No Better Death

by John Crawford

  July 28th 1915

  Another quiet night. By a ruse of sounding bugles, and cheering at 4am this morning we drew a good deal of Turk fire, very little however from the fire trench immediately in front of us, showing as we thought, that the[y] don’t like occupying it.

  Wellington Bn came into the Post (Quinn’s) today, and Canterbury Bn went out. I am of course better pleased.

  July 29th 1915

  Another fairly quiet night. The usual rifle, machine gun fire and bombing. Also some shelling. I have the base of the 6” shell which landed in the Post on 27th. I will try and get it home as a memento. It would make an interesting cigar ash tray tho’ very heavy.

  July 30th 1915

  We got a surprise at 4am. The Turks fired a huge mine about 10 yards in front of our fire trench, and beyond our defense mining gallery. The mine was about 12 yards long, and near the surface. It blew the earth above it, right over all our trenches, onto the terraces just above and in line with my shelter. It killed 4 men and wounded 8, that is the fall of the earth did large clumps. One smashed a wooden box seat just in front of my shelter. I thought from the horrendous explosion and the shower of earth etc that the Turks had got under our trenches and blown a section of them up and off the edge of the cliff. As it is, if only our men who were sleeping on the terraces had had overhead cover, no real damage would have been done to us. The Turks I think made a mistake or got nervous and thought that we would blow them up and so let go first. We had heard them mining and were waiting for them to come closer, and then we would have charged and blown up a mine underneath them. It is dreadful tho’ to think that for want of the overhead cover which I have been begging and begging for, for the last 3 weeks, we have lost 4 lives and had 8 men injured. Perhaps now they will give me the timber and iron and nails. The want of supply of necessities is almost criminal. Still we must be thankful, that our losses were not greater.

  The men and all of us expected an attack on top of the mine explosion and stood to arms, but no attack came off. The men were cool and very ready to give Mr Turk a hot reception.

  Genl Birdwood came to see me, first visiting the men in the trenches. I made him a cup of tea and made him drink it. He always refuses. The reason being that he knew the difficulty of our water supply, and denies himself drink from us, in consequence. He is a splendid man, most loveable. So human and considerate. I get on with him splendidly as I do or have done with other Generals who are really good men. Yet I cannot get on with my Brigadier Genl Johnston late Col.

  We have to organise “bomb” parties in our Bns but HQ sort of wash their hands of selection and supply of outfit, and say we must devise and make our own. I point out we have no materials or tools – no matter, HQ are not to be questioned! So it comes to this – a sandbag if we can get it, turned inside out, a piece of rope, if we can get it, to sling the sandbag, and then you have your up to date bomb carrying equipment!! Thus we go to war. “The joke war” as I have called it before. It is wrong all the same. There is not “a fair run for ones money”. The British public I presume will get the truth some day and then wake up and give us every munition and equipment that we are entitled to. The blame, is to people like many of our Bn Cmdrs, and our Brigadier who will not tackle respective HQ and speak out. It is not popular and the best way of getting on to suggest let alone emphatically point out what HQ ought to do! I urged our Genl Johnston to urge Divn HQ to settle and make the best form of equipment (bomb carrying). He refused said as much that no one had any right to do so. Whatever HQ said was the last word. Such is the way of the Imperial army! I suppose! I spoke my mind. We met Bn Comdrs and the Brigadier, saw and discussed various ingenious “carriers”, and then it was decided to adopt one of them: but no one had any material and the discussion became an absurdity. Even to make the sandbag carrier, we may have to use a horse shoe nail to sew it with string, i.e. if we can get the string. An officer solemnly suggested the nail saying he had some, but he couldn’t suggest a substitute for sewing twine or string! What a poverty of organisation and supply!! As Major Hart says we, the British nation will begin this war next summer! But the lives lost in the meanwhile, the cost, who is responsible for them? I say the army officer or Departmental Head, who has obsequiously never questioned the ruling of his immediate chief, or dared to appeal, to insist on necessities. Weakness or corruption!

  Commander England, H.M. Destroyer Chelmar visited the Post. I let him throw a bomb, he put it into the netting fronting the trench and it fell and exploded on the parapet. I managed to pull him right up against and under the parapet, and so we escaped injury. He was very apologetic. It was a rotten shot.

