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[Page 213]
Mrs W.D. Sym
Hotel Beau [Indecipherable]
Vevey
Switzerland
[Transcriber's notes:
Achi bar is more commonly known as Achi Baba. It is at a high point on the southern part of the Gallipoli Peninsular and was the main Turkish defensive position.
Annaberg – This was a German cargo vessel seized by the British in Suez in 1914 while carrying a cargo of coal. It was eventually wrecked and sank off Walvis Bay, Namibia (then South West Africa and formerly German West Africa) in 1919.
General Birdwood – was Commander of the Anzacs during the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915, leading the landings on the peninsula and then the evacuation later in the year, before becoming Commander-in-Chief of the Fifth Army on the Western Front during the closing stages of the War.
Beachy Bill is Beachy Bill – one or more Turkish guns located in the Olive Grove at Gallipoli which created a lot of trouble for the allied troops.
Lieut Brunditt – actually Capt Brundrit. See Bean's Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1918, Volume ll page 427 "Capt. Brundrit was killed while emptying his revolver at fifteen yards' range into the enemy's riflemen.
Buffer - is a component that reduces the velocity and/or cushions the impact of then recoil of the gun.
Cape Hellies is probably Cape Helles on the southern tip off the Gallipoli Peninsular.
Clarks Gully is also called Clarke Valley about 1000 yards south of Anzac Cove.
Dixie – this is a rectangular tin into which food is served and eaten from.
Enver Pasha – Pasha is a title similar in rank to a British Lord. Enver pasha was an Ottoman military officer who was the main leader of the Ottoman Empire in both the Balkan Wars and WW1.
Embrasure – this is the opening between two raised structures. It enables weapons to be fired from a fortification while the firer remains protected, e.g. the top of castle walls.
Embros Island or Imbros Island is a relatively large island about 15 kms off the west coast of Gallipoli peninsular. It called Gokceada by Turkey which acquired the island in 1923.
Etaples is a town on the NW coast of France about 40kms S of Calais. It was the location of a major WW1 hospital.
Gaba Tepe is promontory, south of the main position occupied by the Australian forces on Gallipoli.
Govan Hill is a Glasgow suburb located south of the River Clyde. 340 Cathcart Road no longer exists.
Greece's actions – I think this is a reference to Greece's weakness in the face of Italian forces in Albania. Greece was neutral but had occupied Albania in October 1914. It had abandoned its holdings there by the end of 1915.
Keravonos was probably the Keravnos meaning Thunderbolt. She was originally the German destroyer V-5, and was scrapped in 1922.
Limber – this is a carriage onto which an artillery piece can be attached and towed. MLO – Military Liaison Officer or Military Landing Officer.
HMS Majestic – commissioned in 1895, she was dispatched in early 1915 for service in the Dardanelles campaign and supported the landings at Gallipoli. On 27 May 1915, she was torpedoed at Cape Helles, sinking with the loss of 49 men.
Mena was a camp 10 miles west of Cairo.
Murdros Harbour is Mourdros Harbour on the Island of Lemnos, about 190kms SW of the Gallipoli Peninsular.
NCO stands for Non Commissioned Officer ie someone who is not an officer.
Panaghia is I think now called çinarli which is the main town in the middle of the island of Imbros.
Pinnace – a pinnace is a small vessel used to transport items between larger ships or from larger ships to the shore.
Punjaubies – probably Punjabis, Indian soldiers.
Q-M is a Quartermaster ie a senior storeman.
QMS – Quartermaster Sergeant and RQMS is Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant.
RDF – Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
RMLI-Royal Marines Light Infantry.
Samson air ship – Charles Samson was the first British to pilot to take off from a ship. He also developed the concept of armoured cars and
Samson Vale is about 35kms NW of Brisbane.
Sap - a sap is a trench used for communications and moving to and from the front line trenches.
Sarpie Camp is correctly Sarpi camp – this was a rest camp on Lemnos.
Sed dol Bah Fort is Sedd-el Bahr which is on the southern tip of the peninsular about 1km east of Cape Helles.
Sop – this is a piece of bread or toast soaked in a liquid. Often served with soup, dipped into the soup and eaten or left to soak in the soup to thicken it.
Suvla is Suvla Bay which is about 4 miles N of Anzac Cove.
Thamothrace Island is probably Samothrace Island. It is a Greek island about 30kms NNW of Imbros and about 45 kms W of ANZAC Cove.
Taube – this is a German aeroplane best recognised by its bird shaped wings
[Transcribed by Miles Harvey for the State Library of New South Wales]