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
Such was the spirit of Lieutenant-Colonel Hubert Harris, V.D.,
commanding the 5th Light Horse Regiment, who was killed in action on
Gallipoli on the night of July 31. Curious it was that the only man
hit in the regiment that night was its commander. They were firing
from the trenches and occupying the attention of the Turks while the
infantry on our left blew up the enemy's trench, dashed out, bayoneted
the defenders, and captured the position. There was a wild fusillade by
the enemy's riflemen, and a heavy bombardment of our lines. One unlucky
bullet came through a loophole, struck Colonel Harris in the neck, and
he died in a few minutes.
There was heavy fighting along the whole league-long line that night.
But the main work was left to MacLagan's famous 3rd Infantry Brigade.
The Turks had sapped in and dug trenches opposite Tasmania Post. They
looked dangerous, and it was thought they would try to undermine
our trenches and blow us up. So we mined in under them, and blew up
their advanced trench. On our left the New Zealanders made a lively
demonstration to keep the enemy opposite engaged, and the big guns
blazed away at the main Turkish position. From the sea a warship
fired high explosives in the same direction. Then Captain Lean with a
storming party of the 11th Infantry Battalion, dashed out with great
gallantry and seized the objective. They used boards to surmount the
barbed wire entanglements, swept down on the Turks, bayoneted and shot
about fifty of them, and entered into possession. Engineers immediately
bolted out under a heavy fire, and hurriedly built up sandbag defences.
And having got it, the Eleventh held on.
Meanwhile the 2nd Light Horse Brigade on the right poured a heavy
fire into the Turkish trenches on the immediate left of the captured
position. All attempts at reinforcing the Turkish advanced line were
thus frustrated, and no counter-attack had any chance of getting home.
Thinking a further attack was intended from Ryrie's Post, the Turkish
artillery concentrated their field guns on the Light Horse, and the
bombardment was terrific; yet--and here is the luck of the game--not
one man in the firing-line of the 6th Light Horse was wounded. I was up
with B Squadron, and the hail of shrapnel was something to remember.
That was about half-past ten at night; and the moon having just risen,
we concentrated our rifle fire on the enemy's trenches, leaving our
artillery to deal with their reserves. Then it was that the fatal
bullet killed Colonel Harris.
In a special order issued by General Birdwood next day reference
was made to the excellent qualities of Colonel Harris, and to the
conspicuous ability he had shown during the few months he had led his
regiment on Gallipoli. We of the Sixth knew his value, and liked him;
the Queenslanders loved him, and would have followed him anywhere.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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