Henry George Dines's letter from Gallipoli:
H. George Dines, Royal Naval Division Divisional Engineers, “A Baptism of Fire.”
Number Two Company were cheering us off. When we got about a hundred yards from the land, we heard spent bullets whizzing all about us, and dropping in the sea. However, we landed safely, and marched along the beach, passing water waggons, guns, stores, mules and men at various kinds of work. Red Cross men were bringing in the wounded, and at one place a row of graves with wooden crosses, made of packing-case wood, was seen. The steep hills were covered with scrub, between which were numerous holes in which were men’s kits, and men sitting smoking. We came to a place where holes had evidently been evacuated, although they contained numerous articles of clothing, toilet things, letters, photographs of girls, families, and friends, lying about anywhere.
Here we halted, and waited, a few seconds; then there was a shriek, and a very loud bang, as the shrapnel burst just over, coming preciously near some of us. We were told to take cover in these empty holes, and in less time than you can think we were in them, but not before at least two more shells had burst over us. About six or eight shells in all burst overhead doing no damage, as the slopes of the hill were too steep for the enemy to get his shells to burst exactly on the hillside. Then we all got picks, and dug ourselves in deeper, and sat there listening to the shells bursting overhead, and dropping in the sea beyond. We then had tea in our holes, and afterwards got ready to turn in.
Two battalions of infantry passed going up to the trenches in the evening. They were not so cheerful as the men we had passed on our way up, who had given us a welcome, and cheered us with witty remarks about how things were going. Number Two Company came on shore near us about ten o’clock. That night the battleships bombarded a fort. The flash seemed to light up everything, and the shells bursting sent up showers of red sparks, as good as any fireworks.
At last we turned into our holes, and went to sleep, listening to the whizzing and whining of stray bullets passing over us. I was awakened by a terrific shriek, and a terrific bang. I sat up, and another shell went over, and burst just beyond our holes. Then there was a terrific bombardment with shrieking and banging until about thirty shells had burst over us, with the result that one man had his rifle butt broken. I went to sleep again after that (at which I was rather surprised), and in place of reveille we were awakened by a terrific cannonading by HMS… (censored) which was near.
In the morning, our section built a small stone jetty… (censored), and were very near some shrapnel fire, while the remainder of our Company, with Number Two Company, started on a road up the steep hills. Both Companies worked on the road in the afternoon, and intended to get in to tea. An officer of another corps said, “It can’t be done by to-night in time.” Our Colonel said, “Leave it to my men.” At five, a message was sent to our holes to keep tea until seven. At seven, a party went down to fetch tea up the hill, and the road was quite done by half-past eight. Forty of our men went down, and fetched an eighteen-pounder field gun, and lugged it up. The artillery men saw their gun going, and came and helped, so the gun came up at the double, and at ten o’clock it was firing away. Before eleven, three guns were up. We were congratulated all round.
I hope that you find this interesting!
Thanks for the extra information you have managed to gather about Robert - such a shame he died so young without getting to know his son.
Dave Barrett
