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Diary
Sgt. C. Alwyne,
B. Company
2nd Battalion,
1st Bde,
1st A.I.F.
Sgt. C. Alwyne, Returned wounded, injured eye, and Shrapnel wound in knee.
1915
2nd April. Good Friday
A nine mile march in full marching order. Left Mena Camp about 6 p.m. arrived at Cairo Ryl. Station 8.5 p.m.
3rd
Left Rly. Station for Alexandria about 1 am. Arrived at Alexandria about 5.30 a.m. We were all packed like sardines coming down by train. Feel a little bit tired and foot sore after journey, had new pair boots on and they did not fit too well. I took them off in train and it was Hell trying to get them on this morning my feet were swollen a lot. Embarked on the "S.S. Darflinger" a German Steamer which was captured and it is now being used as a British Transport, this is what I call rubbing it in with a vengeance. On Fatigue work all day.
4th
Fatigue work all day.
5th
Fatigue work all day.
6th
Left Alexandria don't know where we are going 7 p.m.
7th
Arrived at the Island of Lemnos, not much of a place, seems to be poverty stricken, they are making their piles out of the boys by selling tobacco fruit and nuts, etc. they charge about twice the amount they ought to.
8th, 9th, 10th
Been here up till the 24th. 18 Battle ships.
24th
Left Lemnos about 11 a.m. came a little way on the opposite side of the Island. Left here during the night, we are all standing by.
25th, Sunday
Arrived at the spot where we have to land the Battleships. Are already at work bombarding the shore a sight worth seeing, where the Turks are all entrenched waiting to welcome us. Our ships steaming slowly towards the spot where we are to land. Have anchored now a destroyer is coming towards us got order to get ready to land. First tow don't like the look of shore. Sand hills and cliffs rise straight from the shore. On board destroyer Jack Tars say the enemy is waiting for us with Machine Guns, looks a tough job. If I pull through I will finish this.
Well I will start where I left off. The Destroyers steamed in as close as possible to the Shore, 790 yards. We then got into the small boats and rowed ashore. As we came on the enemy opened fire on us with shrapnel (exciting) from forts, reach Shore, jump out off boats into water and rush up the beach with fix bayonets, enemy knocking our men over, retreat with machine gun fire can't see them, so we off our packs, let out a yell which must have been heard miles away, and rushed the Hill, don't remember what happened, and I don't think I wish to. I must have gone mad, so I will start where I came to my senses with face and hands scratched from scrambling in the bushes. The enemy now entrenched, we halt, word comes from 2nd Batt. to retire to the beach.
25th
At the Beach we are sent to the left, a big battle at full length now, have about half hour spell, some of us detailed to carry ammunitions. Shrapnel bursting all round us. 2 Companies of our Battalion in firing line, fighting for position on Plateau 600 feet high. Mjr. Scob [Scobie?] in command of A. and D. Coy. Enemy pressing our left flank our Troops N. L. are retiring slowly, order given to dig trench, starts to dig but too