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Saturday 31st July 1915- Dairy of HV Reynolds
31 July 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. Indian Mule Teams in Mule Gully, being loaded supplies for the troops. Lines of mules are tethered in the background. A03809
‘At about 7am an enemy aeroplane dropped 3 bombs, one of which exploded in the lines of an Indian transport column at the head of Clarkes gully, several mules were killed but no further damage seems to have been done. One of the field guns of Burgess no 9 battery which is in position just above our camp has been set up in such a way s to be able to fire at enemy aeroplanes, we have not anti-aircraft guns here on shore though some of the battleships have them mounted. A consistent heavy rumble of artillery has been coming from the direction of Cape Helles all day. A large biplane circled overhead for about half an hour this evening. Preparations have been made for an attack upon enemy positions in front of Tasmania Post. Out howitzers have been very active all day. At 10pm mines were exploded in front of Tasmania Post and out infantry attacked the enemy trenches. “A” section were on duty at the aid posts and at 11pm “B” section were called out and we were given instructions to work in relays from Tasmania Post to a new relay post at Dawkins Point and from here to the C.C. Station to ANZAC Cove. The mates and I happened to be detailed to work the top relay which included the steep climb from Clarkes Gully to Tasmania Post.’
Friday 30th July 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
30 July 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. Members of No 9 Station of the Australian Wireless Signal Squadron crossing Asadabad Pass about 30 miles on the Kermanshah side of Hamadan. J02050
‘The explosion of two bombs dropped without result near the No 2 A.S.C. Depot by an enemy aeroplane, woke us all up this morning at dawn. This afternoon I looked up some old mates in the 8th Btn and spent the time playing cards, things being very quiet in the trenches. A strange type of battleship and a number of T.B.Ds accompanied by a number of strange destroyers, a balloon ship and a light cruiser put in an appearance and took up positions between Imbros and the Cape. At about 5pm the battleship which is probably a French one and the light cruiser violently shelled the ridge of Achi Baba, two monitors shelled the enemy gun positions on this side of Achi Baba at the same time from positions between here and Imbros. Shortly after 5pm an enemy aeroplane dropped two bombs both of which exploded harmlessly in the water just out from Brighton beach. Once of our own machines forced the hostile plane to beat a hasty retreat and he appeared to drive and land in his own territory not very far from the line. At 5pm one round per man was fired from the trenches to celebrate the success of our troops in the Persian Gulf.’
Thursday 29th July 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
29 July 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. "Ration dump, ANZAC Gully" Showing boxes of stores piled high with dugouts in the background. P01116.018
‘We spent some time this morning digging a dugout as a shelter for patients coming down from the dressing station. Two monitors and a light cruiser appeared this afternoon and fired a few shells at enemy gun positions, their fire was directed from an observation balloon. An enemy aeroplane came over this evening at about 7pm, he attempted to land a bomb on the stores in the cove but it landed harmlessly in the water, he then lost no time in getting back to his own lines and two of our planes followed him over. A reinforcement Pte Tunks replaced Pte Andrews in out squad today.’
For the classroom: Why would the enemy attack supplies?
Wednesday 28th July 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
28 July 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 stack of ration boxes on the beach at Anzac Cove, arranged so that they form a shelter for the men responsible for its distribution. C03393
‘The enemys new gun fired several shells during the day, it appears to be situated somewhere near the Olive Grove. Another 4.7 naval gun was brought ashore today. We received a tin of milk to 4 men with our rations today, several occasions lately we have had rice and raisons issued to us and the milk will be very acceptable with them.’
Tuesday 27th July 1915- Dairy of HV Reynolds
27 July 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. 'Sunset, Lemnos' By George Lambert ART02853
‘Six T.B.Destroyers have been cruising about all day, we have seen very little of them lately. Two have been doing patrol work about here for the past week and have been the only war boats about. The weather has been very warm for the past few weeks and it’s getting extremely hot now, the sun is very fierce and the nights fairly warm. Some exceptionally beautiful sunrises and sunsets are to be seen here at times. Last evening three large transports steamed across from Imbros to Cape Helles.’
