Chapter 91 – Larry

Charles Bean records the events at Anzac around late November 1915 in Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18 , vol II, pp 841-848. Following are some details:

p. 842 – Removal of stores fuelled rumours of evacuation, or partial evacuation to prepare for winter. Rougher seas made landing provisions more difficult. Most could not believe Gallipoli would be abandoned completely.

p. 843 – At 6pm on Wed 24 November, the first silent stunt began along the whole Anzac front, with orders to only fire on enemy if he attacked or threatened to do so, or offered an exceptionally good target. All normal sniping and artillery fire was to cease.

p. 844 – On 26 November the weather grew cold and rainy. During 26 November, orders were circulated to extend policy of silence for third day, ending at midnight of 27th, then troops were to be “more than normally active.” On the night of 26/27 November, at 3:00am, 20 Turks approached Leane’s trench parapet and threw bombs, but easily driven off by the 1st Battalion.

p. 845 –On 27 November, the rain became heavier. Late that night snow fell. The silent battle ended midnight 27th and had placed considerable strain on troops. On the night of 27 November waterproof capes and india-rubber boots were issued to most men on duty, reducing their suffering.  On 28 November freezing winds continued, the temperature did not rise above freezing.

p. 846 – Many saw snow for the first time and “there was much snow-balling behind the lines”.

Charles Bean records in his diary on 25 November that the idea of the silent stunt is “to give the Turks the impression that we are evacuating.” He records on 29 November that “most of the men have little fires.”

The diary of Archie Barwick, a private in the 1st Battalion is reproduced in In Great Spirits .  He describes how, after a “spell” on the island of Lemnos, the 1st Battalion returned to the Anzac front on 27 October and occupied Leane’s Trench. He found this location to be a much better home than Lone Pine (pp. 59-61). Barwick describes the silent stunt as “the most puzzling of all things”. Most men thought the idea was “to kid the Turks to attack”. He states that “A good few of our chaps were shot while observing that night over the parapet. Pretty rotten you know, being shot and not being able to shoot back.” (p. 66). Water pipes to tanks in Victoria Gully burst and water had to be carried from Watson’s Pier, under fire the whole way (p. 68).

The History of the First Battalion A.I.F notes that the attack by 20 Turks at Leane’s Trench was “easily driven off by rifle fire”, which was permissible only under such circumstances. Our own men were not less puzzled by the silence, the only reasons therefor being supplied by fickle and fertile rumour.” (p.43)

Some AWM images showing how men rested in cramped trenches at Gallipoli, both on the floor and on benches cut into the trench wall, include H02312 and G01217.