Suvla: August Offensive: Battleground Gallipoli

[PMHart]

This is the third contribution by Steve Chambers to the Pen & Sword Battleground Gallipoli series, following on from his books on Gully Ravine and the Anzac Landings - and I think it is his best yet. As usual there is a description of the campaign followed by a series of well-designed battlefield tours that guide the visitor around the main sites and points of interest.

For me the greatest enjoyment lies in his historical account of the Suvla landings. Chambers is a 'cool' historian: not because of adherence to any discernable 'fashionable' trend, but because he does not get over-excited in explaining controversial subject matter. Suvla was, and to some extent remains, a contentious battle but - without diffusing the tension - Chambers succeeds in calmly and sensibly determining what was meant to occur, what really happened, what went wrong and why. He charts the hopeless confusion in the planning process, the farcical errors in force generation and the obstinate foolishness that led to Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Stopford - an old man with no active service experience - being placed in command of the IX Corps charged with making the Suvla landings of 6 August 1915. They were meant to seize the heights surrounding Suvla Bay to secure a new viable supply base, after which they were intended to help the simultaneous Anzac offensive on the heights of the Sari Bair Range. Once the operations begin we track the total collapse of command and control that left the battalions, brigades and divisions of IX Corps strewn like confetti around the Suvla Plain, capable only of seizing foothills like Chocolate Hill and Green Hill. The outnumbered Turks fought back hard, punishing the poorly trained British troops and succeeding in holding not only the heights, but also the key foothills. Once the Turkish reinforcements arrived from the Bulair Isthmus it left them holding all the aces. If had been a race then the British were handicapped by a combination of poor military skills, dreadful leadership and inadequate staff work. For the most part they were brave enough; but bravery is not enough against determined enemies. The last great Suvla battle of 21 August was the largest fought at Gallipoli, but also the most pointless as the Turks were by then present in strength. The Suvla adventure was surely doomed long before then.

Throughout the book is chock-a-block with excellent personal experience quotes, some old favourites to be sure, but many of them will be new to most readers. They are skilfully woven into the account, bringing the fighting alive and illustrating the manifold confusions of this truly awful battle. The text is also wonderfully illustrated with photos and clear maps. All told a splendid book that I found invaluable during my recent visit to Gallipoli.

Peter Hart

[Dawson]

Thank you Peter for bringing this book to our attention.

One I shall be buying tomorrow.

I did enjoy the walk I did around Suvla a couple of years ago. Should bring it all back.

I just wish someone would bring out a battleground book on the three battles of Karithia for which I'm very interested in.

Ian.

[Dawson]

Sorry, Krithia. Big fingers and little keyboard!

[Graeme Heavey]

Any info on the 6th Bn Border regiment please? My dads gt uncle fought at Chocolate Hill and was very badly wounded bless him. His medal card states he was discharged wounds in 1916 from the Border Regt depot.

[michaeldr]

Any info on the 6th Bn Border regiment please? My dads gt uncle fought at Chocolate Hill and was very badly wounded bless him. His medal card states he was discharged wounds in 1916 from the Border Regt depot.

Yes: the index to Steve's book indicates eleven pages with mentions of the 6th Borders

In addition, you may wish to down-load a copy of their War Dairy (WO/95/4299) from the National Archives for £3.50

see

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=8199370&queryType=1&resultcount=1&p=true&DOLReturnURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Enationalarchives%2Egov%2Euk%2Fcatalogue%2Fdisplayyour%2Doptions%2Easp%3Frequestthis%3DWO%2B95%252F4299%26itemscope%3D33%2BInfantry%2BBrigade%253A%2B6%2BBattalion%2BBorder%2BRegiment%26linkback%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww%252Enationalarchives%252Egov%252Euk%252Fcatalogue%252FDisplayCatalogueDetails%252Easp%253FCATID%253D%252D2246715%2526CATLN%253D7%2526FullDetails%253DTrue%26CATID%3D%2D2246715%26CATLN%3D7%26FullDetails%3DTrue%26UserType%3D0

[ShirlD]

Thanks Peter.

Michael, is there mention of the 6 East Lancashires in the index?

It is a book for us anyway!

Cheers

Shirley

[michaeldr]

Shirley,

I'm sorry, but there is no mention of this battalion as far as I can see.

