Sandy's Gallipoli Diary

Sandy Mulligan volunteered within a few days of the outbreak of World War 1. His service record indicates his service began on August 10, 1914. In April 1915 he was amongst the New Zealand troops who landed at Gallipoli in the Dardenelles. He was there until evacuated in December 1915.

He kept a diary from the time he enlisted until he was evacuated from Gallipoli. These diary entries can be found in the Gallery.

Unfortunately there are a few "gaps" in his diary, for example from 5 December 1914 until 9 April 1915, during which there are no entries. It appears they are simply "missing".

However, he was not idle during these periods: he sent postcards home, and began taking snapshots, which he later gathered into a Photo Album. Note that the photos are not dated exactly, so I have made arbitrary decisions about when each will be published.

• 
  20 January, 1918

  

  Surkon Road, Hebuterne

• 
  16 January, 1918

  

  Sugar Refinery, Hebuterne

• 
  11 January, 1918

  

  Returning to Aid Post

• 
  7 January, 1918

  

  Red Lodge

• 
  3 January, 1918

  

  Kyle with patient

• 
  31 December, 1917

  

  1st Blighty Leave - Hornchurch

• 
  29 December, 1917

  

  Hume with case

• 
  24 December, 1917

  

  German prisoners going to the rear

• 
  20 December, 1917

  

  Drawing water from a well in Hebuterne village - a hot place

• 
  16 December, 1917

  

  Cross-roads between Sailly-au-Bois & Hebuterne

• 
  11 December, 1917

  

  A general view of Hebuterne sector

• 
  6 December, 1917

  

  The Sugar Refinery Had Broad in snap [?] [Original image has an arrow pointing to an individual, 2nd from right, front row with hands in pockets]

• 
  1 December, 1917

  

  The Storm Squad - Ptes Kyle & Hume, Ryan & Cupplis[?]

• 
  27 November, 1917

  

  The Relief arrived

• 
  26 November, 1917

  

  Ted reported at Boscombe (New Zealand Engineers Reserve Depot, Boscombe, England)

• 
  26 November, 1917

  

  Sandy awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty"

• 
  22 November, 1917

  

  Stretcher bearers at the Sugar Refinery, Hebuterne

• 
  19 November, 1917

  

  Evidence & finding of a Court of Inquiry, in the field in Alec Mee's personnel file: "Missing believed killed 12 Oct 1917 during operations at Belle Vue Spur."

• 
  17 November, 1917

  

  Sgt Kidman & Squad

• 
  12 November, 1917

  

  Trying to frighten the camera man

• 
  8 November, 1917

  

  Pvte Hall

• 
  3 November, 1917

  

  Out Resting

• 
  30 October, 1917

  

  Mailly-Maillet Chateau

• 
  26 October, 1917

  

  Lance-Corporal Keeley

• 
  21 October, 1917

  

  Foden Lorry or Fumigating Machine at Baths. Armentieres

• 
  20 October, 1917

  A Letter from Alec Mee to his wife Jessie

• 
  16 October, 1917

  

  Perryman Post


12 October, 1917

New Zealand troops attack Bellevue Spur

By the end of the day, there were about 2700 New Zealand casualties. They included about 950 men who were either dead or mortally wounded; 843 men are officially listed as dying on 12 October, and the rest succumbed to their wounds in field ambulances and hospitals behind the lines in Belgium, France and the UK, some many weeks later.

Alec Mee was involved in this attack.

1917: Arras, Messines and Passchendaele', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/western-front-1917, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 14-Sep-2017

• 
  11 October, 1917

  

  Perryman Post at the edge of Hebuterne village

• 
  10 October, 1917

  Went into firing line 2nd time [then what looks like:] Annie

• 
  7 October, 1917

  

  Bearers at Mailly-Maillet

• 
  3 October, 1917

  

  A Squad

• 
  29 September, 1917

  

  What the Frenchman has to plough after this war

• 
  26 September, 1917

  A Letter from Alec Mee to his wife Jessie

• 
  24 September, 1917

  

  Stretcher Bearers at Schulers Galleries

• 
  20 September, 1917

  

  Sgt Foster

• 
  18 September, 1917

  

