Sir Ian Hamilton's Despatches from the Dardanelles, etc.Hamilton, Ian
History
Sir Ian Hamilton's Despatches from the Dardanelles, etc.
Hamilton, Ian
World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula
The burning courage of the Australian and New Zealand Division
must make any soldier proud of his Colonial brothers. They were
disembarked at night, and the units became unavoidably mixed up, for
some of them had in their ardour followed up the Turks, whom they had
repulsed, further than had been intended. It seems from a perusal of
the despatch, that in spite of their short military training, the
self-reliance naturally acquired by men who lead a less artificial
life than those brought up in cities and towns in England, enabled our
Colonials, inspired by their personal courage, to resist successfully
for hours the attacks of a vastly superior number of Turks.
In a number of glorious deeds recorded in the _London Gazette_ it is
somewhat difficult to select any deed standing out beyond the rest,
but it seems probable that the personal prowess of Lance-Corporal
Albert Jacka, 14th Battalion Australian Imperial Forces, can scarcely
ever be surpassed. During the night of May 19-20 he, with four other
Australians, was holding a trench which was heavily attacked. The five
men accounted for many Turks, but when Jacka's four comrades had
been killed or wounded, the trench was rushed, and occupied by seven
Moslems. Lance-Corporal Jacka attacked and killed all seven, five by
successive shots from his rifle, and two with his bayonet.
Commander Unwin's exploits were remarkable. He had fitted admirably for
the work in view the _River Clyde_ steamship, and successfully beached
her; and although hit by three bullets, he worked for hours in the
water to save wounded men, and continued his self-sacrificing efforts
until he became inanimate from cold and exhaustion.
One of Commander Unwin's subordinates, George Samson, who vied with him
in tasks of enduring gallantry, belongs to the Royal Naval Reserve, and
is mentioned for having worked on a lighter all day attending to the
stricken until he was dangerously wounded. Yet at the annual dinner
last week of the National Sailors' and Firemen's Union, when Samson,
apparently now a Petty Officer, as modest as he is brave, was presented
with a gold watch and chain, in returning thanks, said: "I would sooner
land again in the Dardanelles than have to make a speech."
Commander Robinson is a remarkable instance not only of calculating
courage, but also of the thorough training which Naval officers
receive. "He refused to allow anyone to accompany him on his dangerous
mission, as his men's white clothing made them very conspicuous.
After having penetrated alone into a two-gun battery of the enemy, on
the 26th February, he destroyed a gun and then returning for another
demolition charge, wrecked the remaining piece."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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