World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula; World War, 1914-1918 -- New Zealand
No one had slept during the night. Re-embarkation was suggested, but a
conference was held and the Generals decided to hold on. The men made
strenuous efforts. Those not actually fighting were employed making
roads up Maclagan's Ridge in the centre, and up Walker's Ridge on the
left, in order that the guns might be man-handled up to the positions
selected by the artillery commanders.
[Illustration:
[_Photo by the Author_
UNLOADING GUNS.
The stern of the horse boats dropped in the water makes an inclined
plane down which the gun is manhandled. The country was too rough for
horses, but fifty men on a rope can overcome most obstacles.]
About midnight, three companies of the 15th Battalion, 4th Australian
Infantry Brigade, arrived and were sent up to reinforce the 1st
Australian Division away on the right. They had been hardly pressed
just before sunset, and orders were given that all available troops
were to support the covering force (the 3rd Australian Infantry
Brigade) as they arrived, and to connect up with the New Zealand
Infantry Brigade on the left. During the remainder of the night,
platoons and companies of the Wellington Battalion of the New Zealand
Infantry Brigade, and of the 13th, 15th, and 16th Battalions of the 4th
Australian Infantry Brigade, were brought ashore.
The troops arrived in very irregular order--some from one ship and
some from another. As each platoon or company came ashore, it was
immediately despatched, under the senior officer present, to support
the right flank, where the 1st Australian Division was most hotly
engaged. The result was that units of both divisions became hopelessly
mixed up, and it was several days before they could be disentangled.
By 3 a.m., the whole of the Australian 13th Battalion had arrived.
The bulk of it was held temporarily in reserve. One and a half more
companies of the Wellington Battalion now occupied Plugge's Plateau,
above the beach, and half a company had been sent off to join the 1st
Australian Division on the right. By 5 a.m., the remaining company
of the Wellington Battalion had arrived, and by 6 a.m., a section of
the New Zealand Howitzer Battery was brought ashore, and gladdened
the heart of every infantryman as it came into action at the foot of
Howitzer Gully. "Boom!" went the howitzer. "The guns, thank God! the
guns!" murmured the tired soldiers.
Shrapnel Gully.
The Turk quickly realized that the valley running from behind Hell Spit
deep into the centre of Anzac must be the channel of communication.
His gunners were so assiduous that it was quickly christened Shrapnel
Gully. The top of this valley was afterwards known as Monash Gully.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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