Branches Book

BRANCHES

I told you because some of the things I seen seemed impossible but still it was done with good result. It was at that advance we had three sergeants and 2 corporals and several men killed outright and wounded they were laying thick all around but you soon get used to that after the first day fighting. You don’t care for anything. I have seen such sights that would make your blood run cold but for the determination of having your revenge back when you get close enough. It is just about 12 months since I put me uniform on and joined Bill Massey’s ragtime army as they used to call us and it looks very much like another 12 months but I hope not, as things ain’t like they used to be as all my mates are either killed or wounded so I am on me lonesome.” Reggie had come to the realization that this wasn’t the jolly adventure he had been promised. Like everyone at this time, it was inconceivable to him that the war would last longer than one year. Even after all he had seen and done, he was still in for three more years of death, blood, and fire. By Jove it Pulls a Man Down as I Am Just Skin and Bone (14 October, 1915) After only a month back in Gallipoli, Reggie was struck by a serious case of dysentery. Reggie was very lucky not to die as dysentery accounted for one fifth of all casualties in Gallipoli. Reg wrote, “I have been in bed over a fortnight and the nurses say I will be a month more before I can get out. By Jove it pulls a man down as I am just skin and bone. I would weigh about 10 stone (140lbs) and when I went to the Dardanelles I would weigh about 13 (182lbs), so it makes a lot of difference.” However, there was a silver lining to his disease, as Reggie was put up for six months of sick leave. Although his leave request was initially rejected, it put his name in the system as someone with a health issue. This meant that if he was to contract any other diseases he would receive quicker attention, and have a better chance at being shipped to an actual hospital instead of a field hospital. Happy New Year (1 November, 1915) Despite the hard living conditions and low morale, Reggie was in good spirits around Christmas 1915. In New Zealand, Christmas is celebrated with a very dense and very preservable dried fruit cake. This cake was a staple part of New Zealand culture, and still is today. It makes sense that the one thing that Reggie asked his brother for was “... a bit of your Christmas cake would be good.” Reggie spent his Christmas in Cairo as “General Maxwell has issued orders that no man that has had dysentery is to go to the Dardanelles for three months after he is out of hospital.” So he had plenty of down time. His boredom was very apparent as he wrote to Will, “Please write back soon

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