  July 31st 1915

  Another comparatively quiet night. I have been spelling “comparatively: with an i in 3rd syl [syllable] but have come to the correction that the i is wrong.

  Another 6” H.E. shell landed on our front trench, missed a man by an inch or two, lodged in a traverse, and fortunately didn’t explode. We dug it out, and it will go to NZ. I am keeping the brass detonator as a memento.

  [MSX 2553]

  Quinn’s Post

  Gallipoli Pa

  31.7.15

  My beloved

  I wrote you letters on 23rd and 25th Inst and sent you a P. card about 28th Inst. Our mail closes tomorrow, so as I have some time to spare I start this letter to you. I received your very welcome letter of 8th July on 27th Inst, and it has set me querying over some ... [illegible] of your question. “Can you guess what I mean?” And for my life I cannot. You have propounded complete mystery – you are going to show me that which you cannot tell. I thought I knew your every expectation. What is the speciality? Do my dear one tell me. I thought I knew the fullness of your love in every respect, but you have been keeping something back all these now nearly 10 years of married life! You told me in a recent letter that I am to make love to you (and I will do so, as I have always done) and I am when I meet[?] you to get a special reward or rather gift! I cannot imagine what it will be. Really I am puzzled – I thought you had given me all your gifts.

  Father McMenamin has just been in. He is not looking very well. I took the opportunity of going to confession and will go to Crown [?] – Mass tomorrow. I think I shall be able to get off the post for Mass. I am very well indeed and comfortable. I have found out that flies do not like wire netting, and have put a piece across my window and another down my door. Then I get a current of air, and the flies which come thro are very few, and easily driven out, tho they do object to facing the wire. On the beach at HQ they have been using fish netting, with good results. Thinking it over and as I couldn’t get good netting I tried the wire netting. We have it on the post to make bomb screens. It is a success.

  Then I have had an arm chair made out of a biscuit box! I told the General the other day that Quinn’s Post has got to the arm chair stage, and that it was a domestic virtue to have such chair. I sat him in it yesterday and made him have a cup of tea. He has always refused even a drink of water. Yesterday he confessed that he always refused because he knew how difficult it was for us to get water and what a shortage there was, and he would not as he called it “rob” us. Hitherto I have, in occidental fashion, always asked him if he would have a drink. This time I acted in oriental fashion. Had the tea made, and brought in, and put ready before him. He wouldn’t take it at first, but I made “actually” made him take it saying I should feel hurt, and that I would fetch the tea away, if he didn’t take it. He is an A/man and we all love him (Genl Birdwood), so kindly and considerate.

  There is a lovely breeze blowing, and I am quite cool. Shorts, boots, and socks (no puttees3), silk shirt (no singlet) silk handkerchief for a neck tie and collar, sitting at my escritoire in my armchair, your plaid shawl over it, and a cushion of all my belongings. I must detail them to show what little one requires. Items: 2 singlets (in the wash 3) 1 pair socks, 1 pair thin riding breeches, 1 H’chief, voilà tout [French: that is all], my tunic, towels and hat hanging on the wall. My razor, soap etc
etc are in my box side-board. The items enumerated are in a pillowslip, as a bag. The whole, a cushion by day, a pillow by night. As I wash I look out to and to sea and Imbros something like this: [see overleaf]

  The big Turk attack, has not come off and it seems as if it wouldn’t – we are sorry.

  You will have heard from Terry and by now he is I expect in England. He went by the Wanalla about 20th Inst. Tell him I was glad to get his letter of 19th and so glad that he managed to get to England, and to hear, that in time he will be quite all right and not crippled. I don’t think he will be, but he must help nature all he can. Edmond has gone I heard to Malta, and should be all right.

  Ask Norah to tell me all about the Gaunts and her visit to them. I hope she did enjoy herself. I hope too to visit your aunt Lidderdale with you and am glad that she is mentally well, but it is very sad for her to be bodily helpless.

  I sent the P. [picture] postcards to Nelson, to the boys thinking they were staying in NZ. You should get some letters, duplicates, I sent you addressed alternately to NZ and London. I hope that you soon got a letter from me and that you continue to get them. I wrote every week, since I am so sorry that I forget about Denis[’s] birthday but the watch and cake from you will have delighted him I suppose he and Barney will have quite long mid summer holidays. Here it is very hot in the camp but generally a breeze – always sunshine.

  Sketch of Malone’s dugout showing his view.

  Alexander Turnbull Library

  A – window frame of my shelter.

  B – Terrace outside on it a table, at which I and young Harston, my staff officer sit and have our meals.

  C – Timber posts supporting 2 brown blankets as an awning. Sand bags on left are of a shelter (occupied by the Engineer officer on the Post, one Captain Butler R.E.4) called by me “Fort Butler” because he got special leave from me to loophole it etc and hold it with a few of his men in case of a big Turk attack emerging over the crest of the hill which is at back – as part of four defensive works in rear. He is a red headed, blue eyed Irishman and was so delighted when I gave him the leave. He half expected I would pull the place down but it commands a couple of saps and so I could reasonably give him his wish.

  D – a fire trench – the rest is the view, Hills, the sea Imbros, as I see looking thro’ the window frame. With artists license I have left out a pair of socks, a silk handkerchief and a silk shirt which have been washed and are hanging out to dry, pinned to the edge of the awning and where the wind doesn’t blow them up – blocking out most of the sea and Imbros!! I have left out the wire netting, as beyond my powers of drawing. The window frame is part of a bacon case! Bombs explode and rifles crack, but we don’t worry.

  E – is your photo – the original one I cut out of our double one that McAllister took. It is not to scale, I am afraid, as the window opening is only about 1’6” wide and the photo frame is 2 1/2” wide still it will convey to you my Mise en scene.5 I keep the photo on the window ledge now. The sea is more than a mile away from me, and Imbros about 13 miles away.

  I am half expecting a letter from you today or tomorrow, as often the mail comes in on Saturday or Sunday.... I have been writing this with various interruptions and I must now leave off writing and go round the post and look into some special matters.

  Back from my round – everything all right. An aeroplane (British) is flying round above us and has just dropped a bomb on the Turk trenches – such an explosion. The Turks are shelling it, and it is quite pretty, the blue sky the ... buff semi-transparent looking aeroplane, the white puff-ball, bursts of the shells, one after another suddenly bursting into rows in the wake of the aeroplane. They never seem to get very near it. Then machine guns try and get on to it, no good tho – it sails and circles steadily on superior to everything however. I would so like a flight in one.

  Sunday, 1st Aug 1915

  Sweetheart it is 12.15 (afternoon) and I have just come in to finish and seal this which I must do by 12.45pm. There was some extra special fighting all night last night, but we were not particularly interested, so we had a fairly quiet night. We let off a couple of mines, to smash up the Turks mining works about 9 of them.

  I didn’t get to Mass and communion this morning after all. I couldn’t find the place. I walked for an hour, in the end I found it up a little side gully – Mass was just finishing as I got there. I was disappointed. Father McMenamin has promised to come and say Mass specially one morning on the Post for me. It will be quite an event. No letter from you, but no mail is in. I wonder what you are doing, not worrying I hope. We may get home to England soon for a complete rest and a refit. The 29th Divn is being withdrawn. They have had a very strenuous time. Our Brigade too has suffered such strain (2,500 casualties out of some 5,000) and the strain has been so heavy that really they could not do themselves justice in fresh hardwork. The food question too; is a big one. Bully beef (all worst beef) patty in this hot weather. Why on earth – dates and such cheap fruits cannot be supplied with rice beats me, the beef costs I am told 8d [pence] per lb. I put it at 4d. Dates at NZ prices retail are 4d. Here wholesale they should be say 1d. Theoretically we can exchange or have substituted jam for beef, anything for anything but in practice it is also likely[?] not so. More muddle, and more severe questioning by the Junior Officer of his superior. I spoke to Genl Birdwood about it two days ago. I have to wait for the supply people last night.6 I meant to post [inform] him when I get the obvious ... [illegible] truth, which apparently the British nation have not been told yet. There are a whole army of Heads who want sacking. I had three men killed and 8 men wounded two nights ago because my superior officer, would not back us up in allowance for a few sticks of timbers and some iron. I complained and complained and made myself a d-d [damned] nuisance, but I couldn’t get the material. It was for what we could call head cover over a terrace when men had to lie down and sleep. It is almost criminal. Three fine young men killed and 8 wounded while sleeping. I almost cried not at their loss – we are used to that but at the “waste”. Lives, valuable lives lost for nothing. We shall get the timber and iron now! But Dearie I mustn’t bother you with this sort of thing. We are paying for England’s unpreparedness and folly, and she is paying for the falsity of her rulers and their ... [illegible]

  The postman [?] waits. With all my love, to the sweetest beloved and dearest sweetheart in the world.

