Sickness increased during the month and seriously affected the officers. The Adjutant (Captain Lamb), Captains Montgomery and Stroud, Lieutenants Davey, Hargraves, and Carter were taken to the hospital. Captain Menz also became alarmingly ill and had to be carried away on a stretcher. On the way down the Dere a shell came along and killed one of his bearers and wounded the other. He escaped with a bad fall and the loss of the heel of his boot. A few days later Major J. A. C. Wilson left the Battalion. He had been obviously suffering from jaundice for some time but had clung to his command until he had to be ordered to hospital. As "A" Company had lost both its O.C. and 2nd-in-Command, Lieut. N. F. Macrae from "D" Company was appointed temporarily to command. Lieut. H. E. C. Ruddock was selected to carry on as adjutant until the return of Captain Lamb. Reg. Sergt.-Major P. T. C. Bell was promoted to commissioned rank.
The weather changed on the 22nd October and turned as cold as the coldest days in Western Australia, involving bleak conditions in the trenches at night. On the 27th there was a very unpleasant wind and dust storm which lasted for hours.
THE Q.M's. STORE OF "A" COMPANY
at Cheshire Ridge.
Photo. lent by Mr. T. Pritchard.[ToList]
The Battalion having been in the firing line for about seven weeks, the Brigadier ordered the 26th Battalion, which had not yet been in the trenches, to relieve it. On the 30th October "A" Company of the Queenslanders and Tasmanians took over from "B" Company of the 28th. On the following day, however, the return to the Peninsula of the 4th Brigade being imminent, the order was cancelled. Nevertheless, on the 1st November, "C" Company proceeded to join "B" Company at Taylor's Hollow (in Bauchop's Hill, just north of Waterfall Gully). "D" Company followed on the next day and, on the 3rd, Lieut.-Colonel J. M. A. Durrant, with the 13th Battalion, took over the sector. The Machine Gun Section was again temporarily detached from the Battalion and joined the 8th Light Horse near Sazli Belt Dere. Whilst there they had a duel with a Turkish gun and came out victorious—finally calling upon our field artillery to blow up the enemy's emplacement. This was done very effectually.
During the month of October the Battalion had suffered a loss of five killed, four died of wounds, 27 wounded, and 137 sick.
Located at Taylor's Hollow the Battalion now became the divisional reserve. The 26th Battalion had proceeded to rejoin the 2nd Australian Division and was followed on the 10th November by the 25th and 27th Battalions. Nominally the Battalion was withdrawn for a rest, but actually the divisional reserve's main function was to supply parties for all manner of work behind the front line.
For the sake of convenience these parties were placed near Hell Spit, in Reserve Gully, and other features which afforded the necessary cover. They worked under their own officers, who received their instructions from the Beach Commandant, from the Commanding Royal Engineer of one of the divisions, or from a member of the Corps Staff.
One party was engaged in building a series of terraces to receive the marquees of a Casualty Clearing Station. This necessitated the free use of explosives and the removal of many tons of earth. The work was carried out in such an efficient manner as to excite the surprise and admiration of the Royal Engineers. To finish it off an elaborate retaining wall was built with material from the shore. This wall contained a large corner stone upon which was placed the inscription "A Coy. 28 Bn. didit."