him laugh as it was sore". (To everyone's sorrow, Pirie wasafterwards killed in France. )

_September 7th. _--It was the duty of Agassiz and myself to take overthe dressing station last night, and there we now are. After theexperience we had last time when we did not feel over comfortableafter dark and the bullets began to fly, we were glad to occupy thesame dug-out during the night, for the sake of company. It is a mostunpleasant feeling to find you are fired at when alone. I have noticedthis especially when out a walk just as it is getting dark. You askyourself how long you may have to lie, if you get wounded, beforeanyone comes your way. But even in daylight if shells are droppingabout they are doubly terrifying if you are alone. 

This Gully has been a most uncomfortable place all along, its banksafford little protection from rifle fire; they are too low forcross-fire, and a few days ago we found it could be enfiladed. Atordinary times we have only occasional bullets during the day, but assoon as the shades of night begin to fall they come in a constantstream, and we are only safe when we retire to the depths of ourdug-outs--if our shallow pits are worthy of the name. 

We keep wondering what sort of a holiday we are to have in Imbros. Arethere to be plagues of flies and dust as in Lemnos? However, it willbreak the monotony which is getting very oppressive, and some of ourskeep up a constant grumble at everybody and everything. 

The nights are now very cold, but the heat by day seems about asintense as ever. 

_September 9th. _--We had orders yesterday to embark at Little WestBeach, at the north point of Suvla Bay. We were there at 7. 30 p. M. Andwere to embark at 8. It was a weary trudge, for we were heavily laden, along the very edge of the bay to take advantage of the narrow stripof firm sand that gets washed by the "tideless Mediterranean". Ourfour Battalions were present, and after some delay over our baggage, all which was finally got on board, the great lumbering barge, whichhad 400 men and all the regimental baggage on board, refused to budge. She was fast on the rocks where the water was very shallow. At lastshe moved, going out a few yards then returning and taking all theDublins and so many Royals on board. Then she again stuck fast. It wasnow getting late; the ship this barge was taking us out to was bookedto sail at 3. 30 a. M. , and this time had to be kept regardless of ourconvenience. As she was still aground at that hour the order was givento disembark. All this time we had been lying shivering on the dustand stones, waiting for our turn, and now, with our spirits at zero, we marched back to our base, reaching it at 4. 45 as light was showingin the east, so that we got back none too soon. The long wait we hadput in, with a cold wind blowing, had chilled us all thoroughly. Allhad some brandy on our return, we got to bed at 5. 30, and I for oneslept like a top and rose refreshed at 8. 30, as also did Agassiz. Heand I felt so famished that we ground up some ration biscuits and madeporridge, which we enjoyed. None of the others got off theirstretchers before mid-day, when they did not know whether to orderbreakfast or dinner. It ended in high tea. 

A wagon with six mules passed behind us this afternoon, and drew a hotshrapnel fire on all the Ambulances on the Beach. We had one manwounded, the 1st Welsh one killed (Capt. Clark) and three wounded, andthe 3rd Welsh four wounded. 

We again have orders to embark at 7. 30. 

_September 10th. _--The hour for embarking was afterwards changed to8. 30. Owing to the shelling we had just been subjected to this pleasedus, as we could march down in the dark at this later hour. We got onboard without any adventures and were taken out by two tow boats toour old friend, the "Abbassieh". The sea was choppy and our boatbumped unmercifully against the ship's side and ladder. We had supperon board, tea, bread and butter with cheese making a right royalfeast, these articles never tasting half so good in all our livesbefore. Never till then did I fully appreciate how much we had roughedit since we came to Suvla Bay. Our bread has usually been vile, andoften was not to be had at all, and everything has been unusuallyfilthy and smelly. This was often due to our being unable to spare adrop of water to wash out our cooking utensils. 

No doubt what has really taken it out of us most is the constantdanger we are in from bullets and shells, and especially the former atour Advanced Dressing Station in The Gully (Azmac Dere). After supperand a glass of beer we went to bed, and found genuine springmattresses, a tremendous luxury. The very ground at Suvla seems to beharder than at Helles, and I often get up in the morning feeling stiffand sore. However, I much prefer living on chunks of anything out atthe dressing station, and sleeping on a few rushes spread on thebottom of a shallow hole, to the comforts and safety of our base inthe sandbank of Suvla Bay. 

When the anchor was raised, with the usual amount of rattle, it rousedone of our men who was asleep on deck; he sprang to his feet anddashed over the ship's rail, and really never woke up till he foundhimself in the water. Cries of "man overboard" were raised, and withmuch scurrying the ladder was let down, and being a strong swimmer hewas got on board none the worse for his early bath. He was sent downto the engine room to dry. 

We landed at Imbros about 9 a. M. 

Imbros is a busy place, and has a big natural harbour facing thenorth, dotted over with warships and transports, and a considerablenumber of monitors each armed with one or two huge guns, all 14-inch Ibelieve. 

Our camp is in a dusty spot, and the wind makes it disagreeable andruffles our tempers. There are about a dozen canteens, run by Greekswhose prices I am glad to see are fixed for all articles. I bought twokilos (4-1/2 lbs. ) of grapes and a few tomatoes, intending them forour mess, but I could not resist the grapes, I had an overpoweringlonging for fruit, and ate most of them, skins, stones and all, on myway back. I have tried to take up a bet to eat 2 lbs. Against everylb. Eaten by anyone in the mess. 

The hills and valleys I have not yet visited, but these look inviting. We are encamped on an extensive dead level between the sea and thehills. 

_September 11th. _--I had a walk with Stephen last night, just beforedark, to a hill about a mile off. From the top we were able to get agood idea of the beauties of Imbros. Except for the stretch where weare encamped, the whole island is one mass of rough, volcanicmountains, with narrow, fertile flats, carefully cultivated andbearing healthy, looking fig, olive, and other trees. A large herd ofgoats, wending their way home down a narrow track between ruggedhills, away down below us, all with their bells tinkling, made a finepicture of a peaceful evening scene. As we sat and smoked beside atowering pinnacle of volcanic rock a raven went sailing past us, withhis croak, croak. I remember Professor McGillivray, in his "NaturalHistory of Deeside, " describes what was perhaps a not altogetherdissimilar scene among the Cairngorms, and addressing a raven on arock beside him calls him "poor fellow". 

_September 12th. _--Did nothing in particular to-day. We had churchparade in the afternoon, Padre Campion officiating, and a mailconsisting almost entirely of parcels, every second one smashed uptill it could not be delivered. Stephen and I have arranged to go toPanagheia to-morrow, and we walked out to a spot at the foot of thehills to order ponies, donkeys, or whatever they had, for our trip. When there an old Greek came riding in on a donkey with two panniersfull of grapes, to which he asked us to help ourselves, they cost himnothing and he would make us welcome to as many as we liked at thesame price. I ate a pound at least and still felt hungry. He said whenthis island was Turkish the taxes were very heavy, then the Greekscame along and they became worse, but he had been a sailor and a gooddeal in England, so he always swore to the tax collector that he wasan Englishman and exempt from all taxes, so he has never paid a penny. We got more grapes from him, by purchase this time, big, luscious onesat 6d per kilo. We ate at our hardest while the Greek looked out bigbunches that could be tied together, and for these he wanted, in Greekfashion, to charge an extra 3d. "Damn you for a greedy devil, " saysStephen, we dived into his pannier and each had another big bunch, paid him, and returned to camp where we had a really gooddinner--roast chicken stuffed with oatmeal and onions, beans, stewedpears, Vermouth, and three half bottles of champagne (from the MedicalComforts pannier!), then port and nuts (the former from ditto), andended with cigars and Egyptian cigarettes. We had not dined so wellsince we left Alexandria. 

I believe to-day is the first day since we left England on March 18that we have not seen the sun. As we were leaving the pony depot wefell in with Atlee of the Munsters who had been at Panagheia, and hesays a pony is no use except for a bit of "swank, " you have to walkpractically the whole way beside your animal. 

Thomson went into hospital to-day. He has been ailing for some weeks, and looks thin and far from well. 

_September 13th. _--A red letter day. Last night we had a few showers, and in the morning as the sky was overcast we at first decided not togo to Panagheia, but as the blue sky began to break through by 9 weset off and were mounted on our shelties by 10. These we picked up atthe edge of the mountains, beyond the camping ground. A dozen or twoof animals--ponies, donkeys, and mules--were ready saddled, the ownerof each pushing his way forward when he saw a likely customer comingalong, eager to display the good points of his animal. I got astride apack saddle, a wonderful structure of substantial sticks and raw hide, with a big, comfortable cushion on the top, for stirrups a piece ofrope, and bridle the same, without bit, the rope being merely twistedand knotted round the lower jaw. 

We at once dipped into a deep valley, clothed on all sides in thickshrubbery, with plenty of trees in the lowest part, along which therewas a tiny stream with occasional beautiful rocky pools. The treeshere and all along were principally olives, figs, mulberry, and a fewwalnuts. The road was the merest track, littered with stones, andwound up hill and down dale. At first it was so bad that I thought itmust surely lead soon to a better path, but little did I think what wewere in for; we were soon among huge boulders, and nothing butboulders, up and down shelving rock, often 2 feet higher than thepath, slithering over stretches of hard, bare rock, and all the timewithout a single stumble on the part of any one of our mounts. Therewere four of us--Stephen, Agassiz, Padre Campion, and myself--eachwith a guide dressed in blue material, and all sorts of head gear, andwith the usual fold upon fold of cloth round the waist, shoes of rawhide with the hair outside, held on by twists of hide from the ankleto the knee, in proper brigand style. 

The scenery soon became simply glorious, and my three companions, whoall knew Switzerland, said it was exactly like that country, exceptfor the absence of chalets. The hills rose on all sides, some to aheight of 5000 feet, rough as possible, all volcanic of course, somelooking as if they had belched out flames and smoke not so very longago. One reminded me of Ben Sleoch as it rises out of Loch Maree, thesame mass of rock atop, but here more rugged. Each mountain top andside was studded with enormous needle-like pinnacles and rough wartymasses. It is strange how fertile these volcanic earths are, thesehigh mountains were clothed with trees below, and had thick shrubberyalmost to the top--mostly hollyoak, I fancy. The colouring of therocks is very fine, the colours being warm reds, browns, purples, andyellows in one mingled mass. 

By 11. 30 we had crossed the highest part of our path, and a widevalley came in sight a mile or two off, great masses of olive trees, with a large village away ahead on a hillside, and after a little timeour destination hove in sight, round the shoulder of a mountain on ourright, nestling among trees of deep green colour. These turned out tobe mostly mulberry which has a very luscious and cool looking leaf; nofruit unfortunately, its season was over. We passed along thepicturesque streets of Panagheia, with their projecting windows andvine entwined balconies, to a place proudly labelled "Hotel Britannic, J. Christie, proprietor, a British subject". The Hotel London we hadbeen warned to pass by, as the catering was not so good, and strangeto say, when we returned to camp and the orders of the day were beingread at supper, it was there announced that this hotel was out ofbounds for the time being, the proprietor being of suspectednationality. 

Stephen was at his best, and was the life of the party and of everyonewe came across, and greatly amused our guides. One of the guides hadhis little son with him who was named Georgo by Stephen, who told thelittle chap that his own name was Stephanos. He mounted him behind hissaddle, and when lifting him down at the first halt, he said, "You'vedone damnedo wello, Georgo". Georgo showed by a broad grin that hefelt flattered. 

