ATHY SOLDIER’S THRILLING NARRATIVE

Leinster Leader 7 August 1915

In the Deadly Dardanelles 

ATHY SOLDIER’S THRILLING  NARRATIVE

The following letter was received by Mrs. Ellen Harris, of Shrewleen Lane, Athy, from her son, Wm. Harris, who is a private in the 1st Dublin Fusiliers –

Dear Mother,- Just a line hoping you are well, as I am so far D.G.  I receive a letter from Mary Byrne thanking me for what I did for Joe.  I’d do more if it lay in my power.  Joe is all right at present but I have not seen him since he came back. I make inquiries about all from Athy, every day and all are going on well up to this. I have a great tale to tell of my experience in this war.  I had always strong nerves and did some funny things at home but I never met anything to test my nerves like the landing in the Dardanelles.  I will never forget it if I lived to be a thousand.  On April 25th, before we got within 200 yards of the shore, we were under the heaviest shell and rifle fire that was ever known in the history of the war.  When we came within 25 or 30 yards of the shore, our boats stopped.  Of course there was nothing for it only to swim ashore. Some got out all right, others were wounded, and some never came out, and may God rest them.  It was only by chance anyone got out, for it was six of one and half a dozen of the other whichever way you swam that day, for you faced death no matter what way you turned.  I will never forget when we got on land that morning at 5.30 a.m. in our wet clothes.  Byrne and I, a chap named Keegan from Dublin, and our Officer were the only ones left out of my platoon.  We fell on our hands and faces and dare not move from that position, for if we put up a finger we were shot.  God alone knows the agony we were in, with wet clothes and cramps from lying in that position from 5.30 a.m. till 7 p.m. – 13½  hours.  I was worn out when I saw some of our brave friends, the Munsters, alongside me blown to atoms – heads, arms and everything off.  Byrne was right behind me, his head touching my boots, yet near as he was, I was afraid to twist my head to see if he was alive.  I called 20 times, but he must have been deaf from the shells at the time, as he did not answer.  I gave up all hopes myself.  I never thought I would live to see another day.  I stuck it out till between 1 and 2 o’clock, after which I remember no more for some time.  I cannot say whether I was unconscious or in a trance, but I lost my senses of hearing, seeing and feeling and I prayed to get hit and get knocked out at once.  But I got a surprise when I came to and saw Joe Byrne, Keegan and the officer behind me and I said “Thank God, there are some I know.”  This poor officer got wounded that night, and Byrne later.  I think I am the only man out of my platoon that escaped from being hit, thank God.  I have someone’s prayers up to this, thank God, for I had some narrow escapes.  I remember one day stopping behind a furze bush with four others.  We were only there 20 minutes when a “Jack Johnson” came and blew the other men as far away as I could peg a stone while I lost my senses for about an hour.  The same evening I had my haversack blown off my left side and my entrenching tool and water bottle blown off my right side with shrapnel shell.  I gave up all hopes that day.  I have been very lucky up to this and please God I won’t lost that luck.  We are making the Turk pay dearly for all that now, but if anything turns up don’t fret for me.  I belong to a good old regiment – D. Blue Caps.  Remember me to all at home. 

Good-bye – Your loving son, WILLIAM HARRIS 

 Re-typed by Mary Murphy