Guy W Geddes

Guy W Geddes

1. 

   Guy W Geddes

   25 November

   Fairly cold day. Stove going a treat. Bn work: deepening trench to listening post, finishing dug outs, drainage & levelling, making dug outs, making gun emplacements, new comn trench. Had lunch with John Hill, very cheery. Dammned fools of men coming through in mobs through gap in barbed wire drew shell fire on my way back. Got orders out to companies re supporting. Strange orders at night to send all spare stuff back to beach. Artillery had a stunt on communications which no one seemed to approve of. Wrote to C.T.G., Judy, & Hood.

2. 

   Guy W Geddes

   24 November

   Quiet day. Men on ditch out to new listening post, Shelters, drainage & finishing back parapets. Caught party of Turks working at night with m- gun. Bulger got a fellow in morning. On Court Martial. Completed stove & its a real success, giving out great heat. Much warmer today & don’t want a fire or my overcoat.

3. 

   Guy W Geddes

   23 November

   Quiet day. Men on dug outs, parapets & drainage. New machine gun emplacement, shoved listening post out another 30x. Fixed up my stove a treat  & stop'd smoking. Going great guns. Got warmer in the after noon & don't want a fire. 

4. 

   Guy W Geddes

   22 November

   Wrote to Hayes Pearson. Very cold day. Completed my fire place & tried the fire which smoked badly however alterations easily made. De Lisle & Brigadier round in morning - everything all right. First of the new draft got Turkish patrol last night from listening post. Hudson & Bulge brought him in. Got a good many wizz bangs over at lunchtime. Work on dug outs, comn trench. Went round lines found things wrong & strafed Delmage.

5. 

   Guy W Geddes

   21 November

   Pretty quiet day. Cold & cold hard work. Did a test. Went down to Bde Hd Qrs & had tea, stopping till dinner time to move onto Divn HdQrs, where dined with De Lisle, who was quite pleasant. Showed me his new fire place made out of oil drums. Started back at 9.0 pm. Long walk & very tired when I got in. Filthy long way in filthy weather to go for dinner, but I'm politic, tho’ I’d get as good a dinner in my own Mess.

6. 

   Guy W Geddes

   20 November

   Cold day & turned into cold night. Quite quiet. Went down to Bde. Had tea, Brigadier & Bowen from their brigade there. Bn making dug outs, improving trenches. Mail came in pretty unexpected in the even­ing. Went round the lines at night all quiet.

7. 

   Guy W Geddes

   19 November

   Quiet day. On work for R.E and cold & frosty day. M.B. show. Had Back to tea. Feeling much better, in fact quite alright. Gunnery opening. Went up to Hudson & Lloyd in the evening.

8. 

   Guy W Geddes

   18 November

   Wrote to Hood & Davidson. Nothing much doing & a very quiet day. Officers dug outs in reserve trenches finished. Drainage, men’s dug outs & sappers parties at work. Brigadier & Thompson up to dine. Navy shelled countryside a bit at 5.0 pm. Lovely cold crisp day. Wrote to C.T.G. & Judy.

9. 

   Guy W Geddes

   17 November

   Nothing much doing & a quiet day. Wrote & thanked Blennerhassett for Comforts. Round trenches. Gun emplacements, 2 Drainage & dug outs for Bn work. Hell of a storm again at 8.0 pm.

   Nothing else to write about.

10. 

    Guy W Geddes

    16 November

    Very quiet day in our area. 4.30-5.30 pm Chocolate Hill very heavily shelled. Only 3 casualties after expenditure of 700 rounds. Bn busy on drainage, R.E. work & also on new dug outs. Reserve Officers 2nd dug out completed & a good job. Quiet night. Corneys Curse spotted his snipers & done 'em in. Feeling tons better but still on light diet. Nothing much else to write about. Cold night.

11. 

    Guy W Geddes

    15 November

    Feeling better but still on slops & tired of it. Men on R.E. works connecting comn trench to raised road trenches & the parapets. Got orders to take up a bit of firing line at midday. Royals late in their move, W Coy in fire, Z in support, X in reserve. Thomson came up late in evening. Started on reserve trench & officers dug outs. Com­pleted one all right. Supporting beam of big one broke & whole show came in, beam breaking – dammned nuisance. Heavy rain storm at 8.15 pm which fairly flooded the trenches. Its going to be the deuce in bad weather. I can see however whats the odds. Heavy straf about 5.30 pm other side of Chocolate Hill.

12. 

    Guy W Geddes

    14 November

    Went to early service. Lousy again without a doubt all this dysent­ry so starved & went in later for slops. Very quiet day, the quietest we've had not a shell over. 3 new officers rolled up at lunchtime from unattached list. My dugout improved & much better.­ An unexpected mail came in from home, & I got a stack load of letters -­ very pleasing. Fine cold day & nothing to write about. A QMG round in the afternoon.

13. 

    Guy W Geddes

    13 November

    Quite a quiet day. De Lisle round in the morning & came & chatted to me in my dug out for a bit. In the afternoon the Brigadier again round & John Hill of 16th Sikhs now a Brigadier came round & saw him. Went & saw Pearson. Batt on R.E. work. Put up O.R. dug out & Pearce about with X Coy on officers dug outs. Hoskins went off & new doctor called Russell came in his place. Cold again. I am afraid this dysentery has started again.

14. 

    Guy W Geddes

    12 November

    Wrote to Pearson. Quiet day as far as we were concerned about 4 wizzbangs came over. Turned quite cold in the day & very cold at night.­ Wrote to P.M.

15. 

    Guy W Geddes

    11 November

    Quiet day in our area though fierce artillery fire on both sides just on our right. C.O's conference at 10.0. Then President of a F.G .C .M­ Men working for R.E. & on dug outs. Mail came in & heard from C.T.G. & Judy to whom I wrote.

16. 

    Guy W Geddes

    10 November

    Cloudy day. Busy over dug out shelters & officers quarters in reserve line. Quiet day. Byng, De Lisle & Brigadier & staff came round in afternoon. Wrote to Hood.

17. 

    Guy W Geddes

    9 November

    Fine day. Men on R.E. fatigue. Russell very done in, went off sick & Lake after a weeks fever also very seedy. Went up to firing line to take over from R. Fus tomorrow. Great change in line. Brigadier round. Some shelling & big stuff put into our fire trenches, no damage done. Mail came in. Wrote Canary & Atlee.

18. 

    Guy W Geddes

    8 November

    Bright sunny day. Quiet & our area not worried by shell. Brigadier & de Lisle round in the morning. Didn’t see the latter. Yule, our doctor went off on expiration of his contract - sorry at his going. His successor an awful chap drives one mad. Russell very seedy these days. Men on R.E. fatigues, 40th ditch & tonight an extension.

19. 

    Guy W Geddes

    7 November

    Wrote to Aspinall. Quiet day without any shelling. Bright sunny day. Started on a little solid food feeling much better but weak. Gave the Battn except parties for the R.E a day off.

20. 

    Guy W Geddes

    6 November

    Quiet day with hardly any shelling. X & W working for R.E. on drain & their parapets. Feeling much better but weak. A fine day. Navy did some pretty heavy shelling in the afternoon. Wrote to Waldegrave.

21. 

    Guy W Geddes

    5 November

    Quiet day, shelled a bit but no big stuff. Bn on 40th Bde ditch & C comn trench, also R.E works. Russell’s coy on his parapets. Went & saw Pearson. Wrote to Lady W.

22. 

    Guy W Geddes

    4 November

    Wrote to C.T.G. & Judy. Bn on 40th Bde ditch. Working for sappers on rallying post & C. Cornn Trench. Started to rain at midday. Feeling a bit better. Bailey the sapper came & dined & seemed to enjoy himself & his dinner.

23. 

    Guy W Geddes

    3 November

    Wrote to Blennerhassett, Maynes & Hayes thanking them for comforts. Men on redoubt for R.Es 40th Bde ditch & C com trench. Heavily shelled till 3 .0 pm by H.E. & howitzer. Got some more H .E. about 5.30 pm & one man wounded slightly. Wrote to Hood.

24. 

    Guy W Geddes

    2 November

    Fine day. Bn in 40th Bde ditch & Comn trench. Quiet day. Allen in gunners had lunch with us. Mail came in. Went & saw Pearson who was a bit seedy. Guy on went off. Wilson Bde Major 88th round to tea very cheery, great seeing him again. My new pipe pulling beautifully. Draft came in with two officers at night 113 N.C.Os & men.

25. 

    Guy W Geddes

    1 November

    Fairly quiet day a few shells over. Battn on 40th Bde Trench & C - Comn Trench. Had a bad head suddenly at midday & retired to bed. Pretty weak & dicky. Nothing much to write about.

26. 

