WORLD WAR ONE NORTHAMPTON INDEPENDENT SOLDIER NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
PTE. W. C. KIRBY of the 1/4th Northamptons, Jan, 1916
Pte. W. C. Kirby of the 1/4th Northamptons, who died of wounds on Oct 13th, was only 19 years of age.
He kept a diary in a small pocket book from the day he enlisted to the day before his death and the following
extracts give a good impression of the journey out and the terrible trials if Gallipoli :-
Jul 21st, 1914 Left St. Albans at 4 a.m., arriving at Devonport about 12 midday. Went on board the Royal George.
Jul 30th Set sail in the morning and went on guard all day ; four hours on and eight hours off.
Jul 31st Reached the Bay of Biscay. Was a little sick. Saw a school of porpoises.
Aug 1st Very hot. Went on the look out for submarines.
Aug 2nd Very hot and rough. Band played on deck as we passed Gibraltar.
Aug 5th Sailed in Valetta Port, Malta, in the afternoon.
Aug 6th Bought a bunch of fine grapes for 2d. Not allowed to go ashore.
Aug 7th Left Valetta.
Aug 9th Arrived at Alexandria and went for a short route march.
Aug 10th Went to Mustapha Barracks.
Aug 17th Left Alexandria in the Esmeralda tramp steamer. Had no dinner or tea.
Aug 18th The food was very bad. Gave us stew for tea, but the fellows would not touch it, so we had dry bread.
Aug 20th Sailed into Lemnos Harbour.
Aug 21st Left Lemnos at night in fast boat and reached Gallipoli about 3 a.m. Sunday.
Aug 22nd About 7 a.m. the Turks got the range of us and shells fell all round us. Two fellows close to me were hit.
Aug 23rd The Battalion came out of the trenches and we joined them. Had a bathe in the sea under shell fire.
Aug 28th Had a wash with mud water in a biscuit tin.
Aug 30th Got shelled. Had a very narrow escape. Three killed and 20 wounded.
Sep 1st Went for a bathe. A sniper hit the ground against my feet.
Sep 3rd Went on a water fatigue. Could only get half a bottle full.
Sep 4th Moved at night close behind the Australian firing line.
Sep 5th Went into the firing line. Fired about 30 shots. Two of our fellows killed.
Sep 6th Came out of trench about 7 a.m. Felt rather ill and saw doctor.
Sep 8th Had a rest all day. Went on a water fatigue at night. Got up twice during the night feeling ill.
Sep 9th Went into firing line for 24 hours feeling very ill. Had a touch of dysentery.
Sep 10th Saw the doctor, who ordered me some medical comforts. Felt very weak and ill. Three of our men killed.
Sep 11th Felt a little better. Went into the trenches at night at half an hours notice.
Sep 12th The food was awful. Could get no water.
Sep 13th Had a little water.
Sep 24th Had a narrow escape. Got covered in dirt from shells. Both sides had a shaking up. Very big bombardment.
Sep 28th Felt ill.
Sep 29th Digging for nine hours. Then reported sick again.
Sep 30th Went into trenches at 6 a.m. in reserve for bomb throwing. Had an easy day.
Oct 2nd The Ghurkhas were digging just against us advancing their trench. We kept as quiet as possible.
Oct 4th The Turks went mad for a little time in the early morning, and did a lot of firing, but no damage done.
Oct 9th Have pains in stomach. Went to see doctor. Had a tin of Bovril. Went to church service held in the gully.
Oct 10th Turkish mine exploded. Got buried and left leg broken.
Oct 11th Taken on board ship. A French hospital ship. Sail at night.
Oct 12th Called at Musdros ; left the Ghurkhas there.
Oct 13th The writer died.
