men), with 100 men of the 17th Battalion, A.I.F. In the centre, the
four regiments of the N.Z. Mounted Rifles Brigade (300 men), with 100
men of the 18th Battalion, A.I.F. On the left were the 5th Connaught
Rangers, totalling 250 men.
This attack on Contour 60 of Kaiajik Aghala was timed for 5 p.m.,
with an artillery bombardment for an hour prior to that. The gunners
promised 500 H.E. shells over the space of 500 yards square. In our
section of the attack 5 officers and 100 men of the Canterbury Mounteds
were to form the first line, with special bombing parties of 20 men
of the Aucklands supporting the right and left flanks; Wellington and
Otago Mounted Rifles made the second line; the 18th Battalion, A.I.F.
the third line. Bayonets and bombs only were to be used. The Canterbury
men took up their places in the trench at 4.30 p.m. with the other
regiments in the communication trench.
After a bombardment by our artillery, at 5 p.m. our men jumped out
to advance and were immediately under a terribly hot fire from
machine guns and rifles. But they never wavered, and with men falling
everywhere they continued in one long straight line, magnificent in
their courage, on into the first trench where they disappeared for
10 or 15 minutes, amongst a nest of live Turks. Finishing these off,
without more hesitation, they rose again and advanced under the same
withering fire, fewer in numbers, but dauntless in determination, only
to meet a new foe in the enemy's shrapnel.
The casualties were fearful. But still they pressed on to the second
trench, then the third. Men were falling more quickly now. Yet it was
a charge to stir the heart and quicken the blood of a stoic, and so
forlorn it looked against such dreadful odds. The little pink flanking
flags were gradually moving forward as the artillery exploded their
shells just in front of them. It was noticeable that the 4th Australian
Infantry Brigade had not been able to make an advance on the right, and
the troops on our left were making little headway. Our machine guns now
hurried forward to take up a forward position and all hung on to the
ground gained as darkness set in. Wounded, slightly and severely, now
began to pour into the dressing stations.
It then became a bomb duel for the remainder of the night. The trenches
were choked with dead and wounded Turks and our own people, and were so
narrow that no stretchers could be used to send them out.
During the early hours of the morning the 18th Australians continued
to improve and deepen their trenches. Up and down the trenches roamed
the padres of the Mounted Rifles so that they might be near the men.
Chaplain Grant, the beloved padre of the Wellington Mounted Rifles
laboured with a comrade attending to the wounded. He heard a man crying
out in the scrub, so he took the risk and went beyond the barricade
erected to divide our line from the Turks. Bandaging friend and foe,
the two chaplains pushed on, but on rounding a traverse, they came
suddenly on a party of Turks, and Padre Grant was killed instantly.
[Illustration:
[_Photo by Rev. H. L. Blamires, C.F._
PADRE GRANT OUT AT HILL 60.
This picture was taken about an hour before his death.]
The enemy now began to enfilade with 75m. guns from the east. Their
gunners knew the range to a yard, for these were his own captured
trenches he was shelling. There seemed to be no escaping these terrible
guns; man after man, group after group, was destroyed, but the
survivors held stubbornly on. Up in the salient held by our fellows,
the Turk attacked again and again, but the Mounted Rifles stood to
it. New Zealanders have a tradition that they cannot be shifted out of
reasonable trenches.
The 9th Light Horse, about 200 strong, were placed at General Russell's
disposal and were ordered to come over from Walker's Ridge. They
arrived at 10 o'clock, and an hour later two parties of 50 each, were
taken over to the trenches to help hold our left. They encountered very
strong opposition, and had to fall back again to a barricade, which was
held by them for the rest of the night.
The position was greatly improved during the day, large working parties
being kept going deepening the trenches. The work was much interrupted
by shell fire from Abdel Rahman Bair.
[Illustration:
[_Photo by Rev. H. L. Blamires, C.F._
AFTER HILL 60: THE REMNANTS OF THE AUCKLAND MOUNTED RIFLES.]
At 2 p.m. the officers of the 10th Light Horse came over from Walker's
Ridge and were shown the position. A plan was unfolded whereby these
Light Horsemen might attack an essential piece of trench away on the
left. That night the old 10th, our comrades of Walker's Ridge, came
over to Kaiajik, and at 11 o'clock, in the darkness of the night, fell
upon the Turks in the remainder of the trench. This was the climax.
Bomb as the Turk might, he could not shift the Light Horse and Mounted
Rifles. It was here that Thossell of the Light Horse got his V.C. for
holding the barricade against persistent bombing attacks. The top
of Kaiajik Aghala was now partly in our hands. We never gained the
whole of the crest; but what we took on August 21/28 we held till the
evacuation.
Three machine guns and 46 prisoners were taken, as well as three trench
mortars, 300 Turkish rifles, 60,000 rounds of small arm ammunition, and
500 bombs. The estimate of the Turkish losses was given at 5,000, but
this is likely an exaggeration.
[Illustration: ALONGSIDE THE HOSPITAL SHIP "MAHENO."]
Many of the wounded in these two battles for Kaiajik Aghala were
fortunate enough to be taken aboard our own Hospital Ship--the
"Maheno"--which arrived off Anzac on August 26. With what joy did
the soldiers welcome the clean sheets, the hot baths, the thousand
and one comforts and the sight of real New Zealand girls. After the
hand-to-hand struggle at Hill 60, to lie at rest on the "Maheno" and
watch the nurses was like creeping quietly into heaven.
CHAPTER XVI.
Preparing for the End.
The struggle near Kaiajik Aghala was the last pitched battle on the
Peninsula. After the desperate landings in April; the trench warfare of
May, June and July; the titanic efforts of August--four strenuous and
bloody months--we were forced to admit that at Helles, Anzac and Suvla,
we were still holding only the lower fringes of the Turkish position.
The troops, weakened by continual hardships and malnutrition, were an
easy prey to dysentery and similar ailments. The dressing stations were
also kept busy by men troubled with septic sores. Scratched by the
prickly scrub, or with a meat or jam tin, the wounds were healed with
great difficulty, which was not surprising, as the men were not strong
enough to throw off or resist even the most trifling ailment.
[Illustration:
[_Lent by Lieut Carr, A.M.R._
AN OFFICER'S DUGOUT.
On the left is the soldiers pack and an empty rum jar; on the right of
the "door" a petrol tin for water.]
Resting at Sarpi.
About the middle of September, taking advantage of the arrival of the
2nd Australian Division, it became possible to relieve the troops
of the two veteran Colonial divisions, excepting the New Zealand
and Australian divisional troops (artillery, engineers, A.S.C. and
ambulance) who went through unrelieved right up to the evacuation.
The N.Z.M.R. Brigade at Cheshire Ridge handed over to some recently
arrived Australians, leaving only a few officers and men as machine
gun crews. The remainder of the brigade--20 officers and 229 other
ranks--were accommodated in one small barge! It was only on occasions
such as this that we could comprehend our losses. The old "Osmanieh"
sailed for Lemnos, and the brigade disembarked at Mudros early on
September 14, and marched by road to Sarpi Camp, about three miles from
the pier. This road connected Mudros with the chief town of the island,
Castro. Tents were scarce, and during the night a torrential rain made
everybody most unhappy. The ground was very soft, but a hot sun made
things more bearable during the day. A few tents were erected for the
Infantry Brigade which was expected during the day.
[Illustration: A SKETCH MAP OF THE NEW ANZAC LINE.
Chatham's Post to No. 3 Post were the original Anzac boundaries. The
dotted line at Lone Pine, and from the Apex to Jephson's Post indicates
the territory gained in August. The Anzac area went as far as Hill 60.]
The infantry battalions were in the same plight as the mounted
regiments. Although having absorbed the 3rd, 4th, and 5th
Reinforcements, these one-thousand-strong battalions of the landing
were now pathetically weak--the strongest not totalling more than 300
men. Four months of living on monotonous food, of constant hammering at
the Turk, of thirst and danger and fatigue, had left its mark on the
hollow-cheeked, sunken-eyed, but dauntless-spirited soldiers of Anzac.
Arriving at night, the men of the N.Z. Infantry Brigade stumbled along
the dark and dirty highway. Many of the troops slept by the wayside
rather than struggle on and further weaken themselves. As there were
few tents at the camping place, it turned out that the ones who did
struggle on were in no sense rewarded, and to make matters worse, a
real Mediterranean downpour set in. Daily more "Indian pattern" tents
arrived, into which as many as forty men crept at night. Gradually the
number of tents increased, the weather cleared, and the men made an
effort to extract a little pleasure out of life.
Here at least there was no shelling, and the food, in quality and
quantity, surpassed our most sanguine expectations. For the first time
on active service we tasted the luxury of canteens. Even recreational
institutes sprang up. Day by day the men gained strength until they
were colourable imitations of the original arrivals at Anzac. How
genuinely pleased we were to get the many gifts of eatables from New
Zealand, and from good friends in England and Scotland--these good
people can never realize what pickles, strawberry jam, condensed milk,
crisp Edinburgh shortbread, illustrated periodicals, and letters meant
to those war-worn, homesick men.
A gift particularly touching was a large consignment of sweets packed
in tins by the school children of the Dominion. Some of the cases had
evidently been stowed too near the ship's boilers, as, on being opened,
there was discovered a conglomerate mass of molten sugar, tin, and
little notes from the various packers. Weird mixture though it was, the
sweets were most acceptable, and appreciated not only for their value,
but for the kindly solicitude that prompted the service.
[Illustration: A FRENCH SENEGALESE.
Dressed in white with a red sash, these troops were very vain and like
all negroes could not keep their hands off the henroost.]
Nurses!
The camp was thrilled when Canadian nurses were discovered on the
island. With their wonderful ways, their delightful accents, and their
cute little naval capes, the memory of those nurses working away in
that hell-hole of Mudros should never be forgotten. On the road from
Anzac, Suvla and Helles; on this dusty, rocky island; surrounded by
that atmosphere of desolation and suffering caused by an aggregation
of wounded and broken men--these girls, with no halfpenny illustrated
paper to print their pictures and sing their praises, slaved away in
the Mudros hospitals and saved the lives of many New Zealanders who
must have perished had it not been for the devotion of the nurses. The
soldiers of New Zealand can never adequately express their thanks for
the magnificent work of those Canadian and Australian women at Lemnos,
and the British, Australian and New Zealand nurses who toiled so
heroically on those awful journeys in the hospital ships from Anzac to
Mudros, Alexandria and Malta.
