George Green

“ All military equipment was stacked on the dividing line. In most cases the only identification on bodies were their boots and thus one distinguished Australian New Zealander or "Tommy". One Lieut Hindman of the 15th Battalion who had held his commission for one day only lay dead in the communication trench which had given us so much trouble on Quinns. The trench became the grave of him and 3 others interred with more earth and ceremony than it was possible with some & so the menace if this trench was overcome and these heroes served their mates in death & in life. ”

“ In lieu of the leather bandoliers of a lighthorseman we had been given a flimsy drill haversack blown together in Egypt in a few hours to do the office of a pack. Quicker than the most efficient Q.M. could have managed it we issued ourselves with regulation infantry web equipment from a dump of stuff left by casualties & "handed in" what the men termed the "pillowslips". During this time the O/C had been seeking orders, & on his return we moved off. It was a hot day & each man was loaded to his utmost capacity, - as you can imagine in the case of a regiment moving without a stick of transport. ”

“ Constructing a 'possy' of sand bag for protection the one would have his rifle at the loop-hole & the other alongside with a telescope keeping continuous observation on the aperture where the enemy rifle appeared. "Fire!" "At ten yards to the right". So in shifts while daylight lasted which was for 18 out of the 24. It was a contest of wits. The wily Turk was known to send a puff of smoke from one crevice but another with a bullet from elsewhere. But our men loved the game – and many would quite voluntarily build a 'possy' on a site of their own choosing & worry a snipers nest by the hour. ”

“ Bill we only want blinking tails to be blinky horses" was the remark of one overloaded trooper to another struggling along the track. The congestion of the place enhanced its appearance of activity. For the first week or two the Turkish snipers made parts of Monash Gully hellish. One feels the necessity of plasticene to give an idea of the contours and irregularities of the country we occupied. Following the gully towards its head Quinns was a sheer ascent on the right & Popes Hill equally steep still on the right hand side of the gully. ”

“ One is at a loss to know where & how they all dug in – particularly when trenches were few in those days. A most commodious place is a trench. Major Logan said he slept his second night on a dead Turk whose presence he suspected by the particular stench (general stenchs were very general) but he didn't discover some inches underground until the morning.
Yes, this time rumour proved true, we were to relieve the infantry (15th Battalion) at Quinns post & most of the morning was occupied in the move & arrangements preparatory to taking over. ”

“ The wounded, dying & dead lying around with the noise a flash of firing & the quiet splendour of the sunrise. Not one complaint from the wounded. Doctors Luther & Macgregor splendid. Dad Macartney is working hard higher up the hill. Our Regiment on Popes didnt suffer so heavily. The 15th & 13th bore the brunt – but we had some men engaged tunnelling on Quinns & those on Popes had a busy time. There must have been 120 casualties that Ive seen this morning & about 40 lie around as I write. ”

“ That day (14 May) General Birdwood came to view the situation at Quinns – I had met him while guiding some re-inforcements for the 3rd Regiment up the gully. A bullet struck the periscope through which the General was overlooking the parapet & the shattered glass cut his forehead. Shortly after this visit our men were withdrawn from the front trenches which were manned our stead by men of the gallant 15th Btn which had been fighting almost continuously since April 25th. However the 2nd Regiment received orders to make a raid from the post at mid-night. ”

“ It seems invidious to make distinction among such heroes but for the general high regard they were held in the Regiment one must mention Trooper J. C. Sams & C. G. G. Buchanan two mates from the Central-West of Queensland & in build, brain & promise of the best that State could give.* Already we felt sad gaps in a Regiment where regimental feeling was more like family attachment.
That day 3rd L.H. Regt went into Quinns with the Infantry. Among the other casualties that memorable night were :13 men killed – 9 men missing and 27 wounded. Two subsequently died of wounds received. ”

