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From Lyndell Singe (Grand daughter)
 
Information on my Grandfather and a letter he wrote describing the landing at The Dardanelles.

James Joseph Kirkham (1889…1953) m. Cornelie Elizabeth Blackley (…) James Joseph Kirkham, son of JAMES KIRKHAM and SARAH ANN MULVIHILL, was born 19 March 1889 at St Arnaud, Victoria.

Joseph enlisted in the AIF on 21 August 1914 at Surrey Hills, Victoria and served in the First Pioneers, 8th Infantry Battalion [Private, service number 685], landed at Gallipoli on 5 April 1915, later seeing service in France. On his enlistment attestation papers, James is described as aged 25 years and 5 months, a labourer with 6 months apprenticeship experience as a butcher at St Arnaud. He noted his next-of-kin as his brother, G Kirkham, of Boort. James was 5' 9" height, 140lbs weight, 34" chest, dark complexion, with hazel eyes and dark hair, a Roman Catholic.

A letter by James in the Dardanelles, to his brother George in Victoria, was published in Victoria's Northern District Standard on Thursday 16 September 1915 (p5) [note: the transcript below is from the NLA Trove online scan image and is missing words due to lost detail in the scanning, particularly near the central fold]:

THE DARDANELLES. THE LANDING DESCRIBED.
The following interesting letter has been received by Mr Geo. Kirkham, from his brother, Private J. J.Kirkham, from Mena:

“Don't know that I have being reported as wounded. Sometimes the name of a sick man is placed in the wounded column, then the letter is marked 'wounded' and is sent back to the base hospital. I was sent back from the front on account of having contacted rheumatism in wet trenches, but am better now. My experiences has seen many and varied since leaving Australia's shores, I will only tell you in this of our departure from reader and the subsequent events.

“We left Mena camp about 4 o'clock on Easter Sunday, marched to Cairo (11 miles), got there about 8:30 p.m., and were tired out, because we had our whole pack to carry, which is very heavy (70lbs.)

Left Cairo at midnight and arrived at Alexandria at daybreak. Had very little sleep and went aboard next day. We lay at anchor for two days then sailed for Lemnos: stayed there till Saturday (24th April), then proceeded to within six miles of the Dardanelles: moved at midnight to place of landing.

Was called up at 3 a.m. to get ready to storm the heights of Gallipoli. We took with us food enough for three days, water bottle full, 200 rounds of ammunition, and in fact everything required. When daybreak came we could see boats everywhere. All were anxious to get off, but we had to wait our turn. We saw the third brigade landing, and the Turkish shells and shrapnell at Gaba Tepe pouring down upon them, and we could see also our gunboats returning their fire. It was a grand site, but hellish to those who were under it. About sunrise our brigade followed.

We got as close to the shore as possible, and then were taken off in smaller boats and pulled ashore. I can assure you it made us shake in our shoes as the shrapnell was pouring around us the whole time. Just as the first boat was being got ready a shell burst right among us. I just 'bobbed' down in time and the next man to me got a bullet in his shoulder, and Marconi operator got one in his side. This was a gentle reminder as we afterwards discovered was what we were going to get. I was in the last boat to put off.

With about 500yards to go to reach land and before we got there three shells burst right close to our little boat. I was glad when I got off. We jumped out in water up to our chests and made a run for the cover of the hills.

It's an experience I will never forget. I saw many poor fellows being carried down to a beach and many more dying. Even in all the danger we had to laugh when we saw a boat load ?? ships tossed into the sea. A shell burst close to the boat, knocking ~~ ~~ and it was funny to see the iifr» ::: in the water, luckily f,at-. but their rifles were lost. We had to wait on the beach until we got orders, schrapnell falling all around us. At last : -j ., getting but climbing 't..\v* under a shower of bullets ~~~~ steep, scrubby ■ - v 'i- as glass ; we i • ■ for shelter, '■ Tt-f'.i; therefore •• . • ;j and face it : ulri'jhl two alright and ;; I:■<i as the one we • . v ihv'we got there gade i'",. b. The third bri- gade w.- dark, we went on :■ ■ : • the first brigade ■ f: :;'di -. were ■ as the Turks ;-go back on the left to
try last of them and then come • -. they were not ; " night when we got -h we ;: and stay ~~~ to advance. . ri'.' decline. I was • :ti! ^'. we all got down :.'■ and his ankle) I : ' ■ : !!!0 the rest, .i for a while !v,!'. hill a small : - - there and > '.v on our u:". We were all sweating, tired and thirsty, but were frightened to <>•• in case no more water . on. 'Twas j. * ' 2 p.m. We stayed here until 4 p.m.