War has some compensations, after all. One begins to realize that we
are so dependent on our fellows for most of the happiness and joys of
life. Between the sailormen and the Colonials, too, there was a strong
bond of friendship. This became very manifest after the landings, and
further intimate acquaintance strengthened those early ties. The latest
expression of these feelings came from the cruisers and destroyers in
the bay. The crews had a "tarpaulin muster," the result of which was a
present for every man in the division of half a pound of tobacco, at a
time when it was specially acceptable.
Hot Baths at Thermos.
Most welcome news was that, at Thermos, about three miles away, hot
baths could be had. From the day when the baths were built, they could
not have been more crowded. Since leaving Egypt, five months before,
hot baths were unknown, unless one was lucky and sufficiently hurt to
be put aboard a hospital ship. So out to Thermos hurried the men, to
whom a hot bath was a boon beyond price. The little stone building
was below ground level, the inside lined with marble, and with marble
basins full and overflowing in each corner so that the marble floor was
also awash. The procedure was to strip off and with a little dipper
pour the water over oneself. Thermos became the most popular resort on
the island.
In the little villages, too, very good meals could be
obtained--especially those delicious Continental omelettes made only
in countries where eggs, tomatoes and fine herbs are estimated at
their full value. The mild Greek beer was also most palatable. Mixed
with the wine of the country, it made even the listless Anzacs quite
hilarious. The quaint old windmills on the hill, and the church in the
village square, where the gossips gathered together, were reminiscent
of the Old World life made familiar to us in our youth by means of
books and pictures. Indeed, some of these old villages seemed just like
an ancient painting come to life. Flocks of sheep with little bells
on their necks made sweet tinkling music as they wandered to and from
their pasture lands; by the roadside the comely (if rather fat) Greek
women worked in the fields, and winnowed in olden style their crops
of grain and seeds; on the hillside the ancient windmills ground corn
which made a most palatable brown bread; under the spreading tree in
the village square, picturesque old patriarchs, apparently telling the
tales of ancient Greece, were really discussing how much money they
could extract in the shortest time from these open-handed, spendthrift
warriors!
[Illustration: THE MAIN STREET IN MUDROS.]
The Problem of a Mixed Coinage.
The troops certainly had plenty of money to spend, and indulged in
orgies of tinned fish, tinned fruit, and tinned sausages from the naval
canteens, supplemented by melons, grapes, figs and eggs bought from
the villagers. The Mudros shopkeeper made a small fortune out of the
exchange of English money. Generally we had English treasury notes for
one pound and ten shillings. These were over-printed in Turkish, so
that their value might be comprehended in captured villages, but so far
Kuchuk Anafarta and Krithia had resisted our efforts to make them legal
tender!
Perhaps the strangest thing of all was the readiness with which
Australian silver was accepted. A few years ago it was not legal tender
in New Zealand, but away up here in the Levant, and all over Egypt, it
was not questioned. The emu and kangaroo signified nothing to these
simple folk, but did not the other side picture King George of England?
[Illustration:
[_Photo by the Author._
THE VILLAGE PUMP.
A sentry on guard at Mudros. Greeks drawing water with the ubiquitous
kerosene tin.]
The change given for an English pound was enough to make the soldier
join the scientists in praying for the early adoption of a universal
coinage. French Colonials from Senegal and Tunis brought their own
money with them; French territorials contributed francs and centimes to
the medley; Egyptian labourers tendered their piastres and millemes;
Greek, Turkish and Italian money circulated freely; English and
Australian was as good as the best--so, when a man got his change,
the silver would be Australian, the nickels would be endorsed with an
inscription which was Greek in more ways than one, while the coppers
bore on one side a meaningless Arabic scrawl and "Tunis" on the other!
Welcome Reinforcements.
The arrival of the 6th Reinforcements gave a tremendous fillip to the
sadly depleted brigades. To the 20 officers and 200 other ranks of
the N.Z.M.R. Brigade were added a draft of 30 officers and 1060 men of
eager volunteers. The Infantry Brigade was reinforced in a like manner.
The new men were so fresh and fit, rosy-cheeked and cheery. "Just
like a lot of young schoolboys," said an officer. "I never realized
before how different the newcomer was to the sun-dried, war-stained,
weather-beaten Anzac."
[Illustration:
[_Lent by Lieut Carr, A.M.R._
AUCKLAND MOUNTED RIFLES AT LEMNOS.]
With mixed feelings the units learned that they were to return to
Anzac. This rest at Sarpi had been a great relief. Strengthened by the
fresh blood of the reinforcements, strong in the veteran's knowledge
of warfare, the troops once again embarked. "I'm glad we're going
home," said one boy. Strange what we can get accustomed to call "Home"!
Farewells were exchanged with the nurses, the sailormen and the Greek
ladies gathered round the village pump. Lemnos was once again lost to
view and the pleasant sojourn at Sarpi became only a memory.
The Seething Pot of Balkan Politics.
During the months of midsummer the political situation in Europe gave
the staffs and soldiers of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
something to think about. We studied the Balkan situation and knew
of the different candidates and parties struggling for dominance in
Greece. The boy from Awarua waited anxiously for the latest election
return from the islands of the Cyclades!
And now the Russian armies on which we had so much depended were
being hurled from line to line by the Austro-Germans. Warsaw and
Brest-Litovsk fell in August; Grodno and Vilna in September. It was
reluctantly admitted that no help could be expected from Russia.
Meanwhile the Greek Premier, Venizelos, who had been returned to
office with an overwhelming majority in June, experienced opposition
from King Constantine. It was understood that the Greeks would always
help the Serbians if attacked by an outside power, but to the disgust
of all true lovers of freedom, the Greeks refused to move. Serbia's
cup of bitterness was filled to overflowing on September 19, when a
powerful Austro-German force struck again at that gallant army which
but a few months before so decisively punished the Austrians. The next
day Bulgaria made public a treaty (secretly signed two months before)
throwing in her lot with Germany, Austria and Turkey!
King Constantine, convinced that Germany must win the war on land,
prevented the Greeks coming to the assistance of their traditional
friends. So it was that Serbia found herself assailed on one side by
the Austro-Germans, and threatened by the Bulgarians on the other.
The French and British wished to help their ally, Serbia, but once
again the old complaint was evident--a shortage of trained available
men. See how this re-acted on the Gallipoli compaign: Sir Ian Hamilton
was asked if he could now spare three Divisions! With the consent of
the French, the 53rd (Welsh) Division, the 10th (Irish) Division from
Suvla, and the 2nd (French) Division from Helles were sent to Salonika.
Thus was the Gallipoli army despoiled to provide troops for the new
venture at Salonika, whence with other allied troops, it was thought
an effort could be made to save Serbia. But once again the allied help
arrived in time only to fight a rearguard action, and Serbia shared the
fate of Belgium.
Salonika absorbed more and more British troops--troops which might have
made all the difference if they had been ready and released a little
earlier for the attacks on Sari Bair. On the Western Front a great
effort was being made to concentrate men, ammunition, and guns, for the
coming great offensive, which culminated in Neuve Chapelle, Loos, and
the French attacks in Champagne.
The British authorities--almost beside themselves with the demands
from the Western Front; troubled by the hesitancy of the Greeks;
dumbfounded by the deceitfulness of the Bulgarians; appalled by the
evident collapse of the Russians; and now faced with the necessity of
providing a force at Salonika, had, in taking three divisions from
the Peninsula, again demonstrated that the Gallipoli campaign did not
have the whole-hearted support of those responsible for its vigorous
prosecution. They had not realized that, perhaps more in war than in
other matters, things done by halves are never done right.
[Illustration:
[_Photo by Col. Falla, C.M.G., D.S.O._
WATER CARRIERS OF THE 4TH HOWITZER BATTERY.
These small donkeys were purchasable in the Ægean Islands at about two
pounds each.]
So it was that while the troops were resting at Sarpi, the fate of the
Gallipoli adventure was being decided elsewhere. All the gallantry,
heroism, and sacrifice of the British, Indian, French and Colonial
troops were to be sacrificed because the Allies, caught unprepared
by the Central Powers, had no well-defined plan of action. Nations
unprepared must always pay the price in flesh and blood.
The Responsibility of Australia and New Zealand.
In this matter the people of New Zealand are not one whit better
than their kinsfolk of the Old Land, of Canada, of South Africa,
of Australia. The people of New Zealand cannot preen themselves in
the knowledge that they were prepared for war. The advocates of
preparedness had been for years voices crying in the wilderness. A
little reasoning here may be of value. For of what use is experience
and history if we do not measure our shortcomings?
Ultimately New Zealand maintained a Division in the Field. At the
end of the war--in that we had twelve, instead of nine battalions of
infantry--we had the strongest division in all the Allied Armies.
Australia maintained five, and always four, divisions in France. Now
the August offensive in Gallipoli took place just one year after
war had been declared between Great Britain and Germany. Yet New
Zealand--because, before the war, the people refused to comprehend the
German challenge for world dominion--could not put into the field more
than two brigades. It was not that the public was not warned, but the
English-speaking peoples will not see that if we must do the world's
work we must use worldly tools. We are men in a world of men, and
despite the visionaries and the dreamers, the last appeal is to force.
This may be regrettable, but unfortunately it is true!
If the Australians could have placed their four magnificent divisions
at Anzac and Suvla; if New Zealand could have loosed a full division at
Chunuk Bair, while the Australians went for Hill 971 and Suvla--there
perhaps would be no talk of "the Gallipoli failure." Admitting that
the New Army divisions were not of a calibre required for desperate
fighting in rough country, they were certainly better from a soldier's
point of view than the excellent material not yet available from
Australia and New Zealand.
General Hamilton is Recalled.
The story of Sir Ian Hamilton's recall is best told in his own words.
After describing the battle for Kaiajik Aghala, he says: "From this
date onwards up to the date of my departure on 17th October, the flow
of munitions and drafts fell away. Sickness, the legacy of a desperate
trying summer, took heavy toll of the survivors of so many arduous
conflicts. No longer was there any question of operations on the grand
scale, but with such troops it was difficult to be downhearted. All
ranks were cheerful; all remained confident that so long as they stuck
to their guns, their country would stick to them, and see them through
the last and greatest of the crusades.
