Currey, Arthur Athelstan - Letters and diary extracts

Letter from Arthur Currey, 1st Battery, NZFA, to Major E.V. Bevan, NZ Garrison Artillery, Wellington, New Zealand, written from a dug-out inside the Turkish lines over a period from 15 to 23 June 1915.

The text reads as follows:

"Dear Sir,

It is now over ten months since I left the G.A. for the F.A., so I think it high time I wrote and gave an account of myself. On account of Gunner Hartley being turned out of the Ist. Battery as being unfit for a soldier I had better deal briefly with the time we were at Palmerston North. Sergt’s Knight, Mole, and myself kept our stripes for a time in the Divisional Ammunition Column. On being transferred to the Brigade Ammunition Column I lost mine : I expected this from the first A little later the B.A.C. was turned into the First Battery. The Battery was composed of a few R.N.Z.A. men : most of N.C.O.s were N.Z.F.A. These N.C.O.,s each had a number of their own Battery men with them and the balance of us were G.A. R.F.A., and raw recruits from the farms. Those of us who had the misfortune to come from a different place to our N.C.O.,s. soon had the dirt rubbed in by having to do nearly all the fatigues and guards. It was a good deal of this that made Hartley revolt and make a humbug of himself : still, I am unable to defend Hartley as he did not play the game. Another sore point was that only certain favourites were given passes for 'Leave of Absence'. All dealings with our officers had to be done through our Sergts. Seven men per sub-section were allowed leave every night, and the same seven got it every night in our sub. One of our men only got one evening off during during [sic] the six weeks we were at P.N. I learned very little at Palmerston North, as most of my time was spent on fatigues, in fact I was on fatigue every Sunday I was there, and have even done three days fatigue right off, my only offence being I was a Garrison Artillery N.C.O. The first day we were at the Lower Hutt Park I was put on fatigue to help the A.S.C. This turned out to be a win as I was transferred to the A.S.C. for the whole of the time we were at the Hutt. I soon found that the A.S.C. N.C.O.,s were men of experience, both of them having served in the army before, whereas our Field artillery N.C.O.,s were, to a large extent, office boys who suddenly found themselves in command of 40 men each. I spent a very pleasant fortnight with the A.S.C. I was able to go out two nights out of three, and had both Sundayys [sic] off Although I am an Artillery man at heart I was quite willing to be transferred to the A.S.C. This, however could not be arranged, so it was with a heavy heart that I returned to the Battery when we left the Hutt. Our N.C.O,s coming from different parts of N.Z. tried to show off their good points by shouting loud and long at their men, this used to grate on the ears, especially when we were doing our best. Their method of instructing new men was absurd, with the exception of the men from the Auckland Battery few of the N.C.O.,s or men knew much about their gun, in fact, some of them could not name off the part of their gun without the aid of their hand book, when instructing their men they would bluff their way through by standing off and shouting a lot of quick commands at new men, and then bully their men because they made no progress. It was only when an R.N.Z.A. man or an officer took us that we learnt much. When we were on the transport the Gunners spent most of their time at drill. We made progress in the following manner, our boy Bombadier had one strong point, with the aid of the hand-book he had mastered the parts etc, of the gun : he also was a very good teacher. To him fell the task of teaching us (including the Sergeant) gun drill etc. One of our gunners, and [sic] ex G.A. Sergt. from No.2 Company taught us knotting and splicing. I gave the squad a few lessons in Musketry and Rifle Drill. I unsuccessfully tried to teach them how to change the guard. The sergt taught us the only thing he knew, namely, 'Semaphore'. The Officers taught us Gunnery terms etc and after three months our attempt to learn gun laying ended in confusion I think our splendid Captain must have noticed this, as an officer was sent to take six from each squad and form them into a gun laying class. He had to start us off from scratch, and as he was able to answeer [sic] our questions we soon went ahead. I was lucky in having an 18pdr. handbook so I soon got a fair grip of the gun. After we arrived in Egypt we started work in real earnest. We worked fairly long days 8 hours on parade plus guard, picquets etc. We soon began to go ahead. We started on section training followed by Brigade and then Divisional Training. We used to have long marches across the desert in full marching order. The gunners nearly always had to dismount and walk behind their guns or wagons. This was very hard on the gunners, as the officers, N.C.O.,s and drivers who always rode put their horses along at a fast walk and every now and than [then] a jog trot. The pace must have been 4 1/2 miles an hour over soft sand or loose shingle.

