Currey, Arthur Athelstan - Letters and diary extracts

Letter from Currey, 1st Battery, New Zealand [Field] Artillery, Turkey, to his mother, Florence Villa, Wroughton, Wiltshire, England, written "Just before the Battle Mother", dated 6 August 1915, describing preparations prior to landing at Gallipoli.

The text reads as follows:

"Dear Mother,

This is what is called 'Just before the Battle Mother'. In a few hours time our great battle takes place. Up until a few days ago there were only N.Z. and Australian troops here, bur [sic] these last few nights thousands of English, Welsh, Irish and Indian troops have landed.

The 5th. Wilts are here, so I went down to see them yesterday but I could not find anybody that I knew. The guns are busy blowing things about. It is now 11 a.m. and I go on duty at 12.30 and we may be at it for three days or more. The bayonet charge comes off this evening.

Our station is in the centre of the most advanced trench of the Australian Infantry as we shall be in the thick of it all the time. on both sides of us our men have to jump out of our trenches and charge. Everybody is busy today sharpening bayonets, sewing white labels on their backs, inspecting resperators [sic] and fielddressing and having a last good feed before the great slaughter. By this time to morrow thousands of good men will have fought their last fight. An extra Hospital Ship has just arrived and a lot of new dressing stations have been dug out for the unlucky. The N.Z., English, and Indian troops are going to rush the high hills on the left and the Australians have a tough job on the right Everybody is ready and full of fight and if we don't [sic] get this high hill in front it wont [sic] be our fault.

Our officer and myself have had orders to advance as soon as possible and get a new advanced dr [sic] observing station. As I sit here on the side of a steep hill a shell has just gone amongst a bunch of English troops at the bottom of the hill and stretcher bearers are now running to carry the wounded men away. It is getting just a little cooler here now and much pleasenter [sic]. We hear it is very cold here in winter and as we are hot blooded troops we all hope to get the Narrows before winter sets in.

So far the Turks are fighting a good clean fight, but I expect I shall know more about them in the next three days. Time is getting on and I have a lot of jobs to do so I must close now.

From Your Affectionate Son,

Arthur A. Currey."