Left Mudros in "Redbreast"
http://historicalrfa.org/requisitioned-auxiliaries/175-requisitioned-auxiliaries-r/1536-requisitioned-auxiliary-redbreast on Tuesday, 4.20 pm. Reached French pier on "V" Beach, Gallipoli Peninsula, 8 pm. Landed by being packed in a lighter which took us alongside the stranded "River Clyde", from which we reached the shore.http://www.worldwar1.com/sfclyde.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_River_Clyde
Marched inland 12 midnight. Lay in open at night near Rest Camp. Left for Support Trench 12 noon, on Wed.,1st Dec. Under shell-fire, Sat. 4 th, when at Bde. Dump on fatigue.Several shells burst behind parapet, throwing over showers of dirt. Went to Eski Lines in front of Krithia,5th; attatched on 2nd Dec. to No. 1 Platoon,X Coy. Sgt. Woodrow being platoon sergeant. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Battle_of_Krithia
On fatigue digging trenches 6th to 8th 8.30 am. to 12 noon, & 5 pm. to 8.30 pm.,and on 7th 8.30 am.to 12 noon. Garrison duty on 9th; removed to Rest Camp on 10th in afternoon. Went into old dugouts for night: - holes dug in ground,8'x 6'x 3', no roof six in one row, connected by passage, earth thrown up in front. Went into comfortable winter dugouts next day. These held 7 men - 5 sleeping on floor, two in hammocks from roof. They are 3 feet below the level of the ground, & are 10' x 6', and 7' high at back, the roof being of corrugated iron.The dugouts were in a row, and connected by a passage one foot wide, with a"street",or drain, 4 feet wide on same level as floor, of dugouts, and running the length of the row of dugouts. On Mon.,13th, I received two letters from home, posted on 26th Nov. (A letter from Maggie Harvey, while in Eski Lines on 8th Dec., addressed to Peebles, and re-addressed).
Left Rest Camp 7 am. on 14th for firing-line with bombers and advance party, to take over periscopes from 6th H.L.I. & Argylls. The battalion, coming later, was shelled, and Harold Robertson (of 1st draft), was killed, and S.M. Fairman wounded. Bombs were thrown into firing-line while we were changing over. One landed 2 yards in front of me and exploded before I could get away. I was hit on left cheek, near eye, six places on right hand, and 3 on legs;all wounds were merely skin-deep. When No.1 PLatoon came up I was placed with it, 3 traversxxx away, No.2 Platoon occupying trench which was only 20 yds. from Turkish trench.
I was on duty on firing-step on Tuesday night,14th, one hour on, two off, from 6 pm. to 6 am. Whole battalion had to stand-to from 5 - 6 pm., and 6-7 am. I was put on light duty on 15th, and slept in duplicate firing-line. On duty again on 16th & 17th, although still attending doctor every morning, and getting wounds dressed. Officers and men very considerate in asking how my wounds were. Col. Peebles, 7th R.S. C.O.,& Acting C.O. of 4th R.S., told me to get round corner next time a bomb came over. Bomb was little bigger than a hen egg, wrapped in linen cloth (white), tied at neck, from which fuse protruded. On night of 17th I was very sick, and had pains in stomach, also diarrhoea - blamed it on dinner of curried stew.
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