Diary of John Henry Llewellyn Turnbull, 1915

Turnbull, John Henry Llewellyn

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Places	Africa: Egypt, Alexandria Africa: Egypt, Cairo Africa: Egypt, Cairo, Gezira Africa: Egypt, Helouan Africa: Egypt, North Egypt, Mena Asia: Ceylon, Colombo Europe: Greece, Aegean Islands, Imbros Europe: Greece, Aegean Islands, Lemnos Europe: Greece, Aegean Islands, Lemnos, Mudros Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Anzac Area (Gallipoli) Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Anzac Area (Gallipoli), Lone Pine Area, Lone Pine Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Anzac Area (Gallipoli), Quinn's Post Area, Courtney's Post Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Anzac Area (Gallipoli), Quinn's Post Area, Dead Man's Ridge Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Anzac Area (Gallipoli), Quinn's Post Area, Pope's Hill Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Anzac Area (Gallipoli), Quinn's Post Area, Quinn's Post Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Anzac Area (Gallipoli), Shrapnel Gully Area, Shrapnel Gully Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Cape Helles Area, Cape Helles Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Cape Helles Area, Krithia
Accession Number	RCDIG0001106
Collection number	PR91/015
Collection type	Digitised Collection
Record type	File
Item count	1
Object type	Diary
Physical description	105 Image/s captured
Maker	Turnbull, John Henry Llewellyn
Place made	At sea, Ceylon, Egypt, Greece: Aegean Islands, Imbros, Greece: Aegean Islands, Lemnos, Ottoman Empire: Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli
Date made	1915
Conflict	First World War, 1914-1918
Copying Provisions	Digital format and content protected by copyright.

Description

Diary relating to the First World War service of 1433 Private John Henry Llewellyn Turnbull, 8th Battalion. This is the first of six detailed diaries transcribed by Turnbull after the war, and documents his embarkation and subsequent service at Gallipoli with the 8th Battalion. This diary was originally written between February 2nd to October 31st 1915 omitting March 20th to April 3rd which is continued in his second diary.

This diary begins with his embarkation from Melbourne in February 1915, details his journey to Egypt, the island of Lemnos in early April and details the many practice beach landings and drills 'attacking' local villages in preparation for the landing at Gallipoli. He then goes on to write a detailed account of the landing on 25 April, including boats half full of wounded due to Turkish shell fire before they had even reached the shore, and early encounters with the Turkish soldiers. He was then moved down to Cape Helles with the British Soldier and details his time there, including those with the Gurkas

Upon returning to Anzac in mid-May he writes of Private John Simpson Kirkpatrick, who he called "Simmie the Donkeyman,", the details of the armistice on 24 May, the sinking of HMS Triumph, jam tin bombs, Colonel Charles Henry Brand, the prelude to and battle of Lone Pine, and his role in charge of snipers and a bomb post at Courtney's Post.

Both of his hands were damaged by shrapnel and in mid-August unable to stand up and suffering from dysentery he was evacuated to Alexandria. Turnbull's diary concludes with healing and sightseeing in Egypt.