Steve's full title for the book is “Suvla - August Offensive” and he sticks to that time frame and to those events. The 6th East Lancs marched along the beach from Anzac to Suvla on the 31st August, so they are just outside Steve's orbit in this case.

If you want their WD it can be down-loaded from the UK's National Archives for £3.50: the ref is WO/95/4302

Good luck

Michael

[ShirlD]

Thank you for that information Michael.

I do have some details of the 6 East Lancs, and the few pages where Chris' dad is briefly mentioned in the Diary, you just never know when the next nugget of information will surface!

Cheers

Shirley

[purley]

This is the third contribution by Steve Chambers to the Pen & Sword Battleground Gallipoli series, following on from his books on Gully Ravine and the Anzac Landings - and I think it is his best yet. As usual there is a description of the campaign followed by a series of well-designed battlefield tours that guide the visitor around the main sites and points of interest.

Peter Hart

Peter

Having just bought your book on Gallipoli at the GWF conference I was very disapointed that the Berkshire Yeomanry did not get a mention even though they won a VC on August 21st. Does this book deign to give them a mention?

regards

John

[michaeldr]

Until Peter gets along:

Per the index, they are mentioned on ten of the pages

[PMHart]

Hi John,

Did they achieve anything of note whatsoever on 21 August? If not why would they get a mention in a general history of Gallipoli involving hundreds of British, Turkish, French, ANZAC and Indian units? The utter chastening failure of the 2nd Mounted Division is covered in some detail - mainly through the prism of the Middlesex Yeomanry - a far more 'sexy' unit - but I have no interest in referencing the purely subjective award of VCs. You will find there are plenty of very fascinating lists that record the award of every gallantry award and the basic circumstances of the 'deed'. I also suggest that you might find material to tickle your fancy in a book on the Berkshire Yeomanry.

Steve's book certainly deigns to give many references to that fine body of men (pp. 178, 182-187, 233, 234 & 247). Every one of these pages is stuffed full of fascinating details! I can only urge you to sell my silly old generalised book on Gallipoli - purchased at rock bottom prices so you shouldn't lose too much - and purchase Steve's book instead. I know you will be happier....

Pete

P.S. Your letter fails to mention - AT ALL - the South Notts Hussars - please ensure that you mention them in all future messages on Gallipoli or be exposed to the scorn of your peer group....

P.P.S. For future info none of my books mentions - or ever will now - the Berkshire Yeomanry. And I hate Reading!

[George Armstrong Custer]

Dear Mr Peter Hart,

I am mightily aggrieved to find that my copy of your 'Gallipoli 1915' contains not even a passing mention of Puss-in-Boots Lalor or his lost sword. Do you know of any reputable outlet which would accept your book as a trade-in on Les Carlyon's lovely book?

Kind Regards,

Jasper Griegson

[purley]

Hi John,

Did they achieve anything of note whatsoever on 21 August? If not why would they get a mention in a general history of Gallipoli involving hundreds of British, Turkish, French, ANZAC and Indian units? The utter chastening failure of the 2nd Mounted Division is covered in some detail - mainly through the prism of the Middlesex Yeomanry - a far more 'sexy' unit - but I have no interest in referencing the purely subjective award of VCs. You will find there are plenty of very fascinating lists that record the award of every gallantry award and the basic circumstances of the 'deed'. I also suggest that you might find material to tickle your fancy in a book on the Berkshire Yeomanry.

Steve's book certainly deigns to give many references to that fine body of men (pp. 178, 182-187, 233, 234 & 247). Every one of these pages is stuffed full of fascinating details! I can only urge you to sell my silly old generalised book on Gallipoli - purchased at rock bottom prices so you shouldn't lose too much - and purchase Steve's book instead. I know you will be happier....

Pete

P.S. Your letter fails to mention - AT ALL - the South Notts Hussars - please ensure that you mention them in all future messages on Gallipoli or be exposed to the scorn of your peer group....

P.P.S. For future info none of my books mentions - or ever will now - the Berkshire Yeomanry. And I hate Reading!

There speaks a true Londoner - can't abide success outside the M25

You having signed my copy of your book I shall cherish is as one would an autographed copy of Mein Kampf

I will look out for Steve's book - I hope it mentions the S Notts Hussars (will that mention do OK?)

