James Baillie diary, 11 February 1915 - 18 February 1916 - Page 20

[Page 15]

(Thursday 22nd)
Fine day but very chilly nothing startling happening to day We were expecting mail to come over from the Ascot but it did not arrive. Rumour has it that we are going away soon lets hope so as I am sick of living on these ships We are in for a cold night so here goes for sleep
(Friday 23rd)
I went with boat party to try and get the mail for 13th went aboard a lot of ships including the Minnawasta head quarter ship my word she is a fine ship. Finally we got to the Ascot (A33) a rusty old tramp I would not care to come over in her. They did not have the mail sorted so had to come back without any Got back to Gillvray a 6 pm after being away all day. We are leaving here tomorrow morning.
(Saturday 24th)
Anchor up at 4.30 and proceeded to sea went right over the Island of Lemnos and anchored in a Greek bay at 2 pm other ships arrived later. We are going to get underway tonight at 11 pm and proceed to the place where they are going to land. 13th are on guard today I was on post at 8 pm Hove up anchor at 11 pm fine weather sea smooth
(Sunday 25th)
Well we are near deafened by the noise of the big guns of the warships The 3rd brigade landed from the warship and were taken in close to shore by the Torpedo boats and then transferred into small boats There is a terrible noise from the shore rifles cracking and shrapnel bursting it is day light now and can see better The 8th battalion are going ashore now and they are bringing the wounded aboard Most of the boats are half full of dead and its an awful sight they never got out of the boats. We are getting a lot of wounded aboard now. The lads ashore are advancing and driving the Turks like hell the firing
is getting fainter One big shell landed in the water about 30 yards away from us so we had to move further out I have been driving winches all day getting out amunition and water and sending it ashore We also cleaned troop deck up and put mattresses down for the wounded They are coming in pretty fast now. Everything is going well ashore Warships destroyed at Gaba Tebe fort and are sending a