All the time we were in Egypt we were drilled on the shiny button and black boot system, so we wre [were] soon looked upon by the rest of the force as the smartest set there. There were always ten men ready and willing to get transferred to the Artillery as soon as there was one opening I reckon that it was Egypt that turned us into Soldiers. The Infantry did a lot of very solid marching, always in full pack. When we did our trial firing we surprised ourselves and more than pleased everyone else. We were then looked upon as the best Artillery going. We got what the men call a lot of messing about such as packing up ready to move off, tents and horse lines, in fact everything would be packed up and loaded on the wagons, then we would have to unpack and settle down again. That kind of work is not very pleasant but it all helps to make a good soldier. When we were striking camp we never knew whether we were going away or not, for our departure from Cairo was quite quiet and soldierly. We were anchored in Lemnos Harbour for a fortnight and then on the famous morning of 25th. April we steamed up to where our Infantry were just landing. We passed one large fleet bombarding the coast to get a landing for the English and Indian troops. When we arrived off our landing place there was a great fleet bombarding the hills with their 6" and 12" guns, it was a great sight. Our Australian and N.Z. Infantry were landing under a heavy fire, and boatloads of wounded were coming back to the ships. We stood ready dressed, and our horses were harnessed ready to go ashore as soon as the punts came off for us. They didn’t come that day so we slept fully dressed that night. We were then anchored fairly close to shore, so we could see what was going on. The next day we were shelled from the Forts of the Dardenells [Dardanelles], so we had to steam out of range Although we were here on the first day of the fight we had to wait five days before we could get ashore. Most of our horses and drivers were left on board. We had practised unloading into punts before hand, so when our turn came we had all our guns and ammunition wagons and such horses as we took in the punts in half an hour. Trawlers took us near the shore, and then the little steam pinnance [pinnace] from a warship took us in closer until lines could be got ashore. The sailors helped to pull the guns through the last few yards of sea up on to dry land. We lined our guns up on the beach and then had tea. All water and firewood was taken ashore with us as there was no water on shore. We have been on war rations since we left Egypt, things like butter and milk are things of the past. We have only had bread once in the last eight weeks.

As soon as it was dusk we marched off with pick and shovels and dug two gun emplacements, we returned to the beach before daylight and had a few hours sleep on the shingle. It was hard and cold, but we were very tired, so we slept well. After breakfast our sub-section moved off with our gun and eight horses, and went along the beach, just before we got to our emplacements we got such a shower of bullets that we had to leave the gun where it was and go back after dark and place it. We worked all night again digging trenches. The next day was Sunday and we lost our first man, he was shot above the heart by a sniper within a few yards of the gun. I went for the stretcher bearers and helped them down to the Doctor. We were fired on as we raced across the open space with our load, but got out safely only to find out he was dead. A parson was soon on the scene and I went back for a pick and shovel, we dug the grave and buried him at once marking the place with a wooden cross made from box wood. From the time he was shot to the time the cross was set up could not have taken more than one hour. The Turks must have been reinforced that day, for the biggest battle we have had so far took place that night (Sunday). The first few days we were ashore several of fellows got slight shrapnel wounds. After a few days we took our guns back to the beach and spent the next week making roads up the cliffs which rise up 400 feet above sea level. It would be easy work climbing up the cliff face to Pencarrow Lighthouse after being here.

With the help of the N.Z.M.R. we dragged our guns up a cliff road to a height of 400 feet and then we dug the guns and ourselves in.

We worked very hard for three days and nights, having to make ourselves content with from two and a half to four hours sleep per night.

We are having a much easier time now. Our work now is very much like Garrison work. The guns are dug in and built round with sand bags overhead cover is also supplied. The guns are all connected with trenches 7 feet deep, and we sleep in little caves or shelves dug in the sides of the trenches. We are living a very happy life here now, all personal living among the men has died out and things are all we could wish them to be. We have got used to our hard food and do very well on it. Water has to be brought from Malta, so it is measured out to us half a gallon a day.

When we were first up on top here I went for ten days with only one wash now we can go for a swim every other day. We had another man shot dead the third day we were up here. We have also had several men severely wounded. I hope you are sending plenty of new men from N.Z. as there is room for them here. I saw Ford the other day, he is doing alright now he is in the N.Z.E. Gunner Wilhelm [2/954 James George Wilhelm] is here in this Battery and is getting on alright. Rigby is on H.Qrs. Staff and has behaved himself alright so far. Kirk is here with the 2nd. Battery, but I have not seen him for some time. Mole and De Ridder [2/489 Harold Clarence De Ridder] are in the third Battery a good way away from here. H. Knight and Hayward are in the AMM. Columns and are not here yet. Ex Bomb Chapman is now Sergt in the 7th. N.Z.R. and was wounded in the first fight. Ex Gunner Hamilton is a Sergt in the Australian Inf. I often used to see Major Hardham V.C. [11/661 William James Hardham], and he always had a few words to say, he hasnt [hasn't] forgotten he was one of our old N.Z.G.A. men.

