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Friday 30th April 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
30 April 2010 by Janice Farrer.
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Diary of an ANZAC
Please note: Care has been taken to transcribe these entries without alteration to preserve the original language of Herbert Vincent Reynolds.
‘Things have been pretty quiet all day, we are strongly entrenched now and there is not so much hard work as tracks are being made up the hills though the scrub and a mule transport column has arrived and they are now carting most of the supplies to the trenches. At sunset the enemies’ artillery commenced to shell our positions but the battleships quickly replied and they soon quietened down. Another mate received a bullet wound in the shoulder today and went away to hospital.’
For the classroom: What would forging tracks be so important?
Food from Heaven – 460 Squadron and Operation Manna, 1945
29 April 2010 by Dianne Rutherford.
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Collection,From the collection, 460 Squadron RAAF, Aerial Operations, Anniversaries, Rations, Second World War
65 years ago a very special operation began to provide food to the starving civilians in the German occupied Netherlands. During the harsh winter of 1944-1945 the Dutch population endured a major famine. Known as the ‘hungerwinter’ it was concentrated in the densely populated urban areas bounded by Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam and The Hague. By 1945 the daily ration had been reduced to 600 calories – a third of what it had been in 1941.
Thursday 29th April 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
29 April 2010 by Janice Farrer.
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Diary of an ANZAC
Please note: Care has been taken to transcribe these entries without alteration to preserve the original language of Herbert Vincent Reynolds. A parade of stretcher bearers of the 1st Field Ambulance about four days after the landing at Anzac Cove. C02148
‘The Goeben again sent over about half a dozen shells this morning, one falling dangerously close to the Majestic standing off Suvla Pt. As the shells strike the water a column of water shoots up to a height of about 20 ft. The enemy have been fairly quiet all day, their artillery got busy for about an hour before sunset. Our battleships have been extremely active today especially the Lizzie which set something on fire away in the direction of Maidos, great clouds of smoke could be seen rising, probably from on oil well.’
*Herbert comments regularly and in great detail about what he can view from his position. The action at sea was a welcome distraction to what was happening around him.
Wednesday 28th April 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
28 April 2010 by Janice Farrer.
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Diary of an ANZAC
Please note: Care has been taken to transcribe these entries without alteration to preserve the original language of Herbert Vincent Reynolds. View looking up headquarters gully showing bivouacs of the Australian & New Zealand Army Corps Headquarters. J02407
‘The Goeben sent over some heavy stuff today in an attempt to hit some of the transports, but was not successful. The enemies field artillery has been less active all day than usual. A welcome sight appeared at about 11am when a few more transports arrived with fresh troops who are badly needed to give us a bit of a let up from entrenching and beating off attacks at the same time, our infantry are more or less worn out in consequence of this continual strain. This afternoon our unit shifted its position to the right flank and we spent a busy time getting dug into reasonably safe dug-outs, a thing we had not had time to do at our old bivouac on the first ridge above the clearing station. One of the mates got a bullet wound in the arm just after we commenced digging in. The ships all along the line from Cape Helles to Suvla Point took part and the din was terrific especially when the Queen Elizabeth let go with a broadside, at each discharge of her 15 inch guns there is a tremendous concussion that can be felt in the air.’
