Embedded Files
Transcript of the Gallipoli Diary of Albert Mills of the 1/8 Hampshire Regiment (also known as the Isle of Wight Rifles)
Inside cover
Pioneer A C Mills
1/8 Hants Reg
I of Wight Rifles
If lost please send to
Mr R Mills
31 High Street
Oakfield
Ryde
I of Wight
End of inside cover
Pioneer A C Mills
1/8 Hants Regt
Expeditionary Force
Mediterranean
AQUITANIA
A Rough Diary
If lost Please Send to
Mrs R Mills
31 High Street,
Oakfield,
Ryde I of W
July 29th 1915
Left Watford at Twelve. Arrived at Liverpool Docks at eight. Went and slept aboard the Aquitania.
Friday July 30th
Mess Orderly.
Left dock at 1:30pm for Sea.
Left Sea at 11:30pm. Proceeded down Irish Channel escorted by five destroyers.
Saturday 31st July
Escort left us at Lands End.
Sunday 1st August 1915
Church Parade. Sea choppy.
Monday Bank Holiday Aug 2nd
Sighted land. Portugal and Africa. Passed Algiers. Passed Gibraltar at 4:30pm. Helmets to be worn.
Tuesday Aug 3rd
Very hot. Passed Tripoli 7:30pm. Passed 3 hospital ships during the day.
Wednesday Aug 4th
Passed Pantalaria Island 8:30am. Passed Island of Scicily 9:30am. Passed Gozo Island Malta.
Thursday Aug 5th
Ship still racing along Agean Sea. Passed Crete Island 3:30. Passed an Island at 7pm
Friday Aug 6th
Arrived and anchored at the Island of Lemnoss at 8am. Bay of Mudross.
Saturday Aug 7th
Still at same place. Many transports arriving.
Sunday Aug 8th
Went to Church Parade. Two colliers with Greek Peasants coaled ship. Last time band played on Aquitania.
Monday Aug 9th
Left Aquitania 4:30pm in Mudros Bay and proceeded to Emnos Bay. Slept on board transport boated. (Booted?)
Tuesday Aug 10th
Landed at Galloppoli at 4:30. Had tea and proceeded to advance near the trenches. Saw German Airship.
Wednesday Aug 11th
Dug ourselves in. Big Naval (?), and Howitzers Firing over our heads. Living on Iron rations. Scarely any water to be had.
Thursday Aug 12th
Went on guard from one to two early in morning. Left our Dug outs about four pm and advanced upon the enemy, under very heavy shrapnel and Rifle firing. This lasted up to about eight. We dug ourselves in and rested.
Friday August 13th
Kept our trench all day under snipers fire. Several killed. Had to get water under fire.
Saturday August 14th
Still holding on to our trench, under snipers fire. Got relieved by the Essex Regiments about 9pm. Got back to dug outs about midnight.
Sunday August 15th
Had tea for Breakfast for first time for four days. Had fags served out. Moved in to the support trenches.
Monday August 16th
Water fatigue. Moved from one firing line to another.
Tuesday Aug 17th
Went out for snipers. Had several wounded. Still in same trenches.
Wednesday Aug 18th
Still in the same trenches. Very difficult to get Water. A few causulties. Got relieved into second line of trenches about 9pm.
Thursday Aug 19th
Had one packet of fags issued. Stop in the same place.
Friday Aug 20th
Still in same trenches. Had a bathe in sea.
Saturday Aug 21st
Better rations. Bacon and Milk Issued. A spoonful of Rum issued.
Sunday Aug 22nd
Had a Church Parade. Behind our lines.
Monday Aug 23rd
Went and got ammunition under Shell Fire. Had a Blanket Issued.
Tuesday Aug 24th
Thunderstorm about 3:30pm. Went and dug trench in front of firing line from 7pm to 2:30am.
Wednesday Aug 25th
Went from Second to First Line of Trenches. All night on Guard.
Thursday Aug 26th
Got relieved from first to second line at Midnight.
Friday Aug 27th
Left second line of trenches about 5am for a rest about two miles away.
Saturday Aug 28th
Left our camp about 1am and went to another one about 5 miles. Better rations.
Sunday Aug 29th
Went to Base about teeth. Lost Battalion. Slept on Sea Shore
Monday Aug 30th
Found Battalion about 11am. Stopped in Reserved Trenches. Got shelled on way to find Battalion.
Tuesday Aug 31st
Left reserve trenches at 11pm and went back to the sea shore to sleep.
Wednesday September 1st
Went from the sea shore to reserve trenches about 5 miles away.
Thursday September 2nd
Joined headquarters as Pioneers.
