The 28th: A Record of War Service in the Australian Imperial Force, 1915-19, Vol. I: Egypt, Gallipoli, Lemnos Island, Sinai PeninsulaCollett, Herbert Brayley
History
The 28th: A Record of War Service in the Australian Imperial Force, 1915-19, Vol. I: Egypt, Gallipoli, Lemnos Island, Sinai Peninsula
Collett, Herbert Brayley
Australia. Australian Army. Battalion, 28th; World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Australia
At dusk the Maoris assembled just below the Apex. Divine service was
conducted by their own chaplain in the Maori tongue, but in accordance
with the Church of England liturgy and with the orthodox intoning. The
scene was an impressive one, and will not easily be forgotten by those
who witnessed it. Other gatherings for worship were held when
circumstances permitted, but, as a rule, senior officers objected to
their men gathering in numbers when so few spots in the limited area
behind the lines were not exposed to shell fire. Chaplains, therefore,
had to visit the individual members of their flocks wherever they could
find them. This meant much hill climbing and the running of considerable
risk from gun and rifle fire. Many a padre acquired great merit by his
unselfishness and disregard of danger. Should casualties have occurred
during the day, small knots of people might be seen at night down near
the beach, or on some other exposed slope, reverently interring a
comrade who had fallen. Here the padres performed the last offices for
the dead.
Early in the morning of the 20th occurred one of those incidents which
have often been narrated but seldom authenticated. Private G. J. Owen,
whilst standing on the firestep observing, felt a blow on the chest. On
an examination of his clothing it was found that a bullet had penetrated
his greatcoat and jacket, and also a wallet in his jacket pocket, and
finally spent itself in the centre of a small Bible that he was in the
habit of carrying with him. Owen was quite uninjured and has, since his
return to Australia, published his own story.
This day the Pinnacle was heavily shelled by our 6-inch howitzers in an
attempt to demolish the Blockhouse and a small redoubt behind it. Both
works were looked upon as serious obstacles to possible future
operations locally.
"C" Company having been in the line for seven days, was relieved by "B"
Company and moved into a reserve position. The following evening "A"
Company similarly relieved "D" Company.
On the 21st September two enemy shells accounted for five of the Western
Australians. This day Sir Ian Hamilton visited the Brigade, but as the
climb was steep, and the sun hot, he did not ascend to the Apex. In his
"Gallipoli Diary" he thus records his impressions--"saw the new
Australian Division--very fine fellows. Bullets were on the whistle and
'the boys' were as keen and happy as any real schoolboys. Memories of
the Khyber, Chitral and Tirah can hardly yield samples of a country so
tangled and broken. Where the Turks begin and we end is a puzzler, and
if you do happen to take a wrong turning, it leads to Paradise. Met
various Australian friends--a full blown Lord Mayor--many other leading
citizens, both of Melbourne and Sydney."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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