World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula; World War, 1914-1918 -- New Zealand
Going up the Chailak, some of the Otago Infantry lost their way and
"took Table Top" only to be gruffly ordered away by the Wellington
Mounteds who had taken it some hours before! Part of the other two
companies of the Otago Infantry--the 8th Southland and the 10th North
Otago--passed Table Top at dawn and resolutely pressed up the dere, led
by Major Frank Statham, a dauntless-spirited soldier and a born leader.
About an hour after dawn this small band of heroes entered the Turkish
communication trench running across the lower slopes of Rhododendron
Spur from the Chailak Dere. They met with little resistance--indeed on
reaching a point where they could overlook the Sazli Beit Dere, they
were astonished to see the valley crowded with scared Turks streaming
back towards Battleship Hill. Some of the bolder spirits of the Otagos
went right on to the Apex and Chunuk Bair! If there had been a dozen
leaders of the Statham type--men who understood country and men of
resolution--the whole of Chunuk might have been ours by nine o'clock.
The enemy was certainly demoralized and on the run.
A signalling officer of the Ghurkas now arrived and sent a message back
to his brigade slowly proceeding up the Aghyl Dere.
The broken country delayed the rest of our brigade. The Canterburys
proceeding up the Sazli Beit had some trouble at Destroyer Hill
because, as we know, the Turkish communication trenches all led in
that direction and fresh fugitive Turks were constantly arriving. It
was well light before the Canterburys reached the lower slopes of
Rhododendron. These slopes were for some time called Canterbury Ridge,
but the older name of Rhododendron survived.
As it was now light, and the attack undoubtedly late, Chunuk could not
be taken by surprise. But looking down towards the Suvla Flats, we were
heartened by the great flotilla of ships and barges in Suvla Bay. Hope
again ran high, for help seemed close at hand. With another effort the
brigade pressed forward and reached the small depression now known as
the Apex, but then christened the Mustard Plaster.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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