Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-07
DEAD BRITISH TELL, IN DIARIES,
OF LIFE IN GALLIPOLI TRENCHES
Use of Bayonet Frequent Regiment
Funked And Was Driven Out of
Shelter By Other Soldiers.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
GALLIPOLI PENINSULA. Turkey.
June 1s-Many dead British soldiers
have been buried by the Turks-usually
after trench has been taken. Before
the body is disposed of it is searched for
letters, or some other means of identi-
fication. In the course of this many in
teresting documents, among them dia-
ries of fallen officers and men, have been
found. A number of these were placed
a the disposal of the Associated Press
correspondent with permission to copy
such parts as he might care to make
use Of
A dozen of the diaries were read.
Parts of them are given here. Life in
the trenches is pictured one long
round of fatigue and squadding' and
keeping back the Turks, whom nearly
all had come to respect and fear.
The diary Of Private R. Charbesworth,
9TH Platoon, "B" Company. Sth Man
chester Regiment. thrty-two years old,
is somewhat typical of those kept by
men of his station. There is a quaint
charm in his simple description of the
trip to Egypt and the installing of the
regiment in Mustapha Pacha camp. AL
exandria. The insects there were
plague. his diary says, and the men were
glad when they were transferred to
Polymedia camp. on the Island of
Cyprus.
Then come references to long route
marches and much drill Later the
regiment was sent to Cairo. More
marches followed. Many men fell out
tons would help some poor enlisted
youngster by carrying his rifle for him.
The regiment was picked for serv-
ice In the Dardanelles. 1t was en-
gov.
For about a month Private Charles
worth fought at Sid-el-Bahr, life being
series of alternate shifts of work and
rests" Then comes the last entry:
"On the 26th (May) we finished the
trench. On the 9th We moved to the
second line OF trenches"
"A march past Sir Ian Hamilton in
Egypt appears to have been the most
important event to another, whose
sist entirely of on and off, duty and
similar routine remarks.
Makes His Will.
The diary Of another contains the
owners will on the inside page Of the
cover. 1t read:
MY will: Everything I possess to
go to my father.
(Signed) "WILFRED HAYES.
18th Bait, Manchester Regiment"
The entries are extremely matter of
fact:
May IS. Turks advance.
May 16, one of our officers shot dead.
May 81, nothing doing all day.
Many references to attacks by the
Turks follow. The Royal Scots are
given much credit by the writer for
their brave conduct
May 81, not a minutes sleep for
three days and three nights.
May %, we were obliged to move
to our reserve trench.
May 20. during the afternoon the
Sth B. NJ. R. 18th Battalion, Manchester
which they had advanced to during the
night, when they were surprised by
the Turks. They retired. leaving rifles
and equipment behind. We saw the
onets. which were left behind. The
artillery and infantry peppered them.
The 8th Essex were to take back the
trench and the sixth, who were in the
reserve trenches, resting after two
nights of advancing and trench dig
ging, had to go and support them. The
eighth lost heavily, although the sixth
had few casualties. The eighth got the
order to advance with fixed bayonets.
but funked it, SO we sixth would not
them over the parapet Same day
wounded man crawled into our trench
and said that a sergeant and four men
were the only survivors In a trench.
Reinforcements were sent.
May 80. We are still in the trenches
and are getting very worn and tried
May 81, Turks attacking. Eighth
unable to hold their own: one of our
platoons to aid. The eighth begin to
retire, but the sergeant in charge of
the sixth will not allow them to re-
tire.
Then comes the penutimate entry 1t
is dated June 3, Cousin Richard killed
only me left out of the three of u.s.
Last Bayonet Charge.
And then the last:
June 4, preparing to take hill 709
at the point Of the bayonet. Twelve
o'clock we charge the Turks at the
point of the bayonet."
Private William Sykes of the Sth
Battalion, Manchester Regiment. en-
listed as No. 1929 at the age of seven
teen years and five months. had moth
ing but his letters on his person when
found. Most of them were written by
his mother. gentle, middle-ased
woman, according to her photogra phi,
which the boy carried with him. The
letters are addressed to: Our dear son
shows viii" among his five sisters and
there is another taken when enlisted,
showing "Nill'' as a chubby youngster
with a wondering. innocent stare in
his large eyes HeA is clothed in a
very smart uniform Nat is trife too