Westgate, James (Oral history)

British private served with 1/5th Bn Suffolk Regt in Gallipoli, Egypt and Palestine, 1915-1918

REEL 1 Aspects of operations with 1/5th Bn Suffolk Regt in Gallipoli, Turkey, 8-12/1915: sailed from Liverpool aboard RMS Aquitania, 30/Jul/1915; landed at Suvla Bay, 8/1915; description of Anzac beach; climate; attitude to Australian troops; further comments on landing from lighter at Suvla Bay; barbed wire obstacles in water; opinion of rations; location of 1/5th Bn and trenches; proximity of Turkish line; construction of jam tin bombs; use of wire netting to prevent objects falling in trench; method of putting out fire in trench; story of soldier wounded while throwing bomb; extreme variations in climate; story of Gurkha soldier frozen to death at post; description of evacuation, 12/1915; blankets placed on trench floor; method of firing rifles automatically with strings; destruction of remaining guns and ammunition; sailed to Mudros aboard lighter. Aspects of operations with 1/5th Bn Suffolk Regt in Egypt and Palestine, 1915-1918: sailed to Alexandria, Egypt, 12/1915; posted to camp at Sidi Bishr; posted to camp near pyramids, Cairo; moved into Suez Canal zone; accommodation at camp in Kantara; moved into Sinai Desert; problem of digging in silver sand; story of Royal Engineers building light railway across Sinai Desert; marched only in early morning and evening; relations with local population; role of Camel Corps in transporting water; problem of poisoned wells; use of lime to purify wells; marched crossed Sinai Desert to Gaza; wire mesh netting laid down as pathway; role in operations during First Battle of Gaza, 3/1917; description of attacking over ridge and being forced back by heavy fire; casualties and evacuation of wounded; variations in climate during day and night; story of soldiers sucking trouser buttons to obtain moisture; cases of insanity caused by thirst; role in operations during Second Battle of Gaza, 19/Apr/1917; description of going over the top; failure of attack and withdrawal; surrounded by Turks; use of listening posts ahead of front line; role in operations during Third Battle of Gaza, 11/1917; problem of continuous heavy rain; artillery support; reaction to fall of Gaza; supplies carried by light railway; impressions of Gaza; story of occupying abandoned German colony of Wilhelma, Palestine; description of journey along coast to Beirut, 10/1918.