Best wishes for a snowy Easter

John

[PMHart]

Hi John,

Did you not notice my dulcet north-midland tones at the GWF? I am from many places: Stanhope, Weardale (0-7), Barton under Needwood (7-8), Stone (9-11), Chesterfield (11-18), Liverpool (18-25) and lastly - definitely culturally least - London! It's where the work is you know - it's where the IWM is anyway! I am glad you are recongising the paramount importance of the SNH - they truly are a fine body of men - much better endowed than those weedy Berkshire lot so George tells me!

Pete

PS You are buggered if I signed it - it has no resale value at all!

[stevem49]

I was probably one of the first to purchase the book and having researched just one battalion on Gallipoli, know how hard the research is. The book is an excellant read but also gives an insigt into what happened at Suvla when untested men were let down by their commanders (not Battalion officers I might add) Steve's book has at last given Suvla the recognition it deserves.

In 2008 I visited Gallipoli as part of a group and we were lucky enough to have Steve as our guide and his knowledge is second to none (except me on 9th Bn N&D )

On one 'tipsy 'evening I even talked him into signing Gully Ravine 'To Sir with Love' (No Steve I do not know why either )

If anyone wants to get a real feel for Suvla, then this book is the one for you.

Steve M

(I presume the cheque will be in the post Steve )

[Krithia]

Hi Steve M ... Only the one tipsy evening? That was a good trip following the old footsteps of the 9 N&D. Thanks and stay in touch, Steve C

[John_Hartley]

And I hate Reading!

Any particular authors you hate reading?

[Jim Hastings]

Just come across this post and was wondering if owners could tell me if it mentions much on the 2/4th Queens and 1/4th Royal Sussex, if so think it'll be a purchase if enough coverage?

Many thanks

Jim

[gilly100]

HI All

I have just received and already read Stephen's book on Suvla in the August Offensive and I must say I really enjoyed it. Well told at all levels, from high command to division, brigade and battalion levels. The Turkish opposition is also well identified and covered. I now have a much greater appreciation for the combatants at Suvla. The personal accounts add the final touch needed and are excellent. Well done Steve, spose I will hve to buy your other books now!!!

Cheers

Ian Gill

Bali

[Jim Hastings]

Hi Ian,

Much on the 2/4th Queens/1/4th RSussex at all? Finding coverage of their time in Gallipoli a little sparse so would invest in a copy of the guide if it covered them. Any personal accounts from them?

Cheers

Jim

[PMHart]

Hi Jim,

Can't be bothered to look in Steve's Suvla book but I presume you have already consulted the wonderful collections of at the IWM. The one that springs to mind is Arthur Hemlsey as follows in Documents.

Photocopy of ts account (4pp written 1987) of his service as a subaltern with the 12th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment (122nd Brigade, 41st Division) during the Battle of Messines Ridge, June 1917 giving very vivid descriptions of the explosions and effects of the mines, conditions in the German lines, capturing German troops and the acquisition of the German gunnery plans; ms anecdotal account (10pp written 1988) of his service with an unnamed unit of the Royal Corps of Signals providing a communications network for the control of anti-aircraft gun sites in London, 1939 - 1945

There is also the oral history interview with Hemsley recorded by Lyn Smith in 1987. AC 9927 you can listen on the IWM website anytime! But as I say I guess you have seen these.

Buy Steve's book anyway chum - its great!

Helpful Pete

Here is the cataloguing...

AC 9927 Hemsley, Arthur

British NCO served with 2/4th Bn Queen's Royal West Surrey Regt in GB and Gallipoli, 1914-1915; served as officer with 12th Bn East Surrey Regt on Western Front, 1917; served with Royal Engineers Signal Service on Western Front, 1917-1919. Served with 1st Division Anti-Aircraft Signals Unit at Brompton Road Headquarters, London, 1939-1945

Born: 1893-05-16

Access Code: IWM copyright

Recorded: 1987

Duration: 300 mins.

