Frank Thompson's Diary - 6th Manchesters

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Frank Thompson was born on the 28th June 1894 the son of Herbert and Elizabeth Thompson of 139 Claremont Road, Pendleton.


Frank is remembered on the St Luke's war memorial to the men of that parish who fell during the First World War. The following text is a transcription of his war diary. There are many pages to be transcribed and I will be doing this as and when I can, so please be patient. If you wish to help transcribe a few pages please feel free to PM me.

Lance Corporal, 1643, Frank Thompson of the 6th Manchester Regiment.

Page 1.

The Diary of Frank Thompson
1915

Personal Memoranda 1-1-15 Weight 11st. 7lbs Height 5ft 9 1/2 in.
Name and Address Frank Thompson, 139 Claremont Rd, Pendleton

Memoranda Kit Inspection 9 -4-15
1 Greycoat - Dubbin
Khaki & Red Puttees - 2 Towels
2 pairs boots & lace - Canvas shoes
3 pairs socks - Braces
3 shirts - Cap comforter
2 pants - Service Cap
1 sweater - Kit Bag
Mittens - Identity Disc

Holdall including
Toothbrush, Razor, Soap, Shaving Brush,
Comb. Knife, Fork & Spoon
Housewife

Mon, Jan 4th
Home

Mon, Jan 11th
Returning Southport 8.15 (Billeted at 78, Chester Rd, Southport with Mrs Rimmer)

Sat, Feb 27th
6th Manchesters v HMS Conway Training Ship
Won 23-6 after 6-0 at halftime… Thompson, Fiske, Dickens, Gibson, Gregory, Rabbitt, Lowther (Try & goal)

Sat, Mar 5th
6th Manchesters v Southport Won 9-0

Wed, Mar 10th
Received letter from Bert re position at Office, dated 8-3-15. Wrote to T.L.G. asking particulars.

Thur, Mar 11th
Night parade 6.30 – 12.00

Fri, Mar 12th
Received letter from TLG re position at Office. All night route march (Brigade) 8.30 – 3.00

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Sat, Mar 13th
Rec’d Letter from Dad re p.a.o. Eccles Wesley (6) v Oldham (20) Watched match

Mon, Mar 15th
Went with Howe of Mcr to Altcar marking in butts

Tue, Mar 16th
Went to Altcar firing
100 yds 150 200 200 200
Application 1 shot 4 sec 5 in 25 sec
25 25 17 18 9
Total 94 Finished top of company

Fri, Mar 19th
Went to Altcar to Fire Repetition practice 5 shots in 25 seconds 2 bulls, 3 inners – 17
Rec’d pc from Salford Battalions re Commission & Interview 23-3-15 Rec’d acknowledgement of application to Surveyor at 184

Sat, Mar 20th
Posted letter to Mother, was written on Tuesday, Southport V Officers picked from Batt’ns in Southport 15-0

Sun, Mar 21st
Played cards after Church Parade. Afternoon – wrote TLG & Mother. Evening went to Squibs

Mon, Mar 22nd
Rec;d letter & parcel from Mother

Tue, Mar 23rd
Applied for pass re Appointment. Rejected. Should have met Selection C’tte, Salford Batt’ns 11.30 Also Supt Insp. Webb at Deansgate. Could not get pass

Wed, Mar 24th
Rec’d letter from Towle. Application unsuccessful – Too young. Went Palladium (George Formby) with Squibs

Thur, Mar 25th
Rec’d letter saying Webb left for London. On leave 9.0 am – 10 pm caught 1.7 home 3.45 Caught 9.00 Southport 10.00 13/6 from Dad. Arranged match with 10th M/crs & saw Mr Barber

Fri, Mar 26th
Met Squibs 9.45 Home 10.30 Did Ally Sloper in National 8/9

Sat, Mar 27th
6th M/crs (5pts) v 10th M/crs (41pts) 8 Oldham N.U. players for 10th Partington (try) Rabbit converted

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Sun, Mar 28th
Palladium Pictures (Chas Mott singing)

Tue, Mar 30th
Fisher Drive Fields with Squibs

Wed, Mar 31st
Had extension till 11.oo Went to Altcar. Did rotten

Thu, Apr 1st
Mother & Peggy at Southport, staying at 42 Gosforth Rd. Went to see Ergt Major re Commission. Nothing happened.

