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[Page 79]
Capt. Herbert has the reputation of being the finest I.O. on the Peninsula. Spoke to Maj. Pinwill re my rank. He represented the matter to Capt. Thomas, DACG. who said that I would be [indecipherable] for Corp. – that's all he can do for the present, as the General won't sanction Australians receiving rank of Sgt in this Division because the NZ Sgt gets less money. Rather illogical but as the Div. is as much Aust. as N.Z – in fact the whole thing is absurdly weak & would not stand investigation. Capt. Thomas says we will probably get a Sergeant rank later on: at any rate I am satisfied, for if I secure the Corporal rank it carries with it 10/- a day, & that is all I want. It is only another striking instance of the clash between New Zealanders and the Australians given they set out to run the Division with New Zealanders, and now find that they cannot do without the Australians, who slander them as much as possible and defer their progress. We do the work and do it better than the New Zealanders on their own show and we should get our rank and privileges. The whole business requires thorough investigation. It would then fall to the ground like a bag of grass.
A distinguishing feature of the night operations lately has been the work the Australian patrols – 7th B. (Col. Burston) – they have penetrated the enemy's lines at night and actually sneaked in and out their trenches with wonderful daring and skill. They successfully reconnoitred the enemy's position at the "Apex" and entered the blockhouse there. This work has been commended by General Godley, much I suppose to his disgust and the envy of the rest of the English general staff.
The cold callousness of those Australians to danger is typified by the following incident – a Turkish deserter – Suleman Achmud – who walked in & laid down his arms a couple of days back, when asked the question as to whether the Turks saw any of our patrols at night he answered "only when we saw them smoking cigarettes". Though this is an unpardonable crime for a soldier on patrol duty it only conveys a slight conception of what these fellows are prepared to do to do. They are utterly reckless & never think of the imminent danger surrounding them – they stand up in their trenches & lean over & show half a body to get a better smack at a Turkish sniper or other enemy target – they ignore & brush aside all regulations governing trench fighting. They take their own initiative & perhaps their continued success has been due a great deal due to this. "They are too eager", said an artillery officer of 25 years experience the other day, "yet they are brilliant soldiers".
With regard to the Turkish prisoner mentioned above, he walked into the trenches at the head of the Sazli Beit Dere at dawn & with a characteristic expression of disgust, threw down his rifle & said "me finished". He was a tall big lump of a fellow, a Roumeliote from Adrianople. Under examination he said that the Turks had been told that England had asked for peace & that Germany was now arranging her indemnity. The Turks were all wanting peace – the food was bad, no water or very little, no meat & no bread – beans now & again. He said "if you break a bone or a finger of every Turk you find friendship in it for the English" & he added with