The Rendezvous at Mudros.
Alexandria Harbour was alive with shipping--British, French,
Greek, Italian and many captured vessels. Some of the latter--the
"Lutzow," the "Annaberg," the "Haidar Pasha," and the "Goslar"--were
requisitioned to make up the fleet of thirteen ships necessary to
carry our Division. They ranged from liners like the "Lutzow," down
to dirty, lice-infested tramps like the "Goslar," and had mostly
lain in Alexandria Harbour for about eight months, tended only by a
few Greeks, who, scrupulously observing the regulations, had thrown
nothing overboard, but dumped the galley ashes and refuse on the once
immaculate decks. The carpenters were still in possession of some of
them, improvising horse boxes and fitting the tramps to carry more
passengers than they had previously been accustomed to. As the journey
took only about three days, a little congestion was not of great moment.
[Illustration: ON THE QUAY AT ALEXANDRIA
Vehicles, Stores, and a mountain of Hay for the Mediterranean
Expeditionary Force.]
Going out to take over one of the transports, two New Zealand officers
had an amusing illustration of patriotism not peculiar to Egypt. The
usual picket boat of the Ports and Lighthouses Administration not
being available, recourse was made to one of the bumboats selling
Turkish Delight and other delicacies. The two boatmen--a stolid Nubian
at the bow oar, and a flashy Arab at the other--were both quite sure
of one thing: "German, no good--English, very good." The Arab was a
fascinating person, who gripped the thwart with his big toe at every
stroke. Listening to the eloquent and reiterated denunciation of the
Hun, one officer noticed that part of the stock-in-trade was brown boot
polish with a German label, and drew the attention of his companion
to the fact. The Arab overheard the conversation. "What!" he said,
pointing to the offending polish, "that German?" "Yes," said the New
Zealander. Without more ado, the Arab scooped the lot into the harbour.
"That's true patriotism," the officers agreed, but were puzzled by the
grinning of the suppositious patriot. "What are you laughing at, you
fool? That must have cost you a lot of money!" "Aha!" came the answer,
and pointing to the black man in the bows, who seemed a trifle angry,
the Arab said, "It is not mine, it's hees!"
[Illustration: EMBARKING HORSES.]
The Otago Mounted Rifles putting horses on board at Alexandria.]
Lying at anchor was the United States cruiser "Tennessee," with her
huge "paper-basket" masts. For some time she had been employed around
the coast of Asia Minor safeguarding American interests. Greek and
Italian ships were busy bringing refugees--English, French, Jews and
Armenians--fleeing from their homes in Palestine and Syria. Just
outside Alexandria these unfortunates were housed in concentration
camps, at one of which many Jews, mostly Russian subjects, enlisted in
a transport corps styled "the Zion Mule Transport Corps," the members
of which certainly looked most unhappy with their big, rough, North
American pack mules.
Through the Ægean Sea.
On April 10, our first ships got away--the "Achaia," "Katuna," and
"Itonus." The headquarters transport "Lutzow" sailed on the evening of
the 12th, while the "Goslar," the lame duck of the fleet, after many
vexatious troubles with her internal fittings, her messing, and her
crew, finally cleared Alexandria at sunset on April 17, with the New
Zealand Infantry Brigade Headquarters on board.
During the three days of the voyage the troops had many experiences.
Every day fire and boat drill was practised. This required a good deal
of ingenuity, because on none of the transports was there much deck
room. On some of the ships there were lifeboats to hold only about 20
per cent. of the troops, to say nothing of the crews. One ship had
not enough lifebelts to go round. So an order was given that any man
drawing a seat in a boat could not have a lifebelt as well! Yet some
Germans insist that we, not they, prepared unceasingly for war!
The journey was through a sea full of islands of classic interest.
Some of the islands set in the clear Ægean blue were startlingly
beautiful. Passing Patmos, the old monastery on the top of the rocky
height stood out, clear cut, white and gleaming in the morning light.
The padres were quite interested, for it was here, tradition says,
that the Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation. Past island after
island rich in mythological lore, the smoking transports laboured;
now and then British and French destroyers mysteriously appeared from
behind a barren islet; and interesting beyond measure, we saw a good
example of maritime camouflage--a town-class cruiser painted grey and
black and white to resemble a storm-tossed sea. Ceaseless vigilance
was imperative, as Turkish torpedo boats were wont to issue from
harbours in the Asiatic coast and threaten the safety of transports.