Friday September 3rd
Went down for mails. None in.
Saturday September 4th
Had Bread issued. Went and got rations.
Sunday September 5th
Went for rations.
Monday September 6th
Went to see if any mails in.
Tuesday September 7th
No mails in. Had to draw eggs.
Wednesday September 8th
Had fresh mutton drawn. Got Rations.
Thursday September 9th
Fresh mutton for Dinner. First time since we left the Aquitania.
Friday September 10th
Went for rations.
Saturday September 11th
Went for rations.
Sunday September 12th
Moved from one gully to another about mile and half away. Mail in.
Monday September 13th
Had two letters. Photo and County Press. Work Digging.
Tuesday September 14th
Plenty of shells flying overhead. Made Dug Outs.
Wednesday September 15th
Had fresh meat for dinner for first time.
Thursday September 16th
Trench Digging all day. Had some rain.
Friday September 17th
Trench Digging.
Saturday September 18th
Mail came in. Two letters. County Press and Parcel.
Sunday September 19th
Fresh meat for Dinner.
Monday September 20th
Very cold first thing.
Tuesday September 21st
Issue of meat and bread.
Wednesday September 22nd
Trench digging.
Thursday September 23rd
Issue of bread. Went for rations.
Friday September 24th
Bread and meat issue. Wood cutting.
Saturday September 25th
Mail in. Letters from home. Mrs Osborne.
Sunday September 26th
Issue of bread, fags and tobacco.
Monday September 27th
Had a bit of cheese.
Tuesday September 28th
Trench Digging.
Wednesday September 29
Trench digging
Thursday September 30
Issue of bread. Went for rations.
Friday October 1st
Dug a Grave. Helped to make Cemetery.
Saturday October 2nd
Making Cemetery.
Sunday October 3rd
Mail in. One letter from home.
Monday October 4th
Went to hospital as a suspect of Diptheria. Went to rest camp.
Tuesday October 5th
Stayed on sea shore all day. Light? Diet. Porridge. Chicken broth and arrowroot.
Wednesday October 6th
Stayed on sea shore all day. Very hot.
Thursday October 7th
Had a bathe.
Friday October 8th
Had a storm in the night. Sea came up and we had to move. Hospital tents washed down.
Saturday October 9th
Woke up nearly wet through. Very cold.
Sunday October 10th
Had a bathe. Discharged from hospital. Went back to regiment after 6 days isolation.
Monday October 11th
Mail in. Received two parcels.
Tuesday October 12th
Ninth week here. Had a letter from home.
Wednesday October 13th
Making cemetery.
Thursday October 14th
Fresh meat for dinner.
Friday October 15th
Went to Anzac for stores.
Saturday October 16th
Went for rations.
Sunday October 17th
Mail in. Nothing for me.
Monday October 18th
Mail in. Two parcels. One from mother and Ivy.
Tuesday October 19th
Ten weeks since we landed.
Wednesday October 20th
Had a letter from Leslie.
Thursday October 21st
Had a hair cut.
Friday October 22nd
Starting raining about 3 o’clock. Very wintry.
Saturday October 23rd
My birthday.
Sunday October 24th
Had some rain.
Monday October 25th
Went for rations.
Tuesday October 26th
11 Mails bags came in. Both parcels rotten.
Wednesday October 27th
Went for rations.
Thursday October 28th
Digging all day.
Friday October 29th
Digging all day.
Saturday October 30th
Dug a grave.
Sunday October 31st
Dug a grave. Had four letters.
Monday November 1st
Digging all day.
Tuesday November 2nd
12 weeks since we landed.
Wednesday November 3rd
Digging all day.
Thursday November 4th
Went for rations.
Friday November 5th
Companies moved into trenches.
Saturday November 6th
Cleared up gully.
Sunday November 7th
11 mail bags in.
Monday November 8th
Altered Q M stores.
Tuesday November 9th
13 weeks since we landed.
Wednesday November 10th
Went for rations.
Thursday November 11th
Trench digging.
Friday November 12th
Regiment left gully for trenches. I stayed behind up to November 28th.
Friday (sic) November 29th
Had orders to leave for Mudross. Went to Anzac and stayed to December 1st .
(Last entry is illegible... may be the start of a date)
From reverse of volume.
Pioneer A C Mills 1/8 Hants Reg
(Possibly in different hand)
Grandfather died Saturday July 31st
Buried Aug 5th 1915.
April 11th 23
Dec 31 1918
On separate page:
271 x
214 x
221 x
98 x
30
163
206
155
103 x
17 x
22 Coke x
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse