A Voice From Gallipoli: Part II

The most memorable account I can think of about the BMH Hospital in Alexandria, Egypt, is Roald’s Dahl’s in Going Solo. Dahl is best known for having written Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but long before Charlie, Roald Dahl was a pilot in the RAF during World War Two (he was also a secret agent, afterwards, but this doesn’t matter at the present); he crashed his Gloster Gladiator in the desert and his face was reconstructed in Alexandria. I’m going to guess that very little had changed since 1915, when allied soldiers were being sent there from Gallipoli.

Yale Commencement program,1911

Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great (no big surprises, there) and is probably best known for its extensive Library. But the Library wasn’t just a library; it wasn’t like your local stopping place for the latest Harry Potter movie…no, this library had all the ancient texts of literature, science, medicine…and was, in fact, only one piece of the Musaeum, a great institution of learning dedicated to the Muses of Greek mythology (‘museum’, anyone?). The Musaeum was like a University long before there were Universities; all the greats came to study there. The place hosted (among others) Euclid, father of geometry, Archimedes, father of engineering, Herophilus, the founder of the scientific method…but most importantly for our purposes, Erasistratus, the man who, in the 3^rd century, founded the Academy of Medicine, one of the oldest medical schools ever reordered.

Archimedes' 'eureka!' moment, when he discovered how
to determine the volume of an irregularly shaped object.
eg: a crown
He once said that if he had a lever long enough,
he could move the World.

Galen, one of the very greatest medical researchers of all time, studied there, but unfortunately, the fire that destroyed the Library, also destroyed the medical school. Time wiped away the Musaeum, yet the learning and knowledge that went on there were not completely lost; today our understanding of the world- of physics, engineering, chemistry, mathematics and medicine- is firmly built upon the stones these thinkers carved out of the rock.

The Tower of Hercules in Spain is an ancient Roman lighthouse
built along the same lines as the Pharos of Alexandria

Alexandria is such a strategic locations with its two big harbors, it’s hardly surprising that it played an important role in both World Wars. It served as a British command center, and for thousands of injured soldiers, it was an oasis in the desert, a place where they returned from the front line, little knowing that the methods used to treat their injuries were based on the hard won knowledge of thinkers who had stood on the same ground a thousand years before.

It was from Alexandria that the second letter from Martin was sent. I wonder if he knew the history of the place. Of the Pharos, the giant lighthouse that had once lighted the way of a thousand ships. And of the Musaeum, which shaped the world that came after.

I will stop talking now and let you read Martin’s letter. Please bear in mind that he describes some injuries, so if you are squeamish, proceed with caution. Like the last, original spelling and punctuation have been preserved.

No 19 General Hospital

Alexandria

31st Aug

Dear (great-grandmother’s name),

I wonder if you ever got my little note written from the hills.

Well if you did this is the sequel. I have been one of the lucky ones and still am to be writing this note, but they got me alright. No I in the left thigh and No 2 a little later on, broke my left arm.

Then I went down.

This was on the 10th and I am down splendidly. Blood poisoning all gone, & beginning to sit up and take a little nourishment. 

I hope to be able to go home in about a fortnight. And shan't I just be glad to see the old place again.

A year's soldiering is pretty strenuous!

But fellows are really fighting splendidly, especially the Australians & New Zealanders.

Some of the positions are like going up the side of a house, and directly one shows an eyelid you get shrapnel, machine gun and rifle fire simply poured at you. If I come through this show and I ever see a man shooting a rabbit again, I'll kill him. I could tell you quite a lot of interesting things but the censor forbids. The Turkish snipers are the very devil, I caught one up a tree in a sort of green cage. His face was painted green and his rifle and clothes. Truly a hoary old villain, and stacks of a-mution. Their fellows pick off a lot of our men, they are very daring and cleverly conceal themselves.

Egyptian stamp, 1914

You will see form the lists, that my regiment had a bad time, 23 out of 26 officers gone. It's awful to lose you pals like this, & I am afraid in my present state I get awfully depressed.

But we didn't half make some ground! The Turk (?) on the whole is quite a gentleman in his fighting. His German master has taught him some of them some of his dirty tricks.

A captain pal of mine who was hit close to where I was laying wounded, was hit in the thigh by either an expanding or explosive bullet.

It simply blew the whole of his thigh out. He died in about half an hour of loss of blood, and I couldn't move to help him. A corporal in my own lo(?) was hit in the stomach by a similar bullet, with the same result. There are tact's that happened to come under my notice. We ought to do the same, but somehow we simply don't!

I know you are with us in spirit, so you will be glad to know we shall be through the narrows soon. It's costly but it's going to be done.

I am going to stop now I am getting tired. I hope you can read my scrawl, but writing is not quite so easy as usual just now. Kind thoughts to you and regards to family.

Yours very sincerely,

Martin

I apologize profusely for my absence all this time. I have not been at all well these past six months; sometimes it is a struggle to even get up in the morning, and trying to write a blog post with my foggy brain is pretty much impossible. I hope you will continue to stick with me, anyway.

