CHAPTER 2 The Oxford Preparatory School

124 The Gallipoli Campaign

This apparently did the trick and the Frenchman returned whence he had come. Pat admitted to being a little disconcerted but, believing that the Frenchman had ‘ got the wrong end of the stick’, he held his ground.

Six days later it was the turn for the French to be unimpressed by the behaviour of their British allies.

15 May 1915 There was rather fun the other day, though I didn’t see it. A hare got up and all the English, of course, leapt to their feet with fearful yells. Presently a French General came to complain of this behaviour: ‘à la guerre, comme à la guerre, et à la chasse comme à la chasse!’ He explained that his enfants think it is the Turks who arrive when they hear the row.

Part of Pat’s job was to join the infantry in their trenches to identify targets for the artillery, not all of them of great importance. On one occasion, peering through his field glasses, he spotted little puffs of smoke, indicating that the Turks were brewing up some tea.

22 May 1915 This was more than we could stand, so we telephoned down to the Battery,

‘Action’ , and gave various angles and elevations with the result that the Turkish trench was heavily shelled, causing, as we hoped A.A.D. (which being interpreted means ‘Alarm And Despondency’). It is rumoured that the above condition prevails in the English Press regarding this expedition; not surprised.

There was some time for recreation and the occasional acquisition of luxuries. On one of his visits back to the beach where all the stores were landed, Pat managed to intercept and board an incoming ship.There he was able to buy, duty free, a bottle of whisky and a bottle of Heidsieck champagne.

Kind families also sent out welcome supplies – although sometimes these were disappointments.

2 June 1915 I had some plum pudding the other day which G’s people had sent; also the waiter at Buol’ s [an Oxford restaurant] had sent him a slab of turtle soup.This slab was watered down to make soup for all of us, and consequently tasted as if it was water that a turtle had had a bath in.

Another Old Dragon, Noel Sergent, being half-French,had joined the French Army on the outbreak of war. He served as a Sous Lieutenant in the French Artillery and in 1915 was sent to Gallipoli as part of the 51e Batterie, 10e Artillerie, E.N.E. Secteur