WAR DIARY
WAR DIARY
  • Home
  • WAR DIARY
  • About
    • About Sgt. Graham
    • J A Graham In Later Life
    • About Graham's Diary
    • About this Blog
    • About the 5th Light Horse
    • About usage and licensing
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Home
  • WAR DIARY
  • About
    • About Sgt. Graham
    • J A Graham In Later Life
    • About Graham's Diary
    • About this Blog
    • About the 5th Light Horse
    • About usage and licensing
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

31 July 1915: Death of Col Harris

31/7/1915

0 Comments

 
Duty 1200 to 1800. 
A man in the 6th Regt went mad (a common thing here) and thought he was a dog.  Poor beggar. It was awful to see him.  
A busy night.  We blew up a line of enemy trenches and charged with success.  Enemy casualties much heavier than ours.  Our Colonel (Col Harris) was killed during operations.  His last words were spoken to me and were:  “Stunt be dammed Graham, it’s the real thing.” 
His reason for saying it was, when the heavy bombardment began, I left my post to find out what it meant and met him in the trench.  He asked me where I was going and I told him I was going to watch the stunt.  He then said the words before mentioned and five minutes after he was dead.  A bullet cutting his jugular vein. 
He was a good officer and will be missed.

J. A. Graham
Picture
Hubert Jennings Imrie Harris. Source: http://anzacsonline.net.au/2012/01/harris-hubert-jennings-imrie-vd/
Picture
Map believed to be owned by Col. Harris. From Michael Trelour Booksellers Auctionhouse: This map was published in London on 17 May 1915, two months after the disastrous naval attempt to enter the Dardanelles. The location of forts and batteries, especially in the Narrows, are overprinted in red. A barely legible name is pencilled on the verso of the linen, and in one margin of the map: our best effort at deciphering it is 'Lt-Coln Harris Aust Inf 1915'. If this is correct, it is poignant provenance indeed. Lieutenant-Colonel Hubert Jennings Imrie Harris, Commanding Officer of the 5th Light Horse Regiment, Australian Imperial Force, was killed in action at Gallipoli on 31 July 1915. The spot was subsequently named Harris Ridge in his memory. (http://www.treloarauctions.com/auction6/browse/B,B2%20GE/Gallipoli)

Picture
Picture
Picture
Source: The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Monday 27 September 1915, page 7. (http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/20061133)
0 Comments

30 July 1915: Victory in Mesopotamia

30/7/1915

0 Comments

 
Duty 1800 to 0600. 
Big British victory in Mesopotamia.  On receipt of news our boys turned to and gave Abdul a rough half hour on the strength of it.

J. A. Graham

0 Comments

29 July 1915: Turkish prisoners

29/7/1915

0 Comments

 
Duty 1800 to 0600. 
Very hot and muggy. 
A Turk came into our lines carrying with him two pig skins of water and give himself up.  His knowledge of English consisted of three words viz. I have come. 
Asked to explain why he brought the water he said he heard we had none and as he intended giving himself up, he thought he may as well bring some with him.  He meant well.
However, he will be better off with us.  Their treatment is good.

J. A. Graham
Picture
Photo by J. A. Graham: "Turkish prisoners". Undated.
Picture
Reverse of photo
0 Comments

28 July 1915

28/7/1915

0 Comments

 
Duty 0900 to 1200, 1800 to 0600. 
Still hot and nothing unusual except usual duels.

J. A. Graham

0 Comments

27 July 1915

27/7/1915

0 Comments

 
Rhum issue. 
Duty 0600 to 0900, 1500 to 1800 2400 to 0300.  Heavy firing by both sides. 
Our fleet getting active.  Must be something in the wind. 
Getting strong reinforced.

J. A. Graham

0 Comments

26 July 1915: furious artillery duels

26/7/1915

0 Comments

 
Duty 0300 to 0600 and 1200 to 1500 and 2100 to 2400.  Am catching it hot for duty.  A willing horse is always worked to death. 
Had a double rhum issue and it was badly needed. 
Furious artillery duels all day. 
Still hot and plenty of flies.

J. A. Graham

0 Comments

25 July 1915

25/7/1915

0 Comments

 
Duty 2400 to 0300 and 0900 to 1200 and 1800 to 2100. 
Nothing unusual happening.

J. A. Graham

0 Comments

24 July 1915

24/7/1915

0 Comments

 
Duty 0600 to 0900 and 1500 to 1800.
Enemy still active and still very hot.

J. A. Graham

0 Comments

23 July 1915

23/7/1915

0 Comments

 
Still hot. 
Duty 0600 to 1800.  
The expected attack did not come off, although we gave them every encouragement.

J. A. Graham

0 Comments

22 July 1915

22/7/1915

0 Comments

 
Hot. 
Aeroplanes busy and so is Abdul. 
Duty 0600 to 1800. 
This huge attack expected tonight.  Our brigade is supported by 4th Regt and 2 Cos Inf.

J. A. Graham

0 Comments
<<Previous
    Picture

    Author

    Jack Graham, ANZAC soldier, kept a diary from 1914-1918.  Here it is, blogged 100 years later to the day....


    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner


    Archives

    March 1958
    October 1918
    September 1918
    July 1918
    June 1918
    December 1917
    November 1917
    October 1917
    July 1917
    April 1917
    March 1917
    February 1917
    January 1917
    November 1916
    October 1916
    August 1916
    July 1916
    June 1916
    May 1916
    April 1916
    March 1916
    January 1916
    December 1915
    November 1915
    October 1915
    September 1915
    August 1915
    July 1915
    June 1915
    May 1915
    April 1915
    February 1915
    January 1915
    December 1914
    November 1914
    October 1914
    August 1914
    August 1911

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly