Gallipoli Landings - 8th Battalion, AIF.

The 25th April 1915 (94 years ago) was the fateful day of Australia’s entry into the "war", the Gallipoli landings were a baptism of horror and terror.

Private John Gibson Pitt, orginally from Manchester, was with the 8th Battalion on that fateful day and in his personal diary is an excellent record of the events.


"Sunday April 18th
Transports arriving daily. 8am. The oil boat (“Lunik 1915”) came alongside and pumped water into us as hard as she could go. 10am. 8th Battalion band went over to H.M.S. “Sicilia” and gave them a few tunes. 11am. Officers and N.C.O's paraded and were told that we are to go ashore at Gallipoli in 3 destroyers and that we would be under fire before we landed. D Company No 1 destroyer. 2.30pm. Paraded in full order and took up our positions as will have to do when we land. The band went aboard H.M.S “Agamemnon” and were treated royally. Blue jackets and petty officers from aboard her borrowed their boats and came aboard us. Had a yarn with the Chief Engine Room Artificer.

Monday April 19th
Men swimming around the ship. Mail aboard after dinner. Rumours of setting off tomorrow. About 150 reinforcements from 14th battalion arrived 7.45pm.

Tuesday April 20th
Very fresh and a bit choppy this morning. One of a rowing party to row the Officers Patrol ashore and back. 1.45pm parade. Descending into boat. 2 pm. One of a party to row over to Hospital ship and back, rough, a hard tussle. 4.15pm Rowed ashore for party, arrived back about 6pm, very hard pulling , nearly an hour coming back, 2 men to an oar, 6 oarsmen. Artillerymen onboard fixing fuses to shrapnel shells.

Wednesday April 21st
Heavy rain through he night. Blowing hard. Rained till 3pm and then calmed down.

Thursday April 22nd
A lovely fresh breeze and blowing. Hospital ship, 2 transports and a fleet of trawlers arrived in this morning, also torpedo boat destroyer. On guard today, 3rd relief. About 20 A.M.C. Men and officers arrived aboard today. Mail arrived today been hung up for days. Tucker these days is bully beef and biscuits, porridge for breakfast. Do not expect to be here long.

Friday April 23rd
Guard 4am-8am, not a baddie yarmed to the cork?. 10.30am practised descending into boats. Naval heat aboard. Hydroplane flying around 9pm. Something doing. Troopship and warships moving outside torpedo nets. Band palying for last time, tonight packing instruments.

Saturday April 24th
5.30 am. Awoke to find the ship under way. We were just going past the lighthouse at the entrance and were followed by the “Mashobra” and “Mumewoska” (Divisional Flagship). Anchored still off the land about 9.30pm. Expect to land early in the morning. Parade 10am. Final inspection of everything. 3am Parade. Practised taking our positions for disembarkation. Captain Coulter read out necessary information and divisional standing orders. D company 2 positions to take tomorrow and next day.

Sunday April 25th
Reveille 3 am. 7 transports here now and the number eventually increased considerably. Shrapnel and rifle fire all around the boats. 7.15 am. Embarked in destroyer, one boatload of our battalion went before we did. Transferred wounded and dead from destroyer to “Clan Mc”. H.M.S. “Triumph”, “Bacchante” etc bombarding fort and gun positions as hard as they can. Boats were lashed to the side of the destroyer so that their bottoms just skimmed the water and the men were able to get in them while she was going. When she had got as close to the shore as the depth of the water would allow her, she slowed down and the boats were released from her side, when Pi----? Towed us in as far as they could and we rowed the rest, having to jump in the water, knee deep to land. The 3rd brigade were covering party and landed first. We formed up in platoons on the beach and forced our way through the thick and prickly scrub. There being another line in front of us, who had driven the Turks before them, we did not meet with a great deal of opposition, although we got the benefit of a good many bullets fired at the front line, and some shrapnel. When we got to the first ridge in land, we were ordered by Lieut Colonel Gartside to strengthen the line already established there and dig in as he considered that all our fellows out in front would have to retire there before night, as they had met with considerable forces of the enemy and were losing heavily. Tom Keddie and I dug in next to one another and then turned our attention on a very troublesome sniper on our left front, he moved about and we could not get a good shot at him as he was so hard to see in the thick scrub. He eventually got Tom K in the calf of the leg, the bullet must have passed over me , I was dug in deeper than he was. Bandaged him up and took him to the rear, he gave me his automatic. Our fellows in front were compelled to retire during the afternoon after losing very heavily, especially in officers. Entrenched as hard as we could at night, firing all night. Shrapnel did us the most damage, and we had no artillery on land, and the warships were of course at a disadvantage, although they did splendid work. The Turks made repeated attacks during the night but were always repulsed.

Monday April 26th
Artillery expected ashore today, warships still bombarding. Barney Allan shot through mouth. Wounded men everywhere, SB’s and doctors scarce. 12am. Casualties estimated at 4,000, 75% 8th battalion officers out of action, 60% dead, very sad. A.M.C out all night and did splendid work. Rejoined company on battalions left flank, made dug outs till 4pm, then went in trenches to help cover advance to be made on our left. They advanced and were repulsed time after time, shrapnel fire awful. Slight advance at last. The warships helped us considerably. Splendid shooting today. In trenches all night, several minor attacks. No sleep.

Tuesday April 27th
Our artillery will be in position todaywhich should makea big difference. Enemy’s batteries all concealed. In trench all day, plenty of shooting, some marvellous escapes. Went to beach for water at dusk with Jim Price, we were just coming away carrying a tin full of water between us when he was mortally wounded. Sergeant Smith accidentally shot himself in the foot. Heard fighting all night, Jack Hutchinson shot dead 3 yards away from me, Didsbury wounded. Reinforcements expected tomorrow morning, God speed them, our casualties are very heavy. There forces against us said to be 54,000. Snipers very troublesome.

Wednesday April 28th
Very hot fire this morning, reinforcements arrived, but we are not relieved yet. A party went out to settle last night and caught 3. Comparatively quiet today. Gen Birdwood wishes every man to be awake all night, general attack expected but not delivered. A very cold night and a very long one. Had about 3 hours sleep since we landed.

Thursday April 29th
Improve trenches daily, dug communication trench this morning. Turks seem to be taking a breather but we have to be very watchful. First wash today in a dixie at that. Warships continually bombarding. Lance Corporal Walker shot through elbow and lungs by sniper, died almost immediately. Snipers very busy, impossible to locate them amongst the scrub. God help them when we get to close quarters, we all have somebody or something to avenge. Ghurkas, Sikhs, and Tommies arrived, some battalions relieved. Bill Colven? Turned up, things decidedly quieter tonight, merely a steady exchange of shots. Several shot by snipers. Fair amount of sleep, very cold.

Friday April 30th
S.B’s bringing in dead. To be relieved for a spell this mornning. Formed up and marched to a place of comparative safety behind the ridge which slopes down to the beach , and made dug outs. Went for a dip in the afternoon. Several poor fellows killed and wounded in the water and on the beach by stray bullets. A great sight about here, the hill sloping down to the beach for about 1.5 miles, is just alive with troops of all kinds and the beach with stores, munitions, horses, mules, etc. Enjoyed a much needed long sleep from 7 pm until 7 am. Issue of tobacco."