Trooper Bluegum at the Dardanelles: Descriptive Narratives of the More Desperate Engagements on the Gallipoli PeninsulaHogue, Oliver
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Trooper Bluegum at the Dardanelles: Descriptive Narratives of the More Desperate Engagements on the Gallipoli Peninsula
Hogue, Oliver
World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula; World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives, Australian
Most noticeable was the rapidity with which the Turkish--or
German--artillery came into action. Within three minutes of the
commencement of operations the Turkish shells were falling thick and
fast on Holly Ridge. They had the range to a nicety, and it was a
miracle how any of our advance parties escaped annihilation. As it was,
we had five killed and fourteen wounded. It is estimated that the Turks
fired two hundred rounds of shrapnel on the Light Horse position in one
hundred minutes. Our artillery was by no means idle. Colonel Rosenthal
concentrated a devastating fire on to the enemy's trenches and gun
emplacements. Our howitzers landed high explosives amongst the enemy's
reserves, while the enemy's guns battered our trenches. The roar of
the cannonade was terrific.
We did not know exactly how fared the infantry on our left, or the New
Zealanders further north. But we did know, by the rapid reinforcement
of the enemy's position, that our demonstration had achieved its
purpose.
One would like to mention all the acts of gallantry which were done on
this occasion. But no one saw them all. I was so busy dodging shrapnel
shells that I saw only a few. Anyhow, our chaps did not come with a
view to getting medals. Other gallant soldiers of the Seventh and Sixth
and Fifth will never get mentioned in dispatches.
After eight weeks on the inhospitable shores of Gallipoli, the Turks at
last took pity on the Australians. They promised us excellent treatment
and ample provisions. All we had to do was to "Come and surrender."
This cheery invitation was scattered broadcast over the Gallipoli
Peninsula by a German aeroplane. But the pilot was such a poor shot
that not one of the messages fell in the league-long trenches of the
Australians and New Zealanders. The wind wafted them all across into
the Turkish lines. But our friends next door (they are only ten feet
away in one place) wrote nasty messages on the papers and threw them
back into our lines.
It was a most interesting document, the one we received. It informed us
that the British Navy had abandoned us to our fate. Unfortunately for
the Turks, half a dozen warships and a flotilla of submarines were at
that moment thundering away at the Turkish batteries. Another bit of
news to the Australians was that "Greedy England made us fight under a
contract." Anyway, as we had not completed the contract we did not like
the idea of quitting the job.
However, here is the grandiloquent German-made proclamation:--
"_Proclamation to the Anglo-French Expeditionary Forces._
"Protected by a heavy fire of a powerful fleet, you have been able to
land on the Gallipoli Peninsula on and since April 25.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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