    Guy W Geddes

    31 October

    Nothing much doing - a few shells & bombs. Men on fire position in comn trench & at work on 40th Bde ditch. Brigadier round. Pretty rotten & weak & had a bad night last night.  

    Allen in the gunners who I knew as a subaltern came in, now commanding a battery.

27. 

    Guy W Geddes

    30 October

    Feeling weak & rotten. Wrote to Pridmore. Brigadier round in morning.­ Shelled by big stuff which didn’t go off thank goodness. Men on fire position comn trench & levelling 40th Bde ditch drain.

28. 

    Guy W Geddes

    29 October

    Mail came in very belated. Got a lovely parcel from Judy including a beautiful pipe. I've felt very done in today & had to lie down at 11.00 am quite done. Warm day & flies damnable. Men making fire positions last night on C Communication trench. Shelled a bit in 40th Bde ditch.

29. 

    Guy W Geddes

    28 October

    Feeling pretty weak & rotten. Finished fire steps in 40th Bde ditch last night, and trimming up ditch during day. Brigadier round. Slightly shelled about noon. At 6.30 pm when quite dark had some shells over from a gun some way away. Had a hair cut & bath in the afternoon & went round to see Pearson. Wrote to J., C.T.G., & P.M.

30. 

    Guy W Geddes

    27 October

    Feeling very seedy & weak. Shifted X. Coy. Bn on drainage making. Making water cart emplacements & new dug outs.

31. 

    Guy W Geddes

    26 October

    Another damned go of colic early. Busy getting draft settled & shifting companys. Very nice seeing old faces again. Bn on drainage scheme on 40th Bde ditch & making fire positions. Finished night digging.

32. 

    Guy W Geddes

    25 October

    President of a F.G.C .M  in the morning. Had a real bad go of colic before starting off - it does give one blazes & makes one feel very weak after. A lovely fine day for a change. Large draft arrived. 100 NCOs & men at 10.30pm. Moran, Poindegestre, Sgt Major & a lot of the old hands in them - only 16 draft men.

33. 

    Guy W Geddes

    24 October

    Another cloudy overcast day. Not feeling very grand & had an awful go of colic in the morning & in the evening. Ye Gods, six months since we landed.

34. 

    Guy W Geddes

    23 October

    Nothing much doing. A lot of howitzer H .E. coming over which didn't do any damage - Felt better until the evening when I had another very bad go of colic & suffered hell in my stomach. Men at the drainage still & putting up timber for the shelters. Brigadier round in the morning.

35. 

    Guy W Geddes

    22 October

    Feeling pretty rotten. Brigadier round as usual not much to say for himself. Beastly wet dull day. Got shelled by howitzer & all kinds of stuff. No casualties thank goodness. Heard of promotion to temporary rank of Lt Colonel.

36. 

    Guy W Geddes

    21 October

    Wrote to C.T.G., Hood. Brigadier & Thomson round in morning. Very cheery & pleasant for a change. Feeling weak but better. Nasty shell burst over the Mess, just one at lunch time & caught one poor fellow.

37. 

    Guy W Geddes

    20 October

    Feeling absolutely bloody as if I had fatigue - Very annoyed about last nights work - practically nothing done - one way or the other - Brigadier round, nothing much to say. Shelling again all around us, thank goodness nothing done - Went & saw Pearson. Heard from Nightingale that he has gone home.

38. 

    Guy W Geddes

    19 October

    It has been a very upsetting day & I go to bed tired in mind & body­. It’s hard when one tries all one knows, when one does all one can & everything else to have it bitten off - The Brigadier today said nothing to me, but Sinclair Thomson told Nightingale that he thought this & that of the Battalion that no work was done by it etc etc - I am furious - the men have done well & worked well, but the bloody whipper­ snapper hasn’t the pluck of a louse to stand by his own guns – enough. Badly shelled & resulted in 3 killed & 3 wounded - Nightingale went sick with jaundice - Goes down to field ambulance & writes back to me that they are keeping him there & Jaundice isn’t infectious - am fed up about it - De Lisle asked him to stay so nothing doing - Keogh Cullen arrived - stayed 10 minutes, told him what I thought & left. Well tonight I am just about done in over everything - Nightingale went off sick.

39. 

    Guy W Geddes

    18 October

    All standing too for Bairam but nothing doing - at 4.45 - Quiet day except for vicious shelling of Dublin Castle in afternoon - otherwise quiet.

40. 

    Guy W Geddes

    17 October

    Wrote to Mrs Hutch - C.O’s conference on suitability of distribution of firing line. Some shelling chiefly by 12 lbs on Dublin Castle. Royals squared off ditch & took Turks sap. 2 killed & 3 wounded over it.

41. 

    Guy W Geddes

    16 October

    Settled on scheme to protect our right flank. 40th Bde nullah. Turks put half a dozen shells about 4.00 pm too near to be nice - portions came through the door of my dug out - riddling my flea bag & blankets & one biting through a tin box of peppermints & then through the box by my head. A fairly quiet day otherwise. De Lisle sent a message of approbation to the Brigade for work done.

42. 

    Guy W Geddes

    15 October

    C.O's conference re machine guns. Brigadier too seedy to attend. Nothing much doing - Felt rather cheap all day & had a headache.

43. 

    Guy W Geddes

    14 October

    General up in lines - got our scheme for drainage - Wrote to C.T.G. Hood  - Nothing much doing but very cold.

44. 

    Guy W Geddes

    13 October

    Russell’s patrols reconnoitred another 80x & shoved up a post another 35x. Relieved by Royals at 2.30 & came out into reserve - Fairly quiet – New attack of Turks took place two nights ago. 21 days & nights in trenches. Of hard strain at night - Am feeling very done in & as if I couldn’t stand it much longer & I have the pip badly - The men in trenches 200x away & our Hd Qrs just the same. Heigh ho!          

    Wrote to J.

45. 

    Guy W Geddes

    12 October

    De Lisle up in the morning - This question about the ditch from our new barricade & has to be taken. So Russell shored up well & I went & had a look about. In the night Russell got another 30x of it & established a second post which we now hold. Rather an amusing incident was flock of wild geese going over, which the Turks gaily blazed at - Taube over in the morning but not flying very low - laid by the trail of its exhaust line of our trenches. Were shelled a bit in the morning. Went up with Pearson & sent off rockets, mine was quite successful.

46. 

    Guy W Geddes

    11 October

    Had quite a lot of trench mortar bombs heaved at us. Spent most of the day up in the lines - Very annoyed, we were put up on our right & heard that Lancs Fus patrols never went out any distance at all. Was pretty late up in the lines with Beattys coy (W) - parties worked well & we got onto Turks with machine guns & rifle grenades & fairly well stopped their working parties.

47. 

    Guy W Geddes

    10 October

    A lot of malefactors - & correspondence to be got through, no visitations by generals - Great arguing over Trench mortar bombs - over deton­ators in which we were correct - Atlee went off with fever – Fairly quiet day of it. Turks fired some trench mortar bombs - Shifted my dug out - not half so pleasant & flies damnable - Turks put up white flags near our lines.

48. 

    Guy W Geddes

    9 October

    On a F.G.C.M - as president. Turkish plane flew once very low over our lines.­ Great excitement at night about 5.30 pm. Gas'd by Turks & was caught in lines without my respirator - got back with my eyes streaming & as if affected by ammonia. However nothing happened & it was a good lesson. Turks sent a good many trench mortar bombs over, some ex­ploded, others didn’t - very home made affairs.

49. 

    Guy W Geddes

    8 October

    De Lisle up in lines & quite pleasant - Brigadier also who was in much better a frame of mind - & apologetic almost - Wrote to P.M. West. Turned out a filthy night - heavy rain & quite damnable wind. L.F.'s reported gas bomb s fired at them & affected eyes - Turks sent up white & red flares - expected trouble but night passed off quietly though very dark.

50. 

    Guy W Geddes

    7 October

    Wrote to Hood. General up this morning - Made him angry - very unreasonable & foolish & his whole manner was bloody - just because he is being badgered by de Lisle, truth is he is a weak man & unfortunately it sort of hurts. Nothing much doing. Turks heaved a fair amount of heavy trench mortar bombs into space near our lines.

51. 

    Guy W Geddes

    6 October

    A bit of straffing last night, arranged plans with O'Dowd re. McMahon's working party & the machine guns – Lake, Brown, Halsall, Duffy & another officer turned up. Lake 6 months in France with 2nd Bn. Naval bombardment of Bench Marek - good shooting. Turks very jumpy at night & firing a lot. Put over 4 to Turks. Beatty & O'Brien went within 15x of Turks trenches. O'Brien hurled a bomb also which caused a panic among Turks working parties.

52. 

