Item 02: From Australia to Gallipoli, ca. 1916 / Dudley V. Walford - Page 45

[Page 45]

Walker's Ridge – Pope's Hill – Quinn's Post

The next day a Turkish officer general who was neatly dressed rode in on horseback. From Lone Pine he was met by our guides who after they had blindfolded him, directed him to General Birdwood's headquarters.

The visit was repeated again the next day, and shortly afterwards an armistice was arranged. On the 24th at 7 a.m. our burial parties with red crosses on their arms and overcoats as it was raining at the time went forward. All firing ceased. The Turks wearing disinfected wads upon their mouths buried their dead which lay near their tenches. We did the same. Large holes were dug into which were buried several bodies, & earth was thrown over their decayed bodies. Dead lay at every step and some of the bodies which had been lying there since the landing were frightfully mangled and almost eaten away by numerous insects that had accumulated around their bodies. Towards evening most of the bodies had been buried, and the work was satisfactorily accomplished – both sides of the adhering faithfully to the rules which were laid down.

When the burial parties from both sides had disappeared from view, and the time laid down for the completion of the work had passed, the rifle and machine gun commenced to rattle overhead with the usual fierceness.

On June the 1 the fourth brigade temporally retired from the firing line, and took up their position in Rest Gully where they were held in