"On the 11th October, Your Lordship cabled asking me for an estimate of
the losses which would be involved in an evacuation of the Peninsula.
On the 12th October I replied in terms showing that such a step was
to me unthinkable. On the 16th October I received a cable recalling
me to London for the reason, as I was informed by Your Lordship on
my arrival, that His Majesty's Government desired a fresh unbiased
opinion, from a responsible commander, upon the question of early
evacuation."
[Illustration:
[_Photo by Captain Wilding, N.Z.F.A._
A GUN PIT OF THE 6TH HOWITZER BATTERY, N.Z.F.A.]
The reasons for Sir Ian Hamilton's recall were not promulgated to the
men on the Peninsula, but his departure was made known to the troops
through a manly farewell order. The Colonial divisions were very sorry
to see him go. His commanding figure, his charming personality, his
warm and expressed admiration for the "ever-victorious Australians
and New Zealanders" endeared him to the soldiers, who like himself,
were high-spirited, brave, optimistic, and warm-hearted. "Our progress
was constant, and if it was painfully slow--they know the truth." And
knowing the truth we grieved to see him go. We knew that the age of
miracles had passed, and that improvized machines could not stand the
rough tests of war.
General Munro Assumes Control.
The new "responsible Commander" proved to be General Sir Charles
Munro, K.C.B., a soldier of much experience in former wars, and a
fine record of service on the Western Front. Until General Munro's
arrival on the Peninsula at the end of October, General Birdwood acted
as Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. No
movement was attempted during this period. There seemed nothing to
do but strengthen the line and prepare for the bad weather everyone
anticipated.
General Munro arrived on the Peninsula at the end of October. His duty
was:
(a) To report on the military situation on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
(b) To express an opinion whether, on purely military grounds, the
Peninsula should be evacuated, or whether another attempt should be
made to carry it.
(c) The number of troops that would be required--
(1) To carry the Peninsula.
(2) To keep the Straits open.
(3) To take Constantinople.
It was not long before the General was able to report that "the
positions occupied by our troops presented a military situation unique
in history. The mere fringe of the coast line had been secured. The
beaches and piers ... were exposed to registered and observed military
fire; our entrenchments were dominated almost throughout by the Turks.
The possible artillery positions were insufficient and defective. The
force, in short, held a line possessing every possible military defect.
The position was without depth, the communications were insecure
and dependent on the weather." After reviewing the conditions of the
troops--they could not get the necessary rest from shellfire as in
France; they were much enervated from the diseases in that part of
Europe in the summer; through their tremendous losses there was a great
dearth of officers competent to lead--these and other considerations
forced the General to the conclusion that the troops available on the
spot could not achieve or attempt anything decisive.
[Illustration: A UNIQUE PIER AT IMBROS.
Ships sunk to make a pier at Kephalos. A close examination of this
large vessel will reveal the deception--she is a merchant steamer
with enough fake super-structure to make her look like a British
dreadnought. Observe her own funnel with the outer imitation funnel
removed. A fleet of these dummy warships often masqueraded in the North
Sea as the British Fleet. ]
On considering the possibilities of an early success by the provision
of reinforcements, he came to the conclusion that "an advance from
the positions we held could not be regarded as a reasonable military
operation to expect;" and "even had we been able to make an advance
on the Peninsula, our position would not have been ameliorated to any
marked degree, and an advance to Constantinople was quite out of the
question." Which brought the General to the point: "Since we could
not hope to achieve any purpose by remaining on the Peninsula, the
appalling cost to the nation involved in consequence of embarking on an
Overseas Expedition with no base available for the rapid transit of
stores, supplies, and personnel, made it [an evacuation] urgent."
It must be remembered that the soldiers were not informed of these
important decisions. It was essential to the plan that absolute secrecy
should be observed, and that the enemy should be led to believe that
an attack might take place at any time. It was now announced that the
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force would consist of two distinct and
separate parts--the "Salonika Army" under Lieut.-General Sir B. Mahon;
and the "Dardanelles Army" under Lieut.-General Sir W. Birdwood.
The Great Blizzard.
With the advent of cooler weather the daily sick parades became
appreciably smaller, but the men of Anzac were to have still another
trial of their endurance and cheerfulness, for on November 27, the
weather turned extremely cold. Next morning the troops awoke to find
everything white with snow. A snowstorm is not a very disagreeable
thing provided one has a comfortable home and clean streets. But at
Anzac everyone lived in a dugout--clay walls, clay floor, and a clay
track up to the door. The mud and slush made all the tracks as sticky
as glue. Locomotion became difficult. Supplies ran short.
[Illustration:
[_Lent by Lieut. Carr, A.M.R._
NEW ZEALAND TROOPERS IN THE SNOW.]
The blizzard was almost the fiercest enemy encountered on the
Peninsula. We could fight with, and often outwit, the Turk, but against
snow and slush we had very little defence.
The troops were greatly indebted to some enterprising men who
anticipated cold weather, and issued a small supply of whale oil with
instructions how to apply it to the extremities in case of heavy
frosts. This simple precaution prevented a very large number of
frost-bite cases, as far as the New Zealand brigades were concerned. In
comparison with the other troops we were more or less fortunate, as we
occupied the higher ground on the Peninsula, and our trenches drained
themselves down the slopes. But to those who had to go uphill to the
trenches, the task was almost impossible. The deres which were always
used as tracks became miniature rivers of mud, eventually becoming
frozen and covered with snow. The troops will long remember the small
hours of November 28 as they were rudely awakened by the tarpaulin
roofs of their never-too-elaborate dug-outs collapsing on top of them
with the weight of snow. The gale made playthings of the light craft in
the Cove. Barges and launches broke from their moorings and completed
their sphere of usefulness on the beach. The snow-covered hills
presented a wonderful sight. Long icicles hung down from the parapets
in the trenches. Comparatively few of our men suffered from frost bite,
but it was really a very sad and pitiful sight to see long queues of
stretcher bearers carrying the suffering men from the lower slopes.
[Illustration:
[_Photo by Col. Falla, O.M.G., D.S.O._
ROUGH WEATHER AT ANZAC: A STORM IN ANZAC COVE.]
The poor fellows caught it very badly, especially towards Suvla Bay,
as the trenches became inundated with the rushing waters. Many of
the occupants were drowned. The brigades of the 29th Division held the
trenches into which drained the flood waters from the Kiretch Tepe
Sirt. They suffered severely. The Newfoundland contingent, now attached
as a battalion to one of these famous brigades, almost revelled in the
frost and snow, as might have been expected! The casualties among the
Turks, according to those who surrendered at this period (and there
were quite a few) must have been enormous.
[Illustration:
[_Photo by Capt. Fairchild, N.Z.D.C._
IN THE SNOW: ENGINEERS' DUGOUTS AT THE APEX.]
The most popular place after the blizzard broke out was the ordnance
stores, as everyone was in want of extra clothing--and, thank goodness,
it was available. It was amusing to see sentries on duty after their
experience of the first night. It would have needed a very energetic
bullet to penetrate the amount of clothing worn! This is a fair
sample:--Hat, balaclava cap, (two if procurable) waterproof cape,
greatcoat, tunic, cardigan jacket, shirt, two singlets, two pairs of
underpants, trousers, puttees, two pairs of socks, straw or paper
round the feet, and a pair of trench boots! After each tour of duty a
compulsory tot of rum was issued. Fortunately for all concerned perfect
weather set in about December 4.
This blizzard set all thinking. The chief topic of conversation was
"How will we fare, supposing the bitter weather holds out for a couple
of months?" as nothing in the way of stores or provisions could be
landed other than in perfectly fine weather. Units who had sited their
homes near the deres carved out neat villas on higher ground. Hospitals
evacuated their sick as quickly as possible, and men not employed
making high level roads, were busily engaged in making winter dugouts,
well beneath Mother Earth--well beneath advisedly, as about this time
we were almost daily informed that our airmen were locating concrete
emplacements for heavy howitzers. The Turkish prisoners were also kind
enough to say that a large number of heavy guns were being placed in
position to blow us into the Mediterranean, which was understood to be
very cold in winter.
The Visit of Lord Kitchener.
We did not get many callers, so the visit of Lord Kitchener of Khartoum
to the Anzac battlefields started us speculating afresh and making wild
conjectures. His visit, needless to say, was very secret. On landing he
went straight to Russell's Top and right through the trenches on the
Nek. Indians passed by the way were overawed and simply went down on
their knees. Needless to say there were wonderful rumours as to what
he did and said, but it was generally understood that the decision
to evacuate the Peninsula was confirmed there and then. Viewing the
country from the observing station of the 2nd Battery, N.Z.F.A., he
was much impressed by the rough country. His time at Anzac was chiefly
spent at that portion of the line held by the Australians, and it was
impossible to suppress the outburst of enthusiasm when they recognized
Lord Kitchener. The men cheered and he made short speeches, but did not
tarry. Soon he stepped aboard the waiting motor launch and sped away
north to Suvla.
The Hours of Silence.
A mysterious order for forty-eight hours' silence was hailed with
delight by the men. No work was to be attempted, not a shot was to be
fired. It was well to let the Turk believe that we could stay silent if
we wanted to. If he had come on to investigate, our machine guns would
have punished him severely. But he was too wary, and not prepared to
put his head into our noose. He made no move. Perhaps he had a hearty
laugh at our tempting him, so the ruse certainly prepared him for an
occasional silence that might be priceless later on. Presently he
became bolder and put out a good deal of wire. The silent period was
lengthened and eventually ended at midnight of November 27/28, having
lasted seventy-two hours.
CHAPTER XVII.
The Evacuation.
Even as the military feat of the landing was unparalleled, so the
situation now presenting itself to the staff was unique. Nowhere
in history could be found any precedent. This was not an ordinary
strategical or tactical retreat. With our farthest post about 3,000
yards from the sea; with a No Man's Land in many places only 20 yards
wide; with the opposing trenches held by an unbeaten enemy--we had to
disengage ourselves, march down narrow defiles, and embark from flimsy
piers, each one of which was liable to be heavily shelled during the
operation. This was no time for muddling through. Cool and ingenious
brains propounded plan after plan. The orthodox thing would have been
to attack everywhere but at Anzac and Suvla, and under cover of these
diversions, seek to beat a retreat. But for many reasons this method
did not commend itself. Already indiscreet people in high places had
openly talked of evacuating the Peninsula. The Press of England had
discussed the matter, and the Turk was bound to be suspicious. So it
was decided that the enemy must be deceived as much as possible. A
rumour became persistent that Lord Kitchener, with a great new army,
would land and make one last grand effort on Christmas Day.