Lunch was ordered in the fine hotel of J. Christie, which wasupstairs over a cobbler's shop, and consisted of one very small roomwhich we filled, with a larger one off it, and behind was the kitchen, only half of which was floored, and through the great gaping part youlooked down to the back of the cobbler's premises, a place full ofempty bottles and the abode of J. Christie's poultry. That was thewhole establishment, but they could cook. J. Christie, being anItalian and not a Britisher, was an excellent _chef_, and soonprepared for us first-rate soup, then boiled partridge which waslikely a chicken from the hole I have mentioned. Then came the dish ofthe day--honey omelettes, which were brought in one at a time, glorious creations over which we poured delicious drained honey. Theywere so good that Stephen gave the order that they were to go onturning them out till he told them to stop. Each had two big ones, andafter each you felt hungrier than ever. The wine of the country we ofcourse also had, one called Morea not unlike champagne. Then cheeseand Turkish coffee, after which we set off to view the village. Welanded at the school when it chanced to be play time, but we wentthrough the rooms followed by all the scholars, fine bright boys andgirls, and Stephen with a piece of chalk showed them some new methodof multiplication, which was far more complicated than the old way weall know. In a hall they had two large pictures, one of Venezelos, whothey declared was good, the other of Gunariz who was bad. One littlechap was the son of the local doctor and spoke French well. He saidhis father was a graduate of Paris University. 

It was altogether a most enjoyable day, the padre saying it was theday of his life. He was a good fellow the padre, and nothing delightedhim more, he remarked, than to hear Stephen saying "damn, " he put somuch expression into the word. 

We commenced the return journey at 4. 45 when the colouring of themountains was perfect, and the padre always insisted on dismounting totake a sketch of some particularly fine scene. He got ahead of us onetime when we came upon him seated on a big stone in a roughwatercourse, surrounded with oleanders and sketching a peep of a grandmountain between two nearer ridges. 

When we returned we found Sir Ian Hamilton had inspected ourAmbulance, and made himself pleasant all round. 

_September 14th. _--A cold wind blew all day--from the north of course. Saw the sun only occasionally. 

I took the Lancashire Fusiliers Sick Parade this morning, when 215presented themselves as sick--every fourth man. I expect the order ofthe day had included a route march. There is nothing Tommy hates morethan a route march. 

_September 15th. _--The nights get still colder, and this forenoon waslike an October day at home, but later it was bright and warm withouta breath of wind. Our airmen made the most of the calm spell and tookout the only airship we have here and circled about for at least twohours, with a fast monoplane scouting in case of reprisals. The sun isat present sinking in the west and the evening colouring among themountains makes one long for everlasting peace, there is too muchdiscord between such scenes and our errand out here. 

_September 16th. _--Just as I got out of bed at 7 am some one calledout that a Taube was dropping bombs. It dropped four a short way fromus. It was at a great height and got a good peppering from our shipsin the harbour. In about fifteen minutes it returned, or it may havebeen another aeroplane, and let loose five or six bombs at the G. O. C. In C. 's H. Q. Where, I afterwards heard, five men were wounded. It washeading straight over us, but the fire again got too hot for it and itmade off to the south, but it was most daring and persistent and putin a third appearance, when one of our monoplanes, a very fastmachine, went up and we expected some fun. After ascending in largespirals they got on the same level when the Taube turned round andfaced our machine, both now at a very great height, and both evidentlyfiring at each other, when suddenly our machine dived down at atremendous speed. We of course thought the airman or his plane hadbeen disabled. We heard in the evening that his gun jammed, and beinghelpless he wisely cleared out. 

Stephen and I were to take the whole Ambulance to Panagheia, and Iwent early to the Lancs. To get their Sick Parade over. Stephenpromised to assist and was to be up early too, but he turned up lastfor breakfast, and I had inspected two companies before he arrived. 

Nothing eventful happened on our 6 or 7 mile march across themountains. Big, threatening thunderclouds, with rain on the high peaksbefore us, rather detracted from our enjoyment, and the Greeks we metpointed to the clouds and with a descending motion of their handsprophesied rain. However, it never did rain and the afternoon wasperfect. The Greeks followed us with pony loads of grapes (Staphila, they call them), pomegranates, and figs, and we fared well. A pony infront of us tumbled down a steep incline and we straightway wished tobuy its load which was scattered everywhere. I picked up a lot of figswhich were dead ripe and delicious. The black grapes of these partswould be difficult to beat, and I must have eaten 3 lbs. Of these onour way. 

After halting the men beyond the village, and having lunch to whichthey were allowed beer, a luxury which few of them had tasted for manymonths, Stephen and I went to a small village half a mile further on. Many go from Panagheia to Castro, a fishing village, but our littleplace was off the beaten track and quite unspoiled. We entered aprimitive café where we had a cup of good coffee, served as usual in avery tiny cup with a big tumbler of water. Two Greek policemen weresipping their coffee and playing cards, and we managed to enter intoconversation with them and some other loafers. Many of the old womenwere spinning about their doors, and we saw some of their work. Theirwool (goat's) when carded is very fine and fluffy, but the materialwhen woven is hard and looks as if it would wear for ever. 

Next we sat down in front of what we thought was a school and made asketch of it. It turned out to be the church of Sainte Varvara. Theschool is alongside, and the dominie had eyed us and came over andtook us through the church. We thought he was a verger, and Stephenwished to purchase every holy relic in it. Then we tipped him a fewcoppers, and tapers were accordingly lit and planted in a basin ofsand. All the Greek churches we have seen are very ornate and tawdry, with a multitude of pictures and tall candlesticks. The pulpit toweredtill it almost touched the low ceiling. The centre of the churches isalways vacant, and round this space there is always a row ofhigh-backed seats. I fancy the difference between the Greek and Romanchurches is not great. Both give much prominence to the Virgin andChild, but I am told that one of the differences is that the formerdoes not regard the Virgin as a Saint. A number of saints werepictured here, including Sainte Varvara, to whom the building isdedicated. 

We next looked into the school, a tumble down place, but clean andtidy, and with about forty bright, neatly dressed children. Stephenwas delighted at the sight and beamed on them all, and yelled andlaughed, gave a little chap a sum of multiplication on the blackboardwhich he did correctly, then he had to show him his new and morecomplicated way of getting the answer. This new method is verypeculiar, but the two answers were identical, to the astonishment ofthe dominie, who was apparently able to follow the steps. "Now, " saysStephen, "I want all the children to say 'Venezelos good' and to givehim a cheer. " This was done most heartily. "Now, say Gunariz bad. "This time, I think, they did not understand what was wanted of them;however, with a little persuasion from Stephen and the dominie theygot through it in a mild way. There was something refreshing andhomelike in our visit to the kiddies. They all jumped smartly to theirfeet as we were leaving. The dominie accompanied us up the street, where we admired the trees laden with clusters of beautifulred-cheeked pomegranates. I had never seen this fruit growing before, but here every garden was full of it. 

We next stopped to watch a woman spinning inside a doorway, with aninstrument like a fiddle bow--either that or she was carding the woolwith it, this being in fluffy billows about her on the floor. Sheasked us to enter--all by signs of course. We had a look round herkitchen which was very clean, the fireplace and articles about beingmostly not unlike what one could see at home. In a corner was a broad, low divan on which she threw some cushions, on which we sat with ourlegs tucked under us, which we supposed was the correct fashion, andwhat was expected of us. She next got us two small glasses of brandy, a saucer with a few small biscuits and two tumblers of water, andplaced all neatly on a small table with a cover. The brandy was strongand scented, and not much to my liking; however, I drank it and feltgrateful to this good soul for her hospitality and showing us alittle Grecian home life. At one side of the room there was a partshut off by a curtain which we concluded was a box-bed, but Stephenhad a look in and found it full of shelves with blankets and articlesof clothing. "But where do the devils sleep?" Stephen kept on saying, and by resting his head on his hands and snoring he tried to get thewoman to understand that he was curious as to this point. Herdemeanour at once changed, her temper was up, and we cleared off downthe street. 

_September 20th. _--There has been nothing to take note of during thelast few days. The Lancs. Fusiliers have occupied a good deal of mytime, their Sick Parades varying from 215 to fifty-seven. We have hada few visits from Taubes, mostly after dark, one dropping two bombsyesterday, and the night before we had six. The hangar seems to betheir objective. Two others we heard approaching last night but theynever came over us, they could see we were on the alert by the amountof our fire, and some red rockets went off high in the air. 

To-day should end our holiday to Imbros, but as it blows a gale wehave been notified that this has been postponed. In the afternoonAgassiz and I had a delightful walk up a valley that was new to us. Itwas a mass of huge rocks and boulders, with an attempt at a streamwhich would be a raging torrent in winter. We came on a curiousgeological formation, which we thought could be nothing but fossilisedtrees, but how a tree came to be in the middle of a lava rock was apuzzle. We soon found many others and saw that, however, this shapecame about, trees were not the foundation. Each consisted of a largenumber of concentric circles exactly like the rings in a tree stump, some fully 3 feet in diameter. 

On our way back we had a good view of Achi Baba--of unpleasant memory. 

We had two padres to tea, Beardmore being one of them. They told ushow Turkish snipers were paid--20 piastres for a lieutenant, 40 for acaptain, 80 for a lieutenant-colonel, but if a Staff officer was shotthe sniper got shot himself--not very flattering to our Staff. 

If you meet a Greek on a fine day his usual greeting sounds like"kalumaera". It was only to-day that I discovered this was the modernpronunciation of kale hemera, and on greeting a man in the ancientform he stood up and wondered what I meant, then said, "No, no". Heexplained that all aspirates are dropped in modern Greek. They use theword "su" for water, but they also understand the ancient word hudor. Many of the accents also seem to have changed. 

_September 22nd. _--We reached our old camp at Suvla about 9 p. M. Yesterday, after a pleasant crossing, and a good meal of tea andcoffee, ham and eggs before disembarking. We watched the usual Turkish"evening hate" from our place of safety on board, the shells burstingin places we could recognise. One fell in the sea not far from us aswe marched from the Beach in the dark. To-day we had a large number ofshells just round us. 

