Alwyne war diary, April - May 1915 / Charles Alwyne - Page 4

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[Page 4]

of communication between Colonel in front firing line and Mjr. Bourke, one part I have to run has no cover at all about 40 yds. having close shaves plenty of others hit especially S.B. taking the wounded out of the firing line. Capt. Con Cannan killed. Generals Birdwood and Walker now close to firing line. Orders for all Australians to go into the front firing line. N.Z. relieve us, so that we can do so, we get to the top where we make a dash towards the firing line. We had gone about 50 yards, Mjr. Bourke dropped hit. I turn back to fix the Major, but he calls me a B. fool and tells me to take cover and crawl to the firing line. I turn to do so when he asks me to take his equipment off. I do so, and then try to fix his wound but no good he is bleeding pretty bad, shot through I think both hip-bones. I try to lift him, but no good, too heavy. I cut a path through the bush and helped him along as best I could. Tom Hammond now comes and between us we carry him to where the S.B. are. I leave him and go back for his equipment, get it and bring it back. Give Liet. Paine the revolver and equipment and the Mjr. his glasses, and go back to the firing line. Lieut. Fordinner wounded, go back into firing line towards Cpl. Peden, Miller wounded and Sgt. Birkmare killed. Cpl. Ole in charge, enemy's shrapnel playing hell with us. I am sent to the Colonel to ask for reinforcements but Col. says can't do it, as I am coming back the order is given to retire the Turks are on us (given by a spy in our trenches shot by Col. Owen about ½ hour afterwards whilst giving another false order) some men started to retire but Col. and Lieut. Westbrook stop them and give order to fix Bayonets and charge, the enemy retire and we occupy a trench about 150 yards ahead of our original trench, very shallow, so we start digging it deeper with our trenching tools, when dark came we got pick and shovels. I get some men together and we make to camp to bring up water, we score four kerosene full of hot tea, and take it up, running short of ammunition. I carrying ammunition to the firing line, meet Lieut. Westbrook who asks me to come over to his trench on the left. I can't find his trench so I come back and keep on carrying ammunition.

28th
Order comes 2nd Battalion to retire to the beach for a spell, we are relieved by N.Z. get down to the beach we number 180 men, but others are coming in ones and twos, I am terrible and aching all over; have a bit of a feed and go for a swim, feel much better, slept all the afternoon. At night we got ready to move our resting place, orders come for reinforcements. The Col. turns us about, starts up the hill, when the order is cancelled, we march to our quarters and lay down in the wet, under a bit of a bush, too tired to grumble, slept well, never woke until morning. When we were over the ridge on left we saw two S.B. of 2nd Batt. A fellow Weston 2nd Batt. and a N.Z. rescues wounded men about 500 yards along the beach and under fire all the time. Col. Braund patted on the back and told well done. Col. Braund by General Birdwood and Walker recommended for the D.S.O. the day we came down.

29th
Our new quarters on the beach would put you in mind of a piece of land badly infested with rabbits of an extremely large size, or the home of cave dwellers. We get a pick and shovel and dig a hole in the side of the bank just like a rabbit burrow so as to give us head over from shrapnel fire which keeps bursting along the beach. Snipers in the bushes knock our men over, one party of our fellows went out to try and find them but no good, you see these fellows are all dressed in our uniforms, eat with us and at times they have been in the party which was trying to get them. The spies are just the same, you have got to be pretty smart to catch them. The Colonel takes the names of Sid. Caine, Carter and myself, don't know what for, sticks and myself sleep together, night terrible cold here, that cold that you shiver till the sweat pours from you. Carter still missing.

30th
Slept fairly well, enemy shrapnel and snipers still playing the devil with us. We are catching the spies now, since the order came out that every man must know his neighbour, and what he belongs to. Indian Mountain Batteries and R.M. D.I. now landed, also Maltese and Indian Transport. I have been made a full Corporal. I went out in charge of party looking for snipers, found none

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