The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry | Page 8

two before we were to move back into support. The support
trenches were very much less comfortable than the front line, and as
there were lots of parties to go up at all hours of the day and night to
dig and wire in front, it took a lot of scheming to get everyone
satisfactorily fixed with water and food. We also had to send out
officers' patrols to fix the Turkish line, as we were intending to have a
dash at capturing his barrier across the Azmac Dere--a dry watercourse
which ran right through both the Turkish and our lines--and so
straighten out our line. Patrolling was very difficult--there were no

landmarks to guide one, the going was exceedingly prickly, and at that
time the place was full of Turkish snipers, who came out at dusk and
lay out till morning in the broken and shell-pitted country. We soon got
the better of these sportsmen though--our snipers out-sniped them, and
our bombing officer, if he frightened them with his catapults and other
engines of offence half as much as he frightened us, must also be given
credit for a share in dispersing them.
[Illustration: GEBEL-EL-GHENNEIM, KHARGEH OASIS. To face
page 18]
[Illustration: THE HIGHLAND BARRICADE, ASMAK DERE,
SUVLA. To face page 18]
A squadron (Major de Pree) and the bombing squad under Mr A.C.
Smith, in conjunction with a squadron of 2nd Lovat Scouts, carried out
the raid on the Dere on the night of the 17th/18th October. It was a
complete success--all the Turks holding the barrier being killed by the
bombing party, and about sixty or seventy yards of new trench being
dug the same night. This little exploit was the subject of
congratulations from both the Divisional and Corps Commanders,
Major-General W. Peyton and Major-General Sir Julian Byng. Mr
Smith got the M.C., and Lance-Sergeant J. Valentine and Private W.
Roger the D.C.M. for that night's work.
The Brigade was then due for relief, but we wanted to finish the job of
straightening the line before we went, so we stayed on to the end of the
month, by which time the work was practically complete. During this
time we had the joy of receiving some letters and parcels, and even a
very limited supply of canteen stores. People at home hardly realised as
yet where we were, the conditions under which we were living, and the
time it took for parcels to arrive. One officer received three parcels--the
first containing his keys which he had left on his dressing-table at home,
the second, some sort of collapsible boot-tree, and the third, about a
three years' supply of Euxesis shaving cream. Many a good cake too
had to be hurriedly removed and buried deep in the refuse pit. All the
same, parcels were a great joy to receive, and provided many an
excellent tit-bit for supper. Many, unfortunately, went

missing--especially if they had the labels of Fortnum & Mason, John
Dewar, or Johnnie Walker. We sometimes wondered if they were timid
and preferred the comforts of the beach to the hazards of the trenches.
The canteen arrangements could hardly be called a success either.
Occasionally a few supplies trickled through to us, and once an
expedition to Imbros was arranged to purchase stores at the local
markets. Eggs, fruit, biscuits, oatmeal, chocolate, etc., were ordered by
the hundredweight, and an officer sent to make the purchases. He
returned to tell us the expedition had fallen short of complete success.
His share of the plunder for the Regiment had been one packet of
chocolate which he had eaten.
[Illustration: OUR TRENCHES IN THE FRONT LINE AT SUVLA
Emery Walker Ltd. sc To face page 20]
We had now completed our turn in the line, and were relieved by the
158th Brigade, and went back to our old place in reserve which we
found very filthy. How we wished there were Dr Tukes in every
regiment and battalion. He had so inculcated everyone of us--officers
and men alike--with the vital necessity of cleanliness and the
deplorable habits and peregrinations of the household fly, that we
sometimes wondered if we were scavengers or soldiers. Though we lay
no claims to perfection--or anything like it--few trenches were cleaner
than ours were, and right to the very end of the war we never left a
trench or billet without it being cleaner and more "lime and
creosol"-ated than when we entered it.
The water arrangements had also been revolutionised, and we actually
had cookers and water-carts in the lines, but the greatest joy of all was
to go bathing again. The weather was not nearly so hot, and the flies
which had tortured us in their myriads during the hot weather were now
nothing like so numerous, which made it possible to enjoy