Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-15
TURKS SEARCH BODIES
OF DEAD ON GALL|POL|
Many Interesting Documents. Among
Them Diaries Of Fallen Sol
diers, Recovered.
LIFE IN TRENCHES PICTURED
Generally Referred To as One Long
Round Of Fatigue and Squad
ding"-Quaint Charm in Dcscrip-
ton Of Private's Trip to Egypt.

Round OF "Fatigue and Squad
ding"-Quaint Charm in Dcscrip-
ton Of Private's Trip to Egypt.
Correspondence of Associated Pres..l
GALLIPOLI PENINSULA. TURKEY.
June 1e.-Many dead British soldiers
have been buried by the Turks. usually
after a trench has been taken. Before
the body is disposed 1t is searched for
letters. or some other means OF identi
ficatioh. In the course Of this. many
interesting documents. among them
diaries of fallen officers and men. have
been found A number of ihcs. were
placed al 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 as 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. Charles
worth, Fifth Platoon. "B" Company.
Eighth Manchester Regiment. thirty
two years old. is somewhat typica; OF
those kept by men of his station.
There is quaint charm in his simple
description OF the trip to Egypt, and
the installing OF the regiment in
Mustapha Pacha camp, Alexandria.
The insects there were plague. his
diary says. and the men were glaa
when they were transferred 10 Poly
media camp, Oh the Island of Cyprus.
marches and much drill. Later the
regiment wa, sent TO Cairo. More
marches followed. Many men fell ou.,
and often officers with humane inclina-
tons would help some poor enlisted
youngster by carrying his rifle for him.
The regiment was picked for service
In the Dardanelles. 1t was emba rled
on the steamer Ionian. Of Glasgow.
For about a month Private Charles
worth fought at Sid-elBahr, life being
series of alternate shifts of work
and rests" Then comes the last entry:
ION 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. con-
sist entirely Of "on" and off" duty.
and similar routine remarks
The diary OF another contains the
owners will on the inside page of the
cover. It reads:
My will:
Everything possess TO go to my
father.
tSigned) "wILFRED HAYES,
Sixth Bat. Manchester Regiment"
The entries are extremely matter of
fact.
May 15-Turks advance"
May 16-One OF our officers shot
dead"
May 21-Nothng doing all day"
Many references TO attacks by the
Turks follow; the Royal Scots" are
their brave conduct.
May 27-Not n minutes sleep for
three days and three nights"
May 2S-We were obliged to move
to our reserve trench"
May o9-During the afternoon the
Eighth B. NJ. R. eighth Battalion.
Manchester RegimenD, were digging
in 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 Eighth Essex
were TO take back the trench. and the
Sixth, who were IN the reserve trenches
resting after two nights of advancing
and trench digging. 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 1t, so
we Sixth 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
sergeant and four men were the only
survivors in trench. Re-enforce-
ments were sent"
May 30-We are still in the trenches,
and are getting very worn and tired"
May 3l-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 retire"
Then comes the penultimate entry
It is dated:
June 3--Cousin Richard killed-only