I had an order early this morning to join the Lancs. Fusiliers, andafter breakfast set off in search of their lines. I was directed tovarious places where the North, South, and Royal Lancashire Regimentslay, but it cost me a whole hour to find our Fusiliers. They are inreserve, with the supports and firing lines just in front of them, allon the steep slope of Hizlar Dagh. During Sick Parade we had to keepducking from shells, the Turks evidently having discovered that the86th Brigade was once more among them. As I was passing through theDublin lines on my return to our base two shells fell just beyondthem when de Boer shouted to me to take shelter under a projectingrock where all their officers had retired for safety, but before I gotin another shell landed almost in the centre of their line, among somevery thick scrub, which had prevented pieces from flying far. As Ipassed this spot when things had got a bit quieter I asked one of themen if none of them were hit. "No, " said Paddy, "but we smelt thepouther. "

_September 23rd. _--As it was getting dark last night the A. D. M. S. Ordered me to join the Lancashire Fusiliers at once, and to remainwith them, they having no Regimental M. O. I hurriedly put everythingnecessary into my pack, and with Conroy, as servant, set off to theslopes of Hizlar Dagh. I reached my post in half an hour, and wasassigned as my quarters a scraping in the earth not a foot deep. HereI spent a most wretched night, an icy cold wind blowing down thedepression in the hill where the Battalion is encamped. I simplyshivered and shook till the sun rose at 6 o'clock, when I felt toocold to wash and shave, but so did every one. I breakfasted withLt-Col. Pearson and his Adjutant, Captain Johnson (killed three monthsafterwards), and at 10 held Sick Parade. The Turks can fire straightalong our hollow, and General de Lisle made a wise proposal yesterdayto run a long series of terraces crossways, each with a back about 7feet high and a trench 7 feet wide in front. If this is continued tothe foot there should then be room for 5000 troops. The Turks have notyet found us out, although they gave us a few shells yesterday, otherwise they could have made it too hot for us to continueoperations. All have been busy to-day digging, picking, and quarryingstones, and already we have fairly safe trenches for one company. TheLancs. , who have a large number of miners in their ranks, have beenselected to do this, job, otherwise they would have taken up aposition half a mile further back as was first intended. 

In the afternoon I strolled down to our Advanced Dressing Stationwhich is only half a mile off, at the foot of the hill. Stephen hadwalked out as far as this with me last night, and to-day I find theplace in charge of Sergt. -Major Shaw. Agassiz had paid them a flyingvisit very early this morning on his way to the C. C. S. , he too beingsick. All our original officers are now away or at present ailingexcept Q. -M. Dickie and myself, and it looks as if he and I were to beleft alone in a few days. 

_Later. _--Had a note from Stephen saying Fiddes has gone off sickalong with Agassiz, and that his own temperature is 101--this looksbright. 

_September 25th. _--After writing the above two days ago, and about 10p. M. When I had retired to bed, the Adjutant announced to me thatanother M. O. Had been found and that I was to be relieved. This hadbeen arranged owing to the shortage of officers in our Ambulance. Itherefore left the Lancs. Yesterday morning, Touhy, an Irishman, taking my place. I was enjoying myself thoroughly with the Lancs. , andregretted this change as we were going into the front line in a day ortwo. Colonel Pearson is very popular with every man in his Battalionand is a most charming man, and I regretted leaving him. 

Stephen went off sick to-day. Hoskin joined us yesterday, beingdetached from hospital work at Imbros. He is a good fellow, and eagerfor work and still more for excitement. 

This morning I went up to our Advanced Dressing Station at the foot ofthe hill. It has now to be run without a permanent medical man. I sawthe sick and wounded who had come in; took the Sick Parade of theLondon R. E. 's who are at present without an M. O. ; returned and had ourown Sick Parade; attended the sick in our hospital; saw several relaysof Royal, Dublin, and Munster Fusiliers; returned to the dressingstation at 6 p. M. And saw some fresh cases of sick and wounded;besides other duties, and altogether had an unusually busy day. Something of this sort will now go on daily until the D. M. S. Sends usmore officers. 

There was fighting all along the line last night, especially aboutAnzac where we hear the Australians advanced half a mile. 

The R. C. Padre who is attached to the Munsters, and has messed with usfor the last week or so, leaves us to-morrow to our general regret. Heis the most amusing man I have met in the army. Now that the hardiestof us, although we are still carrying on, are far from fit, and ourspirits none of the best, we will miss him sorely. 

_September 27th. _--I have had a very busy day especially at thedressing station. A messenger came from there a few minutes aftermidnight, and I had to go up to see some Munsters who had been woundedtwo hours before in a scrap with the Turks. As I tramped back alone inthe dark (this is entirely against orders) the frequent ping ofbullets was not too comforting, and as I neared our base severalshells came about, at no great distance, when I found myself pushingmy fingers inside my shirt to make sure that I had my identity discround my neck, a habit I have got into when alone and in a hot corner. When I returned in the evening I found still another officer had beenattached to us--Stott. The padre told us many amusing stones atdinner. He said he knew one of the Dewar family who always began hisspeeches with the remark that he was not a speaker but a "doer, " andended by saying, "I must now do as the lady of Coventry should havedone, and make for my 'close'". 

The Regimental M. O. 's are too lenient--that is my experience at anyrate--and send too many away to the base hospitals, and to-day Hoskinand I returned ten of their cases to their lines, which we have thepower to do. Probably 150 a day are leaving Suvla alone on sick leave, many with mere trifles, and a large number through sheer funk--Iapprove of getting rid of these, they are worse than useless, theycause panic very often. Last night we had two cases of acute insanityfrom this cause, both boys of nineteen, and to-day I sent off one ofseventeen with the same trouble. 

_September 28th. _--Last night about 7 a furious attack was made by theTurks which lasted half an hour. A gun behind Sari Bair, which hasbothered us before, threw about twenty shells round our base, theirobjective being either the road in front of us, or the ships behind. Pieces were flying about in all directions. This was followed by aquiet night, only one shell going over us and out to sea aboutmidnight. 

8. 15 p. M. --I have come out to our dressing station for the night, andam in a newly made dug-out, which has been deepened and heightened bymyself since I arrived here three hours ago. Its back towards theenemy is 7 feet high, dug into a bank, with a high parapet of earthand a stone lined face. (It is never advisable to build with stone, ashell landing among stones can do a great deal of damage. In this caseI could not do otherwise, sand bags were very scarce by this time, andit was with great difficulty we got any from the R. E. 's for theprotection of our patients. A little after this date these stones ofmine were sent flying. ) It is of course open to the heavens where thestars are unusually bright to-night. It promises to be a warm night, the wind being S. W. , very unlike what we have had of late when thewinds were from the north and keen by night. Just as it was gettingdark--before 7--I watched an aeroplane, evidently in difficulties fromits low flight and with its engine knocking badly. It descended on awide dusty road behind our base, when I expected the Turks to openfire on it, as they once did on a similar occasion at Helles, but theyhave left it in peace. 

General Percival, our Brigadier, paid us a visit here a couple ofhours ago, and I tried to get the date of our next stunt from him butfailed. I admired his caution--if he knew. He tells me a specialtelegram came from Kitchener to-day announcing the capture of 23, 000Germans in France, and forty guns, and more coming in all the time. 

One can do little here after dark--and so to bed. Between mother earthand myself is a ground sheet, near my feet my pick and spade, handy ifI should feel cold and wish to do some digging during the night, as Imay do when the moon rises about ten; beside me a miserable candlelamp and my revolver, and after getting into my heavy overcoat, withmy pack for a pillow, hard though it is with mess-tin, jug and othersuch like material inside, and a blanket over my feet, I hope to get afew hours' sleep. 

_October 1st. _--During the last few days I have been very busy at ourdressing station preparing for the big attack which we know is nearand to be on a big scale. We are told that next time we must pushthrough and seize the Turkish lines of communication. We did someheavy work, and as I had been the Engineer of the alterations andearth works I felt responsible and was more on the spot than I wouldhave been otherwise. I thoroughly enjoyed it all the same, and all thewhile did my full share of navvy work. We had large numbers of sickand wounded to see to at the same time, Hoskin and I seeing about 100a day between us. I was roused one night to see a case of snake bite, the first I had seen or heard of out here--and I had my doubts aboutthis case, although the man declared he had none. 

We had orders the other day to change our base to a site well up theside of Hizlar Dagh, well back towards Divisional H. Q. Where we shouldbe fairly safe from gun fire, although in full view of the Turk, butwe now have faith in his respect of the Red Cross. The winter rainsare probably not far distant now, and here there should be no dangerof being washed away. I am there now, our men having pitched two tentsyesterday as an experiment to see if the Turks would leave them alone. Stott and I came up to it last night after dark. Everything is verysimple--so much so that we had to forage to get some food. In my packI luckily had a tin of café-au-lait and one of us had a mug so westirred up a spoonful in cold water and both pronounced it remarkablygood--as everything is when you are almost dying of hunger and thirst. Stott, a famous raconteur, contributed to our amusement withdrawing-room stories till 11 o'clock when both fell asleep. 

This morning I wandered out of our tent about 6. 30 to find a verythick mist, the first time we had seen a trace of this. The tents weresoaked and the ropes as tight as fiddle strings. 

We had been here about ten minutes last night when a rifle shot wentoff behind some bushes beside us, followed by howls from some one inagony. A soldier lay on his back with his rifle beside him, his leftfoot merely held on by his puttee. We learned that at the end of thewar he had to undergo some years of penal servitude for some offence, and his comrades, I see, are convinced that this was an intentionallyinflicted wound. I have never before seen a man shoot off more than afinger or toe, carrying off a foot shows that the man has plenty ofpluck of a sort. 

_October 2nd. _--A terrifically hot day. 

Everything seems to be upset to-day. We have been slaving andpreparing for a big stunt, and now it is said that no such thing is incontemplation. In my opinion this change of plan is due to theposition Bulgaria has definitely taken, or seems certainly about totake, in the present troublous times. 

For some strange reason she has taken the side of Germany and Turkey. We must reserve our strength, according to a statement made by SirEdward Grey in the House of Commons, as we have promised to assistServia with troops should this eventuality come about. We half expectsome of us will be withdrawn from here and landed in Greece orwherever it is most suitable for a march on the Bulgars. Many of uswould go right gladly, the monotony of living all these months on asmall patch of ground gets more irksome as time goes on. 

I am now at the dressing station, having come out for twenty-fourhours' duty. We have a collecting station, where we keep a fewstretcher squads, half a mile in front of this, and this is to bewithdrawn to a site near our old station in Azmak Dere, but slightlyfurther forward, between the Green Pool (a filthy hole full of frogsand tortoises) and the end of a communication trench. I had to inspectthe situation this evening, and marked off the boundaries, andto-morrow our men start to dig themselves in. The position is veryexposed and I reported that I did not like it. Three artilleryofficers who passed said they were to plant a battery a few yards infront of us, and they thought the place anything but safe. However, the spot was chosen by General de Lisle and there is no getting awayfrom it. 

_October 3rd. _--Dressing station. I was up to-day at 6. 30 and at onceset to work with pick and spade, not stopping till breakfast wasannounced at 8, when Morice, the cook, brought me three huge slicesof bread, two chunks of very fat bacon, and a mug of black dixie teathat had boiled for a full hour, all on such a lavish scale that atordinary times they would have taken away my appetite; but not soto-day, I devoured the lot and never enjoyed a breakfast more in allmy life. I next had a large Sick Parade drawn from twelve units, andreturned to their duties several who were on their way to the C. C. S. With very trifling ailments. This will put up the backs of theRegimental M. O. 's, but in such serious times, with our numbers gettingmore depleted every day, manners must not be considered. I mentionedthis subject to the A. D. M. S. To-day, and he backs me up and is to seewhat can be done to check this wastage. 

Padre Mayne held a short service under the tarpaulin-covered space wereserve for patients, his congregation being twelve poor beggars onstretchers waiting to be sent down, and about twice that number ofsick walking cases. The wounded tried to cheer up and suppress theirgroans, but these occasionally got the better of them. Then I returnedto my spade and worked till 12. 30. 

