DIARY ENTRY

Graeme keats

Grame Keats, a spirited 20-year-old who grew up on the coast of nsw, seized the opportunity for adventure by enlisting as an Anzac during World War I. Venturing to Gallipoli, he encountered the crucible of war. Amid scorching heat and relentless enemy fire, Grame displayed remarkable bravery and camaraderie, forming enduring bonds with fellow soldiers. His story encapsulates the youthful resilience and unwavering spirit of a generation that sacrificed their innocence and youth in service of their nation. Grame Keats maintains a lasting heroism that resonates through the pages of history and this diary entry , reminding us of the sacrifices made in the sake of freedom.

26/4/1915

Today's events did not proceed as anticipated.

The initial boats arrived at the wrong location, and the main force, which I was a part of, arrived on a narrow front.The region I landed in was nothing like I was used to; the terrain was steep and difficult to navigate; my team and only a few others fulfilled our objectives for the first day; and I've finally found peace to write.

After a day of relentless commotion, the profound silence followed was almost deafening. The memory of machine gun shots echoed in my ears, and the constant swatting of flies had become a grim routine. We landed at dawn and already more than 1700 wounded comrades had been evacuated from the battleground, primarily along the seashore to the south of Ari Burnu. I counted myself among the fortunate, having escaped with only a minor scratch from taking cover in the nearest shell hole.

The machine guns that attacked us were horrific, their loud screams were a constant reminder of the dangers we were in. We clutched to our rifles and bolt-action firearms, the bayonets of which served as both guardians and emblems of despair.

The harsh environment of Gallipoli surrounded us, providing little shelter and exposing us to the weather as well as the constant turk attack. The Ari Burnu cliffs created lengthy shadows, and the beach to the south was a sight of turmoil and anguish, with the wounded being evacuated amid constant shelling.

My fellow troops and I began digging trenches under the cover of darkness. These life-saving fortifications were skilfully chiselled into the rocky ground, providing a shaky sanctuary in this brutal area

The New Zealanders had taken them first, and we took our position, sharing the blood-soaked history of the trenches.

We took turns standing guard throughout the night, watching the enemy's activities. Gunshots and explosions sounded in the distance, acting as ominous reminders of our dangerous condition. Flares lit up the darkness, throwing eerie hues over the battlefield. Despite our exhaustion and concern, we hoped that our combined efforts and the strategic advantage of our trenches would lead to triumph.

27/4/1915

I woke up this morning to dust engulfed in the back of my throat Forgetting about the cramped lifestyle we live in only 900 metres from the front line to the beach my feet had blisters covering every surface, Water is a luxury here, and food hardly suffices. We're grateful for supply ships that overcome the odds to reach us, even if offloading on that perilous shore requires bravery. In the middle of the carnage, brotherhood grows, stronger than war's steel, joining us together in this desolate land. There wasn't much disturbance today even though the Turkish counter-attacks failed to drive us into the sea, even though it was almost thirty degrees outside. The guys and I were melting, so we asked Sir Ian Hamilton, who sent along his approval to our head commanders, if we may swim on the beach. We forgot about our worries and exhaustion as we dove into the cold, soothing water. For a little while, we were able to forget about the atrocities of war and find comfort in the pure joy of swimming. It was a rare instance of peace amid the mayhem, a reminder that beauty can still be found in this dismal place. Im starting to doze of from exhaustion the rice we ate earlier made me sick, was vomiting into my canteen to stop the smell from spreading to my fellow mates

hospital ship

The AE2 sub

29/4/1915

The first hospital ship to evacuate our wounded men came today I'm not sure if the word has reached Queensland yet, but the majority of the men we brought over with us have been killed or seriously wounded. The whole battalion was nearly shattered. The hospital train arrived just behind the Palace, nine long carriages painted white with the Egyptian Star and Crescent emblazoned on the sides I’m so grateful I’m not entering that boat, it may only be a couple of days into this but dam have i been lucky . I was given more news today News has it that our sub the one that was the first allied warship submarine to successfully navigate the darnalless , crew has been captured, some Turks who shared some cigars with me earlier mentioned that the Australian sub AE2 was sunken by one of their torpedo boats. If I can recall the name it was something like the Sultan Hissar boat i can’t really remember the boys gave me a bit of rum which fuzzied my memory. If our crew were really captured I reckon they are in one of the Turk prisoner camps or dead, i really hope for the first option I remember hearing stories about the harsh conditions in the Turk prisoner camps, so if our crew were indeed captured, their situation might be quite challenging. However, I hold onto hope that they are alive and being held captive rather than having met a tragic fate.

Game of patoon

5/5/1915

I haven’t written for a while today was pretty hectic I chipped my tooth on an Anzac cookie, all jokes aside today was one of the scariest days i have experienced so far in this journey. The Turks started shelling Anzac Cove from a new location behind their lines that none of us were expecting, shooting from McCay's Hill towards Olive Grove. The Turkish army launched an attack into the heart of our grounding position, seeking to retake the beachhead and drive us off the peninsula. We believed we had all of our bases covered, but it appeared that we hadn't. When we got the call that we were under attack, I and a handful of the lads just finished filling sandbags so we played a game of pontoon smoking some tobacco in one of the damp empty trenches that i was supposed to help repair this morning. it was reported later tonight after our chow that we had over 100 casualties, including several fatalities. The surprise attack caught us off guard, leaving us scrambling to defend ourselves and protect our fellow soldiers. The intensity of the gunfire and chaos that ensued was unlike anything we had experienced before. But we have a strong plan i will share with you tomorrow i have to go to my last rifle inspection.