Fri, Apr 2nd (Good Friday)
Went to Baths. Night went to town 8.57 Met Gertie H & friend in Palace Café. Home in taxi with V Booth

Sat, Apr 3rd
Altcar. Poured all day. Came back 1.15. Fired 5 shots (washouts) Palladium (stalls 1/6) with Len, Edie & Mother. (Olga Edge, E Hudson & Chas Mott) Extension till 11.0pm

Easter Sun, Apr 4th
Fisher Drive Fields with Squibs.

Easter Mon, Apr 5th
Palace Café. Met Gertie H & friend, came home with them in taxi, Home 10.0 In house 11.5. Discussed Isabel & K

Thu, Apr 8th
No 12 Platoon Smoker at Scarisbrick Hotel

Tue, Apr 13th
Dad’s birthday

Wed, Apr 14th
Went home on 7.7 train, arrived home 10.0 Been to Eccles with Len

Thur, Apr 15th
Went down to shop. Hair cut in morning. Home 1.15 10/0- from Dad. Went on Buile Hill till 4.00 Caught 6.10 to Southport. Went Company Smoker at Scarisbrick. Jack (of Jack & Evelyn) De Busse, Madeleine Wells & others (from Palladium) Sisters Sprightly, Carter Livesey & others (from Pier Pavilion)

Fri, Apr 16th
Should have gone to 60 Cypress Rd, Had night attack 8.00 – 3.00 Met Gertie H at Meols Cop, arranged for Sunday

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Sat, Apr 17th
Should have played rugby, S’port v Officers. Cancelled On picket at Longton Bridge, 1.30 – 9.00 Home 10.45 In morning went to town in car with Lieut Fox. Home in taxi 2/0-

Sun, Apr 18th
Went to 60 Cypress Rd. with Len (Gertie & Elsie Broughton)

Thu, Apr 22nd
Had night operation 6.30 – 12.50 Went to Pinfold Bridge – Scarisbrick

Sat, Apr 24th
Went to Smiths 3.30. Caught 4.50 train to Liverpool (without pass) Went in Edinburgh Café (M.D’s half day) Heard that Ruby Goldberg married

Sat, May 1st
Went to Smiths to telephone Mr Hopwood, Urmston making appointment Monday

Sun, May 2nd
After Church Parade had Battn Parade (Roe Lane Fields) for rehearsal of Inspection (Brigade) on May 3rd ’15. Went walk with Gertie round Golf Links and Churchtown

Mon, May 3rd
Home, Caught 2.42 Manchester 3.50. Called @ C.T’s Town Hall, saw Bert. Went to Urmston, 2 teeth filled. Met Nellie and Mercy Whit. Home 8.10

Wed, May 5th
Returned S’port 11pm

Sat, May 15th
Farewell address by Mayor of Southport on Lagoon Site. Left Southport 11.10pm for Crowborough Camp, Sussex. Came in train with Len, George Broome, Vernon Booth, Clarke & Johnson. Before leaving saw Isabel & Kate, Squibs & Gertie H

Sun, May 16th
Arrived 9.00 Crowborough. Arrived at huts 10.00 Very fine. Camp arrangements nearly perfect. H & C baths and H & C showers. Were not allowed out of camp. Wrote to Mother

Mon, May 17th
District of camp very quiet, Posted Mother’s letter today. Wrote Mrs Smith, Squibs & Mrs Rimmer & Gertie. Post it tomorrow. Raining. No parade.

