- . ij! j H ill 1 ' i 1 ^resentch to of tl;e ^ntUersttg of ^orottta Mrs. Eric E. Ryerson FROM GALLIPOLI TO BAGHDAD \ Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2008 witii funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation littp://www.arcliive.org/details/fromgallipolitobOOewinuoft Dr. William Ewing, M.C, C.F. ^ FROM GALLIPOLI TO BAGHDAD BY WILLIAM EWING, M.C., D.D. CHAPLAIN TO THE FORCES > \ HODDER AND STOUGHTON LONDON NEW YORK TORONTO mod 603811 TO THE FRIENDS IN GRANGE UNITED FREE CHURCH EDINBURGH WHOSE GENEROUS KINDNESS MADE POSSIBLE THE EXPERIENCE IT RECORDS AND TO THE MEMORY OF THE OFFICERS, N.C.O.'S, AND MEN OF THE 4TH BATTALION THE ROYAL SCOTS (Q.E.R.) WHO FELL ON THE PENINSULA OF GALLIPOLI THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED IN AFFECTION AND PRIDE \ CONTENTS CHAP. PAGB Foreword ...... xi I. Edinburgh to Gallipoli . I II. The Hellespont: a Retrospect. lO III. The Landings. 20 IV. The Position Ashore . 37 V. At No. II Casualty Clearing Station . 49 VI. Life at the Base . ^ . 60 VII. Early June Days .... 71 VIII. The 28th of June .... 83 IX. Happenings on the Beach." • 96 X. The Great Venture 108 XI. Kidnapped ..... 118 XII. Privilege and Peril . 127 - XIII. In the Firing Line . 138 XIV. Blizzards ..... 150 XV. Last Days on Gallipoli . 163 XVI. The Evacuation .... • 173 XVII. Lemnos and Egypt .... 185 viii CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE XVIII. The IVfESOPOTAMiAN Campaign XIX. Basrah XX. On the River Tigris 225 XXI. At the Advanced Base . XXII. On the Mesopotamian Front 246 XXIII. The New Offensive 257 XXIV. Rough Weather 271 XXV. The Capture of Baghdad 280 XXVI. Impressions of the Men . 299 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Dr. William Ewing, M.C, C.F. Frontispiece PACING PAGE ^'V" Beach, Old Fort at Sidd ul-Bahr, and River Clyde ....... 24 "W" Beach, or Lancashire Landing, from iith CCS. Dugout . .25 In the Firing Line: Cape Helles Front . 70 Colonel Young and Officers of the 4TH Bn. the Royal Scots (Q.E.R.) who fought on the Penin- sula ....... 71 The iith Casualty Clearing Station in the Open Valley, Achi Baba in the Distance to the Right . ... .126 Some Officers of the sth Bn. the Royal Scots (Q.E.R.) WHO fought on the Peninsula . 127 I. Boat with H.R.H. the Prince of Wales on board, visiting Posts on Suez Canal. 2. Church Parade in the Egyptian Desert . .172 'Ashar Creek from the Gateway of Basrah . 173 River Steamer with Barges on the Tigris . 208 Kurnah : River Front of the Garden of Eden . 209 X LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FACl^fG PAGE I. Ezra's Tomb. 2. Kut el-'Amarah after Bombard- ment ....... 230 Black Watch in Firing Line at Sinniyat . .231 Officers of the Seaforth Highlanders . ago The "Arch" of Ctesiphon . .251 I. The British Residency, Baghdad. 2. Pontoon Bridge, Baghdad ..... 298 Caf]£ and Mosque, from Roof of Citadel, Baghdad . 299 Sketch Map of S.W. End of Peninsula . 306 FOREWORD The desire to keep in touch with my Congregation during a prolonged absence with the Army, by means of a weekly letter, led to the writing of pretty full notes of what was happening from day to day. Some of the letters were printed in the Scotsman, the British Weekly J and other journals ; and many suggested that they might be made available in a more per- manent and accessible form. I did not think, how- ever, a mere reprint of the letters desirable. The invitation of Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton to con- tribute a volume to their war library gave me the opportunity to make fuller use of the materials in my possession. This book is not concerned with questions of high policy or strategy, although opinions are expressed when clearly justified. The story of the campaigns is the framework in which is set the picture of our gallant men, and the actual conditions of their soldier- life, as I knew them during more than two years of close intimacy on the shell-swept Peninsula of Gallipoli, in the Egyptian desert, and along the banks of the Tigris, in that forlorn land of mighty memories. The loyalty of my Congregation during the years of xii FOREWORD separation demands special acknowledgment. To their patriotism and self-denial I owe the greatest privilege " " of my life : their faithful remembrance was a per- petual source of strength. Among those whose friendship, counsel, and help- fulness made difficulties seem small, and privation itself almost luxury, I cannot forbear to mention Lieut. -General Sir F. J. Davies, K.C.B., Major-General Sir G. F. Macmunn, K.C.B., Colonel (now Brig.- General) Nepean, C.M.G., Captain (now Lieut.