THE AUSTRALIANS AND NEW ZEALANDERS
Towards the end of July, owing to the numbers killed, wounded and in
hospital, the Corps was reduced to less than half its strength, and as,
at that time, we had no depot in Egypt to send us recruits, it was
obvious that, in the course of another couple of months, this
interesting and useful unit would cease to exist, if the present rate of
casualties continued. The reduced strength of the Corps having come to
the knowledge of Sir Ian Hamilton, I was ordered to proceed to Imbros
and report to General Headquarters there. I had an interview with the
Commander-in-Chief, and the result was that I was commissioned to go to
Alexandria, and, if possible, recruit two fresh troops of Israelites in
Egypt, and there establish a recruiting and base depot for the Corps.
A considerable stir had been created throughout the Jewish world when it
became known that there was, for the first time in British history, a
Jewish unit fighting side by side with British soldiers; and there is no
doubt that the sympathy of Jews for the Allies was considerably
fostered by the presence of this unit fighting in their ranks.
In proof of this I received letters from Jews, and, indeed, from
Gentiles, too, from all parts of the world, letters which showed a deep
interest in, and sympathy for, this Jewish fighting unit.
Perhaps the most prominent Gentile from whom I heard was Colonel
Roosevelt. I only wish I could publish his heartening letter, but at
least I may mention that he was anxious to know if my men made good
soldiers, because a relative of his was in command of a battery of
artillery in one of the Southern States, and he had reported to the
ex-President that, curiously enough, part of it was entirely composed of
Jews, who were among the most efficient soldiers in the whole battery.
During my interview with Sir Ian Hamilton, I brought these facts to his
knowledge, but I found that he was already well informed of the interest
and sympathy which the Zion Mule Corps had aroused among the neutral
Jews of the world, as he himself had received letters from prominent
Israelites in America, and, among others, one from the editor of the New
York Jewish newspaper, _The Day_, asking if such a unit really existed.
Sir Ian Hamilton's reply, which appeared in _The Day_, is as follows:
General Headquarters,
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
It may interest you to know that I have here, fighting under my
orders, a purely Jewish unit. As far as I know, this is the
first time in the Christian era that such a thing has happened.
The men who compose it were cruelly driven out of Jerusalem by
the Turks, and arrived in Egypt, with their families,
absolutely destitute and starving.
A complete transport Corps was there raised from them, for
voluntary service with me against the Turks, whom they
naturally detest.
These troops were officially described as the "Zion Mule
Corps," and the officers and rank and file have shown great
courage in taking water, supplies and ammunition up to the
fighting line under heavy fire. One of the private soldiers has
been specially recommended by me for gallantry and has duly
received from the King the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
It will therefore be seen that, in my endeavours to keep the Corps
alive, I had a powerful ally in Sir Ian Hamilton.
I was the guest of the Headquarters Staff in Imbros for a few days, so
that I had an opportunity of studying its ways at close quarters. There
was certainly no slacking here. Work seemed to go on day and night, and
the food and drink were almost spartan in their simplicity, practically
nothing but the rations which were served out to the troops, officers
and men alike.
I have heard some criticism levelled at the General for being camped
away from the Army, on a secluded island, but, in my humble opinion, it
was by far the best position for the Headquarters Staff and the
Commander-in-Chief, because, owing to the unfortunate division of the
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force into two parts, he was more in touch,
from Imbros, with Anzac and Helles than he could have been in any other
place.
Of course, had the Army been all together, I think to be with it would
be the right place for the Commander-in-Chief. It may suit the
temperament of the Japanese soldier to have his chief hidden miles away
from the battlefield, but I do not think that this plan fits in with the
temperament of the British soldier. He likes to see his General, and he
likes to know that his General sees him, and realises from personal
contact the nature of the task he is asking his men to perform.
While I was at Imbros, I made an expedition across the island over hill
and dale to the opposite shore, and it was curious to see the old-world
way in which the Greeks, who inhabit the island, live in these modern,
hustling days. There I saw two women grinding at the mill, and the oxen
treading out the corn, just as they did thousands of years ago
throughout all the lands of the East. I found the people hospitable and
kindly, ready to offer the stranger a cool draught of water from a
gushing spring (and this was really delicious after Gallipoli), or a
platter of luscious mulberries, which were then in season.
But what, perhaps, interested me beyond all else was the view which, on
my return journey, I obtained from the summit of a hill, of the position
of the Turkish guns at the back of Achi Baba. With my glasses I could
see them perfectly plainly, and could actually make out the gunners as
they served the guns. With a powerful telescope this would have made a
most excellent observation station, as all the Turkish movements at the
back of Achi Baba could be plainly seen from this Imbros hill.
When I left Headquarters at Imbros I took passage on a trawler which
called in at Anzac, where the Australian-New Zealand Army Corps were dug
into the ridges.
I had, of course, a good view of the position they held on the
precipitous cliffs and hills which rose in successive sierra-like
ridges from the very seashore, and I could then adequately realise the
tremendous feat they had performed in gaining a footing on these heights
against such a brave and well-armed foe as the Turks.
I had met the Australians before in March, when I had paid them a visit
in their romantic camping-ground under the shadow of the Pyramids, and
it was in the same month that I met, on the verandah of Shepheard's
Hotel, in Cairo, the chief medical officer to the Australian Army,
Surgeon-General Williams, whom I had met in South Africa and London some
fifteen years previously.
Thinking that he would remember me, I sat down beside him and opened the
conversation by saying: "Any chance of a billet with you, General?"
