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[Page 11]
Gallipoli
30.9.15 - Re Aeroplanes: - The Turks show a black Maltese Cross on the planes – the Allies varied-colored circles – some red and white etc.
2.10.15 – Warm weather has prevailed during the last two or three days, with heavy fogs in the early morning. The flies are terrific. The evenings are pleasant, calm and quiet, with an unchanging canopy of stars in a violet sky.
The Turks are indefatigable workers – whether they are driven to it at the point of the revolver I do not know, but it is a fact that they can convert a barren position in a night into a nest of trenches and covers. My belief is that they have special "digging" battalions. Their snipers, too, are remarkable. They are in every conceivable nook and cranny, and it is difficult at times to realise how they live in such positions as they are found. They are a harassing factor in the operations of our fatigue parties by day and night.
4.10.15 – General Godley goes to Mudros to inspect troops. The Turks broke the ice this morning with a "demonstration" on the "Apex":- about 9 o'clock fairly heavy rifle and machine gun fire and a few shells burst over our lines. It lasted for about half an hour. Our fellows report that they did not see a Turk who kept behind their trenches.
5.10.15 – The huge liner "Olympic" with 7,000 yeomanry on board has been chased into Mudros by two submarines. Rumour has it that two troopships en route Alexandria to Mudros have been sunk by submarines during the last week. No official confirmation here.
Well informed circles here state that a big move was contemplated about the middle of this month, which would end the whole business – political intrigue was at work to finish it. But something or other intervened and this master stroke is not to come off till the middle of November. There has certainly been a great secret movement of troops in these waters lately. The continual rumours of it, coming from so many various sources, musts have some foundation. Greece has mobilised and already fighting has taken place on her frontier with the Bulgars. The enthusiastic frenzy of the Greeks in these islands to crowd to the standard of battle against the Bulgars borders on madness. They have left their homes, sold their businesses and farms for twenty-five per cent of their worth and cleared off to join within twenty-four hours of the word to mobilise.
6.10.15 – Big naval bombardment of Hills running north from Suvla Bay, which was very spectacular. Ships from Suvla apparently firing broadside. Great flashes of vivid flame broke on the hillside as the shells found their mark and huge clouds of dust and debris were sent skyward, resembling volumes of smoke from burning oil wells. The bombardment lasted about half an hour. The song of the big shells as they whizzed on their mission of destruction could be distinctly heard from where I stood.
7.10.15 – General Godley returns from Mudros.
8.10.15 – General Godley visited by Sir Ian Hamilton and General Birdwood.
Rain has threatened all day – the sky has been overcast with lead-colored clouds and occasional drops of rain have fallen. It seems determined to hang off. I have not seen an hour's rain since I have been on the Peninsula.
The situation is unchanged. The usual artillery retaliation rounds take place day and night and outside the danger of snipers' bullets and the noise of night "demonstrations", there is nothing to disturb the peaceful serenity of our surroundings. Peaceful! – indeed if a stranger to the war could suddenly happen here when early morn breaks forth in all its glorious radiance over land and sea, he would never credit it if you told him that grim death lurked in every valley and on every hill.