The "Manitou," carrying British troops, lost a good many killed and
drowned in the confusion ensuing on the sudden appearance of a Turkish
destroyer.
Parading by echelon, boat and fire drill, slinging of horses and
waggons--all things tending to ensure a rapid disembarkation in the
face of the enemy--were assiduously practised on the voyage. Past the
fertile island of Nikaria the transports picked their way and anchored
one by one in the spacious outer harbour of Mudros.
Mudros Harbour.
Mudros is a land-locked harbour, the entrance easily controlled by a
boom and a minefield. Here were gathered merchantmen from the ends of
the earth--conveying the five divisions of French and British soldiers
that comprised the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. Here, too, were
ancient and modern battleships, every pattern of torpedo boat, cruisers
protected and unprotected, submarines and trawlers from the far North
Sea.
[Illustration:
[_Photo by the Author_
BATTLESHIPS IN MUDROS HARBOUR.]
It was the flush of the Ægean spring, and the shore parties cutting
grass for the horses revelled in meadows that reminded them of home.
But the gaunt grey battleships and black destroyers in the bay struck
a vastly different note. From one side of the ship could be seen cows
and sheep and stacks of hay; from the other, the grim realities of war.
Overhead the engines droned incessantly as the seaplanes circled the
harbour preparatory to a reconnaissance of the Peninsula. The tents of
the French gleamed white on the hillside below the group of ancient
windmills, and floating across the rippling water came the stirring
notes of the trumpets calling the French Territorials and Senegalese to
their frequent battle practice.
[Illustration:
[_Photo by Sister M. Jeffery, N.Z.A.N.S._
MILLS FOR GRINDING CORN AT MUDROS.]
Daily the mosquito fleet steamed out to gather information of the Turk,
and returned to find more and more transports anchored in the stream.
The representative of the young Australian Navy, AE2, passed down
one afternoon, amid tumultuous cheering, she being recognized as the
convoy to one of the early reinforcement drafts. She went out through
the minefields, and in running the gauntlet of the Dardanelles, died
fighting. Whenever a French ship passed, the New Zealanders lined the
rails, the bands played the "Marseillaise," cheers and counter-cheers
were given.
The Attack on the Dardanelles.
[Illustration: MAP OF GALLIPOLI AND SURROUNDING ISLANDS.
From Bulair to Cape Helles is about 50 miles; from Anzac to Kephalos 15
miles; from Anzac to Helles 14 miles.]
The newcomers were at once informed of the present situation and the
intention of the High Command. It is not advisable here to discuss the
political and strategical considerations that determined an attack
on the Dardanelles--whether the campaign failed because of faulty
strategy, staff work, or tactics, or because the whole conception
of the operation was unsound. This is simply a soldier's narrative of
events, and not a detailed and critical examination of a political and
military effort. This much, however, is known: that in order to help
Russia, to relieve the attacks on the Suez Canal, and to influence the
wavering Balkan States, some action was imperative.
It had been laid down in England that the British commander should
not land his army until a naval attack had been attempted and failed.
Further, he was not to commit himself to any adventurous undertakings
on the Asiatic shore.
On February 19 the outer defences of Sedd-el-Bahr and Kum Kale were
demolished by the fleet. For a time success seemed within our grasp,
but the flat trajectory of the naval guns availed them little against
the forts and land defences situated inside the Straits, and on
March 18, the carefully laid minefields and mobile field guns gave
the coup-de-grace to the naval plan by destroying in one day the
"Irresistible," the "Inflexible," and the "Ocean," together with the
French battleships "Bouvet" and "Gaulois."
Begotten of vacillation and hesitancy at Home, a period of local
inactivity ensued. It was finally decided that a combined land and sea
attack should be attempted. It was known that early in the year the
Turk had six divisions distributed between Bulair, Gaba Tepe, Helles,
and Kum Kale. Since then reinforcements had been constantly arriving
and the fortifications greatly strengthened. The situation in France
was serious--men and more men, guns and more guns, were being clamoured
for. After some delay the last division of British Regulars--the
29th--were detailed for the service, and now in Mudros Harbour they
were waiting in their transports.