Tue, May 18th
Raining. Short parade afternoon

Wed, May 19th
Route march 14 miles, very tired, Hills terrible, Wrote Isabel postcard

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Thu, May 20th
Attack on Area B

Fri, May 21st
Attack

Sat, May 22nd
Huts cleared out for Brigade Major inspection, He did not turn up, Scrubbed floors, bed planks etc. Webt Crowborough village in afternoon till 7.45 Nice place

Whit Sun, May 23rd
Church Parade on 5ths Parade ground, Went Tunbridge Wells on 3.4 train. Had extension till 11.0 Camp 10.0 Had tea at Ferrario’s

Whit Mon, May 24th
Had platoon attacks

Tue, May 25th
Brigade Inspection from 1.0 – 5.0 at Kings Standing
(hill 1.5 miles from camp) Very hot! Had tea – afterwards bath. Wrote Mother & Mrs Smith

Wed, May 26th
Inspection by Sir Leslie Rundle, G I C of 5th Army

Thur, May 27th
2 Attacks on Kings Standing. Boggy ground

Fri, May 28th
Route march 16 miles through bridge etc

Sat, May 29th
Cleaning huts

Tue, Jan 1st
1st draft of 50 men left 7.0am for Egypt and Dardanelles. Attack “D” area. Captain Pilk’s horse got fast in bog

Fri, Jun 4th
Home on final leave before going with draft to Dardanelles

Mon, Jun 7th
Commenced fortnight’s special training. Outposts

Tue, Jun 8th
Attack on “D” area. Returned Crowborough from home, Had very good time but had lots pf calls, etc. to make

Wed Jun 9th
Ashdown Forest. Had Batt’n Drill under Major ?Aumelle?

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Thu, Jun 10th
Raining, Lecture in Huts

Fri, Jun 11th
Bivouac in “C” Area. Cooked meals & built huts of twigs etc.

Sat, Jun 12th
Cleaning huts

Mon, Jun 28th (21st Birthday)
Birthday. Presents from Mother, Dad, Bert, Edie, Gertie, Amy, Mrs Butler
Pcs from Annie G, Annie D’A, Walter

Wed, Jun 30th
Drew Sun Helmets & Lanyards. 2nd draft of 63 men to Egypt. Went into Canteen 9.30 – 1.0. Paraded 1.0 & marched to 5th M/crs lines. Joined with other Batt’ns & marched down to Crowborough Station

Thu, Jul 1st
Train 3.50am (D Gray, Fiske, Davy, Hadfield, Musgrove & self in carriage). Beautiful scenery on journey. Entrance to Devonport where I could see the docks & river, very fine, Arr D’port 12.45 Marched from station with kit bags (Very hot work) to camp. (Rest Camp, Bull Point) Could see from camp, which overlooks docks, 5 or 6 cruisers (One was Roxburgh which had been torpedoed). Dinner Bully beef & biscuits. Slept in afternoon. Bed 10.0

Fri, Jul 2nd
Reveille 5.30. Did not get up till 6.45 Breakfast 8.00 Sausage, bread & butter (marge & rotten tea) Inspection of tents etc.10.0. Should have been allowed out of camp but waited to draw equipment. Drew rifle and equipment 11.30 – 12.30 midnight & 8 ammunition pouches 5.0 Sat. morning

Sat, Jul 3rd
Reveille 4.0. Returned blankets 4.30 Breakfast 5.30 Should have left camp at 6.45 but owing to equipment did not until 12.0 Got on board Ionian 1.0. In steerage quarters, 14 at our Mess table. Absolutely rotten, quarters very stuffy. Had tea, bread & butter. Slept on board in hammocks in our Mess. Terribly hot.

Sun, Jul 4th
Reveille 5.30 Breakfast 7.15 Bread & butter. Left Devonport harbour at 4.5 afternoon. On our left crowds of people cheering. A very fine sight of Plymouth with the large houses, hotels etc. On our right was the Training Ship Impregnable, 3 boats fastened together by bridges, as in warehouses. The lads were at portholes, on deck, masts, rigging. They cheered madly. All crews on different large or small ships as we passed gave us three cheers. It must have been impressive.

