Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-08-02
DIARIES Of DEAD MEN
GIVE INSIDE OF WAR
Life in Trenches Pictured as One
Long Round of Fatigue and
Squading
TURKS KILL MANY BRITISH
Sole Survivor of Co. Tells of How
He Caused German Sniper
to Suffer
TURKS KILL MANY BRITISH

Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey, June 19
correspondence of the Associated
Press) Many dead British soldiers
have been buried by the Enthusiastically
the body is disposed of IL is searched
for letters of some other means of
Identification. In the course OF this
many interesting documents, among
them diaries of fallen officers and
men. have been found. A number of
these were placed at the disposal of
the Associated Press correspondent
with permission to copy such parts as
he might care to make use Of
dozen of the diaHes 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 r. Charles
worth, fifth platoon, B Company.
Eighth Manchester Regiment. 80 years
old, is somewhat typical of those kept
by men of his station. There is a
quaint charm in his simple description
or the trip to Egypt and the INSTALL
ms of the regiment in Mustapha Pacha
camp. Alexandria. The insects there
were a plague. his diary says, and the
men were glad when they were trans
ferred to Polymedia camp, on the
Island of Cypress.
LONG MdFCnCS
Then come references to long route
marches and much drill. Later the
regiment was sent to Cairo. More
marches followed. Many men fell out
and often officers with humane in
clinations would help some pocr en-
listed youngster by carrying his rife
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
series of alternate shifts of work
ana rest" Then comes the last
entry:
"on the 26th (May) we finished the
trench. On the 27th- 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 ION" and "off" duty and
similar routine remarks.
The diary of another contains the
owners will on the inside page of the
cover. 1t reads:
MY will; Everything I possess to
go to my father. (Signed) Wilfred
Hayes; 9Th Bait. Manchester Regi-
The entries are extremely matter
of-fact.
May 18th. Turks advance"
dead" S4'o'
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
No Sleep for ~ Hours
May 27th. Not a 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. (Sth Battalion. Man
chester Regiment were digging in a
trench, which they had advanced to
during the night. when they were sur
prised by the Turks. They retired,
leaving rifles and equipment behind.
We saw the Turks playing with the
rlnes 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. rest
ing after two nights of advancing and
trench digging, had to go and support
them. The Sth lost heavily, although
the 9Th had few casualties The Sfh
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 SER
geant and four men were the only sur-
vivors in a trench. Reinforcements
were sent"
May 30th. 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 Eighth begin 70
retire. but the sergeant in charge of
the Sixth will not allow them to re-
tire"