Tuesday 27th April 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
27 April 2010 by Janice Farrer.
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Diary of an ANZAC
Please note: Care has been taken to transcribe these entries without alteration to preserve the original language of Herbert Vincent Reynolds. The Quarter Master store of the 4th Battalion, AIF, at the top of Shrapnel Gully. H15684
‘Things got extremely lively about midnight when we received a call from the head of Shrapnel gully for all available stretcher parties, there we found several wounded chaps in an almost inexcessable position. We has great difficulty in getting them to the beach, there being no track of any sort. We had to slide them down a bank which gave absolutely no foothold, into the bed of the gully where the only way down to the beach was to wade through a small stream which ran through it. It was thoroughly a back breaking job as we found to our dismay, the water was knee deep, and the slay like mud in it caused a suction that almost kept you from walking in it, let alone having the weight of a wounded man to carry as well. The enemies’ shrapnel has been more severe today and has done a fair amount of damage. A mine sweeper was sunk just off Hell Spit this morning about 10am. At about 7pm Captain Wassail went with most of B section to an aid post in Victoria Gully, the shelling was very severe at the time and there being no shelter for everyone he took all except my party back to the bivouacs near the beach, leaving us to bring a wounded chap back after he had received medical attention. Things have quietened down a bit when we left the post but just as we reached the crest of the ridge between Shrapnel and Victoria gullies the enemy concentrated a battery upon the crest and sent shell after shell into our vicinity, however none of us lost any of our nine lives and besides feeling a bit unsettled we got out of the mix-up none the worse for being caught in it. At about 11pm we were relieved for a spell. My mate and I lost no time in making a bit of a bivouac, we no sooner got down than a flash and a crash simultaneously right alongside us, made us thing until we felt ourselves that the worst had happened. However what I thought was nothing less than a leg off turned out to be a common ordinary bruise above the left knee with just a slight cut to show where the lump of iron bumped me. I can thank my greatcoat for breaking the force as it suffered more than me. One of our seaplanes was damaged today by shell fire but fortunately it managed to land safely.’
For the classroom: Working under such high pressure would eventually take its toll on some of the men. How might the stress affect their well being?
Monday 26th April 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
26 April 2010 by Janice Farrer.
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Diary of an ANZAC
Please note: Care has been taken to transcribe these entries without alteration to preserve the original language of Herbert Vincent Reynolds.
A stretcher bearer from 1st Australian Field Ambulance has time to smile as he and others of his unit unload their equipment after landing at Anzac Cove. A05782
‘Obtained about an hour’s sleep early this morning, we had hardly been able to make the best of a few minutes to rest before I was asleep. I have vague recollections of being awakened and told to get my gear and be ready to go back to the boats*, but evidently went off to sleep without grasping the full meaning of the order, however we are still here. It seems there was some talk of evacuating our position here and re-embarking during the night. Our unit seems to have been the first intended to withdraw, had we been compelled to take such a step, fortunately it did not come about.
The units of the division are thoroughly disorganized and there appears no possibility of sorting one battalion from another at present, as the enemy is throwing increasing weight against our line every hour, rendering any efforts at organizing impossible, all out efforts are needed now to defend and hang on to what we already hold. Practically all the wounded have been cleared from the aid posts and have been got away to the ships, there is still a constant stream of wounded coming down from the line. Shrapnel fire gave us an extremely lively time during the day in Shrapnel gully, it has been exploding very high, a thing we have reason to be thankful for. A seaplane has been very busy circling over our position today. The enemy is making every effort to prevent us landing more troops and stores by keeping up an incessant fire over the water with shrapnel. All day the sailors in charge of the boast have been back and forward from the transports to the beach with stores and ammunition etc, going through it as though it was nothing more than an ordinary days work. At about 6pm a party of us commenced to work from the aid post at the head of Shrapnel gully, a large number of wounded having collected there.’
*Consideration was given to evacuating the ANZACs after the massive losses during the landing. After receiving word of the AE2’s success in penetrating the Dardanelles the ANZACs were told to ‘dig in’ and thoughts of an evacuation were abandoned.
For the classroom: How might the men have felt after hearing rumours of an evacuation?
Sunday 25th April 1915 – The ANZAC Landing – Diary of HV Reynolds
25 April 2010 by Janice Farrer.
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Diary of an ANZAC
Please note: Care has been taken to transcribe these entries without alteration to preserve the original language of Herbert Vincent Reynolds.
Steam pinnance towing ships' boats full of stretcher bearers from 1st Australian Field Ambulance to ANZAC Cove at 0800 hours. A05772
‘At 1.30 am the boat weighed anchor and got under way. Every one was astir early and watching for the first signs of the engagement, at about 5am we could just discern the break of day and the report of the guns could be faintly heard, but they got plainer gradually as we steamed along, until the light increased and the outline of land could be dimly seen. Every few seconds a stab like flash would be seen from the guns and the shells as they exploded. As we slowly steamed towards the other transports anchored off the coast in an extremely calm sea, we passed an overturned lifeboat. The observation balloon on the ship Ark Royal was well up in the air when we passed her and a sea plane was alongside ready to rise.
At about 7.30am we dropped anchor amongst dozens of other transports. All along the coast at intervals the battleships were firing salvoes, great sheets of flame issuing from them at each discharge and a deafening crash like thunder seems to shake the boat. Occasionally a shell from the enemy would come and fall harmlessly in the water amongst the transports, very little notice being taken of them.