We have just received the NZ newspapers announcing our landing here with about 20 casualties and a statement by Mr. Allen that there were men in Egypt to fill up the gaps. We are doing very little here now except to hang on to a few scrubby hills. Horses are useless at present and pick and shovels are used most. It’s hardly worth while trying to give an account of all the fighting here, as you can get a better account in the London 'Times', which up to the present has given a very correct account of our doings. I have now given you a brief account of our doings from August up to today, June 21st. 1915. I will now enlarge upon certain things which have impressed me since I have been in the Expeditionary Force. I will start again with Palmerston North where about 2000 of us were for about 6 weeks. We were imprisoned like a lot of convicts some men not being allowed out of camp for several weeks at a time. We were given full pay but very little chance of spending it. There was a dry Canteen in camp but most things were double the price, so you see we were fleeced right from the start. When we got to the Hutt Camp it was much easier to get out, so the Canteen people had a quiet time. They could even make 4 bottles of lemonade fill 5 glasses. In buying our lemonade we would get the remains of an old bottle filled up from a new one. Then came the trouble about the Ship Canteens. I heard one of the Canteen Owners say that they had made a mistake by opening the Canteens before all the ships had left N.Z. When the Government took them over we did expect we would get looked after, but beyond bringing the price of the 3d. soft drink down to sixpence they did nothing. Except for soda water our Canteen was emptied out after the first week, and only a few shillings worth of stuff was sent aboard at the port of calls. After we got to Egypt thousands of thousands of bottles of N.Z. Mineral Water etc. was sold in the Dry Canteens at one penny farthing and two pence halfpenny each yet they charged us sixpence, eightpence, and one shilling each for it on board, and in the N.Z. Camps. We had plenty of Canteens in Egypt, some were run by N.Z., some by regular Army Contractors, and some by the local people. They supplied plenty of good things at a fair price. To these must be added the wet canteens, canteens which kept a certain class of men near home and made it possible for them to be in bed before 'Lights Out' sounded at 10.15 p.m. Good English beer was sold at 2 1/2 d. per pint.

So much for the canteens. I will now turn to the way we were fed. While we were in N.Z. we lived on the fat of the land and had more than we could eat. We had good tents to sleep in with plenty of straw. On board the Troopship No. 7 we had good bunks and fair room, but not much deck space as it was nearly all taken up by the horses. The food was poor, sometimes bad and rather scarce. In the heat of the Tropics we had hot fatty food more fit for the south pole. Many a man went without or bought from the Stewards. An order was issued forbidding us to buy from the Stewards or crew but as they forgot to give us any decent food the order was ignored.

Under cover of darkness etc. the crew used to sell us our own or somebody else's food done up fit to eat. The Saloon Cooks took on to feed some of the men at so much for the voyage. The Butcher sold iced lemon water and made not less than 10/- per night. The Bakers made a pile with little rock cakes and buns at 1d. each. While all this could be done in secret our great Canteen could not rise above a 3d. bottle of soda water for 6d.

When we arrived in Egypt we had much better food for a fortnight, and then the food supply gave out, we were without butter for weeks, and the jam was low grade local stuff. Reports were sent back to N.Z. that the men traded their goods to the natives, who then re sold the N.Z. goods. Some men say it was somebody else who sold the goods to Cairo traders and caused the shortage, still neither side have proved much so far. When the 2nd. Reinforcements arrived we got something to eat again, but the food got short again just before we left Egypt. Butter and tinned milk was stopped for good, and bread stopped soon after we were on board ship again. Since then we have been on war rations. Now for a few words about the gift stuff. Before we left N.Z. we were led to believe that there was a lot of presents for us. We got a little chocolate, tobacco and lime juice, I got about 2/- worth altogether. Either the stuff was never given in the quantities published, or if it were, we were done out of it.

Clothing is the next thing I will write about. Well, we had plenty right from the start. In N.Z. we were all issued with two uniforms 2 pairs of boots in fact 2 of anything, a suit of overalls and a jersey. Add to that a lot of private underclothing that most of us had, and you will see that we had more than enough. Some men drew double kits and sent one home for spare clothing. Trousers and riding breeches were the first to wear out, and for a time in Egypt some of the men looked ragged about the knees. A large number cut their trousers down and made shorts of them. This was a good idea and just the thing for hot countries like we have been in.

We had kit inspection every few days. We had to parade in full marching order, which means dressed in one of every article of clothing plus one pair of socks in coat pocket, towel, one blanket, oil sheet and great coat rolled. All other clothes etc. were put in our kit bags, and the bags were stacked in a heap and an armed guard placed over them. The Battery then mounted. While we were away a fatigue party swept the camp clean, all brushware such as button and boot brushes, native mats, spare clothes, new caps issued the night before, walking canes etc. were all gathered up and thrown on the fire. When we returned to camp our kits were inspected and all spare, privateer gift stuff was taken away and thrown in a great heap.

