Major E.B. Sheppard's Diary, 9th - 18th September 1915

9th Sept. (1915)

Left Mudros¹ with Rob Faulkner² and Hughes on “Barcy” a fast paddle boat. We had on board 1650 bags of parcels post on which we tried to sleep, with little success. There were 2 batteries of Gunners on board. It was weird work steaming full speed with all lights out. However we fetched up alright at Suvla Bay which was under shrapnel fire the whole time. Two men were hit on pier where we landed in afternoon.

10th Sept.

We landed about 5 am. And found Bertram Smith, M.L.O^.3, which stood us in good stead as we got breakfast with him. The bay was something like below.

I found Bill Cunliffe who is Transport Officer in dug-out behind Landing Place. He gave me lunch plus flies, which are incredible. He says his spot is about as bad as any place as they are always shelling it. We took another boat for “C” Beach. In the bay they started to shell a boat just by us. It was at anchor and stood it for some time till they plumped one about 10 yards away when they hurriedly left their anchorage. We fetched up alright at “C” Beach and I made my way to headquarters where I and the others dined. Paton was very sympathetic but also I thought despondent and I am not surprised from what I have seen. It was arranged that we went out to our trenches escorted by a guide, one of our fellows, about 9 p.m. with the mule transport and more or less sick details of Yeomanry. Our guide made a hopeless mess of it but eventually we arrived at the end trenches about 1 a.m. As it is only 2½ miles I cannot say our guide was a success. A lot of the details who had been suffering from Dysentry &c. said they could go no further so returned to Lala Baba (Headquarters). We had a rare job with our packs etc., threading our way through about a mile of trenches over sleeping men &c. There was sniping going on the whole time. Altogether it was not a nice experience. Eventually I found Reggie Halsey⁴ and Morrison Bell, so I lay down beside them. From Lala Baba we had to come across the open where the Yeomanry had to advance on the fatal 21st August⁵. How a man escapes there I cannot think. It is wonderful how soon you get to guns and rifle fire. I found everyone fed up with trench life and I am not surprised. It is the most horrible existence especially when you cannot get away from the shell fire. There are what they call “rest Camps” but as they are generally under worse fire than the trenches there is not much rest. They all say the trenches are the safest place.

11th Sept.

I have been busy all day trying to get the hang of the trenches. It is rather confusing at first but I am rapidly finding myself at home. There is a terrible lot of sickness, dysentery &c. but nothing to what there will be in the winter when it rains. I feel sure our trenches will be under water then, as it is really a dry marsh where we are. As the rainy season is expected any day now our prospects are not good. V. Ponsonby, Bill Leslie and Dinky Ram are all rather seedy. Probably I shall send the first two away and wire for Harry Daniell. Reggie Halsey will return to Cairo as I have come out. He is envied by everyone I think. The Turks have been quiet to-day.

12th Sept.

A quiet day, Victor Ponsonby went away on sick leave. Could not get leave for either of the other two to go. Had 10 minutes “Strafe” at 7.30 p.m. 5 rounds just to show the Turks we are alive. No response to speak of. A scare during the night, there was a spy in the trenches.

13th Sept.

Woke up to find it raining. Luckily stopped after about ½ an hour, what it will be like after a weeks rain is too horrible to contemplate. Fairly quiet day.

14th Sept.

One of our guns dropped a shell in the back of our trenches and killed a man. This annoyed our men more than anything, they said they could stand being shelled by the enemy but they objected to being shelled by our own people. I cannot understand why it does not happen oftener. Rob Faulkner² and B. Leslie go away sick to-day. Am sending for H. Daniell and B. Cunliffe. Saw Frank Rich for the first time. He looked very well and is in Sharp Shooters. Bob Faber is in them too, but is M.L.O.³ at Anzac. Big heavy guns were firing all this morning towards the Dardanelles. Report still says the Italians are landing there. Think this is doubtful. Ian Hamilton and Staff still say we can expect some good news in few days. Reggie Halsey left at 9.45 p.m. An enfiladed shell burst in our trenches. Killing an Engineer and wounding one as well as one of our own men. A quiet night.

