Few who were with the troops on Gallipolî escaped acquaintance with Lemnos--" escaped," for to most Lemnos was not a pleasant place. To many the ' name recalls memories only of dysentery, jaundice, or rheumatism, in understaffed hospitals, or perpetual fatigues and indifferent food in the details' camp. But some few there were also who were privileged to see Lemnos at its best, and found it not merely a stony, barren, fly-infested refuse heap of dirty Greeks, but a place of beauty under a rising or setting sun, with rugged hills, sheltered, wooded valleys, picturesque windmills, and rambling, red-roofed villages. And if the Greek men were not always pleasant to look upon, yet the daughters could demonstrate that the classic tales of Greek beauty were not entirely mythical.
Before the war, Lenmos, Imbros, and some others of the Aegean islands were subjects of debate between Greece and Turkey, but at the beginning of the Gallipolî campaign they came to be practically French and British property. They were used as intermediate bases for Gallipoli, the fairly extensive plains round the bays being crowded with reinforcement and rest camps, hospitals, A.S.C. stores, R.E. dumps, and the thousand and one necessary adjuncts of a large fighting force. Imbros was known to few-to too few. During August and September, 1915, small parties of men were sent there for training and rest. There, ten days' bathing, concerts, exercise, good food, and freedom from shell-fire, in most cases, put a very different complexion upon life. Luxuries at exorbitant prices were bought eagerly from the Greek canteens, and devoured at a rate that would have amazed the careful housewife at home. Even the army doctors were shocked to elicit from men that they had eaten a couple of pounds of grapes at a sitting, and w'ere surprised at the resulting discomfort.
Those who may deem such behaviour foolish and childish do not know what it was to live in the Gallipoli trenches. The desire for luxuries was natural, and satisfying the desire did, on the whole, but little barre. The great pity was that more of the Battalions did not get a chance of such a respite from the horrors of the Peninsula. But very much better known than Imbros to the Battalions as a whole was Lemnosi. And even those whose experience there in hospital and details' camp had been, to say the least, unpleasant, were glad enough to see once more its hiil-girt harbour and -stone-strewn clay.
Marching was difficult after trench lire, and over country where roads were few and of the poorest quality, yet it was one of the most pleasant forms of parade they had. Usually we passed through one or more of the several scattered villages, whose narrow, cobbled streets, vine- clad walls, red-roofed houses, and lack of sanitation were especially noticeable. The largest and most beautiful village of all on the island was Castro, situated some six or seven miles from Sarpi camp, and those who had the good fortune to go there could testify to the fine wine which was to be had at a pretty little inn. Several of our officers also made the acquaintance of the charming little mountain village of Thermos, where at the " hotel," the delight of a natural hot spring bath, followed by a good meal, was much enjoyed. In the tour which the writer made of several of these villages, one, which I specially remember, was practicaly built on rocks. The houses seemed to have been literally dumped down any where, and most of them had the windows shuttered or half-shuttered, as if the sun's rays were something to be shunned and avoided. The shutters, doors, and outward woodwork generally were nearly ail painted light blue, while the walls were white, and seen from a distance, the village, with the sun shining upon it, looked quite charming. One entered the village by an iron gate in the centre of a whitened stone wall, which enclosed part of the village. The first house I saw appeared to be of the better type. Adjoining it was a large orchard, which, I was informed, became a wonderful bloom of flowers in summer, but which looked bare and desolate. Many of the bouses had become temporary shops in view of the near presence of so many soldiers, and all appeared to be doing a large amount of business.
The fruit sold consisted chiefly of figs and small but very julcy oranges. The former 4d per per lb., and the latter were about 6d per dozen, and sometimes much cheaper. Brown bread and eggs could also be bought, but the bread did not look appetising, and, in point of fact, had a bitter taste. Generally speaking, the village appeared strangely llfeless. Nearly ail the dwelling bouses seemed at first to be untenanted until you caught sight of a face peering at you from behind one of the half-shuttered windows. The only building of note was a Greek church, the inside of which was very fine. At the top end of the village I came to a well, congregated round which were several veiled women, some engaged in drawing water, others in knitting. A little further on, and overlooking the village, were about a score of windmills, which were used for grinding flour.
Whether by intent or happy chance, during the Battalion's route marches the halts were usually called just outside a village, and Greeks-men, boys, and donkeys--launched themselves upon us with ample stores of chocolate and tangerine oranges. Of ail things bought on Lemnos, surely these oranges were the cheapest and best that ever round their way into the all-absorbing interior of the British soldier. No amount of them seemed to do any barre, and as delicious thirst-quenchers they will not readily be forgotten by those who know what a military thirst can be. We did not have to spend all our time on parades and route marches. Except for 63 defaulters, our afternoons were free. Thursdays were holidays, and on Sundays there were only church parades.