Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-08-09
Associated Press Correspondence

| trench has been taken. Before the body
is disposed of it is searched for letters
or some other means Of Identification. In
the course of this many interesting docu-
ments. among them diaries of fallen
officers and men, have been found. A
number Of these were placed at the dis
posal Of The Associated Press CORE
spondent 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 as one long
round of fatigue and squading" and
keeping back the Turks, whom nearly
all had come to respect and fear.
| The diary Of Private Charbesworth.
5th Platoon, "B' company. sth Man.
chester Regiment, 80 years old, is some
what typical of those kept by men OF
his station. There IS quaint charm In
his simple description Of the trip Ito
Egypt and the installing of the regiment
in Mustapha Pacha camp. Alexandra.
The insects there were a pl1gue. 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 regi-
ment was sent to Cairo. More marches
followed Many men fell out and often
officers with humane inclinations would
help some poor enlisted youngster by
carrying his rifle for him.
The regiment was picked for service in
the Dardanelles. 1t was embarked on
the steamer 'Ionian' of Glasgow.
For about a month Private Charles
worth fought at Sid-el-Bahr. life being
a series Of alternate shifts Of work
and rests" Then comes the last entry.
"On the 2sth 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 other
entries made in a calendar. consist en-
tirely Of on and or duty and SINH
lar routine remarks.
The diary of another contains the
owners will on the inside page of the
! cover. 1t reads:
MY will: Everything 1 possess to go
to my father.
(Signed) "Wilfred Hayes.
! 18th Bait. Manchester Regiment"
| The entries are extremely matter-of-
| fact.
May 18th. Turks advance"
May 18th, one Of our officers shot
dead
May 21st, 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 9th. not minutes sleep for
three days and three nights
May 2Sth. we were obliged to move
to our reserve trench
May 29th, during the afternoon the
sth B. NJ. R. 18th Battalion Manchester
RegimenD were digging in a trench,
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 Turks
playing with the rifles and bayonets
which were left behind. The artillery
and infantry peppered them. The sth
Essex were to take back the trench and
the Sixth who were in the reserve
trenches, resting after two nights of adj
vancing and trench digging. had to go
and support them. The Sth lost heavily.
although the 9Th had few casualties.
| The Sth got the order to advance with
fixed bayonets but funked it SO we 9Th
would not let them stay in the trench
| and pushed 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
trench. Reinforcements were sent
May Both. We are still in the trenches
and are getting very worn and tired
May 31st. Turks attacking. Eighth
unable to hold their own; one of our
platoons to aid. The Sth begin to retire,
but the sergeant in charge Of. the 9Th
will not allow them to retire. 2
Then comes the penultimate entry. II
is dated:
June ard. Cousin Richard kfiled--only
me left out of the three of U.S."
And then the last:
June 4th. Preparing to take hill 200 at
the point of the bayonet. Twelv6s clock
we charge the Turks at the point. Of the
bayonet."
Private William Sykes. Of the 9Th
Battalion, Manchester Regiment. enlisted
as No. 029, at the age of II years and
five months. had nothing but his lstters
on his person when found. Most Of them
were written by his mother. asgsnfie
middle-aged woman, according to sheT
photograph. which the boy carried nth
him. The letters are addressed to: "Ouf
dear son Will" There is a photograph,
that shows will" among his five sistess
and there is another taken when enlisted
showing will" as chubby youngster
with a wondering innocent stare in his
large eyes. He is clothed in a very smart
uniform that is a trifle too large. One
can almost sense his endeavor to I'LL It.
The most remarkable document in the
lot is that Of Captain F. I. Lynch, regi.
ment unknown. There is some doubt as
to the second initial, which may be in.
tended for ID" or "J".
His diary is well kept, gives the mos,
minute details, and mirrors a mind con.
stantly under great strain. There are
in 1t many illusions to himself as a
lucky man. or a man with a charmed
| life"
The captain left Rugby on Wednesday
March II. for Alexandria. The French
he met en- route he refers as those FUN.
ny little Frenchmen." His stay in ERyp,
| = ~ In