  Your lover

  [MSX 2546]

  August 1st 1915, Sunday

  Time is beginning to fly. The Turks are evidently not going to come at us. We fired two mines under them last night, and the Australians, on the R [Right] flank went out and took a trench. They had allowed the Turks to dig close to them. We believe they are holding it all right. Wrote to Mater a long letter – by today’s mail. There is to be a big move soon. I move too. A chap from Cape Helles says Achi Baba will be taken on 14th. So may it be.

  Wellington Inf Bn casualties to date

  Officers

  Others

  Died of Sickness

  Killed 7 124 3 men

  Wounded 17 372

  Missing 28

  Totals 24 officers, 527 men.

  The missing are almost certainly ‘killed’.

  [MSX 2547]

  August 2nd 1915

  Everything all right but we had a bad accident in the trenches. An Engineer Sergeant has contrived a new bomb mortar throwing a bomb of 4 slabs (15 oz each)[425 grams] gun cotton and had Headquarters leave to try it in the Post. The Turks had put up some new head cover and we wanted to smash it but the distance was a bit too far for our hand heavy Lobiniere7 bombs so the Engineer asked to have a shot. I went up to observe. We cleared one trench just in front of where the Sergeant had his mortar, an observation place about 12 feet back. One of the two fuses used missed fire, and the bomb exploded in the mortar, killing a Sergeant [Robert Nairn] who was trying to pull the fuse out. He had his hand and forearm blown off and was so otherwise injured that he died within a short time. It was a bad explosi
on, 60 oz gun cotton. I thought the Turks had thrown a bomb at me observing so went on observing expecting the discharge of our mortar. Then I heard of the accident and went to the post.

  August 3rd 1915

  All well. We are to move out soon, round left flank. Went for a reconnaissance trip on HM Destroyer Colne. General Godley and General Shaw, 13 Division, came too. It was a pleasant trip but the beach and pier were shelled before we started. We go out and come in, in a picket (motor) boat to the Destroyer. As we wanted to land the Turks shelled the pier and us pretty persistently. One shell went just over us into the sea about 50 yards beyond. We circled about until a lull came and then went in and got ashore safely.

  August 4th 1915

  All well. Col Stoddart of 2nd Australian Light Horse is to relieve me as OC Post and I and the Wellington Battalion go to Happy Valley tomorrow night at 11.30pm (2330) and stay there. No fires. No movement all day 6th and go out on night 6th with rest of Brigade to take Chunuk Bair in a big combined movement against 971, Koja Chemen Tepe. We are pleased to be moving but the men are run down and the reinforcement men are in a big majority so I am not too sanguine about what we can do. General Birdwood, it is reported, said the NZ Inf Bde had had so much hard work and had been so knocked about that it should not go out in the present move but our Brigadier wouldn’t listen to that and insisted that we be given one of the toughest pieces of the job.9 He is too airy for me and does not know the weakness of his Brigade. It really ought to have a long spell of absolute rest such as the 29th Division is getting. We’ll do our best anyway but it is not altogether fair on the Brigade. My Battalion too has done extra work, has had no spell at Imbros as did the Canterbury and Otago Battalions and will go straight out of the trenches to fight again, climbing great hills. One thing the Brigade is getting credit for having volunteered for the job. We don’t deserve it because we have had no say in it and “volunteers” were not asked for. If they had been I think we would have come forward all right. I do not like this [‘rather dread’ overwritten by WGM] job, it will be night work. We have to wait on the Maoris and our MR clearing some hills and trenches over or by which we have to tackle the high ridge and none of our troops are trained enough for night work in very rough country. We shall possibly mistake the Maoris for Turks and the confusion in the dark will be terrible. If we could only start fighting at dawn and have the day before us, we should have it a real good fight, artillery support and seeing what to do and when to go would be a treat. Still it is not for me to decide.