Secret instructions were issued to officers that the evacuation would
be accomplished in three distinct phases. First: all surplus men,
supplies, and animals were to be sent away. Secondly: during December
13 and 14, a whole battalion and regiment should go out of each
brigade--this alone would reduce the force by over a fourth. Thirdly:
on the nights of December 19 and 20 there should embark the last
rearguard, specially selected men, in numbers just strong enough to
hold the line.
With the memory of the blizzard and its accompanying wind--the wrecked
piers at Imbros and Anzac were mute evidence of its fury--General
Munro decided to accelerate the evacuation of Anzac and Suvla. On
December 8, General Birdwood was ordered to prepare a detailed plan
for the daring and perilous enterprise. Almost everything depended on
the weather. Unless anything unforseen happened, Rear-Admiral Wemyss
undertook to remove all the troops by the night of Sunday, December 19.
Men who had battled on with complaints, only parading sick for
treatment, now found that if they complained of the most trivial
ailment they were sent away to the hospital ship. It was announced
that only the fittest men were to be kept on the Peninsula during the
winter. Every night saw the outgoing barges crowded to their fullest
capacity; but as it grew light a great show of landing troops would be
made--an effort that was not lost upon the Turks, who erected barbed
wire more vigorously than ever.
[Illustration:
[_Lent by Lieut. Moritzson, M.C., M.M., N.Z.E._
PREPARING FOR THE EVACUATION.
The small trestles prepared by the engineers, ready for the decking.
They were only to be used in case of emergency.]
The evidence gradually became too strong for most men. Parties visiting
the beach found ordnance and supply officers astonishingly openhanded.
Tinned fish, condensed milk, different varieties of jam and other
rarities could be had for the carrying away. Officers' coats, leather
leggings, puttees, and many pairs of boots were appropriated. Men going
back to the front line looked like itinerant hawkers. Toiling up one of
the deres a trooper called to a friend "How's this for evacuation?" A
brigadier overheard the remark and bounced out of his dugout. "Who's
that talking about evacuation? Don't you know there's an order against
using the word? Anyway, there is no evacuation!" The trooper, while
lugubriously examining his assortment of ordnance stores, preserved
a silence so eloquent that even the attendant staff officer had to
turn his face away. "What have you got to say for yourself?" said
the brigadier, who felt that he was losing ground. "Nothing," said
the quiet trooper, "but I never signed for these," and he held up a
pair of gum boots. The brigadier retired before the evidence of such
unparalleled generosity.
The Order to Evacuate.
On December 8 it was decided to withdraw those guns that were not
required for a passive defence. On December 12, 19 guns of varying
calibre, belonging to the N.Z. and A. Division, were embarked. On the
same day it was announced that a Rest Camp had been formed at Imbros
to which units would go in turn during the winter. Some men still
thought it was all a big bluff, but were inclined to be convinced upon
the departure of the 3rd and 10th Australian Light Horse Regiments,
the Auckland Mounted Rifles, the Otago Infantry Battalion, the Maori
Contingent, the 15th Australian Infantry Battalion and other details
from the New Zealand and Australian Division.
But the decision could not be concealed indefinitely, and the following
order was issued on December 16:
"The Army Corps Commander wishes all ranks of your Division to be now
informed of the operations that are about to take place, and a message
conveyed to them from him, to say that he deliberately takes them
into his confidence, trusting to their discretion and high soldierly
qualities to carry out a task, the success of which will largely
depend on their individual efforts.
If every man makes up his mind that he will leave the trenches quietly
when his turn comes, and sees that everybody else does the same, and
that up to that time he will carry on as usual, there will be no
difficulty of any kind, and the Army Corps Commander relies on the
good sense and proved trustworthiness of every man of the Corps to
ensure that this is done.
In case by any chance we are attacked on either days, the Army Corps
Commander is confident that the men who have to their credit such
deeds as the original landing at Anzac, the repulse of the big Turkish
attack on May 18, the capture of Lone Pine, the Apex and Hill 60,
will hold their ground with the same valour and steadfastness as
heretofore, however small in numbers they may be; and he wishes all
men to understand that it is impossible for the Turk to know or tell
what our numbers are, even up to the last portion of "C" party on the
last night, as long as we stand our ground."
Officers who knew the state of affairs were greatly relieved at the
decision, but sick at heart now that the blow had fallen. To give up
Anzac and all that it meant! To leave the place where our brothers and
friends were lying! Out there in No Man's Land graves were marked where
men had fallen, but no cross had been erected, and now the chance was
slipping away. Men crept out at night to pay their last visits to those
lonely graves. One soldier writing home voiced the undisguised emotion
of many:
"My goodness, Mother, how it did go to our hearts--after all we
had gone through--how we had slaved and fought--fought and slaved
again--and then to think that we had been sizzled in the heat,
tortured by flies and thirst, and later nearly frozen to death. It was
hard to be told we must give it up. But it was not our wasted energy
and sweat that really grieved us. In our hearts it was to know we were
leaving our dead comrades behind. That was what every man had in his
mind. We thought, too, of you people in New Zealand and what you might
think of us. Believe me, it is far harder to screw one's courage up
for running away than it is to screw it up for an attack!"
But now that the decision had been made, everyone worked with a will.
The horses and mules, valuable vehicles and guns were mostly embarked
before the last two nights. The Division withdrew 53 guns in all,
only 12 being left for the last night. The batteries were ordered
to continue firing in "an extraordinary erratic manner" in order
to mystify the enemy. The gunners were busy burying and otherwise
destroying surplus stores. The enemy gunners were very energetic
during the last three days. Round Russell's Top their shells arrived
in myriads, and quite noticeably of better quality. Each battery was
reduced until only one gun remained. The New Zealand gunners were
determined that they would get all their horses away, and every gun.
In order to facilitate an uninterrupted passage for the last night,
resourceful and hard-working artillerymen prepared bridges and cuttings
to get their beloved pieces away. The last gun from Russell's Top had
to cross a perfect maze of communication trenches, but the men refused
to rest until the ten improvized bridges were ready for the eventful
night.
Preparing for the Big Bluff.
Thursday and Friday nights came, and in the darkness, crowded barges
were towed out to the transports lying out to sea. On Friday night
an accident occurred that certainly invited disaster. Great piles of
stores in all the depots were soaked in kerosene and petrol and made
ready for firing just before leaving. By some mischance the heaps at
Anzac Cove burst into flame, lighting up the scene like day--with
the troops waiting on the beach; the picket boats with their loads
puffing in and out; and away out to sea, the waiting transports and
the destroyers, ever vigilant. So light it became that the embarkation
of troops had to be discontinued. Still the Turk made no sign beyond
directing a few shells towards the long tongue of flame. It transpired
afterwards that he was under the impression that the valuable stores
had been set ablaze by his shell-fire!
By day there was little rest. There seemed to be a thousand things to
be done in the short time available. Much material had to be destroyed,
rather than let it fall into the hands of the Turk. Ammunition was
buried or dropped into the sea. Condensed milk that would have been
invaluable earlier in the campaign was destroyed by punching holes in
the tins with bayonets. Jar after jar of rum was smashed. Blankets by
the thousand and piles of clothing were saturated with petrol ready to
be burned. Everything of value to the Turk was made valueless.
[Illustration: "SAFE ROAD TO BEACH."]
At Suvla where there was more room than at Anzac, an inner position
was prepared by the erection of a strong barbed wire fence eight feet
high, with great gates across the roads. At Anzac, barricades were
made in all the principal deres and communication trenches. A final
covering position, manned by machine gunners, was prepared. Its left
flank was on No. 1 Post, and ran by way of Walker's Ridge, across to
Plugge's Plateau and so down Maclagan's Ridge to the sea, very much the
line decided on when the re-embarkation after the April landing was
momentarily considered. Oh! the what-might-have-beens of those eight
tragic months!
There were now only two nights to go, Saturday night and Sunday night.
The 20,000 troops remaining at Anzac and Suvla were to be evacuated at
the rate of 10,000 per night. The numbers from our division were 3491
on the second last night, and the final 3000 on the last night.
The line from Suvla to Chatham's Post was held as follows:
9th Army Corps--The Suvla front up to and including, Hill 60;
N.Z. & A. Division--from the right of Hill 60 to the Apex;
1st and 2nd Australian Divisions--from Walker's Ridge to Chatham's
Post.
The Suvla Army embarked from the piers in Suvla Bay and on the Ocean
Beach. The New Zealanders and Australians on the left of Anzac had to
come down the three principal deres to the piers on Ocean Beach. The
Australians from the centre and right of Anzac naturally moved down
Shrapnel Gully and along the beach from the extreme right towards the
piers at Anzac Cove.
The New Zealand Brigades were now disposed as follows:
RHODODENDRON SPUR
HILL 60 HILL 100 CHESHIRE RIDGE THE APEX
Wellington, Otago 4th Aust. Canterbury, Wellington
and Auckland Inf. Brigade and Auckland
Mounted Rifles Infantry Battalions
The Mounted Rifles would come down the Aghyl Dere, and the N.Z.
Infantry down the Chailak Dere to the Williams Pier on North Beach.
A divisional rendezvous was formed at No. 2 Post. Here the troops
paraded according to a timetable, and were drafted into groups of
400--the capacity of those big motor lighters that the men had
christened "beetles."
All through the night of that last Saturday at Anzac the little groups
assembled, and were packed into the lighters. By 4.30 a.m. on December
19, the last beetle cleared from the shore leaving the "Diehards" of
the Division, only 3,000 strong, to hold the line against a mighty army.
It was an anxious day, but there was much to do. Men devised all sorts
of mechanism to keep rifles going mechanically after the last party had
left. The favourite method was as follows: It takes a certain amount
of pressure to pull the trigger of a rifle. After many experiments a
device was perfected whereby an empty tin was suspended by a piece of
string to the trigger of a loaded rifle. Another tin full of water, but
with a small hole in it, was placed above the empty one, so that the
water leaked into the bottom one, thus gradually increasing the weight
until it was sufficient to pull the trigger!
Actors at Anzac.