At about 9am the Torpedo boat Destroyer Scourge came alongside and we got on board her with our gear only the bearer section of our unit is landing. In a very few minutes on the decks of the Destroyer were packed with troops and she began to move off, when all of a sudden there was a sharp crack and her left aft mast carrying the wireless came down. One of the out swung derricks on the transport having fouled it as we began to move. Several received a severe bump though fortunately no one received much injury, and the damaged mast and wireless was rigged up again in less time than it takes to tell.
The Destroyer slipped in as close to shore as possible, we then got into row boats which were in tow along the Destroyers sides. Picks, shovels and various other equipments including stretchers were tossed in and we were towing behind a steam pinance before the Destroyer has even stopped and was making straight for the shore at a real good speed. A short distance from the beach the pinance cast us adrift and the sailors in each boat commenced to row their boat the remaining distance. We had almost reached the beach when there was a scream in the air and a crash followed by a splashing in the water just clear of the boat, it was shrapnel and no one needed telling of the fact. We were in the water as soon as it was shallow enough and were wading ashore in water up to our waists and losing no time in doing it. On reaching the beach we got rid of our equipment and with our section officer Captain Wassail climbed the first ridge. Here we found this pretty unhealthy for our first duty in action came very soon for as we reached the crest of the ridge we came upon a chap badly wounded, he was attended to and my 3 mates (we work in parties of 4) set out to carry him to the beach. This proved to be a difficult undertaking down the steep side of the hill, there are no tracks to follow and the wounded have to be carried down sideways on or they would slide off the stretcher. Then the scrub which is about 5 ft high and pretty thick, also the loose rocks which roll down into the gully when dislodged give no end of trouble, however the wounded seem prepared to put up with the rough handling they receive in being brought in and which we are unable to prevent under the circumstances. On returning up the ridge we came under fire from an enemy machine gun and though sheltered from it by a bank just below the crest of the ridge, it was trained in such a way as to prevent any one going any further at that particular point.
Shrapnel began to explode pretty freely in the gully below us and a couple of chaps were wounded by it, we attended to them and they then walked back to the beach. A few minutes later as we approached the crest of the ridge again a chap called t us in the scrub and got one of the mates to dress one of his fingers which had the tip shot off at the first joint, he then went back through the scrub saying he would let some ****** know he could still use his rifle. All the wounded we attend to in any way showed a disregard for the pain that is really remarkable. After numerous trips to the beach we received instructions late in the afternoon to assist in placing some of the wounded in barges which carried them out to the hospital ships and transports.
The beach presented an awful scene, evidently the wounded had been collecting on the beach all day and none were being transported out to the boats till late in the afternoon. There must have been somewhere about 1200 wounded and numbers if dead lying along in the shelter of the cliff which gave very limited shelter even then, especially from shrapnel which every now and then would explode over the each. Taking its toll and adding to the already huge death toll. The doctors worked like Trojans during their utmost under the circumstances to attend to all serious cases that urgently required it, their job was an impossible one as every one could understand. The courage shown by the wounded will never be forgotten by those who witnessed it, it was brilliant, they were prepared for anything and gave a great deal more thought for how things were going in the line, than they seemed to do for their wounds. Many would be cursing their wounds and their helplessness not on account of any pain but for the reason that they were out of the thick of the fight.
All the while the guns of the ships were at it constant and their roar mingled with the crack of rifle fire and machine gun fire and the scream and crash of shells in the air and when they exploded created such a medley of sound, that it became hard to realize that it was not all a great nightmare. The broadsides from the 15in guns on the Lizzie seemed to shake the very earth when she fired. I have no idea of the time, but it was getting on to sunset and while engaged on the beach that I came across Ellis Stones with a severe wound in the knee, we only had time for a few words, as we put him on a barge, he informed me about Will Elliot being killed just after leaving the boat.
Just about sunset we went over the first ridge at a point away to the right of where we were engaged this morning and worked out way up the gully behind it to where it seemed to meet the second ridge, there we collected a number of wounded and carried them to the beach. An attempt was being made after sunset to get some of our artillery ashore, only 2 Indian mountain batteries are ashore and we are badly in need of artillery support. Every where the enquiry is being made along the front – “where is our artillery?” and a constant call from reinforcements at one point or another is made.