~Psyche

A Voice From Gallipoli: Part I

To most of us, a hundred years ago probably seems like ancient history…it was that place where women wore their hair in buns, horses pulled carriages and most countries around the world still had kings. Probably more things have changed in the past hundred years than in any time in history. Countries have vanished, movies have sound, and people use computer keyboards instead of typewriters. The things we eat, the things we do for fun, the ways we get around, have all changed. The world has gotten smaller...yet we have less control of it now than we ever did.  

Typewriter, 1917

As much as things have changed since 1915, many things have remained the same. Back in the 19^th century, Science fiction writers like Jules Verne anticipated permanent colonies of people living underwater and others drilling to the center of the earth. We have achieved neither; in fact, we still wear clothes, go to work and eat food…even more interestingly, we still wage wars, despite the fact that a hundred years ago, the War to end all Wars was in full swing.

Landing at Anzac, April 1915

A hundred years ago this month, the Allies launched a campaign on a slender strip of land sticking into the Aegean Sea. The men who fought there are dead, but that bit of land, the Gallipoli peninsula, remains unchanged like an accusing finger pointing at High Command. The Gallipoli Campaign was a terrible failure and people have been debating ever since exactly why. Some blame the famous cliffs, others are more inclined to point out bumbling generals, still others say it was all Winston Churchill's fault.

The envelope

Personally, I’m more interested in the human element; the day-to-day lives of the soldiers…their thoughts and feelings, their fear and their incredible courage. Consequently, there was awe when my sister and I found ourselves reading two letters, written in pencil on cheap paper, postmarked 1915, from the hills of Turkey. They were from a British Lieutenant named Martin, sent to my great-grandmother. I haven’t the faintest idea who Martin was, where he lived, or how he came to know my great-grandmother. However odd his reasons for writing to her were, I am eternally grateful that he wrote and that my great-great grandmother kept his letters.     

The letter

The following transcript, I have taken as faithfully as possible from Martin's scrawl, preserving the original spelling and punctuation. This is the first letter, the second I will save for another blog post. So, without further ado, I will let you have Martin in his own words:

21 July

11th Division

British Mediterranean Force

My Dear (name),

You will be somewhat surprised to receive a letter from me written in the wilds of Turkish Mountains.

I have been soldiering since Aug 1914, have had a few experiences, then I am, very brown, pretty fit- thank heaven, but a dirty looking object- Thank heaven we can wash & then have a razor! 

I struck(?) a Brigade outpost- up here, lucky bargee, but- unfortunately I shall be relieved in a few days. I have 23 men and provide a detached post down in the valley.

Turkish stamps, 1916

My only neighbor is an old Turkish gentleman, who lives in a hut nearbye, & spends most of his day endeavouring to convince me he is a Greek. He however provides me with new laid eggs which are as manna from heaven here, and as he possesses a cool well, the first- cool water since England, I have forgiven him his misdeeds.

Needless to say I have placed a sentry day & night over the said well, and one never knows what these gentry are up to.

He is also very anxious to sell me his goat's milk, and has even offered it as a gift, but that I have declared "verboten" to the men.

It's hot, and the flies are a bit unkind, but its much better than the other show. Where it not for the bloody murder and carnage raging, it would be ideal.

Allied troops looking towards Achi Baba, Gallipoli

We have a splendid view of "Achi Baba" and at night it is very interesting to watch the big guns at work.

I have a very lazy time here. Get my camp cleaned up 6 A.M, mount my sentries and the rest of the day slack. I spent most of the afternoon stalking a vulture with a service rifle, but couldn't persuade him to come close enough so there was no waste of good munitions.

Going 'over the top' at Gallipoli

You will no doubt be surprised to get this but I have very pleasant recollections of the little friendship we formed when I was in America. My difference with your brother need make no difference, I think he treated me very badly! But this is no time for recrimination.

I can give you no news. We censor our own letters, but we are under our word of honor not to talk about the show.

I wonder how you are, if you are married? You ought to marry a good fellow, with your good ideas and sentiments.

Olympic, Titanic's sister-ship, served as a troop transport
the bizarre 'dazzle pattern' was meant to fool u-boats

I married the day before I first left England. One day's honeymoon and then I was wired for and went to the front next day. She is perfectly splendid, & of course miles too good for me!

A penniless lieutenant!

Isn't it too wonderful.

But I can tell you this atmosphere of blood and death is teaching we men something & those who get through, I am convinced will come out better men. Our mails out here are unfortunately none too regular, and one gets very hungry for a sight of one loved one's handwriting.

I have just dined off a tin of sardines, with the wondrous name of Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly on it. I got hold of it somehow.

I shall be back with the regiment soon alas in the dirt & heat.

I prefer France!

Well so long now, if I should come  through, perhaps we may meet again. In the meantime my regards to the family and kindest thoughts to you.

Yours very sincerely,

Martin