In an endeavour to mystify the Turk observers, the few men left at
Anzac became very energetic. With packs up they marched uphill wherever
the Turk might see them. Like actors impersonating a crowd in a moving
picture studio, these small bodies of men passed ostentatiously
backwards and forwards until they were tired.
Reinforcement drafts always went in reserve for a time after their
arrival, so down in Reserve Gully and Waterfall Gully enthusiastic
parties entertained themselves and mystified the enemy by spreading out
blankets to dry even as the new arrivals did! The innumerable small
fires that smoked incessantly were made to smoke more copiously than
ever, for the Turks must fully understand that the great new army was
now arriving in strength.
Every man ate as much as he could of the tinned goods now so plentiful.
Pennies were tossed freely in the air--"Heads for Constantinople; tails
for Cairo!" Everybody was in great spirits and betrayed no anxiety.
There was little departure from the normal, except that at the Apex
there was heavier shelling than usual.
A, B, and C Parties.
The 3,000 men of the Division still to be withdrawn were divided into
three: A, parties totalling 1,300; B, parties totalling 1,100; and
C, parties totalling 600. All of A and B were to withdraw and embark
as the parties of the preceding night--they came to the divisional
rendezvous and embarked in their groups of 400. It was quickly decided
that if A parties were for Alexandria, B parties must be for the Beach,
and C for Constantinople.
Up the deres, great wire gates had been erected so that if the force
was attacked the gates would be shut down and the garrison left to its
own resource--to fight where it stood and cover the retirement until
2 a.m., and then retire down the ridges to the beach. It would not
be possible to come down the ordinary communication trenches in the
deres, for on the sign of an attack, the great barbed gates were to
be dropped into place in the entanglements and the deres themselves
heavily shelled by the warships. The "last ditchers" were to be
sacrificed for the army. There was no lack of volunteers. Australians
and New Zealanders; New Army men and Yeomanry; men who had been there
since the landing, and men who had recently arrived as reinforcements;
men of Anzac and Suvla alike--vied with each other in the endeavour
to become included in the "Diehards." These men--whether they came
from Midlothian or Yorkshire, Queensland or far Taranaki--were all
volunteers, proud of their race and the Empire, and convinced of their
personal superiority over the seemingly victorious foe. Messages were
left warning the Turk he was on the wrong side, exhorting him to look
after our scattered graves and the unburied dead of No Man's Land, and
promising to return again and punish all the allies of the Germans.
A rear party of the No. 1 Field Ambulance was detailed to look after
the wounded should disaster overtake the rearguard. They were each
equipped with a surgical haversack containing field dressing and
morphia. The dressing stations were left equipped with the necessary
instruments, so that if the Turk did appreciate the situation and come
over in force, the wounded might be tended by our own men. It was
thought that life-boats from the Hospital Ships might be allowed to
approach the shore and take away the serious cases. Luckily there were
no casualties in the division, nor, in fact, in the Army Corps.
[Illustration: WATCHING FOR THE TURK.]
The day was fairly quiet, but at about 11 o'clock in the morning the
kinema actors had so impressed the Turks that much heavy shell was
dropped into the communication trenches leading from the beach, and
into the gullies where the reserves usually bivouacked. Thanks to the
great dugouts constructed for the winter, there were no casualties.
At 4 o'clock that afternoon, the Turkish shelling increased very much
in intensity. Was this a preliminary bombardment before the attack? But
the shelling ceased with the sunset, and everything became normal once
more.
The Last Night.
The sun went down that evening on a wondrously peaceful scene. The
peaks of Samothrace and Imbros were bathed in the glow of a glorious
golden sunset. The sea was unruffled by the faintest breeze. Faint
wisps of clouds floated lazily across the sky, fitfully obscuring the
moon. As soon as it was dark men became very busy.
At ten minutes past six the last gun fired its last shot from Russell's
Top, and its removal to the beach commenced over the temporary
bridges, down through the wider trenches, past much barbed wire
entanglement--over cliff-sides and down Walker's Ridge the proud
gunners triumphantly brought their charge, and before eight o'clock
were safely embarked on their waiting transports.
Two much-worn guns--not New Zealand ones, but attached to our
division--were rendered useless and abandoned. One was a 5-inch
howitzer in Australian Valley, the other a 3-pounder Hotchkiss in the
Aghyl Dere.
All the men were travelling very light. Previous parties had taken the
"Diehards" kits and impedimenta. With a rifle and bayonet and a stock
of hand grenades the men of the rearguards took up their positions in
the front line. Machine guns were carefully looked to. Ammunition was
plentiful. If the Turk did come over he would pay a big price. As one
of the normal smells of Anzac was that of tobacco smoke, men smoked
packet after packet, and pipe upon pipe. Out to sea, the traffic was
quite noticeable to the anxious watchers on the hillside.
A and B Parties Leave.
Soon after dusk the men of the A parties at Anzac and Suvla said
goodbye to their comrades of B and C, marched to their respective
divisional rendezvous, and passed down the sandbag-muffled piers to the
waiting "beetles."
Early on that last night many were confident that the Turk was
completely fooled. If he had wanted to attack he would have attacked
before dark; if he attacked at dawn he would be too late. If he
had known, as some clever people say, that we were leaving, would
it not have been a "tremendous victory" if he had come boldly on
and overwhelmed the "Diehards?" He certainly would have taken no
prisoners--the men of Anzac would have attended to that. But the fact
is: the Turk helped us at the evacuation in the same degree as he
helped us at the landing!
B party commenced to leave at nine o'clock. It was very hard to go.
What might happen to the waiting men of C? However, the barges were
waiting and the timing could not be arranged otherwise. So, with a
"Goodbye, boys! see you in Cairo!" on their lips, but with misgivings
in their hearts, the second last parties left their posts and made for
the rendezvous. By 11.25 all of A and B parties were safely embarked
without a casualty.
Those left moved quickly from place to place, firing their rifles in
order to preserve the "normality" of things. The old trench mortars
coughed spasmodically, and the Turks returned the compliment. Away on
Walker's Ridge several very heavy bursts of firing broke out. Men could
not help questioning themselves. Was Quinn's Post holding out with so
numerically weak a garrison? Quinn's that had cost so much to hold all
those weary months. It was hard to give up Quinn's!
And Lone Pine! Where the glorious men of those veteran battalions made
such a sacrifice for the sake of Anzac--and for the sake of Suvla.
These last men, with their boots muffled in sandbags, crept back and
meditated at Brown's Dip with its rows of silent eloquent graves. The
dead men took Lone Pine from the Turks, the survivors held it against
angry hordes, to-night the rearguard was to hand it quietly back!
The men of the New Zealand Infantry Brigade looked out towards The Farm
and the fatal crest above it, and thought of those boys who in August
went straight for the ridge of Chunuk and doggedly waited for the help
from the left, the help that never came. Here the last New Zealanders
stood fingering their trigger guards--holding the line at the Apex,
only 2,000 yards from the sea. Eight months of incessant striving, a
gain of 2,000 yards of bare clay hillside, a loss of so many valuable
lives!
And Hill 60! Where the New Zealand Mounted Rifles had refused to be
worsted when others fell back! Hill 60! Now honeycombed with galleries
hewn out with such an expenditure of blood and sweat. These men of the
C parties could not help feeling that the dead deserved a better fate
than this. Yet what could be done? No men could have achieved more. If
the men of Anzac had failed, they certainly had been faithful failures.
No pains were spared to make everything appear normal. Some men went
round lighting candles in the empty dugouts, others concocted placards
to welcome the Turks. The soldiers bore no malice. "Goodbye Johnnie,
see you soon in the Suez Canal;" and "Remember you didn't push us off,
we simply went," are typical. Others were more amusing if not quite so
polite! Men wandered up and down firing occasional shots, and at 11.30
the message came round to the men in the line that everywhere the plans
were working without a hitch and well up to time. In front of the Apex
and near Hill 60 the Turks were putting out more wire in anticipation
of the big attack on Christmas Day. They evidently interpreted the
shipping off the coast as the prelude to a big attack.
The Last Anxious Moments.
Midnight came and the firing died down as was the normal custom. Slowly
the minutes crept by. One o'clock! Still there was no alarm. Some men
began to feel the tension very keenly. Everybody else was safe. Would
C party get away? At 1.30 the first of the C parties commenced to come
in. At 1.45 the duty machine gun at the Apex fired three shots three
times in rapid succession. This was the signal for all the machine guns
of our infantry brigade to withdraw. With a quarter of the remaining
infantry, the gunners marched down the gullies and joined up with the
other detachments. The organization worked like clockwork. One party
was two minutes early in the Chailak Dere and was halted by its captain
until, to the second, the little party resumed its march and dovetailed
into the long column now winding down the gully towards the muffled
piers.
At two o'clock another party left. The men of the last group were now
looking anxiously at their wristlet watches, which had been carefully
synchronized. At about 2.15 each man in the trenches quietly walked
out into the nearest communication trench. There was little time to
lose. The gate in the Chailak Dere was to be closed at 2.25. Here a
staff officer carefully checked the numbers and made sure that all were
accounted for.
[Illustration:
[_Photo by Capt. Wilding, N.Z.F.A._
OFF ANZAC: A GUN OF THE 6TH HOWITZER BATTERY.]
The New Zealand Mounted Rifles.
Between the 4th Australian Brigade on Cheshire Ridge and the Welsh
Horse at Hill 60, were the New Zealand Mounted Rifles. They had the
farthest to march from the left flank. But officers had stepped it
out and carefully timed the journey from their front line trench to
the pier. With careful timing of watches, they got away their A and B
parties to the minute.
Last of all came the Canterbury Mounted Rifles, who were steadily
sticking to their schedule time of 2 miles per hour. Hand-grenades
were tossed into the sea. The motor barges were quickly crowded. As
the loaded "beetles" moved slowly out from Anzac a deafening roar and
a blinding explosion occurred. Our great mine on the Nek had been
detonated. The Turk trenches instantly burst into flame. Fires broke
out among the piles of stores. The bay seemed crowded with motor barges
and flotillas of trawlers.
Once on the warships the men were hurried below to a meal of hot cocoa,
steaming pea soup, and every delicacy the ships' stores could offer.
By 3.40 a.m. the embarkation was complete. Men could, hardly realize
that the work was accomplished without a terrible disaster. Restraint
was thrown aside. New Zealanders from the Apex and the Lone Pine
rearguard of Australians danced wild measures with the sailors on the
iron decks.
