Telegram - 2 May 1915 - all well

Athol sends a telegram to mother on 2 May from Hospital at Alexandria, Egypt. The people back home had received sketchy reports of the landing and would have been anxious to know about their lads. A telegram saying 'all is well' would have been received with great relief.

The text reads:

Quite well love Adams

We know now that Athol had been injured twice on the 25th April, Anzac Day, so perhaps he was not 'quite well'. He received bullet wounds in his left wrist and left upper arm. He would have sent this from the Hospital in Alexandria when about to return to the Gallipoli peninsular and re-join the 5th Battalion.

Postcard - 1 May 1915 - all well, slight hurt

Athol writes a postcard to his mother on 1 May 1915. It shows a panoramic view of the Aswan Dam. It's quite a peaceful image to convey the message that he is returning to the front.

It takes a rather long time to travel via the Army Post Office (15 May) to Melbourne on 22 June where it eventually catches up with Adah who was living at the time in the Oriental Hotel, Collins Street, Melbourne.

Compared with earlier hand-writing this looks rushed/tired.

The text reads:

All well. Slight hurt upper arm and wrist left arm. Returning front immediately. AGA. 

Evacuation of wounded from Gallipoli

 

This image held at the Australian War Memorial (A02740) shows a flat bottomed barge transporting wounded soldiers from Anzac Cove, 1915, to a hospital ship. We can see a large number of stretcher cases and many of the walking wounded.

After being injured on 25 April, Athol would have been transported to a ship (possibly a hospital ship) on a barge like this. The barges were towed out to the ships by naval launches and steam boats. Note how exposed the men were to the enemy's continual shelling and musketry and also the elements.

2015 Gallipoli visit

On Saturday 25 April 2015, the Dawn Service was held at ANZAC Cove to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the landings.

One of my  Parker cousins, Jocelyn Parker, attended that service as both her grandfathers served in the Great War. Jocelyn's maternal grandfather, Major Tom F.L. Rutledge , from 'Gidleigh', Bungendore, served with the 7th Light Horse Brigade. He took part in the Gallipoli campaign from May to October 1915 and was at the Battle of Lone Pine.

Jocelyn (accompanied by her son, Alex Lowe) was kind enough to carry a tiny home-made posy of gumnuts all the way from Australia. The posy was laid at the Lone Pine memorial above Anzac Cove on Saturday morning underneath the 5th Battalion inscriptions.

The Lone Pine Memorial commemorates the 3268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders who have no known grave and the 960 Australians and 252 New Zealanders who were buried at sea after evacuation through wounds or disease. It is the main Australian memorial on the Peninsular.

The Battle of Lone Pine took place from 6-9 August 1915. Much of the fighting was at close quarters with dozens of small-scale actions holding back Turkish counter attacks. During those four days seven ANZACs were awarded the Victoria Cross.

Athol took part in the Battle of Lone Pine. Many of his 5th Battalion mates will be listed on that memorial.

Handmade posy at Lone Pine memorial.

Tiny handmade posy just under the 5th Battalion names of the fallen.

Hand made gumnut posy.

With many thanks to Jocelyn for taking a rather awkward package across the globe and laying this tribute in the most appropriate location.

I would also like to acknowledge the book of letters of Tom Rutledge written during the Great War.
'Socks from Bungendore', ed. Martha Rutledge and William Rutledge, Echo Books, West Geelong, Victoria, 2015.

25 April 1915 - wounded - service record notes

Athol's service records were updated in early May but referred to 25 April 1915.

You can see the third item - Athol's injury is noted and the date 25 April 1915. However, it only records one injury and in fact he was injured twice on that day.

The promotion to 1st Lieut. is recorded on the line above.

National Archives of Australia service records for A.G. Adams p.11.

25 April 1915 - promoted in the field - ANZAC day

2nd Lieut A.G. Adams was promoted to Lieutenant on 25 April 1915. This was the date of the ANZAC landings on the Gallipoli peninsular.

AWM Service Records

Near the first tick one can see Athol's name in this notice of promotions. Athol is promoted from 2nd Lieutenant to Lieutenant, dated Anzac Day, 25 April 1915.

Photograph - 24 April 1915 - troops on way to Dardanelles

This image is part of the Australian War Memorial collection.
The notes indicate that it was taken 'probably' whilst the troops were on Lemnos Island, Greece, April 1915. The Australian soldiers are from the 5th and 6th Battalions. They were embarked on the Galeka and Novian.

Athol was on the Novian.

War Memorial collection image: A05749

Donor: A. Thomson.