Blog category - Diary of an ANZAC
Wednesday 23rd June 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
23 June 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.Soldiers on the beach at Anzac Cove. Some of the men are attending to daily duties while others are resting on the sand or swimming. P02647.026
‘A large seaplane was flying around here at about 9am. There were a large number of us swimming at the cove at about 3pm when the enemy began to shell the beach from the direction of Anafata. We wasted no time in getting out and taking cover in the heaps of stores along the beach, but there were six casualties before everyone got out. Our artillery has been shelling the Olive Grove off and on during the day, the enemy have been quiet from that direction, their guns have not fired a shot. A report today states that two enemy aeroplanes flew over our positions at Helles this morning and one was forces down in our lines and captured.’
For the classroom: What advantages are there to capturing an enemy behind your own lines?
Tuesday 22nd June 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
22 June 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.'recto: Achi Baba, from Tommy's Trench, Helles; verso: The top of the Taurus Mountains' By George Lambert ART02849
‘At about 2am an aeroplane could be heard flying overhead but it could not be seen. One of our new large planes flew over about 11am. The monitor appeared again at about 4pm and we watched her shells exploding near Achi Baba. A report today states that the French have taken and are holding two lines of enemy trenches at Cape Helles. We were unable to get anything from the canteen ship and our money was returned to us today. The 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance relieved us of Capt. Marks station in Victoria Gully today.’
Monday 21st June 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
21 June 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 metal loophole plate used by the 1st Battalion, showing the marks of Turkish snipers' bullets. It had only been in position a few days. A01002
‘During the night a heavy artillery action which has continued off and on during the day has been in progress down at Helles. The enemy snipers* who have been enfilading Brighton beach with rifle fire have been very active lately and have succeeded in wounding half a dozen during the last few days. The range at which they have to fire makes accurate shooting impossible, but never the less they manage to bag an occasional victim and make the beach unsafe while they are at it. At about 4pm a monitor put in an appearance and shelled the enemy on Kaba Tepe at the same time. Received a couple of letters today.’
*Turkish snipers were trained to attack officers over the rest of the men.
For the classroom: What are the advantages of eliminating your enemies officers in battle?
Sunday 20th June 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
20 June 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. Communion set in presentation case : Chaplain W E Dexter AIF REL34239
‘Things have been very quiet today. A church service was held in our camp this evening. A couple of shells fell right in the track at Dawkins Point at 8.30pm, usually there are numbers passing the spot about that time but fortunately no one was near it tonight. A heavy infantry action seems to be in progress down south tonight. An outburst of rifle fire occurred at about 11pm on our right flank.’
Saturday 19th June 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
19 June 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.
Bronze statue of a First World War soldier wearing 'Anzac uniform' (bare torso, shorts made from cut down trousers, hat, boots and socks) carrying three four-gallon tins used for water storage and collection. ART14074
‘One of our planes passed over here this morning and went down to the cape, he dropped a bomb about half way down. A plane flew over towards Maidos about 2pm and about an hour later another bombed the enemy trenches opposite Quins Post. At about 6pm another flew over and went down to the Cape. A seaplane has been directing a Monitors fire this afternoon on enemy concentrated on the No 2 A.S.C. Depot, a habit they have of shelling the Depot at sunset lately. A couple of heavy howitzer shells from the enemy exploded very near our camp today.’
Friday 18th June 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
18 June 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.
Australian Army issue watch with leather wristband : Major I G Mackay, 4 Battalion AIF REL/07581.001
‘This afternoon a Monitor shelled the enemy positions behind Kaba Tepe. At about 10pm the enemy guns in the Olive Grove fired a few shells at our stores in the cove, it is unusual for the enemy to use his artillery after dark.’
*Due to the nature of the evacuation very few items could be taken by ANZACs as they left. The watch above is part of a relatively small collection compared to the items brought back from the Western Front.
For the classroom: If you had to leave your house in a hurry and could only bring one item what would that be?
