May 11th.Most of the original Second Light Horse looked upon the Gallipoli Peninsula for the first time from the deck of the troopship “Devanha” at 6 p.m. on a beautiful evening 11th May 1915.
We had left Alexandria on the evening of the 9th well-trained light-horsemen converted into infantrymen at 3 days notice. The passage through the Grecian Archipelago had been delightful – we had a close view of the two dummy cruisers of Tiger class after passing Chios ― & were all eager to get to the war. “We didnt enlist to fool around the desert & Cairo” had been a very common sentiment in Egypt & then suddenly it seemed we were at the war indeed. All troops were crowded to the forecastle of the ship. Yes: these warships with guns booming on either hand were firing at the enemy, and the distant sound of rifle & machine gun & artillery were indeed shots in anger. No practice stunt this at fancy targets: there was the clouds of dust & smoke rising from Achi Baba, glasses were handed round to view what remained of the village of Krithia & there well within view was the “River Clyde” beached
