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Remembered Today:

Gallipoli WD for 2nd Bn Royal Fusiliers May 1915?


Pat Atkins

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I don't suppose anyone has access to the 2 RF War Diary covering the period commencing 13 May 1915? I downloaded the Brigade and Battalion WDs from Archive but the one covering the death of my great-uncle 14413 Pte Herbert E.K. Atkins is missing (his date of death was 26th May 1915). I don't know if I'm just flogging a dead horse, or if the diary might still exist somewhere; haven't so far been able to find out anything specific about Herbert's service beyond his medal card and some kind help on here in the past.

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Hi Pat,

It seems that your great uncle was shot dead trying to avoid heavy flooding in the trenches by trying to cross the parapet. See the following:-

WITH THE TWENTYNINTH DIVISION IN GALLIPOLI - A CHAPLAIN'S EXPERIENCES

BY THE Rev. O. CREIGHTON, G.F. Church of England Chaplain to the 86th Brigade

Tuesday, May 25.

Rather a depressing day. Submarines, apparently from Germany, are about, and after various excitements have succeeded in sinking the Triumph at 12.30 in full view of the coast. We saw all the torpedo-boats rushing up, but do not know how many were rescued. It seems strange having a base under shell fire and lines of communication directly threatened by submarines. The aerodrome was shelled all morning and one aeroplane wrecked. I rode out and held a Celebration at the same place at 10 a.m., but very few came. I think they were prevented by fatigues, etc. Then I rode down to Gully Beach and lunched widi the South Wales Borderers, and there was a heavy shower. The Turks were doing a lot of shelling everywhere. Their ammunition seems indeed plentiful. Our batteries may not fire owing to shortage. The Turks drop shells everywhere. I forgot to say that the day before I buried a R.F. He had been shot dead by a spent bullet right in the reserve trench. While taking the funeral one of our shells burst prematurely, and there was a shower of bullets and a man was hit (bruised only) in the leg. I carried on and paid no attention. The Turks were particularly busy this afternoon. They dropped shells indiscriminately over all our reserves. People have the most wonderful escapes, but occasionally some one is hit. I rode back to take poor Webb-Bowen's funeral, but found U had just taken it. Later I walked round part of the camp with him to show him various odd units which had had no services, and generally explore and discuss. I also wrote various letters to relations of the dead. I wanted to get news of the Triumph, but could not. I explored a road being made at the foot of the cliffs to "X" beach and beyond. There are corps of Egyptians and Greeks doing this. We make very little progress, there is a continual wastage of men, no reinforcements, and now submarines. What is going to happen next? I wonder what difference Italy's coming in will make.

Wednesday, May 26.

I stayed in camp most of the morning, writing my diary, and at mid-day got a message asking me to go out and take a funeral for the R.F.'s. So off I rode as soon as possible, and found a poor fellow had been shot through the head. There had been a tremendous pour of rain the night before in the gully, though not a drop had fallen on the beach. The water had washed away a good deal of the roadthey had made up the gully, and the trenches were almost impassable, so they had been walking along the top when this man happened to be hit. I lunched afterwards with the regiment. Eight officers arrived while we were lunching. They had just come from England. It appears K. I. is to be turned into a reserve army, and these men were from it. They seemed good fellows, though rather inexperienced. Later on a draft of 150 men arrived with some very senior sergeants in it. Then news came that one of the Territorial brigades was going to be split up and sent to make up the battalions of the 29th Division. This disgusted them all a good deal. Well, I left them and rode down the gully to the beach and then round to " Y " beach. On the way I stopped to see the Dublins. They are getting new officers. I was talking to the adjutant when he suddenly said to me, ** How a-e all the people at home ? " and he turned out to be S , from Egypt, where his mother and sister are. I was delighted that O'Hara had got the D.S.O. He richly deserves it. Then I went on to the L.F.'s on "Y" beach. They were still in the trenches, but I saw B , and he told me they were coming out next day for a rest. It was a fairly quiet day on the left, though some shells dropped pretty close to the dug-out which he was using as headquarters. P and two others had been lent to one of the Territorial regiments and they were getting a large number to fill up. I arranged to go out and spend a couple of nights with them. I had tea with Q and rode back here for supper.

Regards

Will

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Thanks you very much indeed for this, Will. I had somehow assumed that Creighton's book would be interesting background reading but not have any specific information about individual ORs: shows how wrong I was. Very much appreciate your help.

.

Pat

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Thanks you very much indeed for this, Will. I had somehow assumed that Creighton's book would be interesting background reading but not have any specific information about individual ORs: shows how wrong I was. Very much appreciate your help.

.

Pat

Hi Pat,

No worries, glad to have helped.

Will

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