Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

"EXPERIENCES OF A 19-YEAR OLD SOLDIER. VOLLEYS at 1000 YARDS.  WE HAD THE BEST OF THE DEAL.

Corporal J.G. Vidgen, of D. Company, 15th Battalion, writes from Kasr-el Army Hospital, Cairo:—

"You will have heard by this time, that I have been wounded. It is not very serious, and the bullet did not touch either bone or artery. It went in just above the right knee, took an upward course of about 6in., and passed through the left leg. The right leg is pretty good, and I can use it; it is the left leg where the trouble lies, as the bullet made a fair-sized wound where it came out. The doctor says three weeks will see me fairly right. The boat we left Egypt in was the one that brought the 2nd and 3rd Reinforcements from Queensland. From Alexandria we went to an island about four hours' sail from where we landed in Turkey. We remained at this island for about three weeks, and went ashore twice, once about two miles in ships' cutters and whalers, and the second time on a trawler, till we got about 200 yards from the shore, when we transferred into pulling boats, I can tell you it was great fun going over the ship's side down ropes into the boats, and there were a few blistered hands after each trip. I took a tumble, and went down, hand over hand instead of sliding, like most of the fellows. There was only one mishap, and that on the second trip, when a sergeant fell overboard from the trawler. He was rescued, somewhat damp, and with the loss of his rifle. After three weeks at the island, with good tucker all the time, we got a move on on Sunday, April 25. "We arrived after the landing in which the 9th Battalion figured largely, and got a good bit cut up. We had a good feed at about 4.30 p.m.— boiled ham, green peas, and other good things. At about 6.30 fall-in was sounded, and every one appeared in full marching kit, ready to go ashore. About 7.30.p.m. a destroyer, came alongside, and we got aboard, and off we went with cheers from those left behind. When a short distance from the shore we transhipped into small boats. I was in the second to leave, and when we got ashore we found that we were the first of our brigade to land, so we got under cover a bit and waited for some more to land. As we were landing it was raining shrapnel. A few got hit, but considering the number of shells coming over, there was very little damage done. At about 8.30 p.m., when two companies of our brigade had landed (out of which there were about half of our D Company), we were marched off to reinforce the right flank, but when passing headquarters it was changed to left flank, so off we started, on what was supposed to be a moonlight march, but heavy clouds made it pitch dark.

We eventually got there about 10.30 p.m., after a march up a water-sodden gully, and then along the side of precipices about 300 ft. high, which our fellows held at the top. When we arrived there were no trenches to speak of, so we had to dig like niggers till 4.30, when we stood to arms, expecting a counter-attack, which did not come off. There were 16 of us working on the trenches, eight digging the firing trench and eight in the support. As no officers were around, I had charge of the proceedings, and asked the lance-corporal to go and report to the officer of the line. After waiting for more than an hour for a reply we were told to carry on as we were going, all officers being wanted on the right of our position, as the trenches were not very good. As dawn came, we could see Turks crossing a bare patch of ground 950 or 1000 yards in groups of about half a dozen. As there were no snipers about we got out of the trenches and knelt just in front of them, and as these little bunches crossed we let them have volley after volley. They fell fast and thick for a while, and when they saw we had the best of the deal they discontinued the game. After that there was a bit of a lull in the firing. I must finish this letter as the man is waiting to go to the post in Cairo. Writing five days later, Corporal Vidgen continues :—

"I am still doing well. My left leg is better, but the right has still a bit of a gash to heal up. I will now proceed with the tale of the fighting where I left off — that was about 8 a.m. on the Monday morning. We saw nothing of the enemy again till about 10 o'clock, when they appeared in force on our left at about 800 yards. Their object, was to cut the New Zealanders' communication, but they had no chance. The Queen Elizabeth, otherwise the Lizzie, got the range of their trenches, and pumped lyddite into them some. As the shells burst and the enemy scattered we used to catch them hopping. They made repeated attacks, but never came close enough for the bayonet. At 4 p.m. they withdrew, and it was quiet for the rest of the night. We lost 5 dead and 19 wounded. Amongst those killed was Mr. McWilliam's nephew, Carl Coffin. Next day was about the same up till dark, when the enemy pressed our right flank, but did not do much harm. There were a lot of chaps wounded with shrapnel, which, along with the snipers, is about all the damage they do, but it is quite enough, as they use machine guns for sniping as well as rifles. In these machine guns they use explosive bullets, which make a terrible mess of anything they hit. Nothing of importance happened us again until Sunday night, when there was a charge made on the left. We acted as supports, and did not suffer much, but the 16th battalion, which made the charge was cut up by machine guns. The charge had to be made, as the enemy snipers were cutting off our food supply coming up the valley.

On Monday morning I went into the trenches and stayed, till about 6 in the evening, when I did not feel too good, as I had had no sleep for four nights. When dusk came on Harry Bell and I took a wounded man down to the base, and after seeing him fixed up I felt dizzy in the head, and felt like dropping, so made down the valley to a dug-out to have a camp in. Just as I was passing brigade headquarters some officer pulled me up. I was that off I do not remember what I said, but it appears they were going to give me something to do when some one came up behind and said: "All right, I will fix you up; he is one of my men." When I turned I saw Col. Cannan, and he asked me what was wrong and sent me on to Captain Luther. When the doctor saw me he said I was rundown, and he would fix me. He gave me some nice hot tea, and told me to find a dry dugout. I no sooner put my head on the ground than I was off to sleep, and slept till 10.30 next morning. By that time the rest of the battalion came down, and I reported myself. We rested all day Tuesday and Wednesday up till the time I was wounded. It was pretty hard luck to have been wounded when we were resting, but I was not the only one whom the sniper caught, as I made the fourth in our battalion in 48 hours. The sniper must have been 1400 yards away on a hill. They took me up to a dressing station, where I was bandaged up, and they said I could either go down to the beach on a donkey or wait till night. As it was then 12.30 I preferred the donkey. I am glad I did, although I suffered some pain, but was on the operating table aboard ship by 3 p.m. The doctor, had a look and said I had had a narrow escape, and was one of the lucky ones, but I reckoned I was a bit unlucky, as I had only 10 days' fighting. I eventually arrived at the hospital five days after being wounded. As I was waiting to come off the boat some A.M.C. man asked me if I knew the Banburys, and he turned out to be a friend of the Pococks. When I got on the wharf some one rushed up and asked me if I was a brother to Joe Vidgen, and I said I was a relation. Then they whisked me off before I got his name. I am having a good time here. The hospital was an Arab hospital, but was taken over by the authorities for the use of wounded soldiers. Most of the nurses, so far as I can learn, are English. If you see any one from Brabant's tell them I often think of them, and say the field glasses they gave me came in very handy. I am very thankful I had them. At the present moment they are hanging at my head. Remember me to all hands, not forgetting Pat, and tell him the boys are always asking after him." - from the Queenslander 07 Aug 1915 (nla.gov.au)