The Diary of Fredrick Dill

1915 May 12 When we woke up this morning we are just anchoring off the entrance to the Dardanelles. About 8 o’clock we heard the warships open fire at the narrows. We have been watching the shells bursting all day. We landed up the coast where our Infantry did. When we were coming ashore on the torpedo boat one of us was shot in the arm by a spent bullet. We climbed up a great steep cliff in the dark and we slept on a dreadfully steep place with the bullets whizzing just about 10 feet over our heads. The firing was continual all night. The warships were bombarding very heavily all night. We left the place where we spent the night at 12 o’clock and proceeded into the trenches on top of the hill. We stood in the trenches with fixed bayonets all night. The Turks were firing very heavily with rifles at about 3:00 a.m. Our chaps hardly firing at all. What was it like landing at Anzac Cove in the dark?

New Zealand and Australian soldiers landing at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, Turkey 1915 Reference No. PAColl-5936-18 Photographer unidentified Alexander Turnbull Library, New Zealand "Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image."

May 14

Our troops came out of the trenches at 5 a.m. and went back into them at 8 a.m. The Turkish snipers are very watchful this morning and as soon as anything shows over the trench a bullet goes through it. The stink is awful in the trenches as there are dead men just outside the trenches who can’t be got at to bury. We were relieved from the fire trench about 6 o’clock and retired to the support squadron trenches about 500 yards down the hill.

May 16 My section was on sentry post in the trenches by our camp last night. We went down and loaded our Regiment’s rations on to the mules to pack up the hill. After that we had another grand swim under shrapnel fire. Our squadron went into the firing line again this evening.

Men, and mules with supplies of ammunition, trekking up hill, Gallipoli Reference No. 1/2-061530; F Alexander Turnbull Library "Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image."

May 21 In the trenches again all day today also last night. The enemies loses for the last three days are estimated at about 7000 and they are beginning to stink now.

Soldiers in a trench in Gallipoli, Turkey, 1915. Reference No. 1/2-103903; F Photographer unidentified. Alexander Turnbull Library, New Zealand "Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image."

June 1 We shifted camp this afternoon to another ridge the other side of Dead Man’s Gully as the enemy are getting too many of our Regiment with shrapnel. There have been an average of five or six daily lately.

Gallipoli Peninsula, during the World War 1 campaign Reference No. 1/4-058072; F photographed by James Read Alexander Turnbull Library, N.Z. "Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image."

June 9 Our troops carried up the water this morning and then had a rest till dinner time. We went into the firing line at 3 o’clock this afternoon. A rather amusing little incident happened this afternoon. Some of our chaps saw a Turk throw a stone from their trenches to our sap head. Upon this we, several of us picked up stones and threw them. The Turks returned the fire, the trenches being only 50 yards from one another.

Soldiers in a firing trench at Gallipoli during World War I. Reference No. PA1-o-0471-20-1 Taken by Henry Thomas Peat in 1915. Alexander Turnbull Library, New Zealand. "Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image."

June 14 Came out of the trenches this afternoon into the rescue bivies. We went for a lovely swim in the surf. Just as we were going to have tea Jack Frost, Jack Birdsall and I were all standing within a 2 foot circle when a shrapnel burst over us. The two Jacks fell on either side of me and I was left standing alone without a scratch. Jack Birdsall is badly hit in the back and Jack Frost is hit in the thigh.

Soldiers resting in bivouacs at Gallipoli during World War I. Taken by an unidentified photographer in 1915. Reference No. PA1-o-471-20-4 Alexander Turnbull Library, N.Z. "Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image."

June 19

We are having a holiday today. Had rather an exciting swim this morning as the shells suddenly started to drop all around us and we had to escape with our clothes under our arms.

June 23

Our troop was on water fatigue this morning at 5-30. We had a foot inspection later in the morning. The shells are bursting all round my bivie as I write.

June 24

We did nothing today at all. Only lay and roasted and chased flies in the bivies.

July 3

A small mail came in today both from England and New Zealand. I had a letter from Uncle Harry. We had just finished tea tonight and Sergeant Thompson was reading orders when one of the 75mm shells landed in the bank in front of us and very nearly burned us.

July 14

Very quiet today. We had a practice gas alarm this afternoon. We all had to stand to arms and put on our respirators.

July 16

We were relieved from the trenches for our fortnight off at 12 o’clock today.

July 17

Our regiment was duty regiment today so had to send up the sapping parties. I went up with the 3 p.m. shift. We had a good swim at 12 o’clock last night when we came down the hill.

July 20

Our troop was water party this morning. Nothing else special today.