  Ted: transferred to No 2 NZ General Hospital, at Walton

• 
  19 September, 1917

  A Letter from Alec Mee to his wife Jessie

• 
  15 September, 1917

  

  Schulers Pill Box

• 
  11 September, 1917

  

  Reading a map at Schulers

• 
  6 September, 1917

  

  Just out of the Stunt

• 
  6 September, 1917

  A Letter from Alec Mee to his wife Jessie

• 
  4 September, 1917

  

  Ted: transferred from Walton to Hornchurch (hospital)

• 
  2 September, 1917

  

  Sandy rejoined No 2 Field Ambulance from leave in England

• 
  2 September, 1917

  

  A view of Passchendale Sector 1917

• 
  28 August, 1917

  

  Regt Aid Post

• 
  24 August, 1917

  

  Dugouts

• 
  20 August, 1917

  

  Bomb-proof dugout

• 
  18 August, 1917

  

  ASM Detached to England on Leave (in the field)

• 
  15 August, 1917

  

  A light railway up to Passchendale

• 
  10 August, 1917

  

  A bit of rough country

• 
  8 August, 1917

  A Letter from Alec Mee to his wife Jessie

• 
  5 August, 1917

  

  Pvte McWilliam - storeman

• 
  1 August, 1917

  

  Pvte Harker - carpenter

• 
  27 July, 1917

  

  Playful

• 
  22 July, 1917

  

  Caught

• 
  17 July, 1917

  

  Ypres

• 
  12 July, 1917

  

  Ypres again

• 
  7 July, 1917

  

  Ypres in the distance

• 
  3 July, 1917

  

  On the way back

• 
  28 June, 1917

  

  Still going

• 
  26 June, 1917

  

  A stretcher case

• 
  2 June, 1917

  

  Bac Saint Nair [possibly near Armentieres]

• 
  30 May, 1917

  

  Ted goes to Walton Hospital

• 
  28 May, 1917

  

  A Nut

• 
  24 May, 1917

  

  Private Tait

• 
  20 May, 1917

  

  Private Kyle

• 
  19 May, 1917

  

  Ted admitted to No 14 General Hospital with appendicitis

• 
  17 May, 1917

  

  Ploegsteert Village

• 
  16 May, 1917

  

  Ted admitted to Field Ambulance

• 
  13 May, 1917

  

  Ploegsteert Village


10 May, 1917



Hill 60 or Catacombs dug by NZ Tunneling Coy where 1000 men can be housed

• 
  6 May, 1917

  

  Battle area

• 
  2 May, 1917

  

  A Funk Hole

• 
  27 April, 1917

  

  Pearson in a shell-hole

• 
  12 April, 1917

  

  Going back with rations & water

• 
  22 April, 1917

  

  Direct hit on line

• 
  12 April, 1917

  

  Cawnpore Dump - a different view

• 
  2 April, 1917

  

  Cawnpore Dump

• 
  28 March, 1917

  

  Sandy appointed Acting Staff Sergeant Major and Warrant Officer First Class

• 
  21 March, 1917

  

  A French mortar dump

• 
  19 March, 1917

  

  NZ Mail in. Look at the happy faces

• 
  12 March, 1917

  

  Disturbed by Shelling at Lawrence Farm

• 
  8 March, 1917

  

  Dead Horse Corner Relay Post

• 
  3 March, 1917

  

  Bunhill Row

• 
  25 February, 1917

  

  Bully Beef & Biscuits

• 
  20 February, 1917

  

  Are we downhearted - No

• 
  14 February, 1917

  

  Sgt Moss in the lines (sometimes)

• 
  9 February, 1917

  

  Charing X QuarterMaster store

• 
  5 February, 1917

  

  Ploegsteert Wood-Sgt Kidman & self

• 
  29 January, 1917

  

  Officers Dugout after shell hit side, Ploegsteert Wood

• 
  23 January, 1917

  

  Charing Cross Advanced Dressing Station after shell landed

• 
  16 January, 1917

  

  Charing Cross Advanced Dressing Station, Ploegsteert Wood

• 
  10 January, 1917

  

  A direct hit, Charing X [Cross, Ploegsteert Wood, Quarter-Master] QM store

• 
  3 January, 1917

  

  The effect of a shell on Officer's cookhouse. Pvte Pearson