Source: IWM

SUMMARY OF CONTENTS

REEL 1: Background in Croydon, Surrey, 1893-1914: education; family; memory of Boer War and playing war games; memory of being shown khaki cloth; story of period as ski-instructor in Switzerland and Germany; employment with GPO; question of attitude to forthcoming war in Germany and anti-British feeling; period of service with 2/4th Bn Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regt, 1911-1914; memory of outbreak of war and story of mobilization. Aspects of training with 2/4th Bn Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regt in GB, 1914-1915: attitude to length of war; description of basic training at Windsor; billets; drill; route marches; weapons training and memory of using Japanese rifles; rifle competitions; attitude to bayonet drill; training with Mills bombs and story of corporal killed by bomb before Battle of Messines, 1917; duties digging trenches at Windsor park and memory of Welsh miners; tactical exercises on Salisbury Plain; opinion of training; description of training as army scout; question of identity in Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regt; story of formation of Home Counties Bde; relations between officers and other ranks; question of rivalry with East Surrey Regt; story of promotion and first exercise of rank as corporal.REEL 2 Continues: amusing story of cannons. Recollection of operations with 2/4th Bn Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regt in Gallipoli, 1915: description of journey to Gallipoli via Malta and Alexandria, 7/1915; memory of route marches and Russian battleship at Alexandria; description of tropical kit; arrival at Mudros and question of secrecy; memory of being cheered by sailors on departure from Mudros to Suvla; description of arrival at Suvla at night; description of march across Salt Lake and terrain; first casualty caused by Turkish sniper; memory of finding Turkish officer’s rule book; description of Turkish fire across Salt Lake and casualties; capture of trench and nature of Turkish opposition; question of not advancing further and taking heights; lack of information and opinion of planning; problem of boots; question of morale and reinforcements; problem of sickness; memory of contact with Anzacs; amusing story of tortoise mascot; memory of using periscope; story of destruction of Welsh battalion at Green Hill and reaction of colonel; description of Turkish positions; story of rescuing wounded man from No Man’s Land.REEL 3 Continues: attitude to wounded comrades; opinion of medical facilities; problem of heat and corpses; opinion of Turks; story of food dump; description of rations including jam; problem of flies while eating; story of explosion in incinerator; question of water supplies and shaving on Sunday; problem of thirst; story of pomegranate tree; memory of green figs and blackberries; story of picking melons in No Man’s Land; description of landscape and vegetation; description of British trench system and terrain in Suvla area; role as battalion scout; memory of dried corpse; memory of digging up Roman road; problem of poisonous snakes; question of reinforcements; problem of lice; sanitary facilities and problem of dysentery; problem of contracting enteric fever and treatment, 12/1915; question of respecting neutrality of hospitals; problem of ammunition supplies and stripping bodies; question of co-operation with Royal Navy and contact with sailors aboard HMS Ulysses; reason for promotion.REEL 4 Continues: description of daily routine at Suvla; opinion of rations and memory of sickness after eating Maconochie; story of doctor and innoculation with blunt needle; guard duties; sleeping arrangements; description of rest area and swimming in sea; memory of having head shaved; memory of man losing leg to shell; weather conditions; opinion of Australian troops and Indian muleteers; opinion of senior officers; further description of treatment for enteric fever in Alexandria; reaction to leaving Gallipoli and problem of loading stretcher onto hospital ship; story of being told about Zeppelin raid on home town; communications with home and problems of parcels being wet; reaction to evacuation from Gallipoli and role of Turks; opinion of author John Masefield; comparison of living conditions on Western Front and Gallipoli; story of plane crashing; memory of Turkish siege gun Asiatic Annie.REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period in GB, 1916-1917: story of obtaining commission and description of officer training in GB, 10/1916; lectures and map reading; posted to 12th Bn East Surrey Regt, 1/1917; attitude to having come up through the ranks; comparison of living conditions for officers and other ranks; question of officers not wearing badges of rank to avoid snipers in Gallipoli; reaction to being posted to East Surrey Regt. Recollections of operations with 12th Bn East Surrey Regt on Western Front, 1917-1918: posted to France, 7/3/1917; opinion of training and instructors at Bull Ring, Etaples; question of reputation of 5th Bn East Surrey Regt; story of German attempt to lure men out of trenches; description of night raid to take prisoners; memory of friend Lionel Russell; description of first experience in front line; opinion of trench mortars; story of blue clay at Messines; question of German and British mining and story of visit to mine at