Mon, Jul 5th
Reveille 5.30. Rations 6.00 B’fast 7.15 Bread & butter, jam and tea. Wrote to Mother (afterwards found pad missing) Destroyers as escort left us at 1.00. Main body of seagulls at 4.0. Steamer passed us going north. Slept on deck – very calm & cool

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Tue, Jul 6th
Rain. No parade Saw 3 sailing ships. Saw shoals porpoises Slept on deck (warm)

Wed, Jul 7th
Slept & read all day

Thu, Jul 8th
Wrote to Mother, Edie & Len. Had swill down with hosepipe on Officers deck. Mr McDougall held hosepipe. Felt grand after it. “C” played “D” at deck Quoits. Won 1st game 20 – 16, lost 2nd game 15 – 30. Parade 10.30 Had a read in afternoon. Got into hammock 5.0 and stayed there till morning. Passed Gibraltar 12.0 m’night. Patrol boat challenged us. I was asleep. A shot was fired. We did not stop. Was very sorry.

Fri, Jul 9th
Got up 5.45. Had wash & came on deck for smoke. Saw a large shoal of porpoises & 2 or 3 small crowds of porpoises and sharks at various times. Porpoises appear to be about 4ft long and with a (at this point the author has drown a picture of a dorsal fin) fin in middle of back. Slung hammock at 6.0 Saw African coast (Morocco) 6.0 Only in distance. Very faintly but appearance very hilly

Sat, Jul 10th
Got up at about 6.0. Breakfast coffee, bread & butter African coast still in sight. Sea early morning looked blackish blue. Slight mist denoting subsequent heat, apparently
After breakfast read magazine & smoked. Sea exceptionally calm – has been since Gibraltar. Land in sight all day. Passed Algiers & Bona? Seemed to take a course 1 or 2 miles from African coast. Had a watch on top deck against submarines. Nothing reported

Sun, Jul 11th
Up 6.0. Breakfast coffee (very good) Out of sight of land early morning. Writing home (mother). Church service. Came in sight of apparently Tunis. Very hilly country & sandy. Grassy fields in places but majority sandy. At distance of about 5 to 10 miles were fort-like buildings on top of hills. As we passed they flew an ensign.

Mon, Jul 12th
Up 6.0 Orderly Corporal. Went for rations. Had breakfast. Saw on European side a French cruiser. Writing Mother’s letter & to Bert (birthday 29/7/15) & Doris. Parade 10.30 Came in sight of land again, Gozo, island connected with Malta. Arrived Malta harbour 1.0. Very fine place. Facing us was what we thought Gov’t House but what turned out to be a Hospital. Fortified all over. Walls of harbour in places are 100ft or so high. We did not get ashore. Should have gone ashore with Mail bags but owing to stripe was not allowed to go. Fisk & Hadfield went. Said it was fine place but very queer. Funny sight was vendors in rowing boats throwing cigarettes etc. to ship. They are twisters. Shot fired at 7.0 (blank). Sounding retreat. No boat allowed in or out of harbour after 7.0pm. Major-in-command prohibited the buying of articles from Maltese boats.

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Tue, Jul 13th
Still on board in Malta harbour (Valetta), 6 French cruisers, 1 French Battleship, 1 British Battleship, 2 British submarines, 1 French submarine. All very fine ships. In middle of night (12/07/15) unloaded some guns that were brought from England. Heat is stifling. Yesterday Col. Sgt Burdett (E Coy of old 6th) & a private, both wounded came on board and related experiences in Dardanelles. They are being in hospital in Malta. Our Officers gave us 2 pkts of cigs (so they ought). They are being treated like kings, having iced drinks, 4 course dinners, we having nothing. Left Malta 2.0pm. E12 submarine was in the harbour, the sub in which the Commander was awarded VC in Dardanelles.

