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[Page 22]
There was plenty of fatigue work making dugouts, bringing stores, etc., and the water was obtained from tanks a little distance down the hill. It was brought from the neighbouring islands in lighters, and discharged into tanks at Anzac, then pumped to the tanks at the foot of Walkers Ridge. Mules carried it up the hill to our tanks, then we carried it in kerosene tins to the cookhouse. A quart a day was issued to every man for a few weeks, also a pint and a half of tea. All went well for a time, and then the storms prevented the water lighters from landing and sinking a number; so water got very scarce, eventually finishing up with a pint a day of tea a day, and a pint of water every 3 days, which was hardly sufficient for a hot climate like Gallipoli. Rations became scarce, and we were on a starvation diet. A decent ration was as follows; one tin of condensed milk amongst 8 men, half a tin of jam, but generally three men to a tin, or sometimes syrup, one tin to 8 men, and sometimes bread, instead of hard biscuits. I read an article in the "Sydney Mail" from a soldier on the other side, which stated that he received fresh meat, bread and vegetables, every day. Well if so, he was better off than we were. What we did get in "good times" was fresh meat and bread, about 3 times a week, generally less, and as I have stated, sometimes none at all, and as for fresh vegetables I never saw any the whole time I was on the Peninsular. Our issue was dried or dessicated vegetables, and potatoes, but onions were plentiful. Bully beef and biscuits was our main diet, and more often than enough it was the only food available. Do not imagine that we complained but what we did dislike was reading about the glorious time we were having and being fed like fighting cocks. It was a rough life and a hard one, and but