15th Sept.

Woke up 3.30 a.m. raining hard. Found I was sleeping in a pool of water. The trenches were in an awful state and the men looked very miserable. However sun came out and dried things a bit. Poor Masson was killed by a shell on his way to Chocolate Hill. This got an awful doing. Some sniper seemed to know exactly where I wash. The bullets were whizzing over my head the whole time. I think he must see my bald head. However I had a bath this afternoon. Archie C.⁶ rather sick now.

16th Sept.

Lovely morning, thing very quiet. Went up into front trenches. Decaying bodies there are awful. About 100 yards from Turk trenches. Berks Yeomanry moved up a bit so nearly all our men can now sleep in fairly dry quarters. Jolly as sandboys in consequence. Aeroplanes (ours) busy over us being shot at by shrapnel all the time. Saw a hare just behind dugout. Must find his run and try a snare. Several partridges shot. Watty Gibbs sent down to warn us he was going to have a “Hate” about 9 p.m. but it was a poor affair and got no response. Tremendous discussion as to which way the fall of the land is so as to drain the water off. Truth is, in lots of places there is no fall, but water just soaks into a swamp. All sorts of mad schemes to dig miles of drains. Our poor fellows ought to be champion ditchers before they are much older.

18th Sept.

One of the most agreeable and one of the disagreeable in my life occurred. The first was I went with Morrison Bell and another Westminster to the sea which is about 2 miles away and had a most lovely bathe. First we had to walk about a mile through the trenches and then go over the open. We found quite a lot of fellows. Having got a piece of — soap, I had a good wash first. It was a glorious day and we had a lovely view of the scene of operations. It was impossible to believe that such grim work was going on all round. On our way back I passed the reserve trenches which I believe we go into the end of the week. I asked one of the men what unit they were. We had not gone far before we heard someone running after us. This was the Brigade Staff Capt., who was pursuing us, thinking we were spies. It appeared 2 had been reported in trenches and when we asked questions they began to be suspicious. Now for the disagreeable. M. Bell and several of us were sitting in our dug-out about 5 p.m. when a shell came just through the trees over us, then followed an inferno of shelling, in which we seemed to be the target. Suddenly the Adjt. (Oppenheim) said “this is an attack” so we bolted out. First I had to go to my dug-out for my revolver where I found one of the ‘phone operators crouching in terror. I got into the trenches and found the men wonderfully cool and collected on the whole. However, after blazing away for about ½ an hour it all died down. What it meant I don’t know unless it was to divert attention from an attempt they made a long way on the left to get through. Victor Ponsonby’s servant was killed and a telephone Corporal. Glad to find I was not more frightened. Our numbers now reduced to 179. Rather friction with the Westminsters over fatigues &c. The Brigadier Wiggin was wounded, not dangerously. White Boycott, Co. of the Glosters takes command.

Notes:

¹ Mudros is a small port on the Greek island of Lemnos. It became significant after British decided to seize control of the Dardanelle Straits some 50 km away.

² Robert Cholmley Faulconer? (1st July 1884 – 26th January 1959)

³ Military Liaison Officer

⁴ Reginald Halsey (10th August 1873 – 30th May 1927) , Captain.  Served Hertfordshire Yeomanry Depot August – September 1914; 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry September 1914 – November 1915 (B Squadron – Egypt; Dardonelles); March – August 1916 (D Squadron – Mesopotania) and April – August 1918 (B Squadron – Egypt/Palestine)

⁵ On 21st August, Allied forces began the largest and what turned out to be the last attack of the Gallipoli Campaign.  An Anzac force with some British attacked Hill 60 whilst British forces attacked Scimitar Hill and ‘W’ Hills. Shepperd’s reference was probably to the latter where there were more than 5,000 casualties.

⁶ Temporary Major Archibald Charles William Clayton (24th October 1867 – 1944), Captain.  Served 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry September 1914 – October 1915 (A Squadron Egypt; Dardanelles.  Temporary Major while commanding squadron 28th August 1914); and November 1916 – April 1919 (D Squadron – Mesopotamia.  Commanding squadron.  Despatches twice.)