Wed, Jul 14th
Out of sight of land all day. Fellow named Squire Rothwell, 4th East Lancs died with stone in bladder. He had asked to be put off at Malta but Major Roberts refused & Doctor said his case was hopeless. Just like the Army! I should hold Army responsible. Row at night with 2 Worcesters with an officer. Both put in guardroom. Nothing else to report. Very uninteresting day.

Thur, July 15th
Had burial service of Rothwell of East Lancs. Body encased in canvas bag (weighted) laid on boards with Union Jack laid over him. As words were read “Commit his body” flag taken off and body slid off planks. Did not see it. Terribly hot today. Drew our kitbags from forward hold 10.30

Fri, Jul 16th
Came in sight of land (Egypt) at 10 o’clock (Sandy plains) Drew rifles & bayonets at 10.00. Dinner bully beef & potatoes (very good). Tug just passed us to our front apparently the one to pilot us into Alex. Arrived Alexandria 2.00 – very fine harbour. Reminds one slightly of Liverpool. We did not go ashore. Egyptian men wear trousers more like skirts. Some men & boys come on board selling Egyptian papers printed in English. Men in boats selling fruit (melons are very good) Goodwin (who was in my recruit squad) & 4 others of 6th came on board. Said things in Dardanelles fairly promising.

Sat, Jul 17th
Orderly Corporal today. Still on board in Alexandria. We are going practically direct to Dardanelles. May go to the Island of Lemnos where the remainder of 1st 6th are. Took our kitbags ashore – they will be stored away. Only on quayside a few minutes. Packed necessaries in valise. Wrote Mother & Len. Some of the 6th (wounded) came on board. Davies (Danny Shea) had had sunstroke. Sent telegram to Dad by fellow in old 6th who has been wounded in the head. He comes from Stretford These wounded said British etc were getting near summit of Achi Baba. Slept on aft upper deck amongst lifeboats.


Telegram sent from Alexandria 18 July 1915
Thompson Chemist Weaste Mchr England
Arrived Alexandria health perfect love Thompson

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Sun, Jul 18th
Still on board in Alexandria harbour. Roll call 7.0 Breakfast 7.15 Left Alex 8.0 (probably for Lemnos) Wrote out paysheets on top deck & witnessed payment. At about 3.0, men of the KOSB broke into beer barrels in store by our parade ground. A KOSB & a Wiganer had fight. I helped to separate them. The captain of the ship came round to the beer shad and said “I’ll show every b_____ one of them what they’ll get for breaking into this bar. I’m commander of this ship” The fall in was sounded at 3.30 in consequence of this. The men, as many as found, who were drunk were put in the guardroom. They were subsequently released.

Mon, Jul 19th
Got up 6.30 Nothing interesting worth writing. Islands all along the route. Got some oranges on board. First I have tasted in a long time.

Tue, Jul 20th
19th
Arrived Island of Lemnos 4.00 On arrival saw tugs taking troops to Dardanelles. Islands all around & all very sandy & exceptionally hilly. In harbour were Mauretania, many cruisers & battleships, troopships & hospital ships & small tugs which take troops in numbers of 100 -500 to the Dardanelles. In peacetime apparently the island not of much importance, but now makes fine natural harbour. Altogether about 50 – 60 ships in harbour, I should say the most I have ever seen in any harbour at once. Hospital ships illuminated with green lights along side of deck, probably portholes.

Wed, Jul 21st
Still in Moudhros (Isle of Lemnos) Harbour, anchored Lemnos is apparently base for Dardanelles. Rumour says there are 40000 men on Lemnos. 5th East Lancs & Worcesters went ashore 2.45 Wrote Mother & Len. The letters were left on board. Expect would be sent away 22-7-15. Capt Hunter at 5.0 came & announced we should be going to Dardanelles tomorrow. Packed valise.