There appears to be no sign of us pushing through to our objectives without them, for the casualties have already been enormous and the battalions are scattered everywhere, although there is a definite understanding between everyone to stick the thing through, and hold out against the increasing numbers of enemy at any cost. Rumours concerning the British at Helles are very favourable if correct, we heard that Indian and French forces are making an attempt to link up with our right flank to assist us, and that early tomorrow British troops will be sent to our front, to push on. Tonight we are being held and out line is very weak if the enemy make any serious attempt to attack. All along the coast the battleships are firing, and at every discharge a blinding flash splits the darkness followed by a crash like thunder. The rifle fire has been intense all day, and continues to be so. So far our rifle fire has stopped all enemy attempts to drive us back though we have had to give some ground.’
Saturday 24th April 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
24 April 2010 by Janice Farrer.
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Diary of an ANZAC
Please note: Care has been taken to transcribe these entries without alteration to preserve the original language of Herbert Vincent Reynolds.
Troops of an Australian Battalion on the deck of the battleship Prince of Wales in Mudros Harbour just before the landing. A01829
‘At last the big move which we have been awaiting has come and orderly preparations can be observed every where. Everyone has his respective kit reduced to the lowest possible amount and the rest packed away on the wagons in the ships hold, we are taking no blankets with us. Our gear consists of our great coat which is rolled bandolier fashion with a waterproof sheet rolled around it, 48 hour iron rations in our haversacks and a full water bottle which we have been warned to take. Orders have been read to us giving such details of the undertaking as are necessary, we have been informed that it is to be generally understood that what is about to be undertaken is a most difficult task and must be pushed through at any cost. There must be no thought of turning back. From our anchorage outside the harbour entrance we obtained a splendid view of the transports leaving the harbour. Several left at dawn and others left during the morning, everyone appears eager and anxious now the movement has commenced, every boat moving within hailing distance of another receives a regular outburst of cheering, which is quickly replied to. About 2pm we witnessed the Navy steam out of the harbour on its way to the scene of operations at the Dardanelles, headed by the Queen Elizabeth, the ships streamed past presenting a magnificent spectacle which to those who witnessed it will never be forgotten. During the rest of the afternoon transports have been leaving in an almost continuous stream.’
For the classroom: How would you feel on the eve of a great battle?
95th Anniversary of Gallipoli Campaign
23 April 2010 by Nicholas Schmidt.
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ANZACS online,Collection,From the collection,New acquisitions,News,Personal Stories, Gallipoli, Private Records, Research Centre
This ANZAC Day marks the 95th anniversary of the start of the Gallipoli campaign, when tens of thousands of British, French and Dominion troops landed on the Turkish coast.
To acknowledge this anniversary, the Australian War Memorial’s Research Centre is displaying previously unseen original letters and diaries relating to the campaign. The Research Centre’s collection is a rich source of records that tells the story of Gallipoli in the words of those who experience it.
The display is titled Gallipoli Landings and reminds the visitor that few of those Australians who served on the peninsula landed in that initial wave of 1,500 men from the 3rd Infantry Brigade. Many experienced their own ‘landing’ in the hours, days and months that followed, while others, including nurses, served on the ships and islands off-shore. Despite great efforts over eight months and the loss of many lives, little progress was made. The ANZACs were evacuated in December 1915. By January 1916, the last British troops had been withdrawn from their positions at Cape Helles, and the campaign abandoned.
The varied experiences of those who served at Gallipoli can be seen in the letters, diaries and private papers from the Memorial’s Private Records collection. The Memorial began collecting wartime letters and diaries during the 1920s and continues to collect the private records today.
Friday 23rd April 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
23 April 2010 by Janice Farrer.
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Diary of an ANZAC
Please note: Care has been taken to transcribe these entries without alteration to preserve the original language of Herbert Vincent Reynolds.
Aft guns of the battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth located off the shores of Gallipoli Peninsula. G00225
‘Late in the afternoon our boat cast off from the Lake Michigan and steamed down the harbour. On passing the Queen Elizabeth the salute was sounded and every one lined up on deck. We moved outside the harbour boom and anchored. An aeroplane has been circling about again today. Received mail today.’