As the ships moved over towards Imbros, Suvla and Anzac burst into
flame. All the stores were afire now and the great tongues of flame
seemed to reach to the very heavens. Right along the line Turkish
rifles and machine guns opened, but caused no casualties, as most of
the bullets plopped harmlessly in the water.
So we said good-bye to Anzac. Next morning the Turk rubbed his eyes and
proclaimed a great victory.
The Evacuation of Helles.
It was thought that we might hold Helles as we hold Gibraltar, but
Mudros was considered an easier base for a naval power. The poor souls
of the 29th Division, after being withdrawn from Suvla, hardly had
time to rest a day at Mudros before they were ordered to return and
hold the line at Helles. They were bitterly disappointed, but were they
not tried and trusted Regulars? The Territorials they relieved went
back to Egypt for a New Year's dinner in peace; the brigades of the
29th went back to the firing line. This perhaps was the greatest test
of the 29th, for the men were sure that the bluff of Anzac and Suvla
could not be repeated. They made ready for a heavy rearguard action to
cover their retirement. During the days of waiting, it rained and blew
until they were perhaps the most miserable men on earth. At least they
should have been--but they were British regular soldiers, and there
was nothing to do but stick it. So the troops who bore the brunt of
the bloodiest landing were to bear the brunt of the evacuation. But a
miracle again happened! The Turk could not make up his mind when we
were going, and he could not make up his mind to attack. On the night
of January 9, the coup came off. There was much heavy shelling of piers
and landing places, but the casualties were infinitesimal, though much
equipment was lost. The enemy was again baulked of his prey!
[Illustration:
[_Lent by Lieut. Lockyer, W.M.R._
THE WASTAGE OF WAR.
Boots dumped on the wharf at Alexandria after the evacuation.]
CHAPTER XVIII.
[_The illustrations in this Chapter are by Col. Findlay, C.B. and
Capt. Douglas Deans of the C.M.R._]
The Return to Anzac.
Three years in succession the valleys of Anzac were flooded with the
crimson poppies of the Aegean Spring. During these three years the New
Zealanders in France and Palestine shared in the vicissitudes and the
dearly-bought victories of the Allied Armies.
[Illustration: THE GREAT TURKISH VICTORY MONUMENT ON THE NEK.]
While the soldiers were fighting, some of the politicians of England--a
few of whom had been prominent in reducing Army and Navy expenditure
before the war--enquired with great deliberation into the rights and
wrongs of the Gallipoli campaign. Money that would have been better
spent in hand grenades in 1915 was lavishly poured out in trying to
discover who was to blame for this and who should be censured for that.
It may be said with pride that the people of New Zealand--and the
people of Australia, too--did not indulge in recrimination. They knew
that the armies were not to blame, and were content to leave it at that.
While commissions investigated ancient history the triumphant Turks
erected great monuments on the Peninsula--monuments to commemorate the
defeat of the infidels.
* * * * *
But the months slipped by, and nearer and nearer crept the forces
enveloping the Central Powers. The Bulgars felt the pressure first.
When they finally broke and fled up the Seres Road, our airmen bombed
them unmercifully. Caught in their mountain passes, they were killed in
thousands by our low-flying planes. So was Bulgaria finally bombed out
of the war by British airmen.
On October 26, 1918, British cavalry and armoured cars entered Aleppo
and cut the Constantinople-Baghdad railway. On October 29, General
Marshall's forces on the Tigris severed the Turkish communications at
Mosul. The Turkish armies were everywhere helpless.
One day at the end of October a little launch with General Townshend
on board slipped out from Chios down near Smyrna, carrying a white
flag. A representative of Vice-Admiral Calthorpe, the British naval
commander in the Aegean, conducted the liberated hero of Kut-el-Amara
and the fully-accredited representatives of the Turkish Government to
Mudros--the Mudros of our rendezvous and of our Rest Camp--where the
Turkish representatives signed the Armistice terms, preparatory to an
unconditional surrender. This was on the evening of October 30. The
Armistice came into effect at noon on the following day.
The end of 1918 saw British and French warships lying off the Golden
Horn and British soldiers on guard at the forts of Chanak and Kilid
Bahr.
Was it not prophesied that one day a New Zealander would sit on London
Bridge and survey the ruins of the metropolis? In the year of grace,
1918, the real modern New Zealanders--with the dust of the desert
still on their faded tunics, complete with their wristlet watches and
folding kodaks--stand on the famous Galata Bridge and snapshot the
imperturbable Turkish boatman who seem but faintly interested in the
doom of the Ottoman Empire. There in their old slouch hats stand the
war-worn troopers--young crusaders who have contributed their full
share to the humbling of those despots who for centuries have been the
curse of Western Europe.
[Illustration: GOING ASHORE AT MAIDOS.]
Among the troops to re-occupy Gallipoli were the Canterbury Mounted
Rifles, who, in December, disembarked at Maidos, and with their
comrades of the 7th Australian Light Horse, did not hesitate to sit as
conquerors on the giant guns of Kilid Bahr.
[Illustration: THE TRIUMPH OF ANZAC.
Men of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles sitting on a 14-inch gun at Kilid
Bahr.]
Up the valley towards Lone Pine they rode, until they came to the
Turkish victory monument erected on the site of the famous Australian
salient. Then over to Koja Chemen Tepe, to stand in silence where
British soldiers had never stood before. This was the moment of
triumph: this was the prize for which we had striven in 1915, and
now, after all these years, the prize was ours--on the one hand the
great forts and Point Nagara running out into the rushing waters of
the Narrows; on the other side the great panorama of the Aegean
Sea--Samothrace and Imbros in the distance; the Salt Lake and the
fatal plains of Suvla; away South, the forbidding hump of Achi Baba;
and closer in, the Anzac beaches, Russell's Top, the tangled steeps of
Walker's Ridge, The Farm, and the ridge of Chunuk. These men of the
Canterbury Mounted Rifles were the triumphant victors, but slowly
they rode down the winding ways of dry watercourses looking for the
last resting places of brothers and comrades-in-arms. Never a yard but
somebody stopped and silently searched for an identification disc.
[Illustration: RHODODENDRON SPUR FROM THE APEX.
Notice the luxuriant growth of thistle in the old trench lines.]
[Illustration: THE PROMISED LAND: THE COUNTRY BEHIND KOJA CHEMEN
TEPE.]
And here on the Nek was the great monument erected by the Turks in
honour of their victory in December, 1915!
Down the Aghyl Dere where the gallant Overton rests under the shade of
the Turkish trees; out to Hill 60 where the white bones lie in heaps;
along to Ari Burnu where the graves are thickly crowded; and so to
Anzac Cove itself. Here, pathetic beyond words, were the skeletons of
old barges and boats--rotting in the smooth white sand once pockmarked
by thousands of hurrying feet; here on the sandy beaches the Turk paid
the men of Anzac the greatest compliment, for they had wired the beach
against another landing! Did not the daredevils say they would come
back? Was it not wise to prepare for possibilities? But the soldiers
who went so quietly away in December, 1915, chose to come another way
as victors.
This is the end of the Gallipoli campaign. The men of New Zealand were
there at the start--here they are as the victors at the end.
* * * * *
And now that the struggle is over, now that the great guns of Chanak
are silent, and the hillsides once peopled with busy men are again
given over to the song birds and the wandering Turkish shepherds--what
is the gain to the world? What is the gain to New Zealand?
For assuredly there is some gain? Our eight months struggle--even if
it grievously tried us--undoubtedly weakened the military power of
the Turks. But it did more. It taught the New Zealander many things.
It taught him lessons that stood him in excellent stead on the
battlefields of the world. It taught him to respect his own strength
and capabilities. For before the war we were an untried and insular
people; after Anzac, we were tried and trusted. Before Anzac we had few
standards; after Anzac, we knew that, come what may, if it were humanly
possible--and often when it seemed almost impossible--New Zealanders
would not be found wanting, but would prove irresistible in attack,
steadfast and stubborn in defence--and what more can anyone ask of
soldiers?
Even as in the war we lost our insularity and found our national
spirit, so at Anzac we found our brothers-in-arms, the gallant sons
of Australia; and we did our work together--for if the initial "A"
stands for Australia, New Zealand furnished the very necessary pivotal
consonants. So in the future we must stand together and carry the white
man's burden in these Southern Seas.
[Illustration: A TURKISH VICTORY MONUMENT BEHIND NO. 1 POST.
The design is carried out with shell-cases. The monument itself was
knocked down by our troops.]
And if Anzac means suffering, a hopeless longing, aching hearts and a
keen sense of loss to many in this land of ours, the gain cannot be
measured--for the miner at Quinn's Post did not sweat at the tunnel
face in the interests of self; the middies of the picket boats and
the men of the trawlers were not working for dividends; the nurses on
those hospital ships did not toil the long nights through for praise
or notoriety; the women who waited so bravely and patiently at home in
hourly dread of the telegraph boy, thought nothing of themselves. One
and all made their willing sacrifices for the common good. And that is
the message of Anzac to the people of New Zealand: Place the interests
of the community before the interests of self, follow in the footsteps
of the early pioneers, and make New Zealand a sweeter place for the
little children.
[Illustration: ANZAC COVE TO-DAY.]
Anzac Cove.
(_From Leon Gellert's "Songs of a Campaign"_)
There's a lonely stretch of hillocks:
There's a beach asleep and drear.
There's a battered broken fort beside the sea.
There are sunken trampled graves:
And a little rotting pier:
And winding paths that wind unceasingly.
There's a torn and silent valley:
There's a tiny rivulet
With some blood upon the stones beside its mouth
There are lines of buried bones:
There's an unpaid waiting debt:
There's a sound of gentle sobbing in the South.
January. 1916.
New Zealand Transports of the Main Body.
Port of Numbers
Tons Knots Departure Units on Board Carried
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
N.Z.T. "Maunganui" 7,527 16 Wellington Headquarters Staff. N.Z E.F. 38 Officers
No. 3 Headquarters N.Z. Infantry Brigade 528 Men
Field Troop N.Z.E. 204 Horses
Wellington Infantry Battalion (West Coast Coy.)