I returned to our new base for lunch and am now sitting on the edge ofa dug-out in the setting sun, which has annoyed us all day. It is amost glorious evening, not a breath of wind, and deep down below methe Aegean glistens without a ripple; all is at peace, except the bigguns, and they are very busy, the ships having fired incessantly forthe last two or three hours at the Sari Bair ridge. The Anzac guns arealso very active. But the Turks are at present lying low and notmaking a single reply. 

I was explaining the position of our collecting station to theA. D. M. S. To-day, telling him about the proposed battery in front ofus, and the preparations to build a bridge over the gully just besideus. He had not heard of either of these, and he now thinks our sitewill have to be given up for one further back. To-morrow the C. O. AndI go over to inspect the ground on this side and report. 

Our magnificent dressing station, over which I have taken no end oftrouble, is to be given over to the 88th F. A. Their Colonel jokinglythanked me for all we have done preparing for him--we give it up withregret. 

_October 4th. _--The day opened with a violent bombardment about Anzacand the adjoining end of Sari Bair, this spreading gradually along theridge to our right centre. The C. O. And I should have started for thecentre of the line after breakfast but this journey had to bepostponed till eleven, when there was again quietness, and beforelunch we surveyed the ground already occupied by our men in digging, and other probable sites behind that in case we should have to retirefurther back. The position we do not consider good, but we can findnothing more suitable, and we examined the ground all the way back toHill 10. The work must therefore go on as arranged. We passed AzmakDere, the warm spot we held so long, and Col. Fraser had a look at itfor the first time. 

Col. Riley, D. D. M. S. , to-day says we are to retain our presentdressing station, and being Divisional and not Brigade troops, it doesnot matter which Brigade we serve. Still we hope in our presentposition to be able to attend the sick and wounded of our 86thBrigade, and are willing to take all others who come our way. The 86thhave moved from our extreme left--where we are--to our right centre, hence the re-arrangement of Ambulances. 

_October 8th. _--Daily writing of these notes gets monotonous as thereis nothing much doing. Artillery duels are constant, and during thelast few days the naval guns have fired more than usual. Occasionallya Taube flies over us and drops bombs, but such things are now notworth noting. 

Four new officers joined us yesterday--Captain McLean, LieutenantsRussell, Campbell, and Hodgkinson, and to-day Lieutenant Fyfe, so thatwe now have ten medical men in our unit, or one over strength. Fortymedicos landed at Suvla yesterday, fifteen at Anzac, and fifteen atHelles, and more are landing to-day. More than enough surely, but allunits must be very short. 

The Turks used poison gas to-day for the first time. Tomlinson of theLancs. , who told me his experience, says it made him feel sick and hiseyes smarted, but his respiration was not affected. One or two menwere overcome by it but none fatally. Curiously the evening before allour naval and field guns were bombarding Jeffson's Post, the frontline of the Turks on Hizlar Dagh, and on climbing to the top of thehill behind our camp to see what was doing the smell of chlorine waswell marked, although I was nearly a mile from the above place. Theshells were bursting well over the Turks who had to fly into the openwhere our machine-guns got them. (The smell of chlorine probably camefrom chloride of lime somewhere near, this being much used as adisinfectant. )

_October 11th. _--The statement that the Turks used gas the other daynow turns out to be false, it was ordinary lydite the Lancs. Mistookfor one of the new fangled German devices. My apologies to the Turks. 

Yesterday we had a visit from General Sir Julian Byng, our Army CorpsCommander (formerly in the 8th Army, we are now in the 9th). Heroughly inspected our camp, and the C. O. Being in undress and unshavedI had to take the party round. Sir Julian was complimenting the Turkson their straight fighting. 

_October 13th. _--A day of intense cold after a still colder night. Last night while we were at dinner a terrific rain came on suddenly, and when I got over to my tent it was to find my bed soaked through, as was almost everything I possessed. 

To-day we had a lecture on the hillside by Sir Victor Horsley onsurgical wounds in warfare, mainly of the head. A very good lecture itwas. 

This afternoon one of our aeroplanes came down in the Salt Lake. Itwas well shelled and must be useless for the present. The two aviatorswere seen leaving it amidst a storm of shrapnel, one evidently gettinghit, he was seen applying something white round his leg. 

This is one of the great routes for the migration of birds. Yesterdayand several times to-day I saw flocks of geese flying over our headsand steering south, likely on their way to the Nile and great Africanlakes. During last night they kept up a constant cackle as they flewover us. 

_October 14th. _--Geese in large flocks are crossing to-day, mostly inV formation of twenty-five to thirty. A good many are in two V's andsome of the largest flocks must number about 500. Many thousands musthave crossed before 11 a. M. When they suddenly came to an end. 

A shrapnel shell struck the back of my dug-out at the dressing stationtwo nights ago, blowing all the walls down. Two of our new officerswere in it at the time, one being rather badly hit on the head by aflying stone. He is besides badly shaken and has had to go to ahospital ship. The other was blown right into the trench in front, gotwell shaken up and had a hand cut, but he looks on it all as a bit ofa joke. 

_October 15th. _--I have been off colour for some little time, and Iquestion if I'll be able to carry on much longer. Of the ten officerswe had the other day only three are quite fit, and most of them landedbut a few days ago. 

_October 16th. _--This morning, about 4 o'clock, the orthodox hour forattacking being one hour before dawn, a furious gunfire opened on SariBair, which I got out of bed to watch. Many shells were burstingsimultaneously all along the ridge and down this side of the hill. Itis hard to say whether the Turks or the Australians were theassailants, but I noticed in the forenoon the Turks were shelling aspot near the bottom of a gully which crosses Sari Bair, and which afew days ago was in their own hands. All forenoon a most interestingshelling went on in these hills and foot hills, but after watching itcarefully I cannot satisfy myself that there is any material change ofposition. The Turks and ourselves have fired many thousand shellsto-day, and the Turks have kept the end of Sari Bair held by theAustralians enveloped in a continuous smoke. 

About three days ago the Turks had placed a new gun of large calibrein the line of Hizlar Dagh, and its huge shells come screeching overour heads on their way to Little West Beach at all hours of the dayand night. Its first day's bag I hear was forty-one, and its secondeighteen. This is the busiest landing place we have, men in largenumbers embarking and disembarking all night long. 

A Turkish aeroplane crossed over our camp about 10. 30 a. M. Flying solow that, when I heard it in my tent, I said to myself only one of ourown machines could fly at that height. It must actually have goneright over an anti-aircraft gun on the top of Hizlar Dagh, almostimmediately behind us, and before this fired a shot it was allowed togo nearly a mile. Then it opened fire and shells went after it inquick succession, but every shot burst, as is almost invariably thecase, hundreds of yards behind it. The machine glided gaily along pastthe point of the bay, straight over the British lines to Sari Bair, rifle shots being fired in a regular fusillade. It turned, perhapsthree miles from here, went to its right, came straight over thewarships in the bay towards us, all the time flying at the same lowelevation. It then went to the east right over our centre lines whereall our infantry opened on it, but it never veered from its straightcourse. I was watching all this with an officer of the LondonTerritorial Fusiliers, and asked if he thought there could have been20, 000 rounds fired, and after thinking a little he said there musthave been twice that number. At least fifty shells also went after it. I hope the aviator got a V. C. Or its equivalent on his return to hisown lines. Our shell fire was atrocious; I felt so thoroughly ashamedof it that I hoped the Turks were not watching the puffs of smoke asthe shells burst a good quarter of a mile behind their mark. When themachine came within range again on its return journey theanti-aircraft gun opened fire on it again and did no better than atfirst, but at the very end there was a distinct improvement. I can'tthink how all these shots at such a short range could have missed avital spot. The man's sailing over us a second time was the coolestact I have ever witnessed, and I would have been sorry to see himdrop. 

As McLean was coming in from the dressing station after dark lastnight two bodies of troops passed each other, a sergeant of oneshouted to a ditto of the other, "Are you the West Ridings?" "No, " wasthe reply, "we are only the bloody Monmouths walking. "

Lt-Col. Fraser, our C. O. , who has been ailing for some time, left forhospital to-day. This leaves me as C. O. Of the Ambulance, Dickie and Ibeing the only officers remaining of the original ten. 

Up to the present time our losses are six killed (including oneofficer), two died of disease, and either twenty-four or twenty-fivewounded (including two officers). (This is an under-estimate. )Sickness has also been excessive, and we cannot have more than a thirdof our original men. We have had four drafts, mostly Englishmen. 

_October 19th. _--Walked to our new dressing station this forenoon andexamined "well thirty, " this being by order of the S. C. Of theEngineers of our Brigade. I was presented with a bottle of water thickwith blue mud. Being intensely thirsty I adopted the only testavailable and drank it off, and promised to report if it had any badeffects. 

In the evening another draft of thirty men reached us, this time fromSwansea. Every man is turning up his nose at the thought of a Welshdetachment. 

Had a long interview on many subjects with the A. D. M. S. (Lt-Col. J. G. Bell). 

A large flock of geese crossed this morning, but I have seen none forthe last day or two. 

_October 21st. _--Preparations were made to meet a Turkish attackyesterday, which was some great feast or fast day with them; however, it did not come off. Dickie thinks such exertion on either a feast orfast day would have been a mistake. Then at night when there was afull moon we half expected this attack, and an Engineer officer atpresent at H. Q. , who called to see me yesterday, said he was always tokeep his boots on at night after this, as he said he had no faith inthe troops we now have in our front line being able to check any sortof attack. 

Another of our heroes, Nightingale of the Munsters, left for homeyesterday in bad health, but greatly against his will. He pleaded tobe allowed to go back to the trenches, but we were partly influencedby a letter from his C. O. , who requested that we should give him arest as he had been on the peninsula since the landing. Almost withoutexception those who get a chance to go home go with the greatestpleasure, and it is refreshing to come across one who is really notsuffering from "cold feet". All are more or less ill I admit. 

_October 24th. _--A particularly cold, wet and rough day. According toan article which appeared in the "Westminster Gazette, " and wasreprinted in our local "War Office Telegram, " there is always a coldrough snap from October 20 to October 25. The first date was correct, and I trust the latter, which is to-morrow, will be as accurate, forwe are miserable. Geese are crossing in very large numbers to-day. 

The thirty Welshmen who were attached to us were exchanged for anequal number of the 4/1 Highland F. A. From Aberdeen. Our men had takento the Welshmen and were sorry to part with them, especially as theywere doing excellent work. 

_October 25th. _--The above weather forecast was wonderfully accurate, the cold snap ran from the 19th to 24th. Yesterday opened rough, wetand cold, but later in the day the wind fell to an absolute calm andthe temperature rose. To-day is ideal, not a breath of wind, a fewfleecy clouds, and delightfully warm. Geese are flying south inthousands. Where do they all come from?--the lakes of Norway andSweden, Finland and Northern Russia, or where? Their destination is nodoubt that delectable country for the winter, Africa. Yesterday theA. D. M. S. Thought I required a change and recommended me to go therealso, but I refused absolutely. I prefer the hardships of Suvla and itmay be the Balkans, to a life of ease and comfort in the hospitals ofAlexandria. Had things not looked so bad here I might have acceptedsuch an offer, but now that the outlook is as bad as could be, and thedanger to ourselves gradually thickens, it is out of the question. Mackensen is said to be in Servia and pushing south rapidly. He has anarmy of 216, 000, while the Servians can oppose them with only 80, 000or 90, 000. French and British troops have been rushed north fromSalonika, and we are in contact with the Bulgars, if not theAustro-Germans. All here expect to be ordered to the Balkans any day;at Suvla we are now being wasted, all we can do is to hold up theTurks which is not good enough. 