    Guy W Geddes

    5 October

    Percival evidently upset & troubled by de Lisle as he called for a report as to why so little work was done, when a good deal was. De Lisle up seeing about the drainage was quite affable - Am fed up with the Brigadier who appears to be a man who will lie down & let himself be kicked. Shelled a bit in afternoon. Bit of straffing at night & stop'd Turks working parties.

53. 

    Guy W Geddes

    4 October

    Heavy straff on Chocolate Hill way - first came down our line Mess waiter killed by stray bullet just alongside. Very nice fellow called Pitts- Williams came back from Alexandria & very nice having him back. Wrote to J. Attempts at stunt proved abortive again - Successfully stop'd two large working parties of Turks. The ominous 12 to 1 silence, nothing happened.

54. 

    Guy W Geddes

    3 October

    Had really a very worried morning & feeling cross all over this proposed new line of trenches - Brigadier up. Bit of fairly heavy straffing going on over it all & JohnTurk didn’t like it at all – Armstrong came up & dined with us at night taking hay back for de Lisle’s horses. Badly shelled & quite nasty at night. Bulger got his first sniper with the telescopic rifle.

55. 

    Guy W Geddes

    2 October

    Wrote to Hayes. De Lisle round in the morning & of course lots of new things to be done - hurried round & made reconnaissance of this new ditch fire line from Dublins Block house to our sap. John pretty quiet at night - I cannot fathom this drainage scheme - Armstrong dined at night.

56. 

    Guy W Geddes

    1 October

    Gave the men a slack day of it - Worried John Turk some at night & got him in hand. Put up two new machine gun emplacements & got things going a bit.

57. 

    Guy W Geddes

    30 September

    Went off early in the morning to see my new trenches part in Wilts & part in 8 R.W.F. Very well dug trenches indeed - Took my own line back which saved a lot of trouble & time. Handed over to Manchesters - who supposed to be with us at 7.00 pm. The turn over didn’t take place till 11.30. Took the Batn all right across country & got stopped on the way by ration parties & it was 3.45 before I turned in quite tired - It was a nuisance having my Head Qrs shifted from the 8th R.W.F to the Wilts at the last moment - Padre rejoined us, very pleased to see him, looking quite fit.

58. 

    Guy W Geddes

    29 September

    Up in lines as usual. Quite good work done by W. Orders that Brigade were not coming up, but the Divn is to change over with 13th Divn. Stunt off so what is the meaning of it I can’t say - Knocked off fatigues a good bit at night & L.F s went off quite early. Thomson & Bowen came & had tea - Quiet day & nothing much doing.

59. 

    Guy W Geddes

    28 September

    C.O's Conference - Spent some time in our lines. Good work considering all things last night. Had tea with Pearson in L.Fs - & then went round by Roy Fusiliers lines to see our posts. Got everything started all right tonight- including comn trench to new fire line - Cold a bit better though rather heavy - Had a look at Comn Trench. Wrote to Hendriks.

60. 

    Guy W Geddes

    27 September

    Great work done by X Coy last night. De Lisle round in the morning & very pleased with all he saw - Wrote to C.T.G. - Tremendous straffing on our right last night at eight. Quiet our front, but upset our working parties a good deal - Orders to shift our Hd Qrs as Brigade were coming in. Felt rather off colour with cold.

61. 

    Guy W Geddes

    26 September

    Fed up with men last night - Beatty did magnificently - the last draft panicked but he pulled them round all right - Met Wilson R.E.who I knew in Nowshara. Wrote to Judy, P.M. Hood. Went out over the trenches to sight Sangar with Cripps & Beatty - Bloody cold started.

62. 

    Guy W Geddes

    25 September

    Russell’s lot did well last night over new sap. Had a great time with Brigadier & C.R.E. who were very pleased. Awfully busy day of it, no peace. Out in the afternoon with Junior Officers - then out with O’Dowd fixing his post - shifted one m gun - Everything at night seemed to be going on all right, tho' the Turks sniped heavily - Got a mail & parcels. Got a dry battery for lamp by mail - Ogilvie a well plucked fellow.

63. 

    Guy W Geddes

    24 September

    Went up this morning to find that Corney knew nothing had been done correctly & what had been done was useless. The Brigadier round later was furious about it all & naturally. Russell out all last night & the only person who had done anything for his own tonight.

64. 

    Guy W Geddes

    23 September

    Up at stand to as Canary had a very bad cold. De Lisle round in the morning - evidently a stunt coming off - Mad arrangements for shoving our line out - so took Tomlinson & all the men going out up & pointed out the lay of the land - Put relieving Newfounder Coy in - Found Corney at 9.30 had done nothing - So furious, I left him - He is a bloody waster & takes no interest in things at all - Got large parcel of socks, fruit,  cigarettes, soap from Judy.

65. 

    Guy W Geddes

    22 September

    Went round Border trenches in morning taking Coy Commanders. Not very impressed with them - Went up with Snatnight- Our Hd Qrs very nice- the most comfortable I've been in - Rather a business getting the coys in as a matter of fact as we had Newfoundlanders to deal with & Beatty with W. Coy in firing line quite new to it - Carrington absolutely useless. Didn’t get back till very late. Very cold at night & felt it with avengeance.

66. 

    Guy W Geddes

    21 September

    Left Imbros - Got down at our appointed time 1.30 to K. Jetty - Bungling as usual & didn’t embark till 4.30.  Went aboard Abessia. Had a hot tub & an excellent dinner over which stewards again tried their swindling tactics - Arrived at Suvla about 9.00 pm & were up in our nullah for the night at 11.00 pm.

67. 

    Guy W Geddes

    20 September

    Wind got up at night & we were told to stand by - Brigadier came & had breakfast with us - Turks over last night & dropped two bombs. Wrote to Judy, Congdon, Pearson. Went for a walk with Canary in the evening. Wind died away.

68. 

    Guy W Geddes

    19 September

    Wrote to C.T.G., Hickson, Hood. Slack day in camp. Had tea with Brigadier.

69. 

    Guy W Geddes

    18 September

    On an awful court martial over a swine in the L.Fs in the morning. Sent off party to Abercrombie, but feeling soding rotten so didn’t go myself. Concert in camp at night but didn’t go - Turks made another raid & dropped 6 bombs, no damage done - Swiftsure had two torpedoes fired at her without effect.

70. 

    Guy W Geddes

    17 September

    Filthy night of dust & wind & horrid in camp, heaven only knows what it would have been like in the old camp - Went off to Abercrombie at 2.30 in motor pinnace - very rough & we jumped about with avengeance. Capt Doughty very nice & showed me all over the wonders of the 14" large guns. Had tea on board & a lovely hot bath also. Then pushed over to Triad with Nightingale dining with Admiral De Robeck – Russell, Tomlin­son, Baxter & Atlee joining there. Excellent dinner & they were very nice. Rather ashamed at behaviour of some of the officers - Quite calm­ed down coming back. Triad – an ex-millionaire’s yacht. Started the trots again & had rather a bad day & night of it. Got back before 11.0 to find a mail got in.

71. 

    Guy W Geddes

    16 September

    Went to early service - Turks made a raid on G.H.Q. dropping bombs­. Our aeroplanes up but didn’t do much good. Wrote to Bent. Nightingale came up to camp with Capt Doughty - very nice fellow indeed asked me on board. Went off with Teesdale of the Exmouth & Tom­linson & dined on Exmouth - a wind had sprung up with a fresh sea, perilous ascent & descent from pinace up ladder to ship.

72. 

    Guy W Geddes

    15 September

    Rained in the night & the morning broke muddy - however cleared up & we shifted to our new camp a lovely little spot. Wrote to Monck, Mason & Charles - Had a tremendous sleep in the afternoon. All the coys on fatigue making camp.

73. 

    Guy W Geddes

    14 September

    Wrote to P.M., Congdon, Julius. Nothing much doing – company’s out bomb­ing, drilling, & route marching. Went over to new camp with Baxter after tea.

74. 

    Guy W Geddes

    13 September

    Quiet day - sent all the men out into the country - De Lisle round in morning. Wrote to Pridmore & Hood. Went for a bathe in the evening & found a very nice bay. Quite calm, water warm though cold outside.

75. 

    Guy W Geddes

    12 September

    Had lunch with Ian Hamilton - all C.O's of Bns there - very quiet & nice. Wrote to Judy, C.T.G. A little less dusty & overloaded.

76. 

    Guy W Geddes

    11 September

    Another absolutely filthy day woke up to find myself smothered in dust too damnable for words - This is no rest & I wish we were in our old trenches, its too bloody to write about - Ian Hamilton came round & saw us in the morning & was quite pleasant - Went & dined with Aspinall at G.H.Q. Canary also coming. Heard all about new landing & how positively disgraceful it was, 25 Bn opposed by 1,500 Turks - did nothing but sat down & bathed, ye Gods its too awful to think about - & the show ought to be all over by now- while now what is it going to end in? ­ Came back in a launch, a bit rough - Fed up over the whole show the enormity & iniquity of the new landing - Practically unopposed & did nothing for 4 days.

