The 28th: A Record of War Service in the Australian Imperial Force, 1915-19, Vol. I: Egypt, Gallipoli, Lemnos Island, Sinai Peninsula

In Short

Written by its original commander, this unit narrative records the formation of Western Australia’s 28th Battalion in early 1915 and follows its initial deployments. Traversing the Indian Ocean to Egypt, the troops undergo rigorous instruction at Zeitun before entering the trenches at Gallipoli. There they endure shellfire, disease, and a brutal winter blizzard at the Apex before evacuating to Lemnos Island and the Sinai desert. Grounded in meticulous administrative detail, unit statistics, and plain-spoken recollections, the record survives as an authentic testament to the operational reality and quiet endurance of early Australian Imperial Force soldiers.

The Story

The narrative opens in Western Australia in April 1915, where military authorities receive orders to raise and equip a new infantry unit—the 28th Battalion—comprising over a thousand officers and men. Assembling at Blackboy Camp, Lieutenant-Colonel H. B. Collett takes command, selecting staff, organizing specialist sections, and instilling discipline. After weeks of hard training and a farewell march through Perth, the battalion embarks from Fremantle aboard the transport Ascanius on June 9, 1915.

During the ocean voyage, the men adjust to crowded troopship life, occupying themselves with lectures, sports, card games, and maintaining shipboard routine while steering clear of confiscation by the ship's police. Arriving in Egypt, the battalion pitches tents near Cairo and undertakes advanced training. Officers and non-commissioned officers attend the School of Instruction at Zeitun, achieving top marks despite the skepticism of British instructors toward Dominion troops. off-duty hours offer opportunities to explore Cairo, ride donkeys to the Pyramids of Gizeh, and gaze upon the ancient monuments at Memphis and Sakkara.

In early September 1915, the unit is called to active service at Gallipoli. Boarding the packet boat Sarnia, the men reach the peninsula under cover of night, greeted by the thunder of artillery and bursting star shells over Sari Bair. Stationed at the Apex and surrounding posts, they face immediate hardship. The men adjust to periscope observation, constant sniper fire, and the sight of unburied dead in No-man's Land. Daily life consists of trench maintenance, ration shortages, and persistent sickness, relieved only briefly by the arrival of long-awaited canteen supplies.

In late November, a fierce blizzard strikes the peninsula. Rain turns trenches into icy torrents before freezing temperatures, snow, and sub-zero frost paralyze machine guns and cause severe frostbite, exposure, and loss of life across the front. Shortly after this trial, the battalion takes part in the covert, successful evacuation of Anzac Cove in December, landing on Lemnos Island utterly exhausted and depleted.

Rest and structured re-training at Z Valley restore the unit's physical vigor and morale. In early 1916, reinforced by fresh drafts, the 28th returns to Egypt to construct defenses along the Suez Canal near Ismailia. By mid-March, their time in the Mediterranean draws to a close; the battalion boards the Themistocles, dodges submarine threats in the Sicilian Sea, and arrives at the port of Marseilles to begin the next chapter of their war service on the Western Front.

How It Unfolds

The battalion takes form In April 1915, military authorities at Blackboy Camp organize the 28th Battalion from local depot troops and volunteer drafts. Colonel Collett assumes command, navigating political Selection Boards to appoint officers while shaping fresh recruits into a cohesive military unit.

Crossing the sea Embarking from Fremantle aboard the Ascanius, the troops adapt to life at sea through continuous drill, lectures, and mess routines. Off-duty hours are filled with card games, canteen purchases, and pet parakeets as the transport crosses the Indian Ocean toward Suez.

Training and sightseeing in Egypt Based near Heliopolis, the unit sharpens its combat skills at the Zeitun School of Instruction under strict British officers. Soldiers spend leave exploring Cairo, photographing the Sphinx, visiting the Apis Tombs at Sakkara, and dining near the Pyramids.

Arrival at Anzac Cove Transferred via the packet boat Sarnia, the battalion lands on the rugged shores of Gallipoli under cover of darkness. The men are immediately thrust into the sounds of heavy bombardment and the grim realities of trench warfare along Sari Bair.

Enduring the trenches Holding positions at the Apex, the troops contend with lethal snipers, disease, and dull rations. Combat operations, such as feigned attacks to draw enemy fire, mix with the daily grind of casualty evacuations and cemetery maintenance.