July 23

We stood to arms at 12 p.m. and at 3 a.m. this morning. The enemy were fairly quiet after all but they are still expecting an attack tonight.

July 24

We did not stand to arms last night but had to sleep fully dressed ready to move off in ten minutes.

July 25

We came down the hill at 7-30 this morning after having a very dusty night in Broadway. The expected attack by the Turks has not arrived yet and I think that if they do attack now they will get a very sad run as we are so well prepared. We got an issue of ½ tin milk per six this morning, the first we have seen for three months.

July 28

We are finding a lot of fatigues again today. The Turks have been fairly quiet lately except for a few shells.

July 29

Still finding fatigues again today. I was in one party making terraces for new troops that are coming. Two enemy airships came over us tonight at tea time; one dropped a bomb on the beach.

July 30

It is our squadron’s turn to come up the hill so we moved off accordingly at 6:30 this morning. About 4 o’clock this afternoon we heard the boys up in the trenches start cheering and the Turks immediately opened fire. We naturally thought there was an attack somewhere but we found out later that the news of the capture of part of the Bagdad railway and a lot of guns and munitions had been passed along our lines and when our boys cheered the Turks thought we were going to attack.

August 11 After the Attack on Chunuk Bair

Our attack on the New Zealand outpost was very successful. The warship shelled it for half an hour then cut off her searchlights which was the signal for us to charge. We took the Turks completely by surprise, luckily for us as it is a very strong position. We came off very lightly only having 4 killed and 11 wounded among the killed was poor old Sergeant Thompson. We held the outpost till noon next day when we (A.M.R.) were sent up as supports to our infantry further up the gully.

The general attack on the left has been very successful as several divisions of British troops have been landed in the direction of Anafarta.

On Saturday night we (A.M.R.) stayed in the gully as support till 2 o’clock in the morning when we moved up to the firing line where we arrived at daybreak. Shortly after we charged across an open fire swept ridge to go and support the Wellington Infantry and Closter Regiments who were hard pushed out on a hill in the furthest advanced position.

We had to lay in a bit of a hollow till noon before we could advance as the fire was so hot. We lost a lot of men in this hollow. At 1 p.m. we arrived on top of the hill to reinforce the Wellington Regiment which was nearly wiped out. From then till dark we held the hill without any reinforcements. It was perfect hell and the men were falling about 4 at a time. When the Otago Infantry arrived up at 7 p.m. there were very few of the A.M.R. left. We stayed and held the Turks on the left all night. Just in the evening one of our own high explosive shells burst right in our trench killing practically everyone who was in it. It knocked me out completely for about ½ hour. This allowed the Turks to get into our trench. We (A.M.R.) lay all night on the parapet of the trench and held them back.

At daybreak there were hardly any of us left and as I was the only N.C.O. left I retired them back into a trench behind where the W.M.R. were. We had hardly got there when our own warship shelled us to pieces killing about ½ the men. Then the Turks started with bombs and finally charged in thousands. We few left in the front had to scoot and amid a hail of bullets I managed to get away to the back.

A few stragglers kept coming in all day today but out of 108 who went up the hill in our Squadron only 22 came back. The whole of our regiment is little over 100 strong now. Out of our 22 who came back only 14 were unwounded. We are encamped in a little gully at the back of No. 2 Outpost. There are only 4 of us in No. 3 Troop who came through it. Myself, Bishop Woolley and Neilson.

August 14

We are still working hard on improving the trenches etc. We got a thorough good pounding with the enemy’s big high explosive shells this afternoon and I can tell you they shake a fellow up after what we went through the other day on the hill. After you have been knocked out once by a high explosive the sound of them coming frightens you a bit.

August 27

I am pretty crook today and the doctor says I am not to go up for the charge tonight.

August 28

Our boys took the trenches last night but lost pretty heavily through bombs etc. I was no better this morning so I went down to the doctor at No 2 outpost and he has detained me for 24 hours on a milk diet to see how I get on. The trouble is I can’t eat anything.

August 30

We sailed from ANZAC early in the morning and when day broke we were sailing down the coast off Lemnos. We arrived at Murdos about 8 o’clock and anchored while the Captain went ashore for orders. The Captain got orders to proceed to England calling at Malta.

September 2

We sighted Malta about 4 o’clock this afternoon. We steamed up to the entrance to the harbour and got orders to anchor in St. Paul’s Bay for the night.

September 3

We hauled up anchor at about 7 o’clock this morning, proceeded out to sea, buried some bodies and then came in an anchored in the small harbour of Malta. The first thing we did was to buy some grapes from the bum boats alongside. My word they did taste good, we have hardly done anything but suck them all day.