77. 

    Guy W Geddes

    10 September

    Arrived Imbros about 5.30 am - Mess about & eventually went off in a lighter about 8.0, having sat in it for an hour waiting for a tug to take us off. No one in authority or any orders. Positively disgraceful. Wind blowing hard & the dirt awful. Sick with all the officers who stayed in bed & over tea instead of seeing their companies landed. I had to do disembarkation - & was bloody rude to them all. Filthy day - Went & had a bathe with Wilson in the evening - found on my return Aspinall had been over to see me.

78. 

    Guy W Geddes

    9 September

    Embarkation delay absolutely the limit - order and counter order - tried embarking four time - Never saw such absolute chaos & badly run show­, disgraceful & someone ought to be hung - The Navy quite incapable of dealing with things & just make a mess of it & nothing else. M.L.O's gave me lunch & tea. Eventually embarked at 8.00 pm on Abbesiaya – had some tea & a good doss – the comfort of a cabin! Rgtl arrangements very good – left in the early hours.

79. 

    Guy W Geddes

    8 September

    Officers of Hants & Royal Scots came up & went round lines. Gave them all instructions - Moore of Hants had tiffin with me - Mess up over relief. 88th Bde lost their way & didn’t relieve us till 12.40. Everything went wrong. X. Coy & W Coy & Lane Fus all delayed things - eventually got down to beach at 3.00am, got away W Coy only – absolutely awful night, cold & everything went wrong.

80. 

    Guy W Geddes

    7 September

    Carrying on hard with the trenches & practically completed. Tried trench mortar & rifle grenades in the evening & quite woke up John Turk - Patrols out & party quite all right. Engineers unmolested - quiet night. Very cold. Got badly shelled but one casualty only. Draft of 110 men came in.

81. 

    Guy W Geddes

    6 September

    De Lisle up & full of buck, very pleased at everything. Fairly quiet - carried on with work & good progress was made. Russell, Ogilvie, Beattie, Hall arrived out from home.

82. 

    Guy W Geddes

    5 September

    Work going on very well - excellent reconnaissance made by Cpl at night – outer wall of blockhouse blown down. Firing of gun very effective - Had to go out & shove out Lanc. Fus. covering party who were stuck - they didn’t do very well at night & were jumpy.­ Great reconnoitring with Williams to prospect new comn trench - amusing incident over coat & equipment.

83. 

    Guy W Geddes

    4 September

    A lot of work in hand - Thomson came & had tea with us. D-mountain battery of ours put shells into us at 3.0 & 7.0. pm. No affair always doing this - L.Fus. d - bad over working parties at night. W Coy with Vincent relieved Corney & ? - the latter is slack. Had a very heavy day & didn’t go to bed till 3.0 am.

84. 

    Guy W Geddes

    3 September

    More work doing. Went round the new line of trenches twice - put Tomlinson in for the night also some Welch Fusiliers whose officers bolted on hearing a bomb thrown & left them. Johnnie Turk pretty active & fired a lot, however work went on all night - one sharp burst of fire to which our own men didn’t reply - A hot day.

85. 

    Guy W Geddes

    2 September

    Brigadier up in the morning & joined me round the lines. Had a very strenuous day getting all the jobs going. Men working very well. Quite a quiet night some sniping - Engineers didn’t do very brilliantly putting out wire & paniced. As usual didn’t get much sleep last night - Tremendous firing at night chiefly panicing. The L.Fs blasted away a lot of stuff all started by Turks shelling the supports.

86. 

    Guy W Geddes

    1 September

    Had a thorough look round the trenches & decided on work to be done – busy day arranging things. Stunt started on our left while I was up in the lines. Turks loosed off six rounds by guns, nothing much happened on our line but it badly delayed our working parties - however died down & they were able to carry on eventually. Tomlinson is absolutely hopeless & seems to take no interest in them. Wilson rather seedy.

87. 

    Guy W Geddes

    31 August

    Went up to trenches this morning preparatory to taking over tonight. Very hot day - fairly quiet as far as shelling goes but still goes on. Wrote to C.T.G. & Judy. Battalion came up very well, leaving at 8.0 pm, went in in advance with Nightingale - Dublins took a very long time to come out – didn’t turn in till very late so that things were properly fixed up - Quiet night – Murray, Hudson & O'Leary all went sick.

88. 

    Guy W Geddes

    30 August

    Another mail in. Went up to trenches with Williams & had lunch with Guyon in Royals – Pow-wow at Bde HdQrs. Guyon came back & had dinner with us - Slept badly last night. No fatigues going up to trenches tomorrow.

89. 

    Guy W Geddes

    29 August

    Very bad night sleep last night. Wrote to Tizard, Holt & Grindlay about War Loan - Shelling as usual mostly in afternoon & evening - Fatigue at night in Comn Trench & went down as usual with Williams to see how it was getting on.

90. 

    Guy W Geddes

    28 August

    Wrote to P.M. Leeson, Marshall - Nothing much doing shelling as usual going on. Had our fatigue parties out at night as usual - Thomson came round & had a chat he is a good fellow.

91. 

    Guy W Geddes

    27 August

    A fine day & no rain or wind thank goodness. Got another mail in. Fatigue party at night on Cornn Trench. Had the usual shelling during the day - Made my dug out more comfortable. Wind up on the line some­where at night. Wrote to Eager.

92. 

    Guy W Geddes

    26 August

    Wrote to J. C.T.G. Hood. A beastly day & high blustery wind very overcast & we are in for more rain. Had our fatigue parties on at night on comn trenches. McCarthy, O'Leary returned wounded after 28th June show - with 17 ex-wounded men.

93. 

    Guy W Geddes

    25 August

    Slept last night in fits & starts. De Lisle was hovering round about at midday - Nothing doing - Got shelled in fact nothing but shells going both ways, it makes one jumpy if you like - Tomlinson & Baxter rolled up in the evening, the former looking very well. Had a fatigue party on at night on the comn trench.

94. 

    Guy W Geddes

    24 August

    Spent all the morning writing out a report on the 21st show & sending in recommendations. Tried to sleep in the afternoon but couldn’t. Heavy thunderstorm & got nice & wet to add to the joys of a perfectly bloody existence. Still very tired.

95. 

    Guy W Geddes

    23 August

    Moved into a new nullah nearer firing line & then I went with other CO’s and General to the trenches. No idea I was so done and it took me all my time to do it. Got badly sniped. Very nice tranches & quite pretty, started at 2.30 we didn’t get back till 6.45. No sleep again at night. Mail came in – but didn’t get any of my letters – started our fatigue party at night on comm trench.

96. 

    Guy W Geddes

    22 August

    We stayed in our nullah, heavily shelled & more casualties. All of us done blown. I couldn’t sleep a wink last night & the strain is heavy. Nightingale & Williams look awfully bad. We moved back to Chocolate Hill in the evening at 9.0 pm started off with R.F. L.F. & Thomson for our new line. Relieving Territorial Division - Their Bde Major a rotter. We marched for hours till 11.30 pm before we got to Pt 28 . There was no support trench at all as he said & we lay down where we could in a null­ah dead beat & then I couldn’t sleep. Met Reg Colegate who is in the R.N.D. motor just for a minute.

97. 

    Guy W Geddes

    21 August

    Up reconnoitring position at 5.0 - Av.g. proposition – 15.00 advance across an exposed valley commanded by hill 112 our objective - Tiers of Turkish trenches - however were told the 11th Division would advance up spur & support our right. A futile bombardment from 2.30 to 3.0 - no bombardment of our front & few guns. Awful fire of scrub started set on light by Turkish shells - Did a big reconnaissance beforehand & pointed out to General the situati on - Well we started - 11th Divn didn’t come up, our furthest party got 600x - absolute disorganisation through scrub fire - came under heavy frontal and right enfilade fire – couldn’t advance & were wiped out, it was awful & we lost 60% of the men & 9 officers out of 12 casualties. The Lanc Fus, our supports, were unable to advance beyond the trenches. They shelled us to bits besides it all, & it was a perfect inferno - Up in the front trenches they shelled like anything & the wonder of it all was so little damage done. An absolutely hideous day. It quite knocked me out & I was done to the world. Atlee did magnificently in saving Watts & 3 men & ought to get a V.C. Done done to the world & I feel as if my nerve has absolutely gone.

98. 

    Guy W Geddes

    20 August

    Arrived Suvla Bay about 10.30 - Shelled a bit in harbour, went off in tows, one broke loose, but was rescued - Got into camp with last party about 11.30. Place stiff with troops. Uncomfortable & battalion on fatigue all day - tried to sleep but couldn’t - All of us dead beat. Got orders to move at 8.30 for Chocolate Hill - went off with Brigadier & got there about midnight - Brigades & Divisions all marching along everywhere - Chaotic state of things - Orders for a general attack - we to lead the assault of the Brigade. Spent a hell of a night clearing up the Battalion into small nullah behind the trenches on hill 50 held by Dublins - eventually turned in about 4.1 5 - dead beat, into Dublins HdQ.

