World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula; World War, 1914-1918 -- New Zealand
The pontoons are of German make, as the spelling of "the home port"
indicates.]
[Illustration: TURKISH PRISONERS CAPTURED ON THE CANAL.
This picture, which shows the physique of the Turk, was taken by Lieut.
A. E. Forsythe, (12th Nelsons) who was killed on Gallipoli.]
The enemy's total casualties were about 3000 in killed, wounded and
prisoners. The British loss was 18 killed and 83 wounded. The naval
casualties were also infinitesimal--one man killed on the "Swiftsure"
and ten wounded on the "Hardinge." Thus was the enemy's much-heralded
attack brought to confusion. From that day the Suez Canal, thanks to
the efforts of the British and Indian troops and the Allied navies, has
been open day and night to the ships of friendly nations.
Three weeks of waiting ensued. There was certainly work to be done, but
the Canal is just the Canal, and men get very sick of it. Any change is
welcome to the soldier. It was a relief to climb into the troop trains
on February 26 and eventually arrive in the old encampment near Zeitoun.
Return to Zeitoun.
The New Zealand and Australian Division was now feeling its feet, and
towards the end of March the Third Reinforcements arrived and were
promptly drafted to the units requiring them, particularly the Field
Engineers and Divisional Train. Among them was a Maori contingent of 14
officers and 425 other ranks, eager to prove that they were too good
for garrison duty. Egypt had never seen their betters as regards drill,
physique and discipline.
About this time the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force came into being.
The air was full of rumours; soon it became manifest that the two
Colonial Divisions--the 1st Australian Division and the New Zealand
and Australian Division--were, as the Australian and New Zealand Army
Corps, to be called on to engage in a most important enterprise.
Bustling administrative officers from the two Divisions commenced
addressing their letters to Army Headquarters as A.N.Z.A.C., little
realizing they were unconsciously creating a word destined to ring with
glory down the ages.
[Illustration:
[_Photo by the Author_
A COSMOPOLITAN ARMY.
In this picture are Australian Signallers, Ceylon Rifle Planters,
British, French, and Australian Officers.]
How the prospect of humbling the Turk appealed to these young crusaders
from the far South! What an atmosphere of anticipation pervaded the
camp when it was learned that the Division was to be paraded for the
last searching inspection by the illustrious soldier to whom Britain
had entrusted the confounding of the Turk. There was a certain element
of romance in these young, untried divisions from the New World daring
to confront one of the oldest and most warlike of the Old World races.
An Inspection on the Desert.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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