The Great Blizzard In late November, torrential rain and heavy snowstorm conditions freeze trench lines, causing thousands of casualties from exposure across the peninsula. Rifle actions freeze solid, testing the garrison's endurance to its absolute limit prior to the December evacuation.

Refitting on Lemnos and Sinai Withdrawn to Lemnos Island, the weakened battalion recovers its health through physical drill, fresh food, and administrative reorganization. Rebuilt with incoming reinforcement drafts, the unit shifts to Sinai to fortify the Suez Canal before embarking for France.

The People

• Lieutenant-Colonel H. B. Collett

The commander of the 28th Battalion and author of the volume. Experienced in citizen force administration, he seeks to build a disciplined unit despite initial friction with official Selection Boards. He oversees every phase of battalion life, from morning mess inspections on transport ships to operational command in the trenches of Gallipoli.

• Major C. R. Davies

A barrister from Boulder and veteran of the South African War who serves as Second-in-Command. He brings prior military experience to the administrative and tactical leadership of the unit during its formation and initial overseas movement.

• Captains A. W. Leane, L. B. Welch, and J. A. C. Wilson

Company officers who assist in organizing the raw recruits at Blackboy Camp. Promoted to the rank of Major, they take charge of individual companies, guiding them through camp routines, transport voyages, and field exercises.

• Major F. R. Jeffrey

A South African War veteran transferred from Victoria to command "B" Company. Having recently escorted Imperial Reservists to England, his practical soldiering knowledge helps steady the newly formed officer corps.

• General William Birdwood

The commander at Anzac who advocates for the health and welfare of the troops. He works alongside medical officers to secure canteen ships and improve monotonous rations that threaten the physical vitality of the men.

• Major-General J. G. Legge

The commander appointed to lead the newly formed 2nd Australian Division. Arriving in Egypt in August 1915, he organizes divisional units, selecting skilled personnel from infantry regiments like the 28th to build out specialized engineering and signaling corps.

In Its Own Voice

"Nearing the Peninsula at this point--opposite Williams' Pier--resembled somewhat an approach to Mt. Eliza on a dark night by boat from Perth Water."

Upon reaching Gallipoli by sea at night, the author draws a poignant comparison between the familiar landmarks of home and the ominous, fire-lit cliffs of Anzac Cove.

"Very rapid and accurate as he was, it was soon found that a certain amount of skill was required to camouflage and look through a periscope without having one's eyes destroyed with broken glass."

Describing early days in the trenches, the narrative dryly captures the extreme danger posed by Turkish snipers stationed near the Pinnacle.

"With the advent of the frost, men previously wet through had their garments frozen on them."

During the late November blizzard, the text starkly records the harsh environmental conditions that caused hundreds of deaths from exposure across the front lines.

What It's Really About

This record is fundamentally an examination of institutional growth, military logistics, and human resilience. Rather than focusing on grand strategic theories, the narrative concentrates on how an effective fighting unit is built from scratch through systematic organization, rigid instruction, and clear administrative routines. It explores how civilian volunteers from Western Australia are forged into disciplined soldiers capable of enduring extreme physical hardship. Underneath the daily operational logs lies an inquiry into collective morale—how camaraderie, shared humor, and pride of unit sustain men through severe climate conditions, monotonous rations, supply failures, and the constant threat of death in a static, unforgiving theater of war.

Why Read It Today

This chronicle appeals to military historians, genealogists, and readers seeking an unvarnished, contemporary look at Australia’s involvement in the First World War. Written with understated clarity and precise administrative focus, it offers a stark contrast to modernized, dramatic retellings of the Gallipoli campaign. Reading the account feels like examining an official war diary: sober, methodical, and packed with exact dates, locations, unit movements, and strength tallies.

The narrative does present structural challenges for casual readers. Its matter-of-fact tone occasionally minimizes the emotional horror of battle, prioritizing operational facts, organizational lists, and roll calls over personal drama. Historical attitudes and casual period terminology regarding local populations in Egypt and the Middle East reflect the early 20th-century perspectives of the British Empire. Yet what remains with the reader is the incredible authenticity of the record—the image of Australian troops making light of rigid regulations, marveling at snow for the first time, and maintaining their sense of humor while holding frozen trenches against impossible odds.