99. 

    Guy W Geddes

    19 August

    Rained a little in the night - Got orders at noon to hold ourselves in readiness to embark tonight. Fed up however, can’t be we are in for the big show up country - Wrote to C.T.G. Judy. Not one of us at all keen for any new stunt, we are all too stale. Young in regiment. Whats the good of worrying, nothing matters - Ordered to be down at V Beach at 1 1.30 - got down to be put off & told to go up to Fort 1 & wait. Eventually went onto a trawler at 4.0. am & transhipped onto Osmanieh. Sailed about 5.30 am the 20th.

100. 

     Guy W Geddes

     18 August

     Draft of 110 men rolled up in morning quite unknown to us with Vincent & McBaine of the Leicesters. Latter sent off sick result of drinking bouts so doctor said. Vincent very nice chap though fairly old. Had a very nice plunge before breakfast. Stinking hot day. Got 6 Jack Johnsons too close for my liking at 2.0 pm. Light shelling on beach in evening as usual. Went & bathed at 6.0. off pier.

101. 

     Guy W Geddes

     17 August

     Very hot day - Spent morning doing a list of promotions. Went for a swim in the evening - the beach was shelled with small stuff. Bathed in the evening very nice & warm. Wrote to Hendricks.

102. 

     Guy W Geddes

     16 August

     Went & had a swim in early morning - A good deal to do in one way & another - Swam from pier home in the evening. Saw 24th who were off with 87th Bde for Suvla Bay - Heard from Aspinall. Thomson came & dined with us at night. He is indeed a nice fellow.

103. 

     Guy W Geddes

     15 August

     Went to early service. Wrote to Pearson & C.T.G. 23 wounded returned for duty. Had a bathe in the evening. Had 2nd innoculation against cholera.

104. 

     Guy W Geddes

     14 August

     Wrote to J & Hood. Bathed before breakfast delightfully refreshing­. Brown, Thomson & McCarthy Morrogh were round in evening - dined with de Lisle who was very pleasant, came back early.

105. 

     Guy W Geddes

     13 August

     Relieved by Worcesters at 4.30 pm & got clear by 5.40. Easiest & best managed relief I've ever done - Very neat marching back - Camped at northern end of Gully Beach, the best spot. Glad to get in. Mail came in - De Lisle round the trenches in the morning. Turks attacked the Gs in morning but got badly straffed. Woolley Dodd much to all of our regrets went off ill - he is a great loss in every way.

106. 

     Guy W Geddes

     12 August

     Hot, sultry day – Got badly shelled in evening - to keep us down while they twice attacked Vineyard. They got very badly straffed & failed though later in the night got the northern end from the Territorials. Quite quiet night.

107. 

     Guy W Geddes

     11 August

     Hadrill was unfortunately killed. Quiet day otherwise.

108. 

     Guy W Geddes

     10 August

     Quite quiet at night had a great stunt. The Turks took no notice.

109. 

     Guy W Geddes

     9 August

     Nothing much doing & quite quiet. Got more wounded Worcesters in - De Lisle came round & went along Munster Terrace - two Turkish shells dropped very adjacent which none of us liked.

110. 

     Guy W Geddes

     8 August

     Ellis killed. Alarms & excursions at night, but nothing much doing. Got a lot of wounded Worcesters & rifles.

111. 

     Guy W Geddes

     7 August

     Stayed in our trenches & resumed normal life, all the others cleared out - Turks firing very heavily at night but did nothing. Got in some wounded Worcesters. Stunt on the Gs failed also - We lost pretty heavily over this demonstration - Our men out after wounded Worcesters patrolled & brought in rifles.

112. 

     Guy W Geddes

     6 August

     Relieved by 88th Brigade & went into reserve trenches for the stunt.­ Artillery bombardment a failure & the 88th cut to bits with no result. We had a hell of a time being shelled behind - Had to stand to at 2.00 moved up a bit & eventually at 8.30pm moved up to do the same by night as failed by day. Absolute chaos in trenches & we couldn’t move owing to congestion - R. Fus., Essex, Hants, 7th Manchesters & wounded - Fought the case & showed how I couldn’t do it. Eventually put off & luckily didn’t take place. I never saw such chaos & madness to attempt another show. Artillery bombardment an absolute failure - Lloyd came & dined with us in L Battery.

113. 

     Guy W Geddes

     5 August

     Very quiet - & we took over more of the line reaching to Worcester Sap

114. 

     Guy W Geddes

     4 August

     Very quiet day.

115. 

     Guy W Geddes

     3 August

     Wrote to J, C.T.G., Jacques, Pearson, Hayes. Artillery registering. Turks guns firing in the morning - a draft of 193 cavalrymen & 6 officers arrived.

116. 

     Guy W Geddes

     2 August

     12.0 midday - Turks shelled us - Laidlaw got wounded otherwise things pretty quiet. Our Artillery registering.

117. 

     Guy W Geddes

     1 August

     Quiet day. French were firing a great deal.

118. 

     Guy W Geddes

     31 July

     Poingestre, Hudson & a draft of 120 men arrived all cavalrymen. De Lisle round the trenches & very pleased with what had been done.

119. 

     Guy W Geddes

     30 July

     Nothing doing, still hard at work on the trenches - Got a mail in.

120. 

     Guy W Geddes

     29 July

     Started off on the trenches to make them of some use - Men worked with a will & we did quite a good days work. Quiet day.

121. 

     Guy W Geddes

     28 July

     Absolutely filthy day - dust dreadful. Gave out all my instructions for the trenches - Went up by Coys later at 5.00 pm - Took over our trenches from K's Army - who had left them in an absolutely filthy state of insanitation - their trenches with parapets you couldn’t fire over - even the men were furious & set to work to at once put the line in some temporary state of defence.

122. 

     Guy W Geddes

     27 July

     Pow-wow at 9.00. Wrote to C.T.G.  & J. Nothing much doing - Wilson & Way came to tea & we all talked afterwards. A whole gang came in afterwards for a Vermouth.

123. 

     Guy W Geddes

     26 July

     No wind - hot but no dust thank goodness - Nothing much doing - had my usual bathe.

124. 

     Guy W Geddes

     25 July

     Long traipse round the trenches & very tired when I got back. Had tea & a bathe with R .F. Nothing doing tho' still standing to. No dust or wind. Wrote to Congdon.

125. 

     Guy W Geddes

     24 July

     Another filthy day – the dust awful – standing to still. Wrote to AJ. Had a bathe in the evening.

126. 

     Guy W Geddes

     23 July

     Bloody some day. High wind & deluge of dust making life unbearable. De Lisle round & about camp. Fatigues galore - no attack as yet - Everything on the quiet & so it continues - Mail in - Had a bathe in the evening at 6.0.

127. 

     Guy W Geddes

     22 July

     Disembarked at 4.00 & marched to Gulley Beach our 1st camp - Dead beat & could hardly drag one leg after the other getting in at 7.00 - Had to mobilise all our stores again - everything pinched including some Mess stores - Filthy day & dust too damnable for words. Hoped for a sleep & bathe in the afternoon - No such luck & now hauled out for a reconn­aissance - walked & walked from 2 .45 to 6.00pm over trenches to our right of the line - just very tired. Had a bathe when I came back which freshened me up. Orders to stand to & move at short notice. Pestered by incessant stream of chits. No peace.

128. 

     Guy W Geddes

     21 July

     Too damnable for words. Orders to embark at 3 o'c. So much for our so called rest - We are all more done than ever - the reaction setting in – It’s too bloody for words - well the old horse will go once too often to the well & its a cruel shame - Buggered about, we eventually got off at 6.00 on th Basilisk who were very good to us - & arrived at V. beach at 10.00 pm to hang about - thank goodness no shelling - A tiring day & night well broken- Tired & fed up with a cause - All dream of getting the Bn together vanished.

129. 

     Guy W Geddes

     20 July

     Not very grand – tho’ a bit better - Beastly wind blowing & a lot of dust. Letters – just did nothing but write & answer. Received orders to hold ourselves in readiness to return to Peninsula at a moments notice - Got a draft of 30 men with Rayburn from 2nd Bn who had been in France with them & was invalided out.

130. 

     Guy W Geddes

     19 July

     Still feeling pretty rotten - Pow-wow at Bde HdQrs.

131. 

     Guy W Geddes

     18 July

     Feeling rotten – didn’t do anything - Wrote 6 various friends.

132. 