_October 26th. _--We hear to-day that the "Marquette" which brought usfrom Avonmouth to Alexandria was torpedoed two days ago, on her way toSalonika. About 1000 troops were on board, and 600 are said to havebeen lost, including thirty nurses. The "Marquette" sent out theS. O. S. Signal, but the submarine came to the surface and signalled, "No assistance is required". 

_October 28th. _--Nothing much doing except artillery fire. Accordingto evidence given by the Turkish prisoners our artillery fire doeslittle harm, they are so well dug in, one Battalion putting its dailycasualties at six. Yesterday about mid-day every Turkish gun openedfire on our trenches from the extreme right to the extreme left andalong Anzac, and all at the self same moment. We wondered what itmeant and whether it was preliminary to a wild assault all along ourlines, which was to drive us into the sea; one would have expectedsomething extraordinary to follow, but in less than fifteen minutes itwas all over. No doubt they caught many of our men in the open, sitting smoking on their parapets and such like, and 100 or 200 mayhave been knocked out. We are continually being caught napping, andone shell often lands in the middle of an unsuspecting group and playsterrible havoc. 

I see in G. R. O. (General Routine Orders) that General Sir C. C. Munrotakes over command of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force fromyesterday's date. 

_November 2nd. _--The weather on the whole gets colder and morebracing, sometimes too much so, but by day it is occasionallyuncomfortably warm. The Turks and ourselves keep shelling each otheras of old. 

I am now feeling so very much off colour that I know I ought to gohome, but I am unable to tear myself away from Suvla in case I shouldmiss the chance of going to the Balkans. Still, I am afraid I will beleft behind if our Ambulance was to go. During the summer I had twomonths of dysentery. Since then I have never felt quite fit although Ihave carried on the whole time, and for the last three weeks I havehad an attack of jaundice, of which there has been a very widespreadepidemic. (This epidemic was afterwards proved to be Paratyphoid. )

_November 7th. _--For some days the weather has been perfect, brightand warm as midsummer, and the nights cool without being cold, butwith dews heavy enough to drench the tents. 

To-day we had the most deliberate shelling the Turks ever gave the RedCross. So far they have shown us more or less respect, in fact no onecould find fault hitherto; when shells came among us, there was alwayssome excuse for it. To-day I think they must have been retaliating forsome mischief our guns had unintentionally done to their Crescent. The88th F. A. Is encamped alongside us, and six big high explosive shellsfell among the two of us, costing each of us a tent, but strange tosay no other casualty occurred. All, including about sixty sick, madefor our two big trenches which we made some time ago in case anythingof this sort should happen. 

_November 8th. _--A Medical Board was summoned for this morning for theexamination of a well-known rascal, and being one of its members I hadan opportunity of a talk with the President, our A. D. M. S. , ColonelBell. I represented to him that I had long felt I would be compelledto leave the peninsula, although much against my will, but after threemonths' illness my strength had got so undermined that I could standit no longer. I took no care of myself, otherwise I might have feltbetter now, but since I landed on April 25, I have not been a day offduty. As Colonel Bell remarked, I should have left Suvla long ago. Iam now writing on a hospital ship, trying to feel that I have done mybit. 

Dickie, who also goes on sick leave, and I decided to go forthwith, sowe packed up all our belongings. We boarded a lighter at the C. C. S. And came out to the hospital ship "Rewa". The evening as we came outwas beautifully still, with a little haze hanging about the foothills, chilly, and we were glad to put on our overcoats. I feltdepressed at being forced to leave, and cowardly when I thought ofthose left behind; still on gazing around I felt astonished I had beenable "to stick it" so long. The monotony lately has been very trying;living on a small piece of ground with the enemy in front and the seabehind, and no progress being made, could have been nothing else. 

_November 9th. _--Went to bed early last night and had a. Talk withMajor Turner of the 53rd C. C. S. Who was in bed alongside. Talkingabout our being shelled on Sunday he said his hospital was twiceshelled, getting three shells each time, and they were informed, withapologies, by the Turks that they were retaliating. On one occasionone of our naval shells landed in the middle of a Turkish Ambulance. This confirms my theory that our shelling was an act of retaliationfor something or other. Although the door and port-holes were openlast night I was greatly oppressed by the closeness of the atmosphere, due to my revelling in the open air for many months. 

_November 10th. _--We lay at anchor outside the boom of Suvla Bay tillmid-day to-day, when we had got on board nearly 500 sick and wounded, and we set sail for Lemnos. Our boat is so coated with barnacles thather speed is reduced from 18 to 12 knots. Two monitors were firing atAchi Baba as we came opposite it. Each had two guns and the four werefired together. We passed close to one which gave a magnificent roar, the like of which I am not likely to hear again for many a day. 

The sick officers occupy one table in the saloon, the Staff eating ata separate table. The latter a well-fed, happy lot, the others yellowand jaundiced, and looking very weary. 

_November 11th. _--We reached Lemnos yesterday at 6 p. M. And anchoredin the outer harbour with four other hospital ships and manytransports. Our boat has orders to proceed to Alexandria and we areagain on the move, leaving at 9 a. M. To-day. 

_November 13th. _--We reached Alexandria at 11 a. M. Taking fifty hoursfrom Lemnos. On the pier at which we drew up stood a train refulgentin stars and crescents. This was soon filled, and passed off, into theunknown--likely Cairo. 

Next, how was I to get a wire off? Quite easy, said some one. You seethat lady along there with the green umbrella, that is Lady C---- whomeets all boats and looks after such things. Lady C. Soon gets off abale on which she has been sitting, and stalks slowly down our way, gets a bundle of what turns out to be telegram forms and awaits thehoisting of the gangway, a great lumbering affair which it takes anarmy of multi-coloured Egyptians to shove along on its wheels. Thenthey swing it round, amidst great shouting in chorus, and nearly catchher ladyship's shins in so doing, but she is wide awake, jumps back, digs the hand that is not holding the green umbrella into her waist, her head jerks a little, and I can imagine she is consigning all theseEgyptians to a certain place. She comes on board where all are verydeferential, and she is asked to lunch with us but declines. 

_November 14th. _--Ras-el-Tin Military Hospital. Towards eveningseveral officers were brought to this hospital yesterday. We enjoyedour ride through the streets, all gay with the brilliant colours ofthe East. At last we entered a big gateway and landed in an exquisitegarden. At the distant end of this is a tall lighthouse, the hospitalbeing at the very point of a long promontory on the east side of theharbour entrance. The garden is full of palms and flowers of the mostbrilliant hues. 

A medical fellow came round and gave me an overhaul this morning. Hetells me my heart is dilated--hence my severe breathlessness. I wastold I must go to England, but need not expect to get away for afortnight or so. The hospital is very airy but uncomfortably warm. 

_November 18th. _--I am already feeling much better. I have a wonderfulappetite and am thoroughly enjoying the good things set before me. Myweight is now 10 stones 1 lb. , and I must have gained at least 2 or 3lbs. Since I left the peninsula. I am still over 2 stones under myusual weight. I took a walk half-way up the promontory to theKhedivial Palace where I hoped to walk through the gardens. I had seenin the papers that the Sultan was up the Nile, but the two EgyptianN. C. O. 's at the gate refused to admit me, one saying, "de Sultan is inAlexandria". "Nonsense, " I said, "he is up the Nile. " "No, no, no, "said the black, "de Sultan is here, " pointing over his shoulder to thepalace. 

_November 19th. _--At mid-day I was ordered to pack up as I was tostart for home. At the docks I was put on board the "Rewa" where theofficers and nurses greeted me as an old friend. I learned that ourdestination was back to Lemnos, where I would be trans-shipped to the"Aquitania" which is booked to sail on the 22nd. 

We sailed in the afternoon. The sea is rough, spray splashing all overthe ship, the windows of the music room have to be kept shut, and itis hot and stifling--and I melt. 

_November 21st. _--We reached Lemnos to-day after a run of forty-fivehours from Egypt, a distance of 580 miles. The object of the "Rewa's"trip to Alexandria was to get drydocked and have her hull scraped. Wecould have done the trip in a few hours less than we actually took, but all last night and to-day we have had a furious gale in our teeth, which made us drop 4-1/2 knots per hour. The decks have been swept bythe waves all day, and the awnings blown down more than once. We nowlie in the outer harbour, while the four great funnels of our nextboat can be seen towering over the hills that form the south side ofthe inner harbour. The cold is intense. 

_November 22nd. _--We spent the night at anchor outside the boom. Theycommenced to raise the anchor at daylight, but were stopped by signal, so that now at 10 a. M. We lie here waiting orders. The cold to-day isterrific. The wind is probably stronger than ever and goes whistlingthrough the rigging. Our latest orders are to lie here till the galemoderates. 

3 p. M. --During the forenoon the "Olympic" passed close to us as sheentered the harbour, and is now anchored near the "Aquitania". 

_November 23rd. _--We raised anchor about 7 and moved straight out tosea for 2 or 3 miles when we thought we were to go home on the "Rewa, "which had been spoken about as possible, but it turned out we had onlygone out to bury a man who died last night. We turned and were soonmanoeuvring to get alongside the "Aquitania, " but after very nearlygiving her a bad bump we had to sheer off, and we have again anchoredand wait for that tantalising wind to moderate. 

In the afternoon we made another attempt to get on board the"Aquitania" and again failed. 

_November 24th. _--After two hours fiddling about we managed to attachour fore and aft hawsers to the "Aquitania, " and after breakfast wewent on board our new home. This magnificent boat had 2300 patientslast night and expects 2000 more to complete her load. She has a crewof 1000, thirty-six medical men and a large number of nurses. The"Aquitania" was at first a troopship and mounted four 6-inch guns, andhas carried 7000 troops at a time, besides her crew. The distance fromLemnos to Southampton is 3080 miles, and with her proper coal, amixture of Welsh and Newcastle, she has covered that distance in 4days 18 hours. But for coal she has to rely mainly on the inferiorstuff she picks up at Naples. 

The fittings in the wheel house are most ingenious. For example, should fire break out the captain has only to open a cupboard whichtells him where it is, and by touching a button he can flood any oneof the six watertight compartments. A fan works automatically in thiscupboard every five minutes, and if there is smoke in any compartmentit is sucked up its corresponding tube. There are thirty-eightelectric clocks on the ship, and as the time has to be changedcontinually as we go east or west, by moving the hands of a clock inthe wheelhouse the hands of the thirty-eight move in unison. 

We hear Greece has been presented with an ultimatum demanding her tocome into the war on our side, otherwise to demobilise within twodays. Another story says she has already joined the other side, andthat our fleets have been engaged. 

_November 26th. _--The Germans are at present accusing us of carryingtroops and ammunition on our hospital ships, an excuse given out tothe world for sinking the first good prize of the sort they comeacross. Of the sixty-four hospital ships we are said to possess the"Aquitania" would make the most desirable capture, and our mostdangerous spot is the Aegean, from behind any of whose numerousislands a submarine lying in wait may dart out. 