September 4

We were taken off the hospital ship at about 8-30 this morning and were brought by motor ambulance to the St. Johns Military Hospital. It is a new hospital just opened and has not got running properly yet. It is a jolly nice place overlooking the sea.

September 5

It was quite a queer sensation getting into a bed between sheets last night. It was the first time that I have slept in a bed for 13 months since I left home in N.Z. I feel much the same today, very weak.

September 18

My 22nd birthday today. I am spending it quietly in hospital.

September 21

The doctor had a look at me today and put me down for the Active Service List so I suppose that I will be going with the next draught back to Gallipoli.

October 27

We eventually got ashore on the small boats and reached camp after a 3½ mile walk at 7 o’clock. Things are in a queer state here now.

November 13

Working hard all day today getting our terraces under way. I went down to Divisional Headquarters in charge of a fatigue digging funkholes this evening.

November 18

It rained like the douce last night and Doug and I got very wet and had to sleep in about an inch of water all night.

November 28

It was an awful night last night it drizzled rain till 12 and then it started to snow and at daylight there was about 4 inches of snow on the ground. It has snowed all day and is starting to freeze this evening.

November 29

It was an awful night in the trenches last night. We were all wet and our overcoats all froze as stiff as boards. Our squadron is on night duty every night at present and off during the day. The nights are something to be dreaded in this weather especially when our feet are wet all the time.

November 30

It is still very cold. It has settled down to a hard front now and the snow and all the mud etc. is frozen solid.

December 1

Still freezing hard, the trouble is how to get the water out of the water cans, as all our water bottle and cans are one solid block of ice. The snow is still thick on the sides of the hills away from the sun. It was not such a cruel night last night as the cold wind had died down.

December 4

We had a rotten night last night as both sides were uneasy and sending up flares etc.

December 13

We suddenly got orders last night to collect all the tools etc. as we were being relieved from the trenches by the Australians through the night. Rumours are rife in the camp as to where we are going.

December 14

We moved down from the trenches last night and laid on the road by the pier till nearly daylight. Then we rushed down to the wharf and the barge was full just as I was going to step aboard. We had to tramp back to the Waterfall Gully and wait till tonight.

December 15

We rushed off down to the pier just after dark and embarked on the first barge. We went aboard the Redbreast and were brought over to Lemnos and landed in Mudros East.
Poor old ANZAC is to be evacuated after all the lives that have been lost there.
We pitched camp late and are now waiting for a boat to take us to Egypt.

Grandad's 1914-1915 Star. Only those soldiers who served at Gallipoli in 1915 were awarded this medal.	Grandad's Gallipoli Medal This special medal is not worn with all the others on ANZAC Day, but is a bigger, heavier medal to put on display. His name F.G. Dill is engraved on the back.

Postscript

What happened to Grandad after he survived Gallipoli?

After Gallipoli Grandad (Fredrick Dill) returned to Egypt with the Mounted Rifles. Here they picked up their horses and fought the Turks again, this time across the Sinai Desert. When they were almost to Jerusalem, Grandad was mowed down by a machine gun. A bullet went right through his chest and out his back, leaving him severely wounded and coughing up blood. When the wounded were collected, he was left for dead. He can remember hearing someone say, "That poor beggars had it," and he thought to himself, "By jove I am not!" It was a very cold night lying on the desert sand, but fortunately the cold helped to congeal his blood and stop him bleeding to death. The next morning when he was discovered barely alive, he was picked up, and for three days he bumped along in his injured state on a mule cart nearly drowning in his blood, until they reached an army hospital. After many months in hospital he was sent back to New Zealand, too weak for further fighting.

He eventually recovered and took up farming, married and had three children. He maintained his interest in the army by joining the Territorials, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. When World War 2 broke out he went to war again, fighting in Greece, before coming back to New Zealand to command army units in Northland, who were readying their defences for a possible Japanese invasion.

What an eventful life he had, and he went on to live to 95years old!

Grandad as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1939, at the start of World War 2.	Grandad shifting sheep on the road near his farm and home, in the Kaipara Hills after the war.

If my Grandad was still alive today what would you like to ask him now that you have read his diary?

What type of questions could you ask?

Look at this web site to find out about Fact Questions, Why Questions, Imagine Questions.

Try to ask a variety of questions.
Record all your questions on the chart.

 

Sadly Grandad is no longer alive, but like his precious diary, others too have recorded invaluable memories in many different ways…poets, photographers, composers, writers, artists, stonemasons, builders, broadcasters… so let’s see if you can find the answers to your questions?

 

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