     Guy W Geddes

     17 July

     Went off to Mauretania & saw 6th & 7th Batns. Worship, Tynte, Conway &  all 9 N.C.0. s & men I knew. Our bum boat didn’t wait so Will­iams & I sailed back - luckily passed Albion launch &  tran shipped. Most awfully good to us had tea a glorious bath & dined. Gibson an awfully good chap insisted on my taking a telescope on leaving. Came back at 10.30 leaving Canary behind. Not feeling very well - Went for a lovely bathe in morning, getting a lift down in motor lorry.

133. 

     Guy W Geddes

     16 July

     Arrived early morning - No staff - no arrangements however fixed ourselves up. Water very scarce. Didn’t do anything much - Dead beat to the world & slept soundly - Met one Comdr Gibson & another off Albi on our covering ship at V beach - asked me to dine to-morrow. Men most awfully beat.

134. 

     Guy W Geddes

     15 July

     Bathed & thoroughly enjoyed it. Came in from Reserve trenches in morning by zig-zag trench down to W. Beach - which was being shelled.­ Left at 7.30 by beach road for V Beach to embark at 9.30 but didn’t do so till 1.00 am. On T.B.D. Savage awful cram - got shelled from Asia before we left didn’t like it at all.

135. 

     Guy W Geddes

     14 July

     South Hants took over our trenches & we went into reserve trenches about 5 .30 pm - Great panicking going on in the firing line.

136. 

     Guy W Geddes

     13 July

     Didn’t get relieved after all - splendid shout for K's Army, wiped out. Turks advance without opposition on our right. Why we can’t have these bombardments heaven only knows - Very hot day & all quiet in our section - De Lisle round & we further improved trenches to his wishes – but though allowing more fire positions, it certainly made trenches worse for shell fire.

137. 

     Guy W Geddes

     12 July

     Dublins had a show on but didn’t come off. H.E. bombardment - Mainly to divert Turks attention & allow for our advance on the right.

138. 

     Guy W Geddes

     11 July

     Nothing doing at all.

139. 

     Guy W Geddes

     10 July

     Turks shelled our parapets but didn’t do much harm & we soon put it right. Turks very panicky at night - De Lisle round our trenches, quite affable, in the morning & seemed pleased with things.

140. 

     Guy W Geddes

     9 July

     Very hot day - nothing doing. Told to look out for flag of truce - it came in on J12 - to bury dead, not allowed.

141. 

     Guy W Geddes

     8 July

     Nothing doing - but carried on as usual. 87th Bde relieved to go off for rest - to Lemnos or Imbros - Some of K's Army came up for 24 Hr instruction in the trenches - Good looking lot.

142. 

     Guy W Geddes

     7 July

     Nothing much doing. We were the fatigue party at night.

143. 

     Guy W Geddes

     6 July

     Terriers to H.L. I came up to firing lines. Nothing much doing beyond brigade fighting. Still feeling bad.

144. 

     Guy W Geddes

     5 July

     Turks made a general attack along the whole line. Half hearted attack on some portions. They got well  straffed & got nowhere  near our lines. One Turk caught fire owing to explosi on of his b andolier & ran about a live torch showing all the others up. Saw the whole of the attack in the trench. We badly straffed the Turks. Men in great form & very cool - attack over by 6.0 am. W lost about 30 men.

145. 

     Guy W Geddes

     4 July

     Settled down into our trenches. Lots of work required to be done & they were left filthy by 5th Roy Scots & Worcesters who evidently had done nothing. Flies & heat damnable - Water a vexed question & miles away at Bde Hd Qrs. Pretty heavy shelling till dark. Started another Turkey Trot.

146. 

     Guy W Geddes

     3 July

     Left at 7.00 am to meet Thomson & all C.O's, went round trenches. I was absolutely dead beat - there is no stuffing left in me at all now & I got tired very easily. Went back to Bde for pow-wow & eventually got back minus breakfast, dead beat to the world at 1 .1 5. Don’t like position of trenches at all & nasty position. All the result of failure on the 28th due to their not using H.E on trenches H. 1 2 - why oh why after all these lessons. It’s heartbreaking - expected to do everything­ but no tools to do it with. The men all without a kick, & still we are kept at it - & go on. Such is life - I am weary. Sent Williams up with W. Coy at 2.30 - Battalion going up at dark.

147. 

     Guy W Geddes

     2 July

     Cloudy day - Nothing much doing. Wrote to Mrs Hutch - West Pearson - C .T .G – Judy - Congdon - At 8.00 pm suddenly got order to stand to as J. 12 & 13 were being attacked - result no sleep & rotten night nothing eventually happened - except no rest. Such is life.

148. 

     Guy W Geddes

     1 July

     Went to pow-wow at 10.00 at Bde HdQrs - Very large mail came in & heard from all sort of people. Dined with de Lisle at night - only the Staff there. Came away early.

149. 

     Guy W Geddes

     30 June

     Went down to pow-wow at Bde HdQrs. General very pleased & said we had done most awfully well. Very pleasing letter from Royals. Had to shift our camp in the evening & came to south beach & Gulley Ravine. Dog tired had a little soup & turned in early.

150. 

     Guy W Geddes

     29 June

     Royals, save 40, & Z & Y Coys relieved at 6.00 am - Ind Brigade arrived to relieve us. Men dead from thirst, very hot. Relieved at 4.00, but the men were so exhausted that party had to be sent back with water & to assist them in - to Ghurka ravine - which we left at 7.30 but had to stop for a bit owing to heavy shelling - Got to Eski Lines at 8.30 - I've never seen so many men so absolutely exhausted & no wonder - from the heat, want of water & food - Dead beat all of us - To add to our joys filthy wind & dust couldn’t touch any food - Guns blazing off all around us all night. Doyle my servant hit just outside my dug-out - plenty of stray bullets.

151. 

     Guy W Geddes

     28 June

     Left at 9.45 for Bruces Ravine - Ghurkas late starting so started on their tasks - After being told that they were th e last lot in the 2nd phase, more came on blocked in badly - Edge of cliffs got awful shell­ing & got badly knocked about - eventually got down & up to Redoubt, quarter of J.1 1 & J 11 a. Absolutely done to the world - Very hot. Fisher fainted. Sent supports at once to D.-F. Awful congestion with Indian Bde - too many troops. Sent X & Z Coys on simultaneous assault of J .12 & J .l3 - quite successful & very well done. Bombs sent up, all wanted badly. Turks badly straffed. Attacked all night but were beaten off. Line broke & rather a panic near our Hd Qrs. but Hd Qrs Coy went ahead like anything when asked & everything put right. Put M.G. of Gurk has that was jammed into action & then relieved it by one of our own. Glad when dawn broke. Gurkhas panicked badly, & things looked bad at one time.

152. 

     Guy W Geddes

     27 June

     Very quiet. A hitch over our relief by the Royal Scots territorials. I was away all day at pow-wow & went down to Point in the morning & there in the afternoon as well as Indian Bde Hd Qrs - saw Col Palin - took all the officers to see the ground for the stunt- Went to Esk Lines. Very comfortable dugouts. So done I had to go to bed at once. I wonder if I can stick out tomorrow?

153. 

     Guy W Geddes

     26 June

     Very quiet - was away all day over the stunt at Bde HdQrs. Feeling ill & quite played out.

154. 

     Guy W Geddes

     24 June

     About 2.00 am fairly heavy firing – Pow-wow as usual. Feeling rotten. Shelled a bit.

155. 

     Guy W Geddes

     23 June

     Left at 3.00 am for trenches & took over from Bowen without a hitch. Very bad with dysentry. Went round trenches at night & found things not as I wished & expressed my feelings strongly.

156. 

     Guy W Geddes

     22 June

     Great air fight this morning. Taube was brought down on its second attempt on Asiatic side. Pow-wow at Bde Hd Qrs. Lunched with Dublins. Bathed in afternoon - Feeling very rotten with indigestion. Very hot day. Wrote to J.

157. 

     Guy W Geddes

     21 June

     Pow-wow at Bde HdQrs - Mail came in which was very welcome, heard from J (2), Pridmor, C.T.G, Hutch & Hood - Feeling rather rotten with indigestion. Bathed in the evening.

158. 

     Guy W Geddes

     20 June

     Wrote to C.T.G. & Judy - Wrote to Cam, & thanked her for the socks. Very hot day. No pow-wow at Bde. Bathed in the evening & had a long talk to Brand.

159. 

     Guy W Geddes

     19 June

     Tremendous panic over Turk attack - Suddenly ordered out at 9.30 am to reinforce at White House - to find KOSB there & 5th Scots Fusiliers having struck camp. In coming back, just buggered about because Division didn't know their business or where their troops were - usual rotten staff work on part of Division - Furious about it - Came back re-formed camp & stood by - nothing doing - Had swim in afternoon & then went round lines, heard that half the mail had been sunk - SWBs lost part of trench but retook it, hell of a fight. Manchester Territorials took a trench to lose it, their own & another which 88th Bde retook. ­ Heard a Colonel in Gunner s say he can’t get ammunition for guns & there is no high explosive, & guns limited to 3 rounds a day - quite damnable that we, a civilised nation are so ill equipped while the Turks, uncivilised have everything.