N.Z. Mounted Field Ambulance
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
N.Z.T. "Tahiti" 7,585 17 Lyttelton Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regt. 30 Officers
No. 4 Wellington Mounted Rifles Regt. (1 Squadron) 611 Men
Canterbury Infantry Battalion (1 Company) 282 Horses
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
N.Z.T. "Ruapehu" 7,885 13 Port Otago Mounted Rifles Regt. (1 Squadron) 31 Officers
No. 5 Chalmers Otago Infantry Battalion (less 2 Companies and 785 Men
Machine Gun Section) 244 Horses
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
N.Z.T. "Orari" 6,800 12 Wellington Wellington Mounted Rifles Regt. 16 Officers
No. 6 (East Coast Squadron and 2 Troops) 269 Men
Surplus horses from other transports 728 Horses
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
N.Z.T. "Limerick" 6,827 13 Wellington N.Z. Field Artillery Brigade (in part) 21 Officers
No. 7 Wellington Infantry Battalion (No. 7 and 8 495 Men
Platoons) 348 Horses
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
N.Z.T. "Star of 6,800 11 Auckland Auckland Mounted Rifles Regt. 30 Officers
No. 8 India" New Zealand Field Ambulance 652 Men
395 Horses
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
N.Z.T. "Hawkes 7,207 13 Port Otago Mounted Rifles Regt. (less 1 Squadron) 40 Officers
No. 9 Bay" Chalmers Otago Infantry Battalion (2 Companies and 930 Men
Machine Gun Section) 569 Horses
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
N.Z.T. "Arawa" 9,372 12 Wellington Wellington Infantry Battalion (less West Coast 59 Officers
No. 10 Coy. and 7 and 8 Platoons) 1,259 Men
Wellington Mounted Rifles Regt. (less 2 troops) 215 Horses
Field Artillery Brigade (in part)
Signal Troop N.Z.E.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
N.Z.T. "Athenic" 12,234 12 Lyttelton Headquarters Mounted Rifles Brigade 54 Officers
No. 11 Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regt. (2 Squadrons) 1,259 Men
Canterbury Infantry Battalion (less 1 Company) 339 Horses
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
N.Z.T. "Waimana" 10,389 14 Auckland Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment 61 Officers
No. 12 Auckland Infantry Battalion 1,400 Men
N.Z. Signal Company 496 Horses
N.Z. Divisional Train
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to the units mentioned each transport carried the usual
details--Naval Transport Officer, Medical Officers, Chaplains, etc.
N.Z.T. No. 1 (s.s. "Moeraki") and N.Z.T. No. 2 (s.s. "Monowai") took
the Samoan Force in August, 1914.
Transports Carrying the New Zealand and Australian Division from
Alexandria to Gallipoli, April 1915.
Name of O.C. Troops. Adjutant
Transport.
"ACHAIA" Major H. Hart Lieut. A. J. Cross
Wellington Battalion Wellington Battalion
Units on Board Wellington Infantry Battalion (2 Companies)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"ITONUS" Lt.-Col. W. G. Malone Capt. M. McDonnell
Wellington Battalion Wellington Battalion
Units on Board Wellington Infantry Battalion (less 2 Companies)
Canterbury Infantry Battalion (2 Companies) ?]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"KATUNA" Major F. Symon Capt. Clyde McGilp
R.N.Z.A. N.Z.F.A.
Units on Board Headquarters Field Artillery Brigade
1st Battery N.Z.F.A.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"LUTZOW" Lt.-Col. A. Plugge Capt. A. G. B. Price
Auckland Battalion Auckland Battalion
Units on Board Divisional Headquarters Auckland Infantry Battalion
Divisional Signal Company (Headquarters and No. 1 Section)
Canterbury Battalion (less 2 Companies)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"GOSLAR" Major F. Fergusson Capt. F. Waite
Royal Engineers N.Z.E.
Units on Board Headquarters Divisional Engineers. N.Z. Engineers
No. 1 Field Company New Zealand Engineers
Headquarters New Zealand Infantry Brigade
No. 1 Field Ambulance, New Zealand Medical Corps
Headquarters No. 2 Company Divisional Train and Details,
N.Z.A.S.C.
Divisional Signal Company (Brigade Section)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"ANNABERG" Lt.-Col. A. Moore Lieut. J. S. Reid
Otago Battalion Otago Battalion
Units on Board Otago Infantry Battalion
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"HAIDAR PASHA" Lt.-Col. Pope Capt. R. T. McDonald
16th Battalion 16th Battalion
Units on Board 16th Battalion Australian Infantry
(Headquarters and 3 Companies)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"SEEANGBEE" Major H. R. Carter Capt. C. P. Corsor
15th Battalion 15th Battalion
Units on Board 13th Battalion Australian Infantry (1 Company)
15th Battalion Australian Infantry (2 Companies)
16th Battalion Australian Infantry (1 Company)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"AUSTRALIND" Lt.-Col Cannan Capt. W. C. Willis
15th Battalion 15th Battalion
Units on Board 4th New Zealand Howitzer Battery and Ammunition Column
15th Battalion Australian Infantry (less 2 Companies)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"SEEANGCHUN" Lt.-Col. R. E. Courtney Capt. C. M. H Dare
14th Battalion 14th Battalion
Units on Board Headquarters 4th Australian Infantry Brigade
14th Battalion Australian Infantry
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"CALIFORNIAN" Major I. T. Standish Lieut. C. Carrington
R.N.Z.A. N.Z.F.A.
Units on Board 3rd Battery New Zealand Field Artillery
Ammunition Column, New Zealand Field Artillery Brigade
4th Australian Field Ambulance
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"ASCOT" Lt.-Col. G. J. Burnage Capt. J. H. A. Durrant
13th Battalion 13th Battalion
Units on Board 13th Battalion Australian Infantry
(Headquarters and 3 Companies)
4th Australian Company Divisional Train
(Headquarters and Supply Section)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"SURADA" Major F. B. Sykes Lieut. V. Rogers
Royal Artillery R.N.Z.A.
Units on Board 2nd Battery New Zealand Field Artillery
No. 2 Brigade Ammunition Column
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Establishment of Main Body, N.Z.E.F.
=============================================+=============================
| Expeditionary Force
| Main Body, sailed
Units. | October 16th, 1914.
+-----------+---------+-------
| | Other |
| Officers. | Ranks. | Total.
---------------------------------------------+-----------+---------+-------
HEADQUARTERS STAFF | 16 | 68 | 84
| | |
NEW ZEALAND MOUNTED RIFLES BRIGADE-- | | |
Headquarters | 6 | 28 | 34
The Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment | 26 | 523 | 549
The Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment | 26 | 523 | 549
The Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment | 26 | 523 | 549
Field Troop, N.Z.E. | 3 | 74 | 77
New Zealand Signal Troop, N.Z.E. | 1 | 32 | 33
New Zealand Mounted Field Ambulance | 8 | 70 | 78
| | |
NEW ZEALAND INFANTRY BRIGADE-- | | |
Headquarters | 4 | 18 | 22
The Auckland Battalion | 33 | 977| 1,010
The Canterbury Battalion | 33 | 977| 1,010
The Otago Battalion | 33 | 977| 1,010
The Wellington Battalion | 33 | 977| 1,010
| | |
DIVISIONAL TROOPS-- | | |
The Otago Mounted Rifles Regiment | 26 | 523 | 549
| | |
_Divisional Artillery_-- | | |
1st Field Artillery Brigade-- | | |
Headquarters | 5 | 38 | 43
No. 1 Field Battery | 5 | 141 | 146
No. 2 Field Battery | 5 | 141 | 146
No. 3 Field Battery | 5 | 141 | 146
No. 1 Brigade Ammunition Column | 3 | 131 | 134
| | |
_Divisional Signal Service_-- | | |
New Zealand Signal Company (3 Sections) | 4 | 109 | 113
| | |
_Divisional Transport and Supply Units_-- | | |
Divisional Train-- | | |
No. 1 (Divisional Headquarters) Company | 5 | 90 | 95
Army Service Corps (attached to units) | 4 | 125 | 129
| | |
_Divisional Medical Units_-- | | |
New Zealand Field Ambulance No. 1 | 13 | 182 | 195
Dental Surgeons (unattached) | 10 | | 10
| | |
SERVICES AND DEPARTMENTS-- | | |
Veterinary Surgeons (unattached) | 3 | | 3
General Base Depot | 1 | 4 | 5
Army Pay Department | 1 | 5 | 6
Chaplains | 13 | 13 | 26
+-----------+---------+--------
Total | 351 | 7,410 | 7,761
---------------------------------------------+-----------+---------+--------
New Units Raised during Gallipoli Campaign.
Additional Units Formed in New Zealand.
-------------------------------+--------------+---------+-------+---------
Unit. | Date of |Officers.|Other | Total.
| Despatch. | |Ranks. |
-------------------------------+--------------+---------+-------+---------
DIVISIONAL TROOPS-- | | | |
_Divisional Artillery_-- | | | |
2nd Field Artillery | | | |
Brigade-- | | | |
Headquarters |12 June, 1915 | 1 | 38 | 39
No. 4 (Howitzer) | | | |
Battery |14 Dec., 1914 | 5 | 141 | 146
No. 5 Field Battery |17 April, 1915| 5 | 141 | 146
No. 6 (Howitzer) Battery |12 June, 1915 | 5 | 141 | 146
(B) Howitzer Battery | | | |
Ammunition Column | | | |
(for No.6 (Howitzer) | | | |
Battery) |12 June, 1915 | 1 | 40 | 41
| | | |
_Divisional Engineers_-- | | | |
No. 2 Field Company, N.Z.E.|17 April, 1915| 6 | 211 | 217
_Divisional Transport & | | | |
Supply Units_-- | | | |
Divisional Train-- | | | |
No. 4 Company |17 April, 1915| 5 | 80 | 85
| | | |
_Divisional Medical | | | |
Units_-- | | | |
New Zealand Field | | | |
Ambulance No. 2 | ... | 10 | 182 | 192
| | | |
SERVICES AND | | | |
DEPARTMENTS-- | | | |
No. 1 Stationary Hospital| 21 May, 1915 | 8 | 86 | 94
No. 2 Stationary Hospital|12 June, 1915 | 8 | 86 | 94
2 Mobile Veterinary | | | |
Sections |14 Dec., 1914 | 2 | 26 | 28
2 Veterinary Sections |14 Dec., 1914 | 4 | 226 | 230
| | | |
Total Additional Units | +---------+-------+----------
formed in New Zealand | | 60 | 1398 | 1458
-------------------------------+--------------+---------+-------+----------
Additional Units Formed by N.Z.E.F. (Egypt).