- Colonel) T. Nisbet, D.S.O., Captain (now Major) Venning, the Principal Chaplains in Egypt and Meso- potamia, and my two good friends and tent-fellows, Father E. Legros, S.J., and the Rev. L. N. Green. W. E. Edinburgh, October 1917. CHAPTER I Edinburgh to Gallipoli It was my fortune to be mobilised at the outbreak of the war in August 1914 with the Territorial battalion to which I was attached in peace time, the 4th Royal Scots (Q.E.R.). Officers, N.C.O.'s, and men volun- teered for service overseas, and entered with zest and enthusiasm on a period of training which, to their eager minds, soon appeared far too long. Every rumour of a possible move was keenly canvassed, until hope deferred threatened to make the heart sick, and some declared their intention to " vamoose and join the Regulars " ! The like spirit animated surrounding units ; but there was no relaxation of discipline ; and no monotony of daily routine could quench their fiery zeal. Edinburgh, with its singular beauty, gathered round its storied Castle, with its ancient buildings that enshrine great memories, with its romantic history and stirring traditions, fed and fanned the patriotic ardour of the gallant lads who learned the art of war under the shadow of Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Craigs. Later, I was entrusted with the spiritual oversight of the men in and around Edinburgh belonging to the Forth Defences. The various units were distributed over a wide area, stretching from the island of Inch- keith in the Firth to the barracks at Redford. The generous co-operation of many Territorial chaplains I, 2 FROM GALLIPOLI TO BAGHDAD made work a pleasure. Six months of this experience was a valuable preparation for service abroad, and many friendships were formed with men whose presence in far other fields in days to come brought strength and good cheer. When a man has spent some years of his life in Eastern climes the sun lingers in his blood, creating a yearning for fair skies and bright landscapes. There was therefore no resisting of the call to Gallipoli when it came, backed as it was by mysterious rumours of a great enterprise to be attempted there. April was waning as we passed through the brave greenery of old England on our way to the port of embarkation. It was no doubt to cheat the submarines that the port was changed at the last moment, and the hour of sailing altered. While the ship lay at the dock taking in her varied cargo—stores, equipment, wheeled vehicles, horses, arms, ammunition, etc. — I walked with my friend. Professor Kay of St. Andrews, round the face of the hill overlooking the harbour of Plymouth. We conversed with an old woman who was resting on a seat by the wayside. She told us that she was the daughter of a Navy man, that she was the wife, mother, and grandmother of Navy men. " And," she said, " if I'd been a gentleman 'stead o' a lydie, I'd 'a been a Navy man myself." Many sorrows and losses had come her way, but she was full of thankfulness for her pension. " Never thought I'd 'a got a pension —aye, old age pension—an' wot a difference it do make ! I alius 'olds that if you trusts in God an' asks Him to 'elp you, 'E'll do it." It was not a bad sermon to preach to the padres facing the unknown ; and the words of this fragile, brave old patriot rang in our ears as we passed out into the fog that hung heavy over the Channel. — EDINBURGH TO GALLIPOLI 3 We had reason to bless the kindly fog for blanketing the eyes of the submarines which lay in wait for us. On reaching the open sea we found that a turtle dove had accompanied the ship, making itself at home among the spars and cordage. The presence of the gentle bird of peace was very pleasant ; but after some days it disappeared, having doubtless discovered the nature of our grim errand. There were many nurses on board, and twice thirteen medical men. There were drafts for various regiments in the numbers of which thirteen figured prominently ; and there were thirteen padres. It was enough to send a superstitious man into fits ! Perhaps, however, we should count fourteen padres. Among the medicos was the rector of a London church, who possessed the double qualification. The call for medical officers was to him more urgent than that for chaplains. He accepted a commission in the R.A.M.C., gave up his congregation, and there he was. The ship was a inarvel of steadiness. She was one of those known in the West as "ladies' ships," holding on her way at no great speed, declining to notice anything but the heaviest storms. Life followed the usual lines ; but with wealth of young and vigorous spirits on board there was no danger of monotony.