160. 

     Guy W Geddes

     18 June

     Slept badly last night. Went to Bde at 10.0 am nothing much doing. Hot day. Flies are awful here. Brigadier came round & saw officers & N.C.O's. Had a swim - Tremendous heavy fire before dark evidently a big Turkish attack.

161. 

     Guy W Geddes

     17 June

     Nothing doing last night - & fairly peaceful. Clear of trenches at 4.0 am. Gun fire for men & carts. Many into Inniskillings lines. Trouble with Quarter Master who has their lines over dug out. Left a pow-wow at 11.00 at Bde HdQrs. Fatigues all day. 200 men for night.

162. 

     Guy W Geddes

     16 June

     Great work done last night. Prendergast saved show for George's Company - Went down to Bde for P show. Sent in report. Had a doss in afternoon. I didn’t sleep much last night - Went round the trenches with Williams at night.

163. 

     Guy W Geddes

     15 June

     Down at Brigade Hd Qrs at 9.00 am - Williams went up to trenches. Good progress on communication trench. D.F's company got their wind up prop­erly especially George’s lot - lost Turkey Trench - Prendergast did very well & re-took it bombing, sent his name in. Machine guns did very well & Turks lost very heavily for their activity.

164. 

     Guy W Geddes

     14 June

     Round trenches in the morning. Work progressing on communication trench. Went round again the evening. Wind dropped & a much nicer day in the end. Some of the others inside rather upset. D.F's seemed to have their wind up a bit - Monck did very good work getting the sapping going at night. Ian Hamilton & Staff went round portion of the trenches in the afternoon - Pretty heavily shelled in trenches at night.

165. 

     Guy W Geddes

     13 June

     Went down to Brigade at 8.30 & then off over the rear trenches to see about the big communication trench with Bde Major didn’t get back till late. Wind down but a hot day. Went over Communication trench & started work in parties - All the men very cheery in the trenches. Sapping Party out at night, but not very successful.

166. 

     Guy W Geddes

     12 June

     Left at 3.15 am for trenches though I pointed out how very uncertain it was & the time it took to take over - As we were in support - Eventually got into trench at 11.30 am. Went round the trenches 3 times to fix things - Nothing much doing.

167. 

     Guy W Geddes

     11 June

     Left at 3.00am for Gully Beach. Found it full of troops & dossed down anywhere- absolutely bloody. Shifted Bn into 3 parts all over the place to make room. Filthy day with wind & dust - Had to go over to Bde at X Beach at 10.00 - Up to new Hd Qrs at 3 to meet de Lisle who didn’t roll up - Then up to trenches again - Absolutely fed up - Wrote to C.T.G & Judy.

168. 

     Guy W Geddes

     10 June

     Draft of 67 & 1 officer arrived at 5.30am. Shelling started at 6.30am & we had it all day. One of the finest bits of gallantry going - Sgt. Slattery & Twomey amid a hail of shrapnel rescued the two surviv­ing horses of a Divn Sign. Cart which the Turks thought was a gun. The team & plenty of men of the unit were staying in their trenches. Had a very unpleasant trip over to Bde HdQrs - came back & went up to firing line with Coy Commander. 11.00 order came for us to shift to Gulley Beach before dawn.

169. 

     Guy W Geddes

     9 June

     Nothing much doing - got well shelled - had bomb classes & tried to fix up things. Nightingale doing splendidly as Adjutant. Des Voeux seriously wounded by high explosive of which we had a lot during the evening.

170. 

     Guy W Geddes

     8 June

     Went over to Bde HdQrs at 7.0 & again at 9.0 to meet Gen de Lisle. It is very evident that the state of affairs is by no means rosy. Was on a Court of Enquiry at Royal Fusiliers. Had a very jolly bathe. Battalion seems to be shaking down well & the new lot appear keen. Felt very cheery at night & that things were going well. The flies are too damnable for words & give one no peace & I am truly thankful I've got my mosquito net.

171. 

     Guy W Geddes

     7 June

     Went over to Brigade to see about fresh camp. De Lisle was out & evidently didn’t like our shell swept camp. Sent men bathing. Ayres one of the newly joined got an attack of heart & has to be sent home – Men improved trenches, & had a bomb class. Sent Wilson in sick & wrote note to P.M.O. he is very bad with neuritis & very depressed, & this state of things won’t do at these depressing times when things are going so bad. One can’t tell the outcome of it all & how it is going to end. Terrific bombardment of Turkish trenches for what I can’t say.

172. 

     Guy W Geddes

     6 June

     Turks made a tremendous attack last night & at dawn with fresh troops retaking some of the trenches. Our losses very heavy. Royal Fusiliers - Lanes - K.O.S.B's - Territorials & Naval Division losing heavily. It’s all too ghastly & I don’t think people are at all cheery about this business even in high places. Regiments are getting very done over it & want complete rest. Had to go to A.H.Q. to see de Lisle & Hunter Bunter about Hutch & had tea with them. De Lisle seems a very nice chap & they were very nice.

173. 

     Guy W Geddes

     5 June

     Still day. 86th Brigade to be reformed. Wilson very seedy. Setting up the companys into some order. Colonel Woolley-Dodd appointed Brigadier. Had a very bad 3 hours shelling in the afternoon all over the camp & very uncomfortable. Our dug out made by the sappers for a HdQrs not at all safe. Can’t make out how things stand & its all very disheartening & depressing - still one tries to be cheery- The men are in great form,very cheery. Fatigue party came back at 11.30 - Terrific casualties over this attack which doesn’t seem to have been a success. Curtis came out to arrange for the Brigade to come back into reserve.

174. 

     Guy W Geddes

     4 June

     Wrote to C.T.G - Went up to Divisional Head Quarters. Battalion moved up in driblets to trenches at Pink Farm - went & saw the Brigadier.­ Bombardment started at 12. In parts a great success & some four lines of trenches were taken & others taken to be lost again. No progress could be made on left. Tremendous firing at night & Turks evidently bringing up reinforcements. Conflicting reports & no news which one could rely on coming in - nothing official at all. Battalion the only one left as Corps support. Had to send 200 men off on fatigue to beach leaving us with machine guns, only about 100 men. Had 4 men hit. Richelin newly joined went sick.

175. 

     Guy W Geddes

     3 June

     Filthy dusty day. Rode over to Gully Beach to see Carson who is Brigadier now. No time to reorganise battalion or do anything. Guard at night, large fatigue tomorrow morning & then to go up to the show. It’s too wicked & enough to brake ones heart when one is trying to pull round & reorganise things. Wrote to J.

176. 

     Guy W Geddes

     2 June

     Moved battalion over to Fort 1 at V Beach & dug in. Filthy dusty day. Draft of 160 & 4 officers joined us up. J Watts rejoined from hospital.

     Very tired at night.

177. 

     Guy W Geddes

     1 June

     A mob of officers joined from home & fairly well cramped us out- the Dublins got a big draft & we were told we had to shift to V Beach.­ Went over in a launch with Canary in morning & then walked over with C. Hawker to sight a camp.

178. 

     Guy W Geddes

     31 May

     Nothing much doing - Fatigues as usual. Had a batthe in afternoon, water very warm - Spent the day doing a lot of writing.

179. 

     Guy W Geddes

     30 May

     Nightingale came back. Had Mess fatigue on. Slept in afternoon & then went with Wilson, Nightingale & Aspinall to V. Beach altered beyond all recognition. Nightingale most interesting going through the fort & explaining all about April 26th operations - he must have been through a tremendous time of it - Dined with General Hunter Weston at D.H.Q at night.

180. 

     Guy W Geddes

     29 May

     Busy going round seeing Sanitary station. R .E & Camp Commandant Officer Fatigue putting up Mess. Bathed in afternoon. Saw Kane & went & saw Aspinall. Men out on fatigue & made excellent dug-outs etc. Got a mail one letter from Judy.

181. 

     Guy W Geddes

     28 May

     Went over to see General Marshall at Bde Hd Qr in morning, after seeing Colonel Cann- Order & Counter Order as regards territorials. Then at midday got orders to come into W . Beach. Bn moved off at 7.30 before the moon was up & got into camp safely. Bathed in afternoon

182. 