Monday 26th July 1915- Dairy of HV Reynolds
26 July 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. Informal group portrait of eight unidentified 4th Field Ambulance stretcher bearers at a relay station on the Gallipoli Peninsula. C00664
‘Having spell from duty today I took the opportunity of visiting some old mates in the 4th Fld Amb, where I fell in with a bit of luck in getting a couple of tins of milk. The enemy fired several nasty shells on to the beach in the cover this afternoon. As I was coming back to our camp one shell alone wounded 7. The new 4.7 naval gun fired its first shell at about 6pm, to our surprise her second shot was answered by the enemy with a large shell from a new heavy gun of theirs. Our gun fired six shells all of which were replies to by the enemy gun, they seem to have a pretty good knowledge of the position of our new gun as all their shells have exploded in the vicinity, one in particular being very close.’
For the classroom: Can you think of any types of reunions that might take place today?
Sunday 25th July 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
25 July 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. Service dress tunic : Sergeant J R Matthews, 7 Battalion, AIF REL31830.002
‘At about 1pm my mates and I had a very troublesome patient to deal with, he was suffering from sunstroke* as a result of an excessive amount of rum and it took us all we knew to manage him and get him to the C.C.S. A large biplane circled overhead for an hour or more just before sunset. About 11pm a monitor steamed in close to Kaba Tepe point and fired a dozen shells away inland, Beachy Bill fired over a few shells about midnight. Our howitzers have been pretty active during the last few nights. One of the mates, Pte Andrews went away ill today.’
*Did you know that it was believed that sunstroke was caused by direct sunlight on the spine? As a precaution, the soldier’s tunics were made with an extra strip of fabric running the length of the spine.
Saturday 24th July 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
24 July 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 British soldier visits his comrade's grave on the cliffs on the tip of Gallipoli Peninsula at sunset. G00363
‘Everything has been extremely quiet today and very little sniping has been done by the enemy for several days. Just before sunset a large biplane circled overhead for a while. During the day a light cruiser has been steaming to and fro from the Cape to Imbros.’
Friday 23rd July 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
23 July 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 trench at Tasmania Post held by the 12th Battalion. Major Campbell 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station (ACCS) is to the right, smoking a cigarette, looking through a periscope and Colonel Hilmen Smith smoking a pipe (left) and two unidentified privates of the 12th Battalion. A02309
‘Nothing came of the expected stack last night, out howitzers and a couple of T.B.D’s did a bit of shelling and an outburst of rifle fire which did not last long was the only disturbance during the night. Beachy Bill got bust and shelled the beach about 11am. Some sort of an incendiary bomb was used by the enemy today, several were fired into our lines behind Tasmania Post but no damage was done by them.’
Thursday 22nd July 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
22 July 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. Informal outdoors group portrait of members of the 1st Australian Divisional Signal Company wearing some of the first consignment of gas masks delivered to Anzac Cove. P02367.013
‘An attack is expected from the enemy tonight and preparations have been made to meet it, so they will find us all ready for their visit if it takes place. Just before midday a biplane circled overhead for about an hour, returning again about 6pm, it dropped a bomb on the enemy positions and circled overhead for about an hour afterwards. Another barge broke away today but was recovered without much trouble. We did not receive the usual shelling from the enemy this evening at sunset. We were relieved of the Clarkes Gully dressing station by the 2nd Fld Amb today. Gas helmets were issued to us today, they appear to be a much more satisfactory and serviceable article than the respirators issued yesterday, they are made of flannelette in the form of a bag which fits right over the head, the loose open end is then tucked lightly under the tunic collar, a small piece of mica is fitted in the front to see through and the flannelette is charged with an anti-gas chemical, so far we have not seen any sign of the enemy attempting to use gas, but it is good to be prepared. We greatly appreciated a few articles in the way of chocolate, writing paper etc, brought to us by Captain Wassail when he returned from Alexandria yesterday.’
For the classroom: What am I:
I could be used to protect against gas attack
- I am a liquid
- I am not a chemical
- I was put on gauze or a hanky, Soldiers used to breathe through me to protect themselves
- I am yellow in colour
- I am a human waste product…. have you guessed it?
I am urine. The ammonia found in human urine proved an effective protection against the chemical weapons on the Western Front.
