Sunday, 26 July 2015

Letter - 26 July 1915 - Transfer to 'B' company temporarily, the plum pudding bomb

Athol writes to his mother in Melbourne. He has now received all the missing letters. She also gifts him some Huddart Parker shares and a watch. Theprevious watch was destroyed on 25 April when he was injured in the arm during the Landings.



Dear Mater, 
I have now got all your letters as I got 5,6,7,8,9 about a week ago for which many thanks. I got 17 all in a batch. Also many thanks for the H.P shares and watch. Miss Adamson of Melbourne has twice written to me and also sent me a patent cigarette lighter, which was very kind. I wrote her and thanked her but you might also do so for me. 
There has been nothing of note here lately. We rather expected the Turks to attack last week but nothing came of it. They have developed a new diversion in the form of a mortar which throws a big round bomb which we call the 'plum pudding'. One of our planes dropped a bomb over where it is supposed to be about an hour ago though I don't suppose he hit it. 
I have been put in 'B' company temporarily as second in command though I hope to be put in 'D' again when one of the more senior men come back. 
I don't know if I told you that I got one parcel from B&N with shirt, tie, tobacco and handkerchiefs which were A1. I am hoping that the one with the singlets comes along as clean things are few and far between. I've been quite well and though the life here is very monotonous it's not bad and we manage to raised a bit of fun one way and another. Jim B and Norm Marshall are still A1. Sperry Hill hasn't come back yet, though I expect he will be soon. 
I'm sorry but I don't seem to be in a letter writing mood. I expect we'll get a mail this week and I'll make a better attempt at answering your next. 
Love to Aunt Puff, Trubs and Pater also all enquiring friends,
Yours lovingly,
Athol

NOTE: Athol and his three brothers were very close to their mother's sisters known as Aunt Puff and Aunt May. Puff (Florence Parker) married Truby Williams and in his letters, this uncle is referred to as Trubs. Neither Aunt Puff nor Aunt May had children of their own.


Saturday, 18 July 2015

Letter - 18 July 1915 - 47 shells in our section of the trench yesterday afternoon

Athol writes to his step-father, Mr Guy Sherwood, in Melbourne. Athol and his brothers referred to their step-father as 'Pater'. The letter is in two parts one half written on 18 July and the second half the next day. Athol's unit is hit by a barrage of heavy fire on the 18th.

NOTE: Guy Sherwood was Adah's second husband. She married Guy in 1900 after being widowed, aged 28, in 1894 and left with four sons. Guy Sherwood was an architect and in 1912 submitted drawings for the Federal Capital Design Competition. This competition was won by Walter Burleigh Griffin and Marion Mahoney and present day Canberra was built following their design. Guy Sherwood's plan can be found at the Australian National Library, Canberra, reference map G8984.

This is Athol's letter and the transcript appears below.





Gallipoli
18.7.15 
Dear Pater, 
Many thanks for yours of April 10th and good wishes therein, which arrived yesterday with a lot of other old mail. I don't know if it was all there, but I've got all of  Mater's now so it's probably complete. 
We're still in the firing line, nearly 6 weeks now, and it's getting pretty monotonous particularly as it gets pretty hot during the day and also the flies are rotten. 
We had it a bit hot for about 3/4 of an hour yesterday afternoon, as we had 47 shells in our section of the trench, though only up to 18 pounders. One chap got knocked silly by a flying sandbag and the force of the explosion of one of the shells but that was the only casualty. Last night we had a few star shells over the Turkish position as we expected an attack, but nothing happened. 
19.7.15 
We were warned again last night that an attack was expected but again nothing doing. We all wish they would make an attack, because it would be like a shooting gallery, or rabbits up near the Harris Saddle and if we could give them a real good doing it would probably have a big effect in Constantinople. Of course if we attack frontally we will also get cut up a lot, though we would also get a lot of their trenches. 
We have landed more guns and have kept their artillery a little quieter the last day or so. Also our 'planes have been very active and have dropped a couple of big bombs. We can see them falling and getting bigger and bigger and then a great cloud of smoke and dust goes up. A Turkish plane dropped two in our country a day or two ago. Only one went off and did no damage. They have brought up a mortar of some kind and they sent us a few bombs from it about the size of a football and quite round. ......they are pretty poor stuff. 
Thanks for papers which arrive more or less regularly. 
Yours very sincerely,
Athol G Adams


Letter - 14 July 1915 - 6" shells, censoring letters, rolling cigarettes

Athol writes to his mother in Melbourne. This is the longest letter so far. He writes about his job censoring letters for 'D' company, the 15 pounders and 6" shells which lob into the trenches regularly and the respirators issued in case of a gas attack. Cigarettes are issued to the men and also a supply of cigarette paper and tobacco but Athol says he is not good at rolling his own. He refers his mate Norm Marshall who was 'mentioned in dispatches'.

The transcript appears below the images.





Gallipoli
14.7.15 
Dear Mater, 
Many thanks for '14' of 10-6-15 also enclosures. They come through much quicker now which is a good thing. Also I've had two from Thomas Webb and Co notifying the dispatch of parcels. I hope they arrive. A lot of the things sent to various fellows haven't come to hand but I expect they will be along alright. 
I've had 3 parcels of socks from Aunt May since I came back. 
Things have been much the same here since I last wrote though Abdul has been a lot more generous with his shells the last few days, though the casualties are very slight. He's sending a few over now, the 'Iron Ration' the boys call it. The little ones, 15 pounders, etc are alright and the luck would have to be rotten to get hit by one of them, but the 6" are a bit of a strain on the nerves. They send up great showers of earth, clods as big as a football sometimes with a few bits of the shell itself, which spread over a pretty big area. We nearly always have time to sprint for the shelter of a 'dug out' or high part of the trench and if we do get hit it doesn't do much harm. 
We have been issued with respirators and always carry them with us in case Abdul sends us gas though he hasn't done so yet and I don't think he will. He's played the game pretty straight so far and looks as if he was going to continue in the straight and narrow way.
I have had a letter from Aunt May every mail since I've been back and I also hear pretty regularly from Dave. I got a letter from Marion Montgomery addressed by you this mail. Also an Australasian and Referee from Pater. Please thank him. You people can hardly imagine how eagerly we all look forward to getting the papers and letters from Australia. We also sometimes get English papers though of course they do not interest us the same as the home news, but are very welcome as they give us something to read. 
Have you noticed any improvement in my letter-writing? I've been censoring the Company's letters lately and am picking up a few tips. Some of the letters are most amusing, one chap sent a p.c. home and all he put on it was "Dear --, I'm alright, hope you're alright, so that's alright. Good night' -- signed. 
There is an issue of tobacco once a week, every man gets a packet of two of cigarettes and a couple of ounces of tobacco and also some cigarette papers. The cigarettes are soon finished and then they have to roll their own with the papers. You would laugh to see some of Melbourne's best young men with a hand-made cigarette in their mouths. Of course, some of them are quite expert by now, but others are not so lucky. I seldom use cigarettes and don't have to roll them because if I did I don't know how I'd get on as I'm no good at all and after wasting two or three papers and a lot of tobacco I can only manage to manufacture a sort of parcel which only lasts about two whiffs. 
I don't think I mentioned before that several of old 'F' company have been 'mentioned in dispatches', including Norm Marshall. and Alf Desham, who got his commission before leaving Broadmeadows. If the facts of all the great things that have been done, especially during the first week, could be known a new medal would have to be struck. 
Colonel Wanliss is acting Brigadier at present. I believe Colonel McCay has been made a General and given the new Division which is in Egypt.  
I can't think of anything else this week. I've written four or five times since I got back. My love to Aunt Puff, who by the way hasn't written though she has owed me a letter for over a year, Uncle Trubs and Pater, also remember me to anyone you see that I know. Jim B is alright and all the other boys here, who always wish to be remembered to you. 
Yours lovingly, 
Athol

Saturday, 11 July 2015

Telegram - 11 July 1915 - rejoined unit

A telegram was sent to Athol's mother, Adah Emily Sherwood, informing her that Athol had rejoined his unit at Gallipoli on 23 June 1915. His unit was 'D' company, 5th Battalion, 2nd Brigade. The unit was at the time in the trenches at Gallipoli.

As Athol's letters were taking about 7 weeks from Egypt to Melbourne, this is the first his mother would have known that he had recovered from his injuries and was being sent back to the trenches.


The text of the telegram reads:

DCO Sherwood
Oriental Hotel Melbne
Lieutenant Adams rejoined Unit twentythird June
Third Echelon


Thursday, 9 July 2015

July update

On 25 May a German submarine, U51, torpedoed HMS Triumph and two days later HMS Majestic. Attempts were also made on HMSs Vengeance, Lord Nelson and three French battleships. As a consequence the warships, and transports supporting the troops on the Gallipoli peninsular were hampered in the their activities supplying the required ammunition, food, medical supplies. The provision of reinforcements and the evacuation of the wounded became problematic. Naval gun fire support for the planned August attacks was made more difficult due to this submarine threat.

By 25 May Sir Ian Hamilton estimated that the Allied losses were 38,600 killed, wounded and missing. He requested more troops to fill these gaps and was provided with two divisions for the Cape Helles sector.

In June the Russians were retreating along the Eastern front which enabled the Turks to transfer more men to Gallipoli - two whole divisions.

By early July the Turks had managed to manoeuvre a 6" howitzer and several field guns to use against the Anzac positions. These high-explosive shells reached the 1st Divisions line causing severe damage. The howitzer shells could plunge deep into the trenches and dugouts. For the 2nd Brigade (made up of Battalions 4,5,6 and 7 all from Victoria), this meant that the 8th Battalion was subjected to barrages from 11 June to 3 July and later the 6th then 7th Battalions found the guns trained on their section. Major Flockart of the 5th Battalion who fought with Athol at the Landing and at Krithia was killed during these bombardments. Between  July 13 and July 18 the 2nd Brigade lost over 130 men. The medical officers reported that, in consequence of these bombardments and of overwork, the men of the 6th and 7th, in particular, were highly-strung and jumpy.  Athol mentions one of these bombardments on 18 July in the letter to his step-father, Guy Sherwood.

Throughout July the 2nd Brigade was primarily involved in tunneling, the aim of which was to detonate mines at the end of these tunnels under/near the Turkish positions.

On 11 July General Hunter Weston, who was perhaps the most responsible for the disaster at the Battle of Krithia, was replaced by Lieut. General Sir Frederick Stopford.

On 12 July the Anzacs were required to make a demonstration attack to detain the enemy whilst the main attack was being carried out at Helles.  The Anzacs (Light Horse units) undertook this feint but most were not required to move beyond their front line except for those men on the extreme southern flank. The operation commenced at 8:15am on 12 July and was preceded by a short bombardment by the artillery. As soon as the Anzacs on this southern flank sprung out of their trenches the Turkish machine guns and rifles opened fire. Turkish shells were also trained on that part of the front and the bombardment continued for nearly two hours. The staff of the 2nd Brigade planned, as part of this attack, a move to throw bombs and thereby seize the crater known as D21 which was occupied by the Turks. It was not appreciated at the time that this crater led directly to the German Officers' trench. A series of raids and counter raids culminated in the loss of many men from both sides.

Towards the end of July the senior staff drew up plans for a major attack to break the stalemate on the Gallipoli peninsular. Sir Ian Hamilton had at his command 6 British Divisions, 2 Anzac Divisions and 2 French Divisions although their numbers had been greatly reduced from their former capacities. The troops were also worn down by many weeks at the front. A description of their condition was detailed by the Assistant Director of Medical Services, Col. Neville Howse on 30 July - just one week before the men went into action at the Battle of Lone Pine. Col. Howse reports that
 'The constant strain, the small quantity of water, and the climatic conditions, together with a type of diarrhoea that was producing anaemia, had undermined the men's health. Thirty percent of them were unfit and the rest were not fresh and were unlikely to be able to withstand prolonged strain.'

Hamilton's plan involved another attack towards the Turkish trenches at Lone Pine. This was to be undertaken in the early evening on 6 August. The battle continued for four days.



Wednesday, 8 July 2015

Letter - 9 July 1915 - thanks mother for letters and parcels

Athol writes to his mother in Melbourne. He thanks her for the letters and parcels although it seems many have gone missing. He mentions receiving the Australiasian and Referee from his stepfather, Guy Sherwood, whom he refers to as 'Pater'. 



Gallipoli
9.7.15 
Dear Mater, 
Many thanks for '13' of 1.6.15 which arrived today. Also for the two parcels which haven't come to hand yet though. I'm hoping they will as I want a sponge. It's wonderful how little water one can get a wash in with one.  
The back letters haven't come to light yet. I had a letter from a Marian Gillian from England. She says she's a great friend of yours and that she knew me 13 years ago. I suppose she might. 
There is really nothing doing here at present. There were a few shells going over today but not at our particular part of the trench and our guns seemed to silence theirs after a bit. 
I got one Australasian and Referee today of 22.5.15. Please thank Pater. Also a letter from Aunt May, Fos, and Dave. Please excuse the scrawl but it is nearly dark and I can hardly see what I'm writing. I'd like to see Pater and the two Uncles doing extended work on a nice thristy paddock. 
I'll have to close as I can't see any more. I'll write longer next time. 
Yours lovingly,
Athol 
P.S. Please thank Miss Paterson for the socks.

Saturday, 4 July 2015

Last Post ceremony - 26 June 2015

Please note that I have updated the Last Post Ceremony section of this blog. 

In the shaded area above click on the red text: Last Post Ceremony - AWM - 26 June 2015