St. Eloi; problem of German tunnelers; story of Royal Engineers making steel cover for Observation Post in tree; problem of waterlogged trenches and snipers; description of preparations for Battle of Messines, 6/1917; description of practice attacks near St.Omer and nature of main objective; memory of explosion of mines on Messines Ridge and opening barrage; description of advance through gap in line and large numbers of dead Germans; question of German resistance during advance to objective of White Chateau and emergence of Germans from deep dugouts.REEL 6 Continues: story of capturing German who fired off alarm rockets; memory of German field gun battery retreating; story of losing contact with company and being reported dead; casualties in company and problem of German POWs; injury to sergeant; story of death of friend Lionel Russell; story of collecting souvenirs and finding German battle plans; amusing story of German uniform; story of locating German minnenwerfer position; further description of mines exploding on Messines Ridge and effect on German morale; question of German defences; question of consolidation of line and further advance; assessment of success of Battle of Messines; opinion of planning and strategy; casualties; description of position outside trenches at zero hour and memory of rum ration; memory of four men killed by shrapnel due to ignoring safety regulations about helmets; description of medical services and care of wounded; problem of being shelled by own artillery.REEL 7 continues: Recollections of operations with Royal Engineers Signal Service on Western Front, 1917-1918: story of transfer to Signals Service and description of training at Signals School, Mount Cassell, 9/1917; question of value of previous experience with GPO; use of wireless valves for first time; attached to Staff of General Birdwood, 1st Anzac Corps and nature of secretarial and signals duties; opinion of Colonel Powell; story of setting up pigeon school for Messenger Signal Service; memory of visit by General Birdwood; opinion of effectiveness of pairs of pigeons and type of information carried; description of listening posts and transmission of messages; role in training dogs from Battersea Dog’s Home to carry messages; problem of dogs being overfed; types of dogs used and effectiveness; amusing story of visit by colonel and dog-handlers; reason for attachment to Australian Corps; located in chateau in Bailleul area; description of lines of communication and nature of secretarial work; opinion of Australians; story of role as Forward Lines Officer with 1st Anzac Corps at Passchendaele and preparations for laying forward lines prior to 3rd Battle of Ypres, 10/1917; description of dugout and memory of hearing gramophone records played over telephone; opinion of New Zealand troops; location of cables above and below ground; use of white tape for diggers; question of medal awards.REEL 8 Continues: further comments on laying cables and lines prior to Passchendale offensive; problem of rain and marshy conditions; story of sheltering in tank; problem of damage to surface wires; story of men drowning in mud; problem of allocation of wires and lines and effectiveness of underground cables; description of communications system used during 3rd Battle of Ypres; question of both sides hearing each other’s messages; comments on development of signals technology during war; comparison of discipline of Australian and New Zealand troops; opinion of General Birdwood and story of matches; role in organising Guard of Honour for King George V and story of Naval gun; question of morale following King’s visit; comparison of conditions at Passchendaele and Messines and problem of weather conditions; posted to British 5th Army as Signal Master, 6/1918; story of meeting English girl in Lille; reaction to news of Armistice, 11/Nov/1918; description of role as Signal Master; memory of home leave; attitude of civilians to war; opinion of rations and story of cook.REEL 9 Continues: amusing story of cook stealing boiler; amusing story of clock; assessment of role in war. Aspects of post-war life and employment: story of returning to GPO in uniform and dispute over leave, 1919. Recollections of operations as Commanding Officer of 1st Anti-Aircraft Division Signals Unit, London, 1939-1945: description of setting up HQ and control room in underground station at Brompton Road, London; amusing story of old lady; question of secrecy and role of workforce; responsibility for staff at Stanmore House; VIP visitors and opinion of Anthony Eden; nature of responsibilities as Commanding Officers; story of visit by Russian military mission; moved to Colchester, 1945; role of GPO in providing lines; description of daily routine in control room and systems of communications; question of co-ordination of artillery fire; problem of guns reaching targets; description of use of Naval telephone for gun sites.REEL 10 Continues: problem of flying bombs and methods of combating them; assessment of development of signals technology during First and Second World War; question of working with female colleagues; story of church parade and Guards’ band; problem of mixed male and female workforce; description of signals control centre at Stanmore House; importance of role of GPO in providing cables and lines; story of visit to underground HQ by King George VI.