We are now approaching Sicily on our way to Naples. We cannot gothrough the Straits of Messina after dark, and our quickest andcheapest way is to anchor for the night, but the danger of attackprevents this and we have to go right round the island. We are doingabout 20 knots against a stiff head wind. When pushed beyond this theconsumption of coal is out of all proportion to the increase of speed, and being in no hurry they prefer to stick to what is called hereconomical speed. 

_November 27th. _--I have been talking to an officer in thesmoking-room who, like myself, was waiting for the library to open. Hewished to hand in "The Life of Oliver Goldsmith, " by WashingtonIrving. He says he is descended through his mother from Goldsmith, andhe had taken out this book to find where Irving put his birthplace. "At Pallas, " as he expected, "they all do so; even Johnson, who wrotehis epitaph, made the same mistake. " Goldsmith's father was rector ofPallas, and his wife had gone home to her parents at Elphin, inRoscommon, and it was here this great writer was born. 

Naples Harbour. We arrived at this historic place at 6. 15 p. M. Webegan to get in among the islands of the Bay between 4 and 5, butdaylight soon began to fade and we did not get a good view of oursurroundings. The first land we approached was Capri on our left, anisland famed for its wines. On the other side was a small island, little more than a huge volcanic rock, with the gleaming white housesof a small town half-way to the summit. We could see Naples away atthe top of the Bay, large houses all the way up the high rugged hillson which the town is built in the shape of a horseshoe. Behind thehouses on the sea front rises mighty Vesuvius, her highest peakcovered with snow, and belching out volumes of smoke which roll downthe side of the hill and stretch out to sea in one big dense cloud. The whole town is most brilliantly lit, the glare of street lampsbeing a relief after Gallipoli. 

We had some mild amusement to-day. These submarines are still a terrorto those in charge of the ship. All the invalid Tommies are in hospitaldress, trousers and jacket of light grey, and a brilliant red cottonhandkerchief round the neck. All officers who wished to go on deck wereordered to wear this dress on account of the German publication that wecarried troops, and if spies saw a lot of officers in uniform--andwe'll have spies among the coal-heavers--there might be some faintreason for their pretended suspicions. After tea we donned our newgarb, and about twenty of us collected on the wheelhouse deck. Out camea sailor who shouted, "No one but officers allowed here, away you go". Then in a few minutes out came another, "Now you privates, clear out ofthis; this is only meant for officers". The disguise was apparentlycomplete, and the two poor sailors were the only ones who did not enjoythe joke. Our service caps were also forbidden, and we had all sorts ofheadgear. I had a long scarf wipped round my head in turban fashion andwas said to be the worst looking ruffian of the lot. 

It was bitterly cold on deck, and about 2 p. M. We had had a shower ofhail. The hills beyond Naples are covered with snow. 

_November 28th. _--On looking over the rail on my way to breakfast Ifound we were coaling at the hardest on both sides of the ship, barefooted coal-heavers, all at the gallop, carrying their baskets ofcoal from the barges and tilting them into shoots down among the lowerdecks. Bum boats, not unlike those of Malta, swarmed about theharbour, loaded with merchandise, such as oranges, tobacco, picturepost cards, and beautifully finished models of mandolines and guitars, the vendors yelling at the pitch of their voices. Their transactionswere carried on away down on E. Deck, and even at that low level abamboo rod twice the length of a fishing rod, with a bag at the end, had to be hoisted to reach their customers. You bawled out your order, put your money in the bag, and your goods appeared in a minute or two. 

Another of our leviathans came in this morning to coal, the"Mauretania, " a Cunarder like ourselves. She is a big boat but isdwarfed by the "Aquitania". I notice her bridge is on the 7th storey, ours is on the 9th. 

The air is sharp but it is bright and sunny. Vesuvius and themagnificent city of Naples stand out clear in all their glory, andaway to the north one gets a good view of the lofty Apennines, allwith their peaks covered with snow, and over these the wind blows icycold. 

6 p. M. --We were allowed to tramp the boat deck in our hospital garbuntil mid-day when the O. C. The ship took it into his head to have usremoved below. Now that it is dark we are allowed up again, and one istempted, in spite of the cold, to remain there and admire the citywhich is a beautiful sight even at night. Vesuvius is in one of herquiet moods and gives out no glow from her crater. On the top of thehill behind the city is the Castle which reminds one of Edinburgh, andto the left of it towers Bartalini's hotel with its numerous storeys, a place where, an officer tells me, "you can get a hell of a goodlunch, but you have to pay for it". There are trees everywhere amongthe houses. Many with tall, branchless stems and a spreading top, evidently of the fir family. Lombardy poplars and tall dark cypressesare everywhere. 

Between us and this old Castle, at the water's edge, stands a loftystronghold, black and forbidding, and I believe many atrocities wereperpetrated here in the days of Garibaldi. Its high castellatedbattlements look as if they had a history. 

We finished coaling about 3 p. M. And expected to get off at once, butno, the ship had snapped one of her cables and we could not sail untilthe 20 ton anchor and 50 fathoms of chain were fished up, andapparently this had not been done before dark, and we must now liehere till to-morrow. The harbour has a rocky bottom, and if an anchorcatches behind a rock such an accident is apt to occur from a suddenjerk, and this is the second time it has happened to our boat in thisself-same place. 

_November 29th. _--Our whistle began its terrific row at 4. 30 thismorning. Its blasts are most unpleasant and seem to affect the stomachmore than the ears. We began to circle round the "Mauretania" about 8, and by 8. 30 we had cleared the breakwaters and were going down theBay, the morning gloriously fine, almost a dead calm, and the housesand rocks sparkling in the sun. The whole forms a magnificent picture. "See Naples and die. " We sailed close in to Ischia and we could seethe terraces where the vines grow, beginning at the top of theperpendicular rocks and ascending the hill-sides like a giant'sstaircase. We pass a big liner flying the French flag, and she dipsher stern flag as a salute. 

At 8. 15 p. M. --We passed Sardinia, but all that was visible was therevolving light of the lighthouse on the south point. There is now astrong gale, and we pitch and roll a good deal. But the wind is softand warm, blowing from the African desert instead of the snowcladApennines. 

_November 30th. _--A beautiful day and warm. 

I have been having a talk with one of our two captains of the ship. Hetells me we have the most powerful wireless installation afloat, except on the big battleships. In Lemnos we can easily pick up thePoldhu messages, although our receiving distance is given as 2000miles only. We can send out messages to a distance of 500 miles, butthe only one allowed just now is the S. O. S. Between Lemnos and Sicilywe received a message saying that submarines were operating all roundSicily, and the Consul of Naples warned the captain of anotherdangerous spot which we are at the present moment approaching. Thisboat was once fired at by a torpedo as she was entering Lemnos, and atthe time was steaming slowly to let the "Mauretania" pass outwards, when another torpedo was fired at that ship, which also missed. 

Our numbers on board are 3873 invalids, and the crew and all otherstaffs at least 1400, or a total of 5273. We have 106 boats, eachcapable of holding from fifty-six to sixty-nine, so that all could beaccommodated in these--if we had time which is never the case in anemergency. 

Noon. --Our wireless news for the day has just been posted up. There isnothing much in it except the news that "Sicily is literally besiegedby German submarines". Germany says she has accomplished her immediateobject in the Balkans, whatever that is, but I understood this was tojoin hands with Turkey which she has not yet done. Austria is said, onthe authority of "The Tribune, " to be asking for a separate peace, andat home, considering the reliability of this paper, they think theremay be some truth in this. 

_December 1st. _--The steward when he brought me tea at 6. 30 thismorning, said "Gib. " was in sight. On looking out I could see rocksbut not "the rock". But it soon appeared and I got hurriedly into myclothes and quickly swallowed breakfast and was on deck with myglasses. Here was the rock close at hand, a brilliant morning, the sunlighting up the side we were nearing, a big mushroom-shaped cloudfloating on and obscuring the summit. This side is bare and black withits acres of concrete rain catchments, the only means of water supply. Last time I saw it it disappointed me, but now we headed straightround its projecting south point towards the harbour and had aglorious view of the razor-backed hill, the point bristling with guns, walls, and forts, and all along the west side buildings in white andochre, with red roofs, all lit up in bright sunshine; plenty of treesabout, palms and others, and green grass which is always a surpriseto me after the barren peninsula. At the northern point of what isquite a large bay lies the harbour full of shipping, its one entranceguarded by a most powerful boom. The view all round is not much behindNaples--the rock with its large and beautiful buildings; across thebridge, connecting the rock with the mainland, the Spanish town; tothe left the snow-white town of Algeciras, famed for its bull fights. Behind all the great towering, rugged mountains of Spain. 

We lost two hours here waiting for orders, but by 10 we had turned ourhead for the Atlantic, and were soon going full steam ahead. The 970miles from Naples we covered in forty-eight hours, at economicalspeed. Our speed and size dwarf everything we come up against. 

Before sunset we passed a small tramp steamer which halted, as we alsodid, and for long signals were carried on between the two of us. Thepassengers were unable to read these, but they must have been veryimportant when a ship like the "Aquitania" came to a dead halt. 

At Gib. We had been told that a rumour had reached England, andappeared in the "Daily Mail, " that the "Aquitania" had been torpedoed. 

_December 2nd. _--The air is soft and balmy, a few drops of rain havefallen, but the lower clouds fly fast as if a breeze was brewing. 

6 p. M. --We have had a stormy afternoon, a driving rain and a 50-milegale as reckoned by the captain. As I came along a passage a cupboarddoor flew open and scores of dishes fell out with a crash. In thewards bottles and tables are flying all over the place. As I wassteadying myself on deck the ship's whistle gave a blast that seemedunending. There was a rush from below to the boat deck, but as therewas a thick haze we decided it was only a fog signal. "Fog signal, "said the captain, "I call it a d----d fool's signal. This boy, "pointing to a very guilty looking little chap, "placed his backagainst the whistle lever, and the d----d fool never noticed he wasraising hell. "

_December 3rd. _--All last night the rolling had been particularly bad, so much so that the ship is pronounced to be much too top-heavy. I hadslept straight on till 5 and did not feel a particularly heavy roll at2 a. M. , which every one is talking about, and which had tumbled a lotof people out of bed. One old sailor says he got a terrible fright, hethought the ship would be unable to right herself from her greatweight, and he fled on deck expecting the worst. 

4. 45 p. M. --A revolving light can be seen through the mist but must bemany miles off. At 3 we had all been warned off the deck as a messagehad been received that we were again in a danger zone. We are now nearour haven, and if that light is from the Needles another hour shouldtake us there. 

_Later. _--We anchored off the Solent as it was getting dark. In time apinnace came alongside, presumably a pilot came on board, so we upanchor and are now moored inside the outer boom. 

_December 4th. _--As soon as it was daylight we began to move, and wentslowly up the Solent in a drizzle and thick mist; ships no end atanchor all the way; past Netley Hospital facing great mud-flats; NewForest stretching away to the left; Cowes in thick haze. When nearingSouthampton four tugs came alongside, two were attached to the bow, the other two on guard crept along with us. At last the docksappeared, we were hauled round by our tugs and went in stern first. The four tugs then arranged themselves along our starboard side, gottheir noses up against the "Aquitania's" ribs and butted her upagainst the quay wall. 

