01/09/2026
Men did not just arrive on those beaches on 25th April 1915. In “Alive With Death,” the first volume of my Gallipoli history, I trace them from training camp, troopship to their first contact with Turks. And that wasn't on the peninsula.
The 7th and 8th Australian Battalions were sent to reinforce the Suez Canal defences following the Turkish assault on 3rd February 1915. However, they arrived after the attack had been defeated. Sgt. Charles Griffiths, 8th Australian Battalion, explained what happened.
“We were all asleep in bed when Captain Dobbie [1] came down and said 'You can get up, Griff., we are off in the morning.' I could not believe him, so rolled over and went to sleep, I had no sooner done so when J.B. and he came back again and pulled me out of bed. We hunted the whole camp for enough ammunition to take with us. You can just form your own opinion. We had to receive — rounds per man, besides that we had another 100 rounds per man for a reserve. Anyway in due course we left Mena for Cairo — a march of about 10 miles. They reached there and entrained for Ismailia at 2.40, and after travelling for six hours reached the theatre of the Egyptian front. Soon after we reached there the Turks main army were in retreat across the desert. Still it was a great experience for our fellows, as we were just on the stage of finishing our training, and a little of the real thing was what we wanted to finish up with. We had to bivouac when we reached Ismailia, and it was a night like the one when we first reached Mena — it rained something dreadful. But rain as it would our fellows all turned in under their waterproof sheets, and very soon fell asleep. J.B. and I were going all night carting our stores, and before we finished this job it was 5 a.m. Next day our fellows were very anxious to go into the trenches, but as night fell they were still at the same place. We had been in bed about an hour and a half when a wire came through for our battalion to move out. Needless to say we had to turn out again and go to the Army Service Corps and draw what is termed a three days' reserve rations. This reserve consists of bully beef and biscuits, and the allowance is 1lb. per man per day. We were very happy, as we thought our turn had come to do our share at the defence. Our battalion was broken into three parts and stationed within 20 miles of the base. I had one portion, Biggs another, and Capt Dobbie was at the base. We left Ismailia for the little place called El-Firdan at 4.30 a.m. on a special train (iron trucks) and it- was cold. This place is about half-way through the Suez, and is used as a signal station for the canal. There are only four white men in the place, and three of these are at the station and the other on the railway. Besides the signal and railway stations a person could not see another building for 20 miles, so you can guess what a lively place it was. This where the first raid was made on Egypt. They never even got over the canal, for as soon as they were seen to be advancing they (our heads) pushed up a small cruiser, and I am told she did play up havoc with the poor Turks. We had about 200 prisoners to look after at different times. I don't suppose one-third of these were real Turks, but poor Arabs and others that were pushed along as the advance guard came through. Poor wretches, they would see our outposts, and would throw their rifles away and run to our fellows for protection. We were the only battalion that went into the trenches, so no doubt we are suffering from what we call a very fat head. The colonel is very proud of his crew, and says he will be glad to take them to France and then ______. Every day when we finished work a crowd used to go down on the canal and watch the boats going through. It was great sport. As soon as the passengers saw our fellows they would ask where we came from, and “Australia” did it. The passengers would go mad and throw all sorts of things over the side and on to the bank, such as ci******es, ci**rs, etc. What fell short and into the canal our fellows used to strip off and go in for. Laugh, I tell you it was great sport. After we were there 10 days an order came through for us to return to Mena. We were all very much downhearted to receive such news.” [2]
[1] Captain & Quartermaster Campbell Craven Dobbie, 8th Battalion Australian Infantry, originally of Wellington, New Zealand.
[2] 'Footscray Chronicle' (Victoria), 27th March 1915.
Image: “2nd Infantry Brigade on Canal & Infantry in trenches at Canal Defences January 1915.” AWM PS0913.
