Gallipoli 100 - The Landing A Letter by Pte. Cecil Edward Edmondson, 12th Battalion, A.I.F.

This letter appeared in the WEST WIMMERA MAIL on June 18th, 1915. Written to his mother by Pte. Cecil Edward Edmondson, 12th Battalion, AIF. He enlisted on 12th September 1914 no. 1021 and returned to Australia on 24th June 1916.

It gives a pretty graphic description of the landing and of how lucky he was not to get hit.


"This is the first opportunity I have had of writing to you. I am at a disadvantage at present, as I have lost all my belongings and have got no money, so couldn't get any paper until I got up, otherwise you would have heard sooner. We will be freshly equipped before we go back. I got a bullet in the leg, and have been waiting for the x-rays, but they have decided to leave the bullet in, as it doesn't seem to be going to affect me. I am at Cairo, but will be back at the front before you get this. No doubt you have an account of the landing in Turkey. It was rather a warm reception that we got, but our boys were very brave and fought against great odds. Poor old Australia, she has lost a lot of her best lads, and is likely to loose many more. Our officers were very brave, and the poor chaps were picked off in great numbers. Our battalion lost Colonel and Lieutenant. Colonel the first day, and I hear that our Captain, who was a splendid man, was wounded badly. No doubt you wondered where we were after we left Cairo.

We were at Lemnos Island, a Greek possession, not far from the Dardanelles. We did some hard training there, climbing big hills, rowing, climbing rope ladders off the boats on to destroyers. Our brigade, the 3rd, was the one chosen to land first, and they have got great praise. One would never think it possible to land troops there, and I'm sure we wouldn't have only for the warboats. The forts had there fire on us, also machine guns and rifles all day Sunday, and all through the night the firing kept up. It was a fearful row, battle ships behind, Turks big guns and machine guns in front and on the left of us, and our own guns as well. It was war in earnest ; but with all this noise, when I was relieved, I was able to sleep as soundly as if I were in bed. There were some fearful sights and I shall never forget them.

I don't mind the bullets so much, it is the shrapnel that is so terrible. The earth shakes under you when a shell bursts, and the effects are awful. Several of our men, where they burst close to them, were blown to pieces. There is a difference between shell and shrapnel. Shrapnel is a shell full of round bullets and when it burst the bullets go forward about 30 to 40 yards wide, and 200 to 300 yards forward, so you can see it is hard to dodge. I have had quiet a number of experiences, and can tell you I have been in about the thickest fire that has been experienced, and one can hardly believe he is alive the narrow shaves I have had. One experience out of a number was when I was lying wounded. I propped my head on my arm and a bullet went right through between my arm and head and hit a chap behind me in the chest. There are others waiting to write, so I must now leave you. Although we were at times in storms of bullets I wasn't at all afraid. I really think your boy would be a good soldier so don't worry about him. "