MESSRS A. Scott and Co. will hold their monthly sale at Tanti on Monday next, when they will have a good yarding of cattle, sheep and sundries to dispose of. The sale will commence at half past twelve o’clock.
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A PUBLIC meeting is called for Monday evening next by Mr G.Griffeth, president of the shire, in the Fruitgrowers’ Hall, Somerville, for the purpose of forming a branch of the Patriots’ League. Mr M. F. King, of Melbourne, will address the meeting.
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AT the recent examinations of the Associated Board of the Royal Academy and Royal College of music the following pupils have passed:—Millie Dodd, primary division; Beatrice Andrews, elementary division, and Margaret Lander, higher division.
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IN future mails including letters, newspapers, packets and parcels for Expeditionary Forces will close at General Post Office, Melbourne, at 5 p.m. on day preceding despatch of mails. Letters from country districts must arrive at time stated to ensure despatch by outgoing mails.
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AFTER a delay of about 18 months owing to some of the parts having gone astray in transit, the work of mounting the cannon in Bay Street, Frankston, is being now proceeded with. It has long been an eyesore, lying in its dismounted state, which happily will now be removed.
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IN our report of the send-off to Frankston volunteers last week an error occurred in stating that the presentation to Private R. Dixon had been made by Mornington residents. It should have been that the presentation was made by three of Mr Dixon’s personal friends in Frankston.
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A PRESENTATION was made to Miss Gale, last week by the pupils of the Frankston State School in the shape of a nice clock, the occasion being the departure of that young lady to Dookie, to which school she has been appointed.
Miss Gale was a favorite with her pupils and also with the fellow-teachers, and their best wishes go with her for her future welfare.
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THE many friends of Mr and Mrs F. T. Hill, will sincerely regret to hear that they have received word from the Defence Department that their son Eric is amongst the missing at Gallipoli. It will be remembered that their eldest son, William, was killed at the front some months ago.
We trust that later news will soon be received that Eric has been found and is again in the ranks.
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WE have received a copy of the 44th annual report of the Young Mens’ Christian Association of Melbourne for the year ending 30th June last. It is very nicely got up in pamphlet form, with photos and views of their various tents both in Victoria and Egypt. The book gives a short resume of the large amount of work carried out during the past year, more particularly at Broadmeadows (Victoria) and at the Egyptian Bases, in connection with the comfort of our Australian lads. A special contribution is asked to aid the association’s efforts during this time of war.
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LETTERS from the Front. (From Private Alex. Meldrum, of Somerville, now at Gallipoli) I suppose before you receive this letter you will have heard that I got slightly wounded at Gallipoli and hope that you do not run away with the idea that I am blown to pieces. I am one of the fortunate ones and only received slight injuries.
It was last Thursday, 5th August, that we got notice to pack up our belongings and get ready to advance early next morning, so we started by sewing white patches on our shirts, one on the back and one on each sleeve, as we had to attack in our shirt sleeves.
Our bundles were thrown into big heaps on the edge of the cliff and we were then issued with our iron rations. Then came our first disappointment — we were not to attack till Saturday morning — so we sat in our trenches all night and shivered. I can’t say we slept, at any rate, I didn’t.
We waited till 4.30 in the evening when things got moving on our right and we gained three lines of trenches, as the Turks just simply took to their heels. This put us in great jumps. In the meantime the warships had moved up the bay and started shelling the trenches in our direct front at 8 o’clock in the evening. At midnight our warships started shelling these trenches and it was like hell let loose. Pieces of shell were hitting all round us and I didn’t think there would be a Turk left alive in those trenches, but that is where we got a shock.
At 4 in the morning, just breaking day, our red light signal flashed to stop the bombardment. In an instant we were out of our trenches and off dashed the first line. I was in the second, about ten yards in their rear. The last shell had scarcely exploded then, and before we had covered half the distance we met a wall of lead from machine guns, rifles and bombs.
It was simply hell itself and the men of our first line dropped and dropped until by the time the trench was reached you could count the survivors on your fingers. At this time my line was about half way and had lost heavily, so we pulled ourselves together and rushed forward.
I had only gone about five yards when I felt a bullet go through my hat and it knocked me out. I seemed to lie there for a terrible long time, but it could not have been many seconds. I put my hand to my head and could feel the blood running, but the bullet had just ploughed along the bone, and I soon felt alright.
I could hear our chaps cheering as they charged, so I jumped up and went on again. I got within ten yards of the trench when another bullet struck me over the right eye and I again fell. At this time there didn’t seem to be any of our chaps left. Another bullet went through my boot just nicking a piece out of my heel. I was also bleeding at the shoulder, so I left my rifle and crawled back, as we had got the order to retire.
The wound in my shoulder was caused by a bit of casing. I had it taken out, but have no idea when I got it. I think I was very lucky to get out of it so easy as the bullets were thick and close enough to make things unpleas- ant. We lost a terrible lot of men. I do not know the exact figures, but about 10 per cent, of the 8th are all that escaped. 470 of us started, but there are only 53 left.
It is hard to describe what a charge is like, such as ours, and just as hard to imagine. It was awful to see our chaps lying round. I won’t try and tell you about it as I wish to forget a lot of it myself. We struck a hail of petrol bombs which exploded all round us and burnt up everything that was near. I only hope we will have a chance of getting some of our own back before long as we have been very unlucky since we have been here. O well I am a bit tired, so must ring off, hoping all are well at home, and do not worry over my few scratches as will soon be alright.
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DANDENONG Market report: A fair yarding of all classes of cattle forward, and an improvement in prices all round.
From the pages of the Mornington Standard, 2 October, 1915
First published in the Mornington News – 29 September 2015