We were only allowed to keep one of each article in our kit bags. A good many of us had got in a stock of underclothing, socks, white handkerchiefs etc., but it was all taken away. Just before we left Egypt it was decided to let us take more underclothing, so we were issued with our new stuff. Our kit bags were taken away and left in Egypt, the spare underclothing we carried had to be put in our coat pockets or rolled in the blanket.

Now we are at the front we can get all worn articles replaced at once as there are stacks of new things on the beach. This is midsummer now and very dry, so we are not wearing much. The health of the troops has been good right through. A few men got the measles and were rushed to Lemnos at once. Some have returned and speak very highly of the treatment they received. The Red Cross and stretcher bearers have had a lot of work to do, but everybody is satisfied.

With regard to the behaviour of the troops in Cairo, a lot of rot has appeared in the press. There were hundreds of brothels in one part of Cairo known as the Wazza. Women from all nations were there, but I think a lot came from the Balkan States. A lot of these were cheap and nasty so several hundred of our fellows got bit. There always were a lot of women, wine and noise in this quarter, but fair order was kept by the Military Police, the Civil Police, and Soldiers never took any notice of each other. All the main streets were quite as orderly as Wellington any day. I admit that when the trams were full inside men used to climb up on top and got in and out of the train windows etc. We had a good time in Cairo and saw a lot of sights. When we left N.Z. we expected to come in contact with the Regular Army and have a high standard to live up to.

We were disappointed in finding all the old soldiers gone and their places taken by 20,000 East Lancashire Territorials. These were all very much alike, having spent much of their time in Mills or Coal Pits, they were very fair blue eyed boys, so they were not in the same class as the Australasians, the average height being about 5ft. 4ins. and 17 yrs. old. They gave us a warm welcome and showed us round the place. A lot of our fellows who had never left home before soon began to despise them on account of their size, brogue, and small outlook on life. Those who had the hardest things to say about these Lancashire lads and all other English were the ones who could not rise above the wet canteen, or the Wazza. In the great battle of Cape Helles on May 6th. 7th. and 8th. these little weeds and the little Ghurkas [sic] were the only ones who could hold the ground they won. The Lancashires had all classes of troops except mounted men, and these were supplied by the Harts Yeomanry and Westminster Dragoons. These were a better class of men. Then there were a Company of Ceylon Tea-planters, these were mostly ex-public school boys, and looked upon themselves as being above any of us. They are a smart well drilled lot.

The Egyptian troops were fine, big well dressed, well drilled fellows. There were also a few Indian troops. Our Infantry speak very well of the Indian Troops they met on the canal. The N.Z. and Australian troops have dropped their old rivalry and are now ever ready to help one another. Some New Zealanders admit that the Australians showed a little more dash in the first charges, but both lots faced the music in first class style and should be classed A.1. in future. There was a Company of Russian Pack mule Drivers here, but they were a useless lot and were sent away.

There was a lot of Naval Division Men here, some of whom were in the retreat from Antwerp. These are not old sailors but a lot of new fellows taken on during the war. They did not appear to me to be as good as the East Lancashires - in fact I think they were a bit raw. They got cut up very badly here, and I think that shook them a bit, as many of them were only boys. There were also a lot of Royal Marine Light Infantry here, these were better but not great. There are several Indian Mountain Batteries here doing really good work. They are fine clean-cut fellows from the North of India, and they fire a small high explosive shell which is very effective in the trenches. All our transport was left behind, so the Indian Mule Transport do all the work. The Indians drive the mules, and our fellows have to load and unload. The water is very heavy on pack mules, and as the track rises one in one the mules often fall over or run back and upset the lot. The last part is up the face of a cliff on the end of a rope. Our ammunition is taken up as far as possible on mules then carried up to the bottom of the cliff in boxes, then unpacked and handed up the cliff by a chain of men. Most of this has to be done after dark and it is not easy work. This transport is a high class branch of the service, and provides plenty of excitement. I should be pleased if you would show this to Major Hollis, Captain Matthews, and the other officers, N.C.O.,s and men if you think fit, as it will save me the labour of writing to them, as paper is very scarce. There is much more I could tell you, but I must reserve it until I return, if ever I have the luck.

I am writing this in a little dug-out inside of the Turkish lines, and shells are still passing over head. Last night they didn’t go over, but stopped here and knocked things about a bit.

I expect the Garrison men will be in good trim now that they have had so much training. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are not more heavy guns in N.Z. after the war.

I hope the Censor doesn’t rub much of this out or I shall have to write it all again later on. Just a note to let me know whether you get this and to say how the old boys are getting on will be very welcome.

I am, dear Sir,

Yours very Sincerely,

(Signed) Arthur A. Currey.

23rd. June 1915."