About the middle of the month the Battalion received its first supply of canteen stores. A small party had been sent to Imbros to buy "luxuries" and had returned with neither the quantity nor quality they sought. Nevertheless, their arrival in the Battalion area was signalised by the formation of a queue as for an early door at a theatre. Sweets, cake, and notepaper were in greatest demand, and after these, in popularity, came soap and handkerchiefs.
Sir Ian Hamilton had been striving for months to institute this system of canteens. He desired that the troops in the Eastern Mediterranean should be placed on the same footing as those in France. General Birdwood had written to him conveying the medical opinion that the sameness of the food was making the men sick. The rations were A1, but the men loathed the look of them after having had nothing else for months. "If we could only get this wretched canteen ship along, and if, when she comes she contains anything like condiments to let them buy freely from her, I believe it would make all the difference in the world. But the fact remains that at present we cannot count on anything like a big effort from the men who have been here all these months."[P] The first canteen ship did eventually arrive about the end of August, and then brought only £10,000 worth—amongst over 100,000 troops! The Commander-in-Chief sent it to Anzac. Later arrivals brought very little more and, finally, early in December, the supplies petered out altogether. Parties sent to Imbros foraged over the island, but soon exhausted even that source, which produced only fruit, eggs, Turkish delight, candles, and canned goods.
To pay for these extras the Australians had ample resources. Periodically the field cashier appeared on the Peninsula with English silver and notes. The adjutant drew from him, and company commanders paid their men in accordance with their requirements—within the credit which the Pay Book (always carried on the person) disclosed they possessed. The British Treasury note for 10s. became known as a "Bradbury"—a name derived from a signature thereon. Those issued to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force at the time were endorsed in Turkish so that they might have currency in Constantinople when the Straits were forced.
The 16th October witnessed the return to the Battalion of the Machine Gun Section from the Apex. It was arranged that at 4 a.m. this day an attempt should be made to compel the enemy to disclose his gun and machine gun positions. At that hour a rocket went up from Russell's Top. Immediately our guns, and the machine guns to either flank of the 28th, opened fire. The Battalion had been ordered to man the trenches, show their fixed bayonets over the parapets, and cheer lustily. All these things were done and the effect added to by throwing clods of earth down amongst the bushes in the Dere to give the impression of the noise of troops advancing. All came to nought. The Turk uttered not a sound, and after the firing ceased the West Australians, appreciating some humour in the situation, went about their day's work with broad smiles on their faces.
Aeroplanes occasionally made their appearance above the contending armies. To the man in the trench it seemed that some arrangement existed whereby our aviators should not use the same days in the week as the Turk. Never were the two seen in the air at the one time and the infantry, who were spoiling to witness an aerial combat, were greatly disappointed. An appearance was usually the signal for a little practice by the anti-aircraft guns, one of which was located in the 1st Division's sector. The enemy gunners had better luck than ours, for twice during the Battalion's stay they succeeded in winging our men—one of whom made a forced landing on Suvla Lake and the other in the sea, not far from the shore, about half a mile further south. Here they provided a target for the field guns and, in the former instance, the machine, viewed from the Apex, soon resembled a fly whose wings had been burned off. Whilst at Cheshire Ridge the 28th observed a hostile aviator traverse the line from right to left, flying at an altitude of a few hundred feet only. The pilot leaned over the side of the car as he passed over the West Australians and waved his hand to them. The rifle fire directed at him apparently did no harm and in a few seconds he disappeared in the direction of Suvla.
Between the 17th and 20th of the month the Battalion suffered four casualties (wounds) from shrapnel. On the evening of the 25th the Turks landed in the Chailak Dere several heavy high explosive shells. At 11 a.m. on the 27th they opened a brisk fire all along the brigade sector and up towards Suvla. The beach behind was also shelled by the big guns. The "stand to" was ordered but, as usual, firing died down without further development. The rest of the brigade had a number killed and wounded but the 28th escaped unscathed. For the remainder of the month the enemy was comparatively quiet.
Lieut. J. F. Quilty arrived from Egypt on the 24th and brought seven men as a reinforcement.
"A" COMPANY.
Getting ready to move from the Reserve position at Cheshire Ridge.
Photo. lent by Mr. T. Pritchard.[ToList]