7 p. M. --I expected to get off hours ago. The Military Landing Officersays the best he can do for me is to send me to Glasgow. I know whatGlasgow is like in a drizzle at this time of the year--"coals in theearth and coals in the air, " as some one says. It has rained all day, is foggy and altogether British, unlike anything I have seen for along time. I can understand how our colonials come home and curse ourleaden skies. 

_December 5th. _--Sunday. We left the "Aquitania" at 10 last night, many hundreds being left on the boat for discharge next day. They hadpoured out of the ship by two big gangways the whole day long, straight into the private station of the Cunard Line. In half an hourwe were all in our cots, round came an orderly asking what we wouldhave to drink, tea, cocoa, or oxo? I asked if that was his full list. "Yes, " he said. "No, thank you, I am going to sleep. "

We reached Yorkhill Hospital, Glasgow, this forenoon, and found thetown in 2 inches of snow--real white snow too. 

_December 7th. _--Was examined by a Medical Board at 4. 30 p. M. And justmanaged to catch the 5 o'clock train for Aberdeen. Am now in Perthwhere we have been kept standing for some time. The three men formingmy Board said I had a well-marked heart murmur, and all three solemnlyshook hands with me. Evidently their impression was that I was goinghome to die. They do not know how much I have improved since I leftGallipoli. I feel myself that I'll soon be at the Front again. 

(Feeling ill and almost useless I had intended to ask for sick leavefrom the A. D. M. S. A fortnight before I actually left. ) On going toH. Q. For this purpose I met Col. Bell who said he had intended to lookme up to let me know the result of a conference the previous evening, when it was announced we were to evacuate the peninsula. This was astrict secret, but I had to be told about it so that we might begin atonce to get rid of as much of our equipment as we could spare. Aftersuch an announcement I felt it would be cowardly to miss what allconsidered would be a terrible experience, and the object of my errandwas not mentioned. Such an eventuality was often discussed; we feltthat our remaining there for the winter would be a mistake, and no oneventured to put our losses at less than 50 per cent. Of all our forcesshould it be attempted. 

The preparations for the evacuation had been carried out with theutmost efficiency, so much so that our losses were perfectlymarvellous--six casualties at Suvla, Anzac, and Helles combined. (Suvla and Anzac were evacuated on December 10, 1915, and Helles onJanuary 8, 1916. )

1916. 

_March 2nd. _--On February 21, I received a long telegram from the WarOffice, ordering me to hold myself in readiness to embark for theMediterranean at an early date to join an overseas unit. This orderpleased me, as my last Medical Board threatened to put me down for ahome job, which I told them would not be at all to my liking, and Iwas glad to find they had carried out my wishes and allowed me to goin for General Service once more. 

Then on February 28 I had the order to report myself 10 the MilitaryEmbarkation Officer at Devonport by noon on March 1. After a tiresomejourney of twenty-two hours I reached the docks and was directed onboard the Anchor Liner "Transylvania". Three medical men were down forduty to the troops on board, these numbering over 3000, with Lt. -Col. Humphreys as P. M. O. 

We have some heavy work allotted to us; the order to inoculate all thetroops against cholera, which means two injections for each man, is abig job in itself. Many have never been inoculated against enteric andthese have also to be seen to. 

The "Transylvania" is a big boat of 15, 000 tons. We lie in the bayalthough all has been in readiness for twenty-four hours, and webelieve the delay is due to the fact that there have been severalcasualties in the Channel, within the last few days, from mines thathave floated down from the Dover end, and we are likely to lie heretill the Channel is swept. 

My first thought about our ship was that she was such a big targetthat a torpedo could hardly miss her, and as yesterday was the datethe German threat to sink every armed ship at sight came into force, our danger is no doubt great. (She was afterwards torpedoed in theMediterranean with the loss of 402 lives. ) All are ordered to put onour life belts, and even as we lie here many are going about withthese cumbrous things on, but most are content to carry them undertheir arms. 

A meeting was held yesterday, and crews of two N. C. O. 's and thirteenmen were chosen to man each of our fifty-five boats in case we shouldget holed, while the rest of us have to scramble into the nearest boatthat has not its full complement. 

_March 3rd. _--We still lie in Plymouth Bay. Rumour says two Germancruisers have broken through our cordon and are somewhere on theprowl. This is the latest reason I have heard for our still lyinghere. 

A corporal shot himself this morning, the result of a letter from hissweetheart who dreamt that she saw him badly wounded, with his headswathed in bandages. Stupid fellow, superstition should have told himthat this meant a wedding. He made a clumsy job of it, and a big messin the Orderly Room where it happened. 

2 p. M. --At noon we cast off and in less than an hour had sailedthrough the tortuous waterway and were out in the open sea. We havetwo destroyers ahead and one astern. All are happy at the thought ofbeing on the move, lying in the bay was getting irksome. All have nowtaken to their life belts. As a precaution against a surprise we havea submarine guard of 200 men on duty at a time. These parade the topdeck with their rifles. 

_March 4th. _--Our escort left us last night at 7. Few are thinking ofsubmarines as is proved by two out of every three appearing forbreakfast without their preservers, or war babies as they are oftencalled. 

_March 5th. _--Yesterday afternoon while I was busy inoculating down inD. Deck six short blasts were given by the whistle, denoting danger, when all had to rush to their allotted posts at the boats with lifepreservers on. I guessed it was only practice, which is invariablycarried out the second day a troopship is at sea, and as I had onlyfour more injections to give, and these four men had not heard thesignal, I finished these, detaining my orderly who got as white as aghost. All must have got into their places quickly, all were inperfect order when I reached the Orderly Room, the post of allofficers not in command of boats. An officer tells me that on his lastvoyage an important and very stout Colonel was in his bath when thealarm sounded. He obeyed the order to fly absolutely at once, gettinginto his life belt and taking up his station without another stitchon. 

To-day I was in my cabin when I heard a terrific roar. Thinking atorpedo might have hit us I put my head through the port-hole and sawseveral getting into their belts, so I made for the deck to find ourbig gun was practising on a barrel that had been dropped astern. Suchpractice is usually carried out several times on a trip. 

_March 6th. _--We are nearing Gib. , and as the danger gets worse hereour zig-zagging has increased. It rains hard, with a fairly thick fog, and is altogether disagreeable. The M. O. For the crew had to be lockedup to-day and has a military guard placed over him. He had beenthreatening all about him with a big amputating knife. 

6. 30 p. M. --Just passing "The Rock". It is dark and a brilliantsearchlight has been fixed on us. Once more in the Mediterranean, andI expect I have a long, trying summer to spend somewhere in itsneighbourhood. 

_March 7th. _--Another dirty, wet day. 

_March 8th. _--It still rains and we have a violent gale, and as wezig-zag this at times catches us full on the port side and the shiprolls badly. She creaks from stem to stern. 

We are nearing Malta and are warned to look out for submarines whichare more active here than anywhere. Each of our fifty-five boats is tohave its crew of fifteen posted on deck to-night, and many of theofficers say they are to sleep in their clothes. 

_March 9th. _--The sea has been very rough ever since we entered theMediterranean, and to-day has been the worst. We were opposite Gozo atnoon, then skirted the north of Malta but made no halt. Now we zig-zagso much that we have no idea whether we are bound for Salonika orEgypt. 

_March 10th. _--On the whole we now go south so that Alexandria islikely to be our destination. 

_March 12th. _--When I woke this morning I found we were lying outsideAlexandria. We soon afterwards entered the harbour. 

Hinde (one of our M. O. 's) and I were ordered to report our arrival tothe A. D. M. S. , Arsenal Buildings, and getting into a "garry, " with ourbaggage mountains high, and a dirty native on the top of all, we leftthe docks. Cabby did not know the Arsenal and we took this nativebecause, after infinite jabbering, he declared he knew it. But insteadof taking us about a mile along the quay he landed us in Place MahometAli, miles off. He was a beast this guide, ready to swear he kneweverything, a filthy, thick-lipped pimp who offered his good servicesagain when night came. "Sir will have a fine evening to-day, " hebegan, then detailed all the beauties he was to show us, in spite ofour violently swearing at him and his ancestors for centuries back. After inquiring at half a dozen places we found the office of theA. D. M. S. , and a man, springing forward to assist us out of the garry, hoped I felt quite fit again. This was Dorian, one of our Ambulance, who had been sent here sick, and was acting as orderly to the A. D. M. S. Here we were ordered to report at the Officers' Rest Camp at Mustapha, five miles off. 

We wandered about for a time, asked for the Post Office which wasclosed by this time, being Sunday, then we asked for the telegraphoffice and were directed everywhere but to the right place. Questionan Egyptian he will direct you anywhere, ask him for some place thathas no existence on the face of the earth and he will show you the waywith absolute confidence. 

We got out to Mustapha about 6 and reported ourselves at the office ofthe adjutant of the camp. All details as they arrive go to Mustaphaor Sidi-Bishr. About 200 of us dined together and had a good dinner, most of us washing it down with the beautifully clear water of theNile. 

Mustapha is a typical African camp, planted on sea-sand, but not sobarren as my camp of twelve months ago at Mex. Here we have a goodmany date palms and other trees, and wherever a little irrigation isdone there is a profusion of flowers. 

_March 13th. _--I am directed to report to the O. C. "Camp 2, " to whosecompany I am accordingly attached while here. My duty is to hang abouthis lines and take an interest in what the men are doing up to noon. This is a mere formality so that the authorities might know where tofind us should we be wanted. To-day I came straight away and went to amosque near by, where I was refused admittance unless I removed myboots, which I did not care to do, although I was assured the floorwas most clean. It is usual to supply visitors with slippers bigenough to go over their outdoor boots, but none are kept here. Iwished to borrow a pair from a row on the door step, the owners ofwhich were inside at their devotions. 

A flock of about 300 cranes flew over us an hour ago, all bound forthe north, reversing the course I watched them taking last autumn atSuvla. The morning is intensely warm, and I sit in my tent minus mytunic and with shirt sleeves rolled up. A few days ago I left 6 inchesof snow in Aberdeenshire--and almost as much in Devonshire. 

When I landed yesterday I heard that my old Division the 29th, hadalready started for France, and that the remainder sailed one of thesedays. Those still in Egypt are said to be at Suez, and I must see whatI can do to join them. I am told that once you are cooped up here youmay be forgotten for months. 

_March 14th. _--I reported myself at my company office at 9, inspectedthe kits of a few men, and since then have wandered about like a lostsoul, hot and gasping for breath in the furious heat and glare. Thereis a big house beyond us called Pasteur Villa, tumble down anduninhabited, with a large disordered garden of several acres, with anabundance of palms, cacti, etc. , with high walls on which lizardssport, chasing each other up and down. The bigger ones are nearly afoot in length, with big ugly heads which they twist about in alldirections while their bodies are kept fixed. They keep a guarded eyeon you and allow you to get within a reasonable distance, but if yougo an inch beyond that they are off like greased lightning. They areequally at home on the face of the smooth wall with their headsupwards or downwards, have well-spread out legs and long sharp claws, and whether going up or down are always at the gallop. 

There is a most persistent rumour that the 29th Division sails forMarseilles this week. When strolling about after dinner in the cool ofthe evening I stumbled across an office of the 29th just beside ourcamp. Here I was told that although they had heard this rumour theypersonally believed that it would likely be another week or so beforethey left. Anything rather than be stranded here for several weeksdoing nothing. Several remarked that I would be a lucky beggar not tohave to go to France. I hear most of the troops now in Egypt arelikely to go there, as though Turkey was not expected to give us muchmore trouble. 