“ There was no avoiding the menace when one had to sleep on the ground in garments worn all day. Looking around at any time of the day one could always see men busy in an effort to cast out these irritating intruders from their clothing. There were some good 'chatty' stories circulated. I think the best I heard was from McSherry. McSherry by the way was by this time attached to the 15th Battalion and was acting Orderly Officer of Quinns Post. ”

“ On May 17th I note in my diary that things were quieter and that there were fewer casualties although Turks was persistently sniping the valley. This night I opened a plot of ground at the end of Shrapnel Valley as a burial ground which later grew to such pathetic desperation area. An order is issued that all funerals were to take place by night. ”

“ You get surprises both ways. Some bold talkers in Egypt are now seen quite wobbley while others we thought 'blobs' while training are displaying a nerve & resource which make one marvel. It is as a Day of Judgement – you quickly learn to know men "on the underneath" & already on this first afternoon of fight one was vowing you would be friends with some of the chaps for life.
Early this afternoon a deserter in a Tommies cap crept along the communication trench aforementioned crying "Greek Greek" Major Bourne led him blindfolded down to our Brigade Hqrs. ”

“ Of the Turks who got into our trench 17 were taken prisoner – they have just passed. Major Quinn of 15th was killed defending the post to which he had given his name – also Lieut King Little & Capt Forsyth were wounded. The worst or the best can never be told. An hour here would make the most indifferent slacker enlist. ”

“ Fatique, rations, ammunition water parties filling down the gully passing & repassing in sap or trench & here & there crawling into some small hole in the cliff. Sometimes the men were burdened with loads as disproportionate as that of ants. ”

“ Furthermore the situation was made more perilous by the fact that our communications trench connected our position with that of the Turks! Neither side had been able to fill it in & it remained a menace to each others operations.
In this sector we took over from the 15th Battn at 2 o'clock that afternoon.I was at that time under tutelage of Captain Luther seeing to the burial of a man who had been lying dead for a day or two on the slope just behind our front trench. The Turks must have known that fresh troops had taken over. ”

“ There were no back areas There was an equality there which would have delighted any Socialist heart. No one had any money – there was nothing to buy. Its only use was to do a bit of bartering on the beach – where you might on very rare occasions be able to snare a tin of condensed milk for 2/6. Once I saw 5 sheets of Y. M. C. A. note paper & envelopes sold there for 2/- ! I spent 18/- in 6 months on Anzac & that was entered in my pay-book for Canteen stores. The un-levelling element of clothes was in influence as their quantity almost nil. We were all equally dirty and almost equally ragged. ”

“ Those who remained knew and helped & loved each other and as time went on this comradeship deepened till a wounded or very sick man would be genuinely loath to be evacuated & when of necessity they had to go it would be with a look quite wistful & pathetic on being wrenched from their mates. ”

“ During the afternoon another sortie was made from Quinns this time by men of the 10th Light Horse Regt who came from their position on Walkers to make the attack - they were supported by some N.Z. Infantry. The thought of another charge made me feel sick but with the arrival of the first wounded (3.30 p.m.) we got most optimistic accounts. –" Have gained enemies front trench & are consolidating position" etc.
At 4.30 however the usual reaction came as we learnt that almost all who got forward were casualties & we had to abandon trench. ”

“ However after two days one of these innocents was found making quite an intelligent sketch map of the situation showing gun positions etc. They were marched off & haven't been seen since.
Again the adaptability of our men. Let it be remembered that our training had not been for infantry. Many had not seen a bomb thrown before & trench-warfare was new to us. ”

“ The longest-living author of this work died in 1956, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 66 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”

“ Position status give casualties about 50.
The Regiment only had two men wounded this day. Pte P. Marson (23) of Mt Morgan & Tpr T.A. Ellison (146) On May 31st the 4th Inf. Brigade were moved away from our sector for a 'rest' in a gully at the foot of Walkers Ridge & from now to August we were surrounded by New Zealand infantry. On this day Tpr V. Denton (618) was killed & Corpl T. Locke was wounded. We continued to garrison Popes Hill until June 2nd & these days were uneventful & without casualty. ”