     Guy W Geddes

     27 May

     Had a ruse in the morning at 3.35. am , all the watches syncronised­. Went off very well & drew a tremendous fire from Turks machine guns etc Went round trenches, & found great improvements had been made. At 5 .0. pm. bad shelling till 6.1 5 by Turks with high explosives - smashed away parapet of trench -where Monck was. Gurkhas who relieved us did not re­occupy this portion - took away telephones. Artillery observation phone near me was shifted. Could get no assitance from Guns - Observation officers & everyone trying to do so. Got away about 8.0 the men having tea first, & got into Gulley beach without any trouble. Bag 12 . Lost one man from shelling & 2 others through snipers - Had the whip hand of the Turks during the day - Machine Guns never fired a round the whole time - Men did splendidly. Very tired having had only 2 hours sleep.

183. 

     Guy W Geddes

     26 May

     Went round trenches - Gen Cox came out & had a long talk - Bde Major went round trenches with Wilson - quite agreed about the position - Stench there is awful of dead Turks. Got N. 2. Battery &   Howi tzer to register in the afternoon over area - the latter did great work. Quiet night. Tried ruse but owing to was a failure - Bag 16. Turks busy at digging all day & night. Terrific fire from M. Gun Rifles at 10.30 pm & 3.30 am last night. Improved Trenches.

184. 

     Guy W Geddes

     25 May

     Inspected trenches. Turks sapping & digging fresh trenches last night. Hutchinson left early & I took over command of battn trenches. Did what I could to organise show & make it as secure as possible. Gun support etc - Started sap towards enemy. Trench mortar did excellent work. Bag 12. Improved trenches.

185. 

     Guy W Geddes

     25 May

     Very small mail came with a few papers, only heard from Mrs Marchmain & Pridmore - A good deal to go down at Bde HdQrs.

186. 

     Guy W Geddes

     24 May

     Got back at 5 .30 am. Heard I had got a D.S.O & that it was in orders. Wrote h urried line to Judy & C.T.G. Went off to Y Beach in advance with Hutch, Williams, Tomkinson & Dewhurst. Went round trenches with Col Bruce to find out al l about their telephone - etc. He told me one of the tightest spots he has been. Turks within 40 yds in places - Gener­al Cox gave me every assistance had two coys of Inniskillings in supp­ort 1. Coy in reserve with the ca11 on the Gurkhas direct Machine Gun Bluff.

187. 

     Guy W Geddes

     23 May

     Went & did map corrections with Williams up nullah to K .O .S .B. trenches up again to see Bd Major No 1 Brigade about night show Met Gen Cox - very nice man inspires one with confidence- At 8.0 pm went up with Williams company & dug communication trench - Very heavy fire going on all - & quite lively in trench, thank goodness no casualties.

188. 

     Guy W Geddes

     22 May

     Wrote to Judy - Jaques - Maynard Congdon - Hutch Pridmore Hood. Bad shelling by Turks in the afternoon.

189. 

     Guy W Geddes

     22 May

     Wrote to Judy - Jaques – Maynard Congdon – Hutch Pridmore Hood. Bad shelling by Turks in the afternoon.

190. 

     Guy W Geddes

     21 May

     Nothing doing - a very hot still day. Coldish wind sprang up in after­noon, bathed much colder than yesterday. Wrote to C.T.G.  Large mail in for me at night.

191. 

     Guy W Geddes

     20 May

     Beautiful warm day & the water quite hot when bathing - Nice warm breeze. Nothing doing. Canary went to hospital & had Maffett of Dublins rejoined.

192. 

     Guy W Geddes

     19 May

     Lovely day- Wrote to Judy - Bathed in the afternoon. Great many shells came b uzzing over in the afternoon. Turks heavily attacked Gabba Tepe & got it in the neck from the Australians. Dublins went back to their own Mess.

193. 

     Guy W Geddes

     18 May

     Heard from Mrs Congdon & wrote to her - Nothing doing in camp. Lovely day as usual. Dewhurst rejoined from Alaunia.

194. 

     Guy W Geddes

     17 May

     Native Hospital ship very heavily shelled by Turks about 5.30 & got it all right.

195. 

     Guy W Geddes

     16 May

     Went to church & early service in the morning. Draft with O'Leary arrived.

196. 

     Guy W Geddes

     15 May

     Gen Hd Qrs left for Lemnos & safe quarters. Nothing doing in camp except usual routine.

197. 

     Guy W Geddes

     14 May

     Hunter Weston came out & said a few kind words to the regiment - has not impressed & seemed to be all ego & to varnish over trouble - Ian Hamilton ran round in the afternoon.

198. 

     Guy W Geddes

     13 May

     Monck re-joined from Alaunia - W Beach heavily shelled.

199. 

     Guy W Geddes

     12 May

     Nothing much doing, beastly wet day & rain at night.

200. 

     Guy W Geddes

     11 May

     Left the ship & returned fit to the battalion. Saw Baxter & camp .

     Nasty day & rain at night- All of the others looking very done & play­ed out- They have been through some experiences with avengeance - Felt very gun shy with all the spent bullets & shelling - Camp on a beach at New Gully right under cliffs.

201. 

     Guy W Geddes

     10 May

     Quiet day passed & nothing much seemed to be doing no boat so didn’t go off.

202. 

     Guy W Geddes

     9 May

     Wrote to Judy C.T.G. Hood - West – Hayes. Passed fit - to return - A quiet day & nothing much seemed to be doing.

203. 

     Guy W Geddes

     8 May

     Wilson - Gordon & Warwick went back into first lot of convalescents­. Fairly quiet all day but heavy gunfire in the evening - Got a mail which was very welcome - Nice warm day.

204. 

     Guy W Geddes

     7 May

     Much finer & warmer to-d ay - Great reconnaissance work seemed to be done by aeroplanes- Tremendous artillery fire on Atchi Baba - & a general advance seemed to be taking place.

205. 

     Guy W Geddes

     6 May

     Very cold & windy. Artillery very active as if a preparation to an attack.

206. 

     Guy W Geddes

     5 May

     Nothing doing & all pretty quiet. Cold & windy.

207. 

     Guy W Geddes

     4 May

     Quiet & nothing much doing - Much colder & windy.

208. 

     Guy W Geddes

     3 May

     More wounded came on board including Sparling, had a great chat.

209. 

     Guy W Geddes

     2 May

     Nothing doing. More wounded coming aboard . Heard our part of the line was heavily engaged but Turks attack failed & many killed - Another heavy attack at night.

210. 

     Guy W Geddes

     1 May

     Nothing doing. Much better - The Colonel went off for home - stellenbosched - for what heaven knows as he couldn’t have done anything but what he did & its a case of someone being made the escape goat of it all. Wrote to C.T.G & J. Hood. Pridmore.

     Devil of a Fusilade at night & heavy fighting.

211. 

     Guy W Geddes

     30 April

     Friday nothing doing - very little firing & seem to be await­ing reinforcements - things seem to be settling down & being properly organised.

212. 

     Guy W Geddes

     29 April

     Nothing doing - Were moved onto the Alaunia - very fine ship - More wounded - better news at night & things seemed to be settling down a little.

213. 

     Guy W Geddes

     28 April

     Nothing doing. More wounded brought on board - Things at one time seemed to be going very well then badly. Want of ammunition. French not sticking it - Hospital arrangements - bad & awful to see the way the wounded were treated lying in barges.

214. 

     Guy W Geddes

     27 April

     Many wounded transferred to Hospital Ship - Watched the show -very interesting.

215. 

     Guy W Geddes

     26 April

     Had a long sleep in the morning till 3.0 pm dead tired - Watched the show going on. Wild rumours about. French landed on other side.

216. 

     Guy W Geddes

     25 April

     Bombardment started at 5.0 am. We started a bit before our time & took shelter under man-o –war. Beached at 6.25 as Dublins came in in line – ghastly machine gun fire & rifles opened on them & they were slaughtered- 6.45: Henderson & I disembarked. Men mowed down & drowned owing tp packs & lighter breaking away. Had to swim for it, awful tide. Got to Dublins & then dashed over gap to secure right with 4 men. Got my shoulder button shot off & then plugged through shoulder, didn’t feel it till some time after, though it knocked me over. Corney joined me up - 10 minutes after - Jarrett came over at 6.30 with Nightingale, Waldegrave- & Viper. Poor Jarrett killed just after. Pollard killed - ­ many wounded. Came back with wounded to Clyde at 8.30 pm transferred to trawler - were kept hanging about from 10.0 pm to 7.30 next morning when we were taken to Caledonia - disgraceful show - with horribly wounded men on board

217. 

     Guy W Geddes

     24 April

     Arrived at Tenedos about 8.0. quite rough & thought expedition would be postpon ed. Embark on River Clyde at 7.0 pm - cut lighter adrift- Wedgewood socialist MP of motor launch gave me a shake down on his cabin floor - too much noise to sleep.  Left about 1.0 am for Gallipoli.

218. 

     Guy W Geddes

     23 April

     Left Lemnos at 5 .0 - calm sea - Great passing through fleet of Transports & men-o-war.