-------------------------------+--------------+---------+-------+----------
| Date of | | Other |
Unit | Formation | Officers| Ranks | Total.
-------------------------------+--------------+---------+-------+----------
DIVISIONAL TROOPS-- | | | |
_Divisional Artillery_-- | | | |
2nd Field Artillery | | | |
Brigade-- | | | |
Divisional Ammunition |} {| | |
Column |} {| 5 | 233 | 238
(A)Howitzer Battery |} {| | |
Ammunition Column |} {| 1 | 40 | 41
No. 2 Brigade Ammunition |} {| | |
Column |} {| 1 | 46 | 47
No. 3 Brigade Ammunition |} {| 1 | 46 |
Column |} {| 3 | 66 | 69
_Divisional Engineers_-- |} {| | |
Headquarters |} Feb., 1915 {| 2 | 11 | 13
No. I Field Company, N.Z.E.|} {| 6 | 211 | 217
_Divisional Train_-- |} {| | |
No. 2 (New Zealand Infantry|} {| | |
Brigade) Company |} {| 5 | 80 | 85
No. 3 (New Zealand Mounted |} {| | |
Rifles Brigade) Company |} {| 5 | 80 | 85
Total | +---------+-------+----------
TOTAL | | 28 | 767 | 795
-------------------------------+--------------+---------+-------+----------
Main Body | 351 | 7410 | 7761
Units raised during Gallipoli Campaign | 88 | 2165 | 2253
+---------+-------+----------
TOTAL (This does not include reinforcements.) | 439 | 9575 | 10014
==============================================+=========+=======+==========
[Illustration: The Staff and Senior Officers of the New Zealand and
Australian Division.
Reproduced from a faded photograph taken in Egypt, 1914. Those marked
with a Star are now deceased.
_Top Row from Left._--*Capt. C. H. J. Brown; Hon. Capt. W. T. Beck;
Capt. J. W. Hutchen; Major J. A. Luxford; Lieut. Kettle; Lieut. J.
Anderson; *Lieut. J. M. Richmond; Capt. H. M. Edwards; Capt. N. W. B.
B. Thorns; *Lieut. C. M. Cazelet; Capt. C. H. Jess, A.I.F.; Capt. R.
E. Coningham; Capt. W. P. Farr, A.I.F.; Lieut. Tahu Rhodes; Major J.
G. Hughes, D.S.O.
_Second Row._--*Lt.-Col. C. E. Thomas, V.D.; Lt.-Col. N. C. Hamilton;
*Lt. Col. R. E. Courtney, V.D., A.I.F.; Lt.-Col. Hon. J. L. Beeston,
V.D., A.I.F.; Major H. G. Reid, A.S.C.; Capt. W. S. Berry, A.I.F.;
*Capt. G. A. King; Major C. G. Powles; Major A. C. Temperley; Major C.
Shawe; Major G. R. Pridham, R.E.; Major E. M. Williams. A.I.F.; Capt.
J. E. Hindhaugh, A.I.F.
_Third Row._--Lt.-Col. P. C. Fenwick; Lt.-Col. H. Pope, A.I.F.;
Lt.-Col. J. H. Cannan, A.I.F.; Lt.-Col. H. J. Burnage, A.I-F.;
Lt.-Col. J. Findlay; *Lt.-Col. W. Meldrum; Lt.-Col. C. E. R. Mackesy;
Lt.-Col. J. B. Meredith, A.I.F.; *Lt.-Col. F. M. Rowell, A.I.F.;
Lt.-Col. R. T. Sutherland, A.I.F; Lt.-Col. R. M. Stodart, A.I.F.;
Lt.-Col. G. N. Johnston, R.A.; *Lt.-Col. A. Moore, D.S.O.; *Lt.-Col.
A. Bauchop, C.M.G.; *Lt.-Col. C. M. Begg; *Lt.-Col. W. G. Malone;
*Lt.-Col. D. McB. Stewart.
_Sitting._--Lt.-Col. J. P. McGlinn, V.D., A.I.F.; *Col. N. Manders,
R.A.M.C.; Lt.-Col. W. G. Braithwaite, D.S.O; Brig.-General A. H.
Russell, A.D.C.; Col. E. W. C. Chaytor, T.D.; Major-General Sir Alex.
Godley, K.C.M.G., C.B.; Col. H. G. Chauvel, C.M.G., A.I.F.; Col. J.
Monash, V.D., A.I.F.; *Lt. Col. F. E. Johnston; Lt.-Col. J. J. Esson;
Lt.-Col. A. R. Young.]
The Men of Anzac.
Although this volume deals specifically with the doings of the New
Zealanders at Anzac, the Colonials who were there quite recognize that
they played only a part in the Great Game. They fully appreciate the
magnificent work of the Navy and of their French and British comrades
who braved the same dangers, and worked together against the common foe.
The Men of Anzac know that a war correspondent cannot be in three
places at once. What he sees he describes, and what he does not see he
obviously must collect information about, and cannot do justice to. So
perhaps the glory of the Anzac landing was magnified at the expense
of the men who landed at Helles. Australians and New Zealanders alike
agree that the Helles landing called for a greater show of discipline
and self-sacrifice than was needed at Anzac--for Anzac was a surprise
landing, Helles was not. But considerations of space, and the fact that
volumes have already appeared dealing with the work of our British,
French and Indian comrades, precludes full justice being done to their
work in these pages.
In our own army there are two groups of soldiers that have to a certain
extent been overlooked.
Even in the Colonial Armies we depended for light and a certain amount
of leading on British Regular Officers--officers loaned before the
war to the Colonial Forces,--and it is right that mention should be
made of them here. For what in the days of its infancy would the
N.Z. Expeditionary Force have been without the services of Colonel
Braithwaite--"Dear Old Bill"--Colonel Johnston of the Gunners;
Colonel Pridham of the R.E's; Major Temperley of the Infantry Brigade
Staff, and a dozen others? They contributed much more than has been
acknowledged to the initial successes of our New Zealand Army.
Of the second group it is difficult to write. It may have been noticed
that most of the soldiers mentioned in this volume are men who were
killed in action. There is perhaps more in this than meets the eye.
For the men killed in action and the mortally wounded are those who
put the fear of death into the Turk--men who by their impetuosity and
their eagerness to close really established the Anzac front line.
This meant personal leadership and absolute contempt for death. These
men were often not officers--often they were privates, but natural
leaders nevertheless. They were not necessarily university men or large
employers of labour--sometimes they were miners and taxi-drivers--they
were of the glorious democracy of the Front Line. Anyone, whatever his
rank or social standing, could have demonstrated his claim to be a
leader of men at Anzac.
We know that the list of decorations does not recognize all the gallant
deeds performed on the field of action; and those left alive in the
following list of soldiers decorated would be the first to admit that
they knew of men long since killed who deserved greater reward. Think
of a few of them: Lieut.-Colonel Stewart, of the Canterburys, who died
on the day of the landing fighting for Walker's Ridge; Lieut.-Colonel
Malone who died on the crest of Chunuk; Lieut.-Colonel Bauchop,
mortally wounded in the advance that smashed the Turkish line; Major
Statham, impetuous leader of men who died in the forefront of the
battle--each of these admittedly heroic souls passed away without
receiving a decoration.
And these officers were only worthy of the men in the ranks--men who
if they had lived, might have become great and famous soldiers, but
who sacrificed themselves thus early in the struggle so that we who
survived might carry on: Sergt. Wallace, one of our most promising
Rhodes Scholars, who came straight from Oxford to a soldier's death
while sapping out in front of Pope's; and the well-beloved Arthur
Carbines, who, disregarding the terrors and the dangers on the crest
of Chunuk, died so tragically endeavouring to rescue the body of his
Colonel, the gallant Malone--these men are typical of the scores who
received the small wooden cross which is the only distinction that the
gallant thruster is likely to receive; and some do not have even a
wooden cross, but die so far forward that they are buried by the Turks
in nameless graves and to these is the greatest honour!
New Zealanders decorated and mentioned in despatches.
VICTORIA CROSS.
Corporal Cyril Royston Guyton Bassett, N.Z. Divisional Signal Company:
"For most conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on the Chunuk
Bair ridge in the Gallipoli Peninsula on the 7th August, 1915.
After the New Zealand Infantry Brigade had attacked and established
itself on the ridge, Corporal Bassett, in full daylight and under a
continuous and heavy fire succeeded in laying a telephone-line from
the old position to the new one on Chunuk Bair. He had subsequently
been brought to notice for further excellent and most gallant work
connected with the repair of telephone-lines by day and night under
heavy fire."
_London Gazette_, 15th October, 1915.
[Illustration: CORPORAL C. R. G. BASSETT, V.C.
(Now Lieutenant Bassett, V.C.)]
KNIGHT COMMANDER OF THE MOST HONOURABLE ORDER OF THE BATH. (K.C.B.)
Major-General (temp. Lieutenant-General) Sir A. J. Godley, K.C.M.G.,
General Officer Commanding, N.Z. Expeditionary Force.
KNIGHT COMMANDER OF THE MOST DISTINGUISHED ORDER OF SAINT MICHAEL AND
SAINT GEORGE. (K.C.M.G.)
Colonel (temp. Brigadier-General) Sir A. H. Russell, General Officer
Commanding, N.Z. Division.
COMPANIONS OF THE MOST HONOURABLE ORDER OF THE BATH. (C.B.)
Colonel E. W. Chaytor, N.Z. Staff Corps, New Zealand Expeditionary
Force (Staff).
Lieutenant-Colonel J. Findlay, Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment.
Major (temp. Brigadier-General) F. E. Johnston, N.Z. Infantry Brigade
(The Prince of Wales's Own, North Staffordshire Regiment).
COMPANIONS OF THE MOST DISTINGUISHED ORDER OF SAINT MICHAEL AND SAINT
GEORGE. (C.M.G.)
Lieutenant-Colonel W. M. Alderman, Auckland Infantry Battalion
(Commonwealth Military Forces).
Lieutenant-Colonel C. M. Begg, N.Z. Medical Corps.
Lieutenant-Colonel (temp. Brigadier-General) W. G. Braithwaite,
D.S.O., Headquarters, N.Z. Expeditionary Force (Royal Welsh Fusiliers).