_March 15th. _--One of my old Ambulance men, Davidson, recognised me onparade this morning and watched for an opportunity to speak to me. Heis on his way home and left his unit only twelve days ago. He says theAmbulance expected to start for France two days after he left. Lt-Col. Bell, our A. D. M. S. , on Gallipoli, is now in command, and as he is amost able and genial officer I must do my best to join my old unit atSuez should it be still there. (Col. Bell took over command of the89th F. A. A week or two before this date, and was with us till the endof the great Somme push of July. He was a most capable C. O. , strictbut much respected by the men, and under him the Ambulance attained ahigh degree of smartness and discipline such as it had never reachedbefore. )

_March 16th. _--I have spent the afternoon with Hinde at the NuzhaGardens, the Kew of Alexandria. On getting beyond the town we came toa broad, well-made road, bordered on both sides with orange trees, andextending behind these the eternal palm and fig trees. This passedLake Hadra with its swampy edges full of long reeds and rushes, itswaters a dirty green, beloved by noisy frogs, with an abundance ofbird life, among which we saw two king fishers, and several times biglizards darted across the road and mounted trees like squirrels. 

The Gardens are particularly fine, the plants mostly tropical. Inoticed here that the new date crop is already well advanced. Our homebedding plants, such as geranium, verbena, nemesia, were all in fullbloom and the soil and climate seemed to suit them. There was a largerose garden, but the flowers were nearly over for the season, and theblooms were but poor specimens, nor was their method of cultureconducive to the growth of prize flowers; the plants were mostly 3 to5 feet high, thick stemmed, old and branchy. 

_March 17th. _--Still hearing rumours that the 29th goes to France oneof these days. I thought it was about time I was stirring up theauthorities, so I called at the adjutant's office at the Base Depot. He was out, and on asking if there was any one else I could see, anorderly said, "Of course there is the Colonel, " in a tone of voicethat denoted that he would be a bold man who tackled him. However, Idared to face him and found him a most charming man, but he could donothing for me directly, but advised me to go to the H. Q. Of the 3rdEchelon, Hotel Metropole, Alexandria, and ask for Captain B----. Onsuch an introduction I was received there with open arms, a 'phonemessage was sent out to my depot, and I was assured everything wouldbe cut and dry before I could cover the four miles tram ride back tocamp. This I found carried out to the letter, and I am now on thepoint of starting for Port Said to join my old Ambulance. 

Hinde and I spent the afternoon visiting Pompey's Pillar and thecatacombs. At the latter we had to go down and down a long spiralstaircase which ended at two fine pillars, all cut from the solidrock. Most of the larger rooms were family vaults of kings and others, mostly of the Roman period. All the sarcophagi and recesses had beenrifled and the mummies taken to museums, but some still containedlarge quantities of bones. One good specimen of a skull bone I slippedinto my pocket to find on my return to camp that it was reduced towhat resembled coarse oatmeal. 

_March 18th. _--Last night all men belonging to the 29th Division--andthere is a large number here on their way back to their units aftersick leave--were ordered to fall in at 6. 30 p. M. , and from then till10. 30 they were kept at their post. This long delay was merely for thepurpose of preventing their wandering away and getting too much drinkbefore their departure. We were booked to start soon after midnight. We had a heavy train with about 600 on board, mostly in cattle trucks. 

I could see little of the country till dawn when we were passingthrough a most fertile, well-watered region; date palms in thousands;native villages of mud houses, the whole usually surrounded by low mudwalls; hundreds of water wheels driven by oxen, the water drawn from acanal we were skirting. 

We cut across, striking Suez Canal at Kantara. The last 20 miles or sowas by an absolutely straight single track, through a sand desert, without a trace of animal life, and with only scattered clumps offibrous vegetation. On looking forward one could see the sand flyinglike snow drift in front of a gentle breeze. This must continuallyblock the line. The only surfacemen I saw were old fellows in dug-outsabout a mile apart, each with a plentiful supply of great water jars. As we neared the Canal vegetation got rather more plentiful, withbushes resembling clumps of whin in the distance. Then houses, camps, and khaki, strings of camels led by natives in long white robes. Wehad struck the Canal; tramp steamers were passing through, and numbersof native boats were moored to the edges. Along the Canal were armedmen, field guns studded about, and on the other side bigger guns inemplacements. The railway from Kantara to Port Said runs along thewest bank, and within a few yards of the water's edge, and along thisbank trees and shrubs form one continuous thicket. 

We had much shunting on reaching Port Said before we got the trainalongside the docks, amidst the awful shrieking of our most unmusicalengine whistle. The Egyptian is notorious for his love of thisfiendish noise, one blast is never sufficient at any time, but hegives shriek after shriek till you feel inclined to kick him off hisengine. 

We boarded one of the old Gallipoli lighters which were speciallybuilt for the landing, and were delivered three months after thatevent. This took us out to the "Lake Manitoba, " an old tub that couldbarely do ten knots. As we drew up to the ship some one away aloftshouted, "Three cheers for Captain Davidson, " which call was heartilyreplied to, and on looking up I found a lot of our men leaning overthe rail and waving their helmets. I felt at home again on recognisingthis as Sergeant Stewart's voice and seeing "kent faces". On ascendingthe gangway, McLean and Russell gave me a warm reception. These arethe only two officers remaining of the nine I left behind at Suvla inNovember last. Colonel Bell was soon found when I got another heartyhandshake. He had heard of my arrival at Alexandria some days ago, through Colonel Humphreys, P. M. O. Of the "Transylvania, " who, beinghome on ordinary leave, had gone straight to Suez, and he said he hadbeen wondering how he was to get a hold of me. Our new officers aremostly Scotch. The N. C. O. 's and many of the men I have had a talkwith, and I am proud to find they are pleased to have me back amongthem, and I am just as glad to see them; the dangers we have comethrough together will always be a link between us. Sergeant Gilbertsaid the men had given me a ringing cheer at Suez when they heard Iwas in "Alex. ". The men are looking extremely well, totally differentfrom what they were when I left them. They are fat and bronzed, andsay they feel very fit. They have had next to nothing to do since theevacuation in December, since when they have been stationed at Lemnos, Alexandria, and Suez. 

_March 19th. _--We still lie at Port Said. At first the delay was saidto be due to our waiting to have a big gun mounted at our stern, butthis operation was finished in the morning, and now at 2 p. M. There isno sign of our moving. We have at least a dozen ladies and childrenon board, the impedimenta of officers returning from India. 

_March 20th. _--We left last night after dark. The precautions againstattack are very slack on this boat. There is of course a man in thecrow's nest, but the submarine guard practically does not exist, themen pile their arms and wander about as they like. They are certainlyparticular about showing light after dark; by 6 p. M. All port-holesare closed, and every cabin has its iron deadlight down. After 7o'clock dinner all the electric lights in the whole ship are switchedoff, which is quite unnecessary; on the "Transylvania" we got absolutedarkness without such drastic measures. You have to go to bed in thedark, no candles being allowed, the only lights being an oily lamp inthe smoking-room, and one in each long passage. 

We have had a stiff gale most of the day, with waves washing over ourforedeck. Although we pitch badly I was never in a ship that rolled solittle. 

_March 21st. _--A beautiful day with the sea like a mill pond. In themorning a destroyer was seen astern, convoying a large transport. Theyforged along till they came abreast of us where the ship remained, thedestroyer going some distance ahead and keeping there for theafternoon. Towards evening we had five other ships in sight. 

_March 23rd. _--The M. O. Of the ship has just told me as a great secretthat the "Minneapolis" was torpedoed two hours ago, at a spot wecrossed yesterday about 10 p. M. He also says we have had a bad reversein France--another absolute secret, and I had to promise not tobreathe a word before my informant would tell me the news. 

_Later. _--The above news could not be kept secret long, all knew it byafternoon, even the ladies from whom we wished to hide it. 

_March 24th. _--As we approached Malta yesterday afternoon a bigsteamer coming from there wheeled round and returned to port; adestroyer dashed out and passed us at full speed, while we receivedorders not to enter Valetta as had been previously intended, but to goahead at full speed. All this, we discovered by evening, was due toanother transport, name as yet unknown, being torpedoed 60 miles eastof Malta. We had crossed the spot very shortly before and must havehad a narrow escape. 

A great tug-of-war has been in progress for the last two afternoons. Our unit, which is the largest on board, had four teams, two of themmanaging to reach the semifinal rounds when their opponents knockedthem out, but only after a severe effort. 

We hear this morning that a third trooper was "plugged" somewhere inthe course we have covered. If we are bound for Marseilles, which itis taken for granted is our destination, we are not taking the directroute. I am Orderly Officer for the day and having to inspect themen's breakfast I was up early--even earlier than was needful, but Iwas flooded out of bed as soon as scrubbing the decks commenced; halfa bucket of water came through my port-hole during a roll of the ship. On looking out I could see land on our port side, which turned out tobe Cape Bon. At noon we are skirting close in to the African coast. Either we intend to go through Gib. , or we will go straight north toMarseilles, well to the west of Sardinia. Being now a long way west ofMalta we feel that our chances of being torpedoed are perhaps less, but the neighbourhood of the Balearic Islands is considered anythingbut safe. 

_March 25th. _--6. 30 p. M. Darkness is coming down and the captain saysthat if we are not attacked within the next half-hour he will considerus practically safe. The danger of a night attack is almostnegligible. 

The weather gets much colder as we go north. We are about opposite thenorth of Corsica, and a cold wind bears down on us from the Continent. Two small birds have accompanied us the whole day, resting in therigging at times, but spending much time on the wing. I cannot makeout what they are, some say chaffinches, but that is certainly amistake, they are too small. A lark fell on deck in the forenoonutterly exhausted, lying for some time on its breast with wings spreadout. It disappeared among the lifeboats and has not been seen since. Awhale, or probably two, was seen spouting a few hundred yards distant. Some said they saw their backs, but I could not say I was fortunateenough to see more than the jets of water which were repeated severaltimes. Porpoises have been plentiful all the way from Egypt. 

_March 26th. _--Marseilles harbour. I woke at 2 and thought we hadreached our journey's end, but I could feel that the screw was stillrevolving, though slowly. Evidently we were killing time, there is nochance now-a-days of entering a harbour during the hours of darkness. By 6 we were steaming slowly into the fine Bay of Marseilles, highrugged rocks on both sides, in front of us the town with itssurrounding girdle of limestone mountains. 

("The Incomparable 29th" was a name well earned by this famousDivision. The Gallipoli landing could only have been made bywell-seasoned troops. Many and many a time I have heard the Anzacs waxeloquent over their doings. As fighters no troops in the world cansurpass, or perhaps equal, the Anzacs, but they always declared theycould never have done what the 29th did. The red triangle, the badgeof the Division, they had a great love and respect for, and, althoughnot over-fond of saluting, no officer with this on his arm was everallowed to pass without a most deferential salute. 

The casualties of the Division on the peninsula exceeded 600 percent. , having been practically wiped out time after time. I afterwardsserved with them in France and Belgium till early in 1917, when I wentto the Base and remained there till I was demobilised in June, 1919. )

ABERDEEN: THE UNIVERSITY PRESS

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