Thu, Jul 22nd
Orderly Corporal. Saw to breakfast rations & at 10 o’clock had to obtain 24 hours rations for our Batt’n, 7 tins of Bully Beef, 14ibs jam, 63lbs biscuits & at breakfast double rations of bread. Paraded 12.30 to disembark from Ionian & embark Queen Victoria, old Isle of Man boat. Revived many pleasant memories of Douglas. Went on board 2.30 in boiling sun. Bought from small boat Turkish Delight & walnuts. This ship which is used as troopship for the Dardanelles was heavily shelled at last night Gallipoli coast but no damage – was not hit. Started on Queen Victoria from Moudhros at 4.25 Capt. Helm announces we are to bivouac in a gully near trenches but quite safe. Lay off Cape Helles 8.45. 8th M/crs were 1st to go off board at about 10.0. We did not go ashore until 3.50. Kept sleeping for 10 minutes or so on board while waiting. Queen Victoria also used for trapping submarines & torpedoes with large steel nets & iron barrels.

Fri, Jul 23rd
Ashore 3.50am. “River Clyde” the boat which was run ashore on the landing of Australians is still ashore. We came ashore on barges made into bridge & marched the way the Australians landed. Senegalese, Algerian & British sentries we passed close to shore, guarding amongst lines etc. huge stacks of cases of food, thousands of cases. We landed in trenches at 5.30. heard for the first time the sound of guns. At first did not sound very much. Early morning, nothing much doing. Will probably liven up later in day. Saw Allies aeroplane. Seemed very safe in trenches. We were in dugouts but moved later on in the day to last line of reserve trenches where original 6th M/crs. Met many fellows I know, among them Harry Dean, Stanley Rd. who has not had a scratch. Very good trenches. My first of being under shellfire fairly pleasant – not as bad as expected. Was on fatigue at 10 o’clock at Brigade H’Quarters in the Gully. Very dangerous going down the Gully. At 9pm a guard is mounted until 3am. At 3am to 4am every man stands to & at 4am to 7am a guard is mounted every ½ hr.

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Sat, Jul 24th
Up 3 – 4. Slept 4 – 7. Breakfast, steak, biscuits & tea. Cook all meals ourselves. Inspection of rifles & lines 10.0 & 10.30am. Dinner, toasted cheese & biscuits. Tea, bacon & onion & jam & biscuits. Achi Baba bombarded very heavily, both by land & by our battleships on Asiatic side. Probably northern side as well. Lovely sight to see clouds of earth & powder rising from hit spot like a volcano. Of course on enemy’s side. Would not be pleasant if shot at us.

Sun, Jul 25th
Very hot day. Good meals, Steak & onions and marmalade & biscuits for breakfast. Cheese & onions for dinner, marmalade and biscuits for tea. Rec’d letter from Mother & pc from Dad. Wrote (or started) letter to Mother. Went bathing in sea on “Y” beach. On guard which means stand at parapet, listening & looking out, at 11 – 12pm.

Mon, Jul 26th
Very hot again. Continued letter to Mother (8 pages) Letters have to be given to the Q.M.S. before 1 o’clock. At 9pm went trench digging until 1.0am. We’re in the open with shells & bullets whistling overhead. Nobody hit. Issue of rum afterwards. Had mine which warmed me up. Got bedded down at 2 o’clock. Issue of Iron Rations & Smoke Helmet.

Tue, Jul 27th
Posted letter to Mother (started 25-7-15). Wakened 7.15am. Very tired. Inspection of ammunition, field dressings, Iron rations & rifle. Had beautiful steak for breakfast & biscuits & marmalade & good tea. Bathing in sea 10.30am. Back in trench 12.30. Dinner, biscuits broken up, stewed in water & when boiled put marmalade in. Would have been very good but wood from fire had been taken by somebody, so was rather a failure. Not much damage done anywhere by shells apparently. Will Taylor got a gadgia wound in the knee whilst outside trench gathering wood. Lucky devil!
Warned for guard 4 – 5. New order – At stand to, all men to put on drill order with rifles (5 rounds in magazine) & bayonets fixed.

