World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula; World War, 1914-1918 -- New Zealand
Canterbury had advanced about 250 yards, Auckland had two companies
about the same distance, but the right company had fallen back owing
to heavy cross machine-gun fire from a clump of fir trees. Wellington
had made good about 300 yards, but were under very heavy fire from a
Turkish trench on our left front. Two companies of the Otago Regiment
were sent in to help Auckland, who had lost heavily and were somewhat
shaken.
A squadron of armoured cars advanced in fine style up the Krithia Road,
but a few Turkish trenches dug across the road damped their ardour, and
they disconsolately returned to the rear.
All that afternoon our men hung on under a withering fire. The wounded
lying out in the open were hit again and again. Away on the right, the
French could be seen pressing vigorously forward towards the crest,
but were ever beaten back. Times without number they surged forward,
but could not hold the ground so hardly won. Again and again that
awful afternoon did the British, French, Indian, and Colonial soldiers
hurl themselves forward towards the Turk. But the enemy machine guns
were not to be denied; from end to end of the line the attack was
undoubtedly held up.
It was resolved to make one final effort before nightfall. The
remaining two companies of the Otago Battalion were pushed up to
support Wellington's right and Auckland's left, and a newly arrived
draft of New Zealand Reinforcements was moved up into reserve. At 5
p.m., every available gun ashore and afloat opened on the Turkish
lines. Never before had the troops heard such an awesome uproar--the
spiteful French 75's vied with the 15-in. monsters of the Queen
Elizabeth in heaping metal on the Turk. Half an hour later the whole
line advanced against the Turkish lines, but it was more than flesh
and blood could do to make a permanent advance. Everywhere ground was
gained, but at a tremendous price. The thinned-out ranks were not
strong enough to hold what had been gained.
This effort had spent itself before 7 p.m. The Canterburys had gone
forward some 400 yards. The Aucklands went well ahead, but lost very
heavily in officers. They fell back almost to their original line.
Wellington made a substantial advance, but were held up by the enemy
machine guns, which before had proved troublesome. These guns were
difficult to get at, as a deep nullah lay between these guns and the
New Zealanders, and could only be assaulted by the 87th Brigade.
[Illustration:
[_Lent by Capt. Farr, D.S.O., M.C._
A GUN OF THE 3RD BATTERY, N.Z.F.A. AT CAPE HELLES.
After our experience of cover in France, the sheet of galvanized iron
and row of sandbags is almost ludicrous. Notice the typical Gallipoli
hair-cut and the absence of many garments.]
Away on the left a fire broke out among the gorse and scrub. The Sikh
wounded fared very badly in the flames.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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