World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula; World War, 1914-1918 -- New Zealand
I have been asked to write a foreword to "THE NEW ZEALANDERS AT
GALLIPOLI," and it gives me the greatest pleasure to do so,
providing, as it does, an opportunity of recording the affection
and admiration I have, and shall always have, for those who were my
comrades on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
It was as a comparatively small force that we started our soldiering
in Egypt towards the end of 1914. And I am sure that no soldier was
ever prouder of his command than I was when, on the orders of Lord
Kitchener, I took over the command of the Australian and New Zealand
troops who were then arriving from their homes.
Not a moment of the time spent in Egypt was wasted, for all ranks
instinctively realized what was before us, and put their best work into
the necessary training. I doubt if any but those who were present can
conceive all that this training meant to us, and in what wonderfully
good stead it stood us when the time of trial came at Gallipoli. When
that time arrived, we felt that we were a really formed military body,
and not merely a collection of units hastily thrown together and
without any military cohesion. During that period, a strong feeling of
esprit de corps was engendered throughout the force, and perhaps most
important of all, a spirit of discipline, the necessity of which was
realized, was inculcated in all ranks.
I so well remember on that early morning of April 25, 1915, the intense
keenness and anxiety on the part of all to get ashore and capture
the Turkish positions without a moment's delay; and it was, I know,
a source of great regret to the New Zealanders that it was to the
1st Australian Division that the honour of the first landing fell.
Transports, however, followed each other rapidly, and the day had not
worn long when the New Zealand infantry were ashore and attacking
what afterwards became known as Russell's Top, on the left of the
Australians. There and thereabouts it was destined to continue this
fighting through thick scrub for many a long day, and to prove to the
Turks how impossible it was to throw such men back into the sea, as
they had confidently anticipated doing.
[Illustration:
[_Photo by Bartlett & Andrew_
MAJOR-GENERAL SIR A. J. GODLEY, K.C.B., K.C.M.G.]
A short foreword like this is no place for a history of the doings of
the force, to which I know full credit will be done in this and other
volumes depicting New Zealand's share in the Great War. I will only
say here what complete confidence I always had--without one moment of
hesitation--throughout the campaign in the bravery, the steadfastness
and the efficiency of the New Zealand troops. Their discipline was
admirable, while never have I seen troops more willing or determined.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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