The Allied troops composing the M.E.F. were five divisions, as
follows:--
A French Division (Territorials and coloured troops).
The 29th Division (British Regulars).
The Royal Naval Division.
The 1st Australian Division.
The N.Z. and A. Division (two brigades only).
Of these it may be said that as seasoned soldiers the 29th Division
had no superiors on earth, being of the same calibre as the famous
"First Seven Divisions" of the early days in France. The remainder of
the British troops were practically untried, but keen, and volunteers
to a man. For heavy artillery, reliance had to be placed on the
Allied Navies. For the first time in history a British army was to be
supported by 12-inch and 15-inch naval guns, the latter carried by the
"Queen Elizabeth."
Preparing for the Attack.
The troops were organized into three groups, labelled Echelon A, B,
and C. Echelon A was composed of the portion first to land--men who
carried three days' rations and water, 200 rounds of ammunition,
their packs and entrenching tools--whose orders were to secure enough
territory to enable the other troops to disembark with their horses,
guns and heavy vehicles. The 18-pounders and 4.5 howitzers were also in
Echelon A. Echelon B consisted of first-line transport, hold parties,
and officers' horses. They would be brought ashore as the situation
developed. In Echelon C were the pontoons of the Engineers, the waggons
of the Field Ambulance, motor cars, cycles, and supply trains.
[Illustration:
[_Photo by the Author_
A FRENCH SENEGALESE AT MUDROS.
The children, of course, are Greek.]
Day by day the soldiers in Echelon A assembled on the troop deck for
disembarkation practice. The men with their loads seemed bulky enough,
but the officers looked even worse. When trussed up with bulging
haversacks, two full water bottles, a heavy Webley and ammunition, a
big map case, field glasses, prismatic compass, a note book and message
forms--not to mention the dozen and one small articles that they, in
their innocence, considered necessary--is it any wonder that they
stepped gingerly? For, once having fallen, they would have found it
difficult, as did the knights of old, to rise again.
About four times a day the soldier crept into his Webb equipment,
struggled over the side, swayed violently on the frail rope ladder,
tumbled into the waiting boat, and pulled slowly to the shore.
[Illustration:
[_Photo by the Author_
THE "QUEEN ELIZABETH."
The warships and transports leaving Mudros Harbour for the attack on
the Peninsula.]
The days passed all too quickly. Conference upon conference was held
on the flagship; much interest was awakened by the issue of maps; and
the thrill of intense anticipation was quickened by Sir Ian Hamilton's
famous Force Order:--
"Soldiers of France and the King--
Before us lies an adventure unprecedented in modern war. Together with
our comrades of the fleet we are about to force a landing upon an open
beach in face of positions vaunted by our enemy as impregnable.
The landing will be made good by the help of God and the Navy, the
positions will be stormed, and the war brought one step nearer to a
glorious close.
'Remember,' said Lord Kitchener, when bidding adieu to your commander,
'remember, once you set foot upon the Gallipoli Peninsula, you must
fight the thing through to a finish.' The whole world will be watching
your progress. Let us prove ourselves worthy of the great feat of arms
entrusted to us."
IAN HAMILTON, General.
Let it never be said that the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force held
its opponent cheaply. The seriousness of the situation was obvious,
but the troops were imbued with the fact that with proper backing
they could not fail, and whatever sacrifice should be demanded, that
sacrifice would be gladly made.
At 2 o'clock on the afternoon of April 24, there steamed from Mudros
Harbour that great armada, led by the "Queen Elizabeth," with Sir
Ian Hamilton on board. As the New Zealand transports rode at anchor
near the entrance, ship after ship passed out at a few cable lengths'
distance. The destroyers fussed and fumed about, while the battleships
steamed steadily on to take up their position for the early morning
bombardment. As each battleship, cruiser, transport and trawler slipped
past, great cheers were exchanged; then night came quietly on; lights
blinked and twinkled over the expanse of the great harbour; and a great
hush fell on the place until about midnight, when the New Zealand
ships lifted their anchors and picked their way through the minefields
towards the open sea.