Wed, Jul 28th
On guard 4 – 5am. At 4.30, Taube came along & dropped bomb in front of my lookout. Was rather startled. No damage done. B’fast steak (very ragged) was very late. Wrote Gladys Hughes. Very decent bombardment on both sides, majority against Turks. Beautiful sight seeing shrapnel bursting with first a flash, them a round cloud of smoke. Except for that, very uninteresting day. Very quiet. Still in support trench. Did not go bathing.

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Thu, Jul 29th
Bert’s birthday. Wrote him 12/7/15. Very slight shelling on both sides early in day. Supposed to be moving to redoubt trenches. Had Maconochie ration for dinner, very good. Moved to redoubt trenches 5.30. This is 4th trench. No shade from sun. Exceptionally hot. Capt. Helm & Roe (“D”) wounded, Helm in left hand (to be amputated) & right arm whilst taking some men to Canteen.

Fri, Jul 30th
Again very hot. Hottest day we have had, Corp’l Millar (“B” Coy) & man of R Eng’rs hit in our trench about 30 yards away by cross shots which came down trench. Millar died. Rec’d papers, wristwatch, pellets, letters, amber glasses from Dad & Mother. Millar buried in afternoon.

Sat, Jul 31st
Terribly hot. Had good wash & swill in gully. Before this, went through Australian lines (now occupied by 7th M/crs) to communication trench which we had to dig deeper. Hair cut by fellow in SB (7th?/9th? M/crs). Officer carried through our lines wounded through knee. Made some patties of broken biscuits, cheese & onions. Very good. Did not eat anything else but bread & marmalade. Paid £1 as wages – should only have rec’d 6/- Started letter to mother.

Sun, Aug 1st
Finished & posted letter to Mother. C.O.’s inspection 10.30. 2 men should have gone to Canteen on beach but not allowed later, Went into gully & sat under tree to keep out of glare of sun to read. This tree had apparently been used as cover by Turkish sniper as there were a hundred or so Turkish cartridge cases lying round. Left redoubt trenches at 6.0 & went into firing line 7.0 Nothing startling happened. Guards or sentries in daytime, 1 hour in 6, night time, 1 in 3. Not much sleep. My post is in small dugout under trench which extends in front of parapet.

Mon, Aug 2nd
Still in firing line. Guards 1 in 5 and 1 in 3. Fairly heavy shelling of Turkish lines & the Hill (Achi Baba). Rec’d Foreign Cable Money Order for £3 from Dad who must think I am in Egypt. Turks day trench about 100yds in front of our firing line last night and tonight. Can hear in early morning Turks singing (possibly for prayer & worship) Very weird sounds. Have not as yet fired a shot. Cooper (“F” Coy) killed at dawn – head above parapet. Joe Mincey(?) off to Moudhros, wound in arm. I stuck my bayonet in my arm whilst getting into the dugout.

Tue, Aug 3rd
Still in firing line. Very hot. Small bombardments early in morning, Felt pretty rotten most of day. Stomach pain. Many of our fellows have slight touches of dysentery owing to heat & drinking water. Stear (2nd Draft, old “D” Coy) killed by stray shot. Heard that Doig, Senior (“B”), Sgt Maj. Heyes (“D”), Cutter (“D”) & two others had been awarded D.C.M. for bravery etc in battle on June 4th

Wed, Aug 4th
Still in firing line. Again very hot & feeling pretty rotten. At stand to 3.0. Turks fired volleys for about 10 minutes. It was pure bravado & bluster. Really to show us that they had big numbers of men in line. Left firing line for redoubt 6.0. Had good night’s rest. Got down at 8.30. No stand to, guards, fatigues etc

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Thu, Aug 5th
Peggy’s Birthday. (Wrote 21/7/15) Constant rumours of “going over the parapet” and that heavy bombardment of Turkish defences would take place. Had talk with Frank Webb (Sgt) who predicted Achi Baba would be taken by Sunday, This was also thought by Frank Daniels (Batt’n Sgt Major) & that Dardanelles Campaign would be finished in a month. Hope so!