He looked rather blankly at me and said: "Not a ghost of a chance unless
you are an Australian. Who are you anyhow?"
I then told him who I was, upon which his face lit up with welcome, but
he would not believe that I could be the same man, and asked me to
remove my headgear so that he might have a good look at me, as he said I
had grown ten years younger.
"How do you manage to keep your youth?" he demanded.
"Oh," I replied, "it is easily done. An uneventful life and no worries,"
at which the General, knowing something of my travels and adventures,
winked, ordered a couple of whiskies and sodas, and over these we had a
long talk about things past, present and to come.
General Williams took me round the hospitals and kitchens out at Mena
Camp, where we inspected the ambulances and other things under his
charge, and I was much impressed with the completeness with which
Australia had equipped the magnificent fighting force which she had sent
to the aid of England.
It was a great pleasure to meet Colonel Ryan, a senior member of the
Australian Medical Staff, who had served with the Turks as a surgeon in
their last war against Russia and was with them all through the siege of
Plevna. I had read his most interesting book describing his experiences
in that war, and altogether I was delighted to have had the pleasure of
meeting this most genial Irish Australian.
Camp life at Mena, for the thirty odd thousand men in training there,
was very dull indeed. There was not much to relieve the monotony once
the Pyramids had been climbed and the Australian colours had been
planted on the summits, save an extra dose of sandstorm. It was no
wonder, therefore, that every now and again the troops would invade
Cairo in force and paint the city red; in fact, one night they painted
it very red indeed, when they held a corroboree round the blazing ruins
of a Cairene Courtesan's Temple, which they had given to the flames,
because the Priestess had, in some way or other, maladministered the
rites!
The Staff of the Australian and New Zealand Expeditionary Force,
commanded by General Birdwood, had their Headquarters at Shepheard's,
and there I met again young Onslow, of the Indian Cavalry, the General's
A. D. C., and one of the nicest and handsomest boys that ever buckled on
a sabre. He was not only beloved of men, but the gods loved him, too,
and it was a black day for me when I heard he was killed at Anzac.
I thought of all these things as I approached the little landing-stage
on the Anzac shore, where, as we dropped anchor close to the beach, we
got vigorously shelled by the Turks, whose guns, most artfully
concealed, dominated the landing.
In the course of the eight months' sojourn there, these guns were
responsible for the deaths of hundreds of the Australians and New
Zealanders, who were killed while they worked at loading and unloading
the stores and ammunition, which were constantly poured into Anzac. In
spite of this shell-fire, all through the hot weather scores of men
might be seen swimming about and thoroughly enjoying themselves in the
water. A look-out man was kept and when he reported a shell coming all
dived until the explosion was over.
There are many good stories told of the Australians and their want of
reverence for the Staff and their love for the General.
On one occasion, while a dignified and very portly British Staff
Officer, who had been having a swim, was drying himself, an Australian
came by, and, giving him a hearty smack, said: "Hallo, old sport, you
look about ready for the knife. Have you been getting into the
biscuit-tin?"
Whatever the Australians may have lacked in what soldiers know as
discipline and etiquette they more than made up for by their
fearlessness and utter contempt of death in the fight. The very fact
that they had gained a footing on these precipitous crags in the face of
a desperate resistance showed that they were a race of supermen.
In vain did the Turks, time after time, hurl themselves at them in an
attempt to drive them into the sea. The Turks would charge, crying:
"Allah! Allah!" The Australians would respond by leaping on the parapets
of their trenches, shouting: "Come on, you blighters, and bring him with
you." They fear nothing--God, Man, Death, or Devil!
When we eventually plant our flag triumphantly on Gallipoli, the flag of
Australia and New Zealand must float in the place of honour upon the
Anzac peaks, for here, in their shadows, at peace forever, lie thousands
of their bravest sons.
After a few hours my trawler weighed anchor and we steamed south for
Helles, which we reached in a couple of hours.
The skipper was a north of Ireland man, and he told me much about the
arduous life which the men in the trawlers and mine-sweepers led. During
the first attack upon the Dardanelles some of these went through a
perfect hell of shell-fire, in fact, right through the Narrows. For
eight months, scores of them were constantly on the perilous work of
mine-sweeping round Helles and the islands, or carrying troops to and
fro; and all this time they were daily under fire, or, during the night,
with all lights out, risking themselves and their vessels. More than one
sweeper, with all its crew and living freight, came to a sad and sudden
end through collision in the dark.
As we neared the landing-stage I spied a new kind of warship for the
first time, and as we passed close to her I saw her elevate the muzzles
of the two great guns with which she was armed and let fly a brace of
shells at the enemy's batteries on Asia. This was the coming of the
unsinkable Monitor, armed with her terrible fourteen-inch guns. I don't
know how accurate her shots were, but the Turkish gunner who replied was
a marvel, for, with his third shot, I saw him strike the deck of the
Monitor plump amidships. I heard afterwards that this shell went through
all the decks and stuck in the keel plate. By a great piece of good luck
no damage was done, as it did not explode.
When I reached the camp of my Zion men I held a parade and told them how
interested Sir Ian Hamilton was in the Corps, and how he wished it to be
kept up, and with that view had ordered me to proceed to Alexandria to
recruit two new troops of their co-religionists. I asked them all to be
good boys while I was away, and to work as well for Lieutenant Gye, who
would command them in my absence, as they had always worked for me, and
in this way keep up the reputation of the Zion Corps.