My Hemsley research quotes from ages ago!

VOYAGE OUT "We all had to get accustomed to sleeping in hammocks closely packed together. Underneath the hammocks were the tables on which we had our food. Almost every night one of the men fell out of his hammock and fell on the men and the crockery" IGNORANCE OF AREA "Nobody told us where we were going to go to and I didn't know for the first two or three days that we were fighting the Turks or that we were on a piece of Turkish land."ADVANCE ACROSS SALT LAKE AND ATTACK ON CHOCOLATE HILL, 9/8/1915 "When the daylight came we fell in and were ordered to pick up picks and shovels and one small man found himself with a five foot crow bar to carry. We'd only gone a short distance starting on our journey across the Salt lake when a staff officer dashed up and said, 'You can drop those you're here to fight not to dig.' So we all put the stuff down and carried on marching. We formed clear long lines, ten feet apart crossing the Salt lake with our Colonel in the front line. It was a large plain of sand, nothing more, the other side of which the land rose, Chocolate Hill. On our way across I saw the Colonel was halted by a messenger running across with a message to him, he handed it over and fell flat on his face, dead on the ground, which was our first casualty. The whole of the time while we were going across there not noticing anything wrong there was a hissing sound of the bullets from the Turkish side falling amongst us without us even knowing what the noise meant. Then we arrived at the first trench that had been already captured by the troops before us. I had my first sight of dead bodies lying around. We followed them up through up the hill and we were getting fewer and fewer in numbers and those in front were beginning to drop back. Fortunately our second in command came with his revolver in his hand and said, 'Make a halt here, dig wherever you are'. /////// Despite digging down we were losing men and they were all being shot in the head and it dawned upon me that this fire was coming from above. " ///// So I told my machine gunner, Private Rabitts, to turn his gun onto the trees. He swept the trees all round us with machine gun fire and the Turkish snipers fell down from the trees almost like ripe fruit. From then on we had a less trouble with this sniping. Unfortunately Rabbitts having done this good work set his gun up, stood up for a moment and was shot through the head. That was the end of him, pity about that. ///// " We'd lost our officer, we didn't know why we were going up there and we didn't know where we'd got to get to." ///// "We were completely exhausted" ///// "The captain of the ship, Ulysses would not allow troops to use their boots on his polished decks and so most of our journey there we were wearing our rubber shoes so that when we put our heavy army boots on our feet were not really ready for it. Worse than that the medical people at the last moment said that any man who had refused vaccination in England were no longer allowed to do so, so that those who had not been vaccinated would now be vaccinated. The sergeant next to me had got a swollen arm, which had reached the worst part of it....."LIFE AT SUVLA "Odd patches of water had tortoises of all sizes. We found a yellow one, bright yellow. So we drew on its back our badge and that was our mascot. But our mascot would persist in going to the Australians, it would along the trench and disappear... In the morning you'd have an Aussie coming along with his hat over one eye and he'd brought it back again." ///// "We'd just arrived at the first trench and one of our men had been given a periscope to carry which he'd no idea what it was for. So we told him he had to look through that and he could see over the trench what was happening in front. So he stood there looking through this with care. He said, "I can see water', 'Oh good', 'I can see a big ship...', 'Oh you silly.... you're the wrong way round'. So we turned him round and of course all he could show us then was bushes and trees!" ////// Poor Fatty one of our soldiers who'd just got in front of our line and they'd shot him and he lay there. It got terribly hot and we didn't know what to do about him. We heard him cry and die. We said we can't leave poor old Fatty out there, so we dug a rather shallow trench behind the line and after dark we went and fetched him in. We laid him in the trench but he was stiff and we couldn't get his arm in. With some difficulty we managed to bend his arm in and cover it over. That was the burying of poor Fatty." /////STORES DUMP "We We dug two large ten foot holes under a hedge and covered them over with blankets so they were hidden from sight. In the day we slept, me and my guard of three or four men. As soon as it was dark we could hear the jingle of the Indian muleteers bringing the food in their carts. They would deliver this stuff in a great heap and depart. Then before daylight the regiment would send down twenty men to carry it upto the actual line. Everything depended on complete secrecy, nothing could happen in the daylight. This went successfully for three or four weeks. Then one night they didn't collect and we thought, 'Too bad you'll have to have a double lot next time'. So we went to sleep. Daylight came, we lifted the edge of our blanket and looked out. To our horror there stood thirty men, standing and sitting and waiting to take their rations. We shouted at once, 'Make for cover' but too late, shell fire started and they pounded us. A number were wounded and carried away and even I got small wound in the leg - not bad enough to matter. Of course we had to cancel the whole thing, the Turks had found out. Just an error, some NCO had not ordered