Fri, Aug 6th
Up 6.30. Cooked bacon & tea for b’fast. Inspection 10.00 Heard that bombardment takes place this afternoon & attack at 6.30am tomorrow. Joe Hadfield gone to hospital, run down & diarrhoea. Also Collinson & L/c Dennett. Altogether 14 men of 2nd Draft have left trenches to date for various reasons. Heavy bombardment. At about 2.00pm the English & French Artillery & Naval guns on both sides of Peninsular mostly on northern side, opened fire on Turkish trenches & defences. This bombardment continued with full force until about 4pm. The scene which looked at over the parapet was indescribable. It seemed as if some huge fire had taken place and, the flames having died down, the smouldering still remained. The whole of the Turkish front was hidden in clouds of smoke. One could distinguish only a faint outline of the hill of Achi Baba. The noise was deafening and everyone was advised to keep their heads down & get as good cover as possible, preferably against the side of the trench facing the enemy. In reply to our guns, the Turks opened up fairly heavy fire, mostly shrapnel. These shells would burst possibly 150 to 200yds from our trench but occasionally some of the shrapnel bullets would drop into our trench, though causing not the slightest damage or injury. Occasionally also, one of our guns might fire short with the result that the shell would burst near or about our trenches. Luckily none of our Battalion were hit. After our bombardment had ended, the Turks started a little one of their own. The majority of their shells seemed to be fired into the gully about 150 – 200yds on my left. These caused just a fair amount of natural alarm, but I did not hear of any on this side being killed. At 6.0 we had to pack our valises & take them into the gully to be afterwards stored away. We had to wait until a shell burst & then dash to the place where our packs were to go and then scurry back to shelter. It was rather palpitating but of no consequence.

Frank Thompson was killed in action on the 7th of August 1915.

There was only one more entry found in his diary:

Fri, Nov 19th
Edie’s Birthday. Hope to be home.

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The following messages were posted on a separate topic so as not to interrupt the thread. As these post may help readers the messages have been copied here.

Posted by Mack

hiya gary.
the five men who shared the train carriage with frank,on 1st july 1915,were these men.

2829 douglas gray."westward ho"flixton,aged 27
1757 arthur davy,42 gladstone rd,urmston,aged 24
1548 walter musgrave,6 randolph st,crumpsall,aged 20
they were all killed with frank on 7th august 1915

1519 george fiske,19 albany square,pendleton was badly wounded in the same attack[aged 19],he never served again,worked at salford town clerks office as a clerk

2500 joe hadfield 28 chapel st,stockport was the only one to come away unscathed from gallipoli,joined the MGC later on,he was the youngest one of the six men[aged 18]

the rugby players.

1502 james,arnold lowther,"westfield"tabley rd,knutsford,wounded in the same attack
250334 harry dickens,the cottage,ash lane,sale,didnt go to gallipoli,recieved a commission
1890 robert rebbitt[not rabbitt]4 york st,lower broughton,shot in the forearm on 26th may,aged 18
1889 henry,rae rebbitt,4 york st,lower broughton,killed with frank on 7th august,aged 20
1863 thomas,clegg partington,"oakdene",kings rd,sedgley park,prestwich.wounded at gallipoli

dont know which is the rebbitt brother that frank mentions

mack

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Posted by Mack


hiya gary.
theres some great pictures of the isle of man paddle steamer that took frank to gallipoli[queen victoria]
google queen victoria isle of man steam packet company

mack

[shred]

Posted by Mack

hiya gary.
frank mentions a pte goodwin[16th july] who was in his recruit squad,i'me 99% sure that hes this man.

pte 1640 james,william,plunkett goodwin
goodwin was badly wounded in the abdomen by a sniper on 13th may 1915[aged 20],he was in D.coy,he was sent to the 17th gen hospital at alexandra,he was recovery from his wounds at the convalescent depot at alexandra when frank arrived there on 16th july,pte goodwin was a saleman in ancoats before the war and lived at 54 barton st,moss side,he survived the war.
he enlisted on 17th march 1913,so frank must have enlisted on the same day

mack