We dare not shift as the bullets were whizzing past over our heads, even as we lay there. One poor
fellow close to me got one in the chest and died in about 15 minutes. We were then told to get back as
the rest of the h:lJ were returning. We had not got far when bang came the shells. They kept quiet in
the morning, but when they saw us retiring they turned their batteries on us ~hey had been ~~~~~~~ the beaches, and that is when most of our lads went under. We got back on to the hill and entrenched for the night. The Turks left us alone now for a while, and we dug in in comparative safety.

Some of our lads were that tired that the freshest of us had to keep digging them in the ribs to keep them awake. I won't write about those who were killed or wounded, as it is not a nice job describing those harrowing scenes. Just as it got dark the Turks came and tried to force us back, but our fire was too hot for them to face. We were kept very busy all this night. Their attack on us lasted till morning.

After sunrise it got quieter, and I got back in an old Turkish trench and had my first feed since 3 a.m. on the previous morning; my water bottle lasted me a few hours longer and then I went down to the beach to refill it. I was that tired I could scarcely walk. I tried to have a sleep, but couldn't, so I got back to the trenches again and never had any sleep till Tuesday. We don't seem to have any time for anything else but work – digging trenches and bringing up supplies. Tuesday we were subjected to more heavy fire on our left, and a little on our right. Wednesday we went out and got our packs. Some of them we were riddled with bullets. After Wednesday things were quieter, just a few shells at intervals. I thought then we were going to hold the good position we had gained; but 'twas not to be.

One evening we got orders to get ready to move on. We didn't know then, but found out later, that we had to go to Cape Helles, where the French and British troops were. What to do we did not know, but we soon found out. We arrived there on Thursday, May 6. On Saturday, May 8, about 4 p.m., we received orders to advance. Simultaneously with our starting the gunboats and batteries opened file.

'Twas like a great thunderstorm – guns banging everywhere, shells bursting all over the place like volcanos, and bullets everywhere. It was worse than the landing. It was about dark when I got up with
the firing line, well knocked up, but we had to dig for our lives, as the Turks were firing on us. After we had dug ourselves in we had to make sure we had sufficient supplies. We hadn't too much,therefore some of us had to go back for more. I was one of the party ordered to do so. The night was dark and we were stumbling over dead and wounded at almost every step. Poor lads, I did what I could for them. I went into a gully to look for a pick and shovel. Four bullets whizzed past me in quick order. A sniper had spotted me. I never waited but got for my life and found the pick and shovel in another place. I got back to the trenches about midnight and started to dig again. Next morning we saw the dead lying everywhere. We could not bury them until night came on; the smell was unbearable. I was glad when we were ordered back for a rest; but there is not much rest even out of the trenches. We generally have to do what is termed fatigue. It was on Tuesday night. On Friday I was sent to the base hospital. Stayed there for a while, then was sent to onto a hospital ship. There, for a fortnight, then came on to Egypt.

James embarked the Taranto for Australia on 8 October 1918. The Bendigonian of Thursday 7 November 1918 (p16) mentions his return, amongst others:

ANZACS RETURNING. 527 VICTORIANS IN LIST "J." List "J," containing the names of the Anzacs comprising the second and largest party returning to Australia on furlough, was made available on Tuesday by the Defence department. It is possible that the vessel may reach Fremantle shortly after the arrival of the first contingent. If so arrangements will be made to disembark the Victorians in both parties on the same day. The first vessel is expected to reach Melbourne in about a fortnight.

Appended are the names of the Northern Victorians in the list:
… … … Pte. J. J. Kirkham, Boort. … … …
James received the 1914-1915 Star medal at Wonthaggi on 6 September 1920 and the British War Medal at Wonthaggi on 15 August 1921; he was also awarded the Victory Medal. On 5 June 1968, James' daughter Alma Gweneth Baker of Bendigo applied for James' Gallipoli medal, “to complete the collection”.