the troops out in the night to go and collect the food. If they'd started an hour before they would have been there and gone back again."FOOD "Bully beef in the heat, when you cut the can open it simply poured out fat...." ///// "We had tins of jam, all the jam was always apricot until we were sick and tired of the thing. We used to use the unopened tins to make doorsteps into the trench." /////FLIES "We were given fly bags to put over our heads. Into that you would put your biscuit and jam and close it up underneath. Then with a buzzing all round you so that you couldn't even see through it for the flies outside." ///// "We made ourselves a shallow dugout with a roof of a blanket over the top. The blanket at night was solid with flies and it was a great point that if anyone came to visit you you had to say, 'For heavens sake don't bang your head or you'll bring them all down', If you did touch it the whole mass of black flies would come on to you." /////INCINERATOR "I was near a large incinerator to dispose of rubbish and everyone threw their wretched unopened tins of jam into it. Another hapless soldier marching near by, a loud explosion and he'd be covered with boiling jam and taken away sick as wounded. An unusual form of danger...." //// "Your tongue became like a piece of blackened leather you could bang up and down in your mouth." /////// "I saw they were in the shade of a glossy leafed tree or shrub and recognised this from its little star like pink flowers. To the surprise of the chaps I crawled across and got into the branches and came back with four ripe pomegranates which I had recognised from the pictures of it in the family bible. Every single juicy seed was nectar to us. That was a remarkable find." ///// " We had figs but they were still green and you can't do anything with a green fig it was like flannel, inedible." ///// "There was blackberries, one of my friends and I, celebrating his birthday made a mixture of pounded biscuit, blackberries and flannelly figs" //// "One morning in the front line the mists meant you could hardly see more than a couple of yards. Just over the other side of our trench was what had been a sort of allotment and there were ripe melons. You could see them...... in this thick mist one by one we got out of the front line trench and went gathering melons. All was peaceful and we got a fine handful of melons each to take back. Suddenly they opened fire and we ran madly back safely to our trenches but we had real fresh melons. Marvellous." ///////INITIAL SHORTAGE OF BREAD "Eventually the day came when my sergeant friend came to visit me and said, 'I've got a great secret today, would you like to join me?' He took me up a side trench where we were alone and he produced half a loaf of real bread. We sat and we ate each crumb and didn't tell anyone else about it." ////// "It was decided that we should be re-inoculated against fever and the doctor came along puncturing each of us with his needle. Unfortunately the needle broke and he said he said, 'Well I haven't got another one so the rest of the men had to have the needle banged into them." ///// "The colonel decided we should all have our hair cut close to the scalp and he had his own done first to show us. I remember the scene with all these bald headed looking soldiers. It was perhaps a good idea in one way but it was very dangerous with the heat of the sun." ////// "While we were all sitting on the beach there was one small slit in the cliff above through which a Turkish shell came and took the leg off a man sitting near me. Which would indicate that there was always danger around." ////// We found that our officers were being shot off too quickly as against the men. The first thing we did everybody dropped all badges of rank, stripes were taken off your arms and so on. With indelible pencil on your shoulder you had sergeants stripes, officers diamonds. They could be seen only when you were a few feet away. That was all that was allowed out there. //////BIRDWOOD "He went round the trenches at Anzac and they treated him as a friend. They called him 'Birdy'. They had a gag going. Somebody tried it to begin with he said, 'Birdy have you got a match' So Birdy handed him a box of matches. They felt it was a good show so from then onwards whenever he went up the line sooner or later one of the soldiers would say, 'How about a box of matches?' and his wretched aide de camp had a sack of match boxes which he had to carry round and hand over each time." ///////

[Jim Hastings]

Hi Pete,

Thank you, ironically I am half way through his interview with Lyn Smith, actually found him through his association with 12th East Surreys as I was trying to find a Croydon link with them (another GWF post last week)! Also took my interest as he ended up RE Sigs Service as did my Gt Grandfather and Grandfather. Planned to finish listening to his IV tonight. He ticks three boxes for me!!

Hope you are well

Cheers

Jim

[gilly100]

Hi Jim

There is coverage of these units and some personal accounts. Either way, I found the book well balanced across the infantry units and for the cheap price to pay for the book, as far as I am concerned, is very much a good buy. I personally believe in supporting writers such as this bloke. He knows his stuff from what I can see and is helpful to boot.

All good news from my point of view. Can't ask for any more than that.

Cheers

Ian

[Jim Hastings]

Nice one Ian,

Sounds like another one for my ever expanding library (and to hide from the missus - although the new set of book shelves I'm going to need will soon give the game away!)

Thank you

Jim

[Mr Pighills]

An excellent read.

Probably better read before you go.

I'll get it the right way round eventually.