Thursday 17th June 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
17 June 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.
British troops in the trenches at Ghurka Bluff in the Cape Helles area. H16497
‘The enemy artillery has been rather active at times during the past week or so, otherwise things have been extremely quiet, especially in the trenches, it seems to be a deadlock as far as we are concerned at present, it appears impossible to push on any further now without adequate reinforcements, as the enemy, like ourselves have consolidated their positions during the inactivity of the past few weeks and it will mean a tremendous effort to force him out of his position now. However that is part of the business ahead and the feelings of everyone is that the sooner it takes place the better, as this methods of at present only exchanging shot for shot and watching one another is getting on everyone’s nerves. At about 4.50pm the enemy shelled the top of the ridge above our camp for about half an hour, we have a habit of viewing operations down south from the top of the ridge and evidently the enemy noticed us from their observation post on Kaba Tepe at the foot of the hill and none of his shells fell in our camp or did further damage than tearing up the ground on the top of the ridge. One of our aeroplanes bombed the enemy on Kaba Tepe about 5pm.’
Wednesday 16th June 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
16 June 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.
Sergeant Cyril Lawrence, No. 2 Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers, has his head shaved while seated outside a trench. P02226.020
‘Rain has been threatening all day and it has got very cool. Late in the afternoon my 3 mates went up to Captain Goldsmiths station where we are on duty tonight and left me to go round to the Cove for water. While there, the enemy made things very lively by shelling the depot and forcing us all to take shelter among the piles of stores. One chap was killed and several others wounded near the clearing station. After getting the water when things got a bit quieter I made off back to join my mates, but when near the No 2 A.S.C. Depot, the enemy turned his attention to it and I found myself in another warm quarter for a while, however the shelter afforded by the steep bank along the beach gave fairly good protection for getting to Victoria Gully, but when near Dawkins Point a shrapnel burst almost overhead and an infantry lad with me at the time got wounded in the leg, we got close in to the bank and he got his wound bandaged up and one of his mates took him back to the clearing station while I went back to our post to find things extremely quiet in that vicinity. A bread ration was issued again today. One of the mates cut my hair today in the latest army style.’
Tuesday 15th June 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
15 June 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.
‘One of our aeroplanes flew over in the direction of Maidros at about 8am and returned about 10.30am. A large seaplane was circling about for nearly 2 hours this morning. A Monitor was shelling the enemy positions on Achi baba very heavily this morning. An extremely heavy artillery action was in progress all the morning down at the Cape. A rather rough sea has been running all day and shortly after midday barrels of wine and spirit began to float shore, needless to say no time was lost in rolling them into the shelter of the cliffs and getting to business on the contents. Water bottles, water tins and anything that was capable of holding liquid was filled and carted off to the trenches dug-outs with the result that the troops began to get very merry in no time. When headquarters became aware of what was occurring, steps were taken to smash all barrels as they came ashore and empty the contents into the sea. Just before sunset the enemy shelled the No 2 A.S.C Depot very heavily. Heavy rifle fire can be heard down south tonight.’
For the classroom: What reason might the officers have for destroying the wine barrels?
Monday 14th June 1915- Diary of HV Reynolds
14 June 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 T.B.Destroyer went in close to Kaba Tepe this morning and shelled the enemy tranches from a while, she returned again this afternoon and shelled the enemy away inland, on this occasion the enemy fired at her with their field gun from behind Kaba Tepe but did not succeed in hitting her. I managed to buy 3 tins of milk one shilling each from some sailors on the beach, we get very little here other than our rations which are bully beef, biscuits, cheese and bacon, so anything is very welcome as change. The sea has been rather rough today. At about 11pm some of us sat and watched heavy action down at Cape Helles from the top of the ridge above our camp, the flash of guns and explosion of the shells proved that the artillery on both sides was very heavily engaged and the start shells and flares illuminated the whole ridge from Achi Baba to the Cape.’
For the classroom: Look at the Nolan painting above. Re-create your own Gallipoli sunset.
