Trooper Bluegum at the Dardanelles: Descriptive Narratives of the More Desperate Engagements on the Gallipoli PeninsulaHogue, Oliver
History
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
The enemy scored next time. One of their snipers, over-bold, crept up
in the scrub to within twenty yards of the trenches of the 7th Light
Horse, and started blazing away. Our fellows could not get him from the
trenches, so Sergeant Ducker and three others volunteered to rush the
Turk's "posey" and bring him in, dead or alive. Cautiously they fixed
bayonets, climbed on to the parapet, and then dashed out. They found
the sniper's nest, but the bird had flown. A number of empty cartridge
cases bore testimony to his activity. But the scrub was full of
snipers, and as our dashing quartette dashed for home a hot fusillade
was opened on them from the Turkish trenches and the scrub. Ducker
dashed into shelter so fast that he landed on General Ryrie's back.
No. 2 sent a miniature avalanche of dust and débris on top of Colonel
Cox; No. 3 landed on my pet corn; and No. 4, Trooper Edgeworth, got a
Turkish bullet in the arm. "Maleesch."
One of our best exploits was "White's one-night stunt," as it was
called. The General wanted a certain position taken and occupied.
Our brigade had to do it. Under cover of night a patrol went out,
reconnoitred the position, and formed a covering party for the work to
come. Major Fred. White then took 150 men of the 6th Light Horse, armed
with picks and shovels as well as their rifles, and dug a long sap six
feet deep, right out to Harris Ridge. Then the trenches were dug, and
the position occupied. The Sixth dug like miners, and burrowed like
rabbits. Next morning when Abdul awoke he beheld the smoke of the Light
Horse camp fires and the hill in possession of the enemy. And the Turks
wondered what had happened.
One morning early, Major Windeyer, of the 7th, poked his head over the
parapet to enjoy the panorama, and a Turkish sniper let fly, the bullet
just whizzing past his ear. Several snipers had been heard in front
of our lines, but not located. So it was decided to drive them off.
Fifty volunteered for the job; six were chosen, but it was found that a
dozen joined in the rush. The Turkish patrol was easily driven back by
Sergeant Walker and his comrades, and the Turks in the foremost trench
were so surprised that about fifty rounds were poured into them before
they got busy. At least one was killed before their reinforcements came
tumbling up. Then the Australians bolted for home, and reached safety
without any casualties, though the Turks blazed away like fury. That's
the luck of the game.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account