No Better Death

by John Crawford

  April 24th 1915

  A fine day with wind from the East. If it continues, it will be good for our landing. I went to a conference of officers with Gen Godley on the Lutzow this morning and did not get away until 2pm. We had to row to the outer harbour and back. I relieved the stroke and quite enjoyed an hours rowing. A head wind made it hard work, but it did me good. Plenty of movement all day. Transports and men of war from battleships down to torpedo boats and submarines, supply ships and hospital ships. A great sight. Britannia rules the waves – right Enough! We sail at 6am tomorrow morning and expect to land between noon and 5pm.

  I have just arranged with Home to issue to every Platoon Commander, a phial of morphia tabloids12 so that any wounded men can be at once given by the nearest man, a tabloid or two to put under his tongue and thus get relief from pain. The tabloid will take from 10 to 15 minutes to dissolve and to work, but it will be a great blessing to the wounded men and a great help to the nerves of their mates who will be saved quickly the hearing of the wounded men’s cries.

  We gave the men rice and dried apricots stewed, for their tea tonight as an extra. It was an unexpected treat, and very welcome. Tomorrow we give them for their last meal on board rice and stewed prunes. After that bully beef and biscuit will be the order of the day for a long time.

  April 25th 1915

  A lovely calm spring morning. We left Port Mudros at 6am. An auspicious departure. I wonder what our landing will be like. I fancy that it will [be] easy. The weather conditions seem perfect and I can but think that our enormous artillery power will blast most of the Turkish resistance off the face of the peninsula. The British Divn lands at Cape Helles and Seddil Bahr [sic, Sedd el Bahr] at South of Peninsula. Our army corps land on beach just north of Gaba Tepe on West coast, the place is about due west of where the Narrows take a NE turn into the sea of Marmara.14 The idea is to cut off the Turks who are south of such point. The landing was to begin at 3.30am this morning. The Australian Division being the 1st to land at 4am. Some of our fellows heard the big guns going. So no doubt as I write, fighting is going on. We are – as I write just leaving the eastern most part of Lemnos.

  [MS Papers 4130]

  [WGM wrote two entries in different diaries for 25 April 1915 – both are included, but a small section where he uses exactly the same words has been deleted.]

  25th [–26th] April 1915

  Left Port Mudros Lemnos at 6.10am for Gaba Tepe, Pen[insula] of Gallipoli, with other transports, having been preceded by Advance Landing Troops of the Australian Division. We towed 2 barges in which to land troops and horses. A lovely calm and in nature a peaceful day. But the huge 15” guns of the Queen Elizabeth could be heard at 60 miles distance bombarding forts etc. at Cape Helles and SEDD-EL-BAHR, where the 29th British Division was landing. As we got in we could see the action. Quite a number of Men of War, British, French and Russian blazing away. Transports steaming in close to the shore and landing troops in boats and barges. The Naval shells were bursting all along the Turkish position which seemed strongly held. We did not steam nearer than about six miles but with glasses could see what a great and furious fight was going on. The French Division was making a feint on the coast of Asia Minor so as to keep Turks there. We sailed on Northwards and as we got near Gaba Tepe which is about 10 miles North of Cape Helles found that our Army was landing at a bay some 2 miles NE of Gaba Tepe. It had commenced landing at 3.30am and had been most gallantly, nay recklessly carried out. The men of war Majestic, Triumph, Queen, Inflexible and ors [others] were firing furiously. Transports were landing troops etc. The action was a [at] Cape Helles. The Australians had carried the heights surrounding the bay but instead of being content with that and then digging in hard and fast had scally wagged for miles, into the interior some 3 to 4 miles got scattered and so became a prey to the Turks, who had been surprised in the 1st place and had (it is said) only some 500 defending troops at our landing place.15 Their troops encamped at Bijuk Anafarta and Kojader [sic, Koja Dere] were brought against the scattered Australians and slaughtered them.

  As the New Zealanders landed, they were rushed up to the heights, mixed up higgledy piggledy among themselves and with the Australians, with resulting in the case of my men anyhow (in my opinion) in serious avoidable loss. At 4.30pm my first troops went ashore. Taken off by HMS Bulldog, torpedo boat. I sent 2 Coys of Canterbury Bn and 1/2 Taranaki Coy, the latter in the man barge we had towed. I went with this consignment. When we got within about 1 mile of the shore we got into our ships boats and rowed ashore. The Turks welcomed us with shrapnel and sprayed up the sea all about us, but very few of us got hit. The beach was crowded with all sorts of beings, men, mules, donkeys, horses, ammunition, supplies, naval beach parties. In getting out of the boats many men got a salt-water bath all over. They had full packs, 200 Rds of ammn, 3 days food etc., so easily slipped and fell. There didn’t seem much organisation on the shore, in fact it was disorganisation. We evidently haven’t got a Kitchener about. On paper it was all right, but in practice no good. Still Britishers always muddle thro somehow or another. The Heads like General Birdwood and Godley plan all right, but the executive officers in the main are no good. Have no idea of order, method etc. They as I put it “hang up everything on the ground.” The whole army does. After I got Canterbury Coys ashore I got the 1/2 Taranaki Coy, and used them in extended order as guide posts along the beach. Soon however Col Braithwaite our GSO [General Staff Officer] told me to attach them to one Col Pope’s (Australian) Bn and they were marched up some heights. Major Brunt was with them. They got messed up by the Australians and lost in a short time some 15 killed and 19 wounded. After they had gone I struck our Genls B & G [Birdwood and Godley] and they were very disappointed when they found my Bn (bar 1/2 Coy) was still on the sea. The naval people for some unknown reason knocked off disembarkation. I got the General to wireless to the ship to carry on and about midnight the remaining 1 1/2 Coy of mine on Itonus got ashore, and were sent to hold a ridge just above the beach. They had no tools, as our Bn[’s tools] were in the Achaia with the other half Bn! I had asked to get 1/2 of them at Port Mudros, so that when we landed, we would be independent but it was not allowed, by our Brigadier. However, I got some of my HQ details to go along the beach and collect all the tools they could, and they got quite a number and then I sent them up to the ridge to enable the men to dig in. I had rather an amusing incident. I was going along the beach close to the cliffs, where there were crowds of men sleeping, finding out who they were so as to help reorganisation of units. Quoth I to one group “who are you fellows?” Low and ‘bold’ they were Generals Birdwood, Godley and Bridges and their staff ‘low and bold’18 there were quite a number of picks and shovels in their quarters – the open beach. I soon got all these tools and sent them up to my men. By daylight Hart and the 2 Coy off Achaia landed. We were ordered into Reserve alongside Army Head Quarters as an army reserve. We placed ourselves up a gully narrow and steep, full of scrub and remained there until about 4pm of the next day [April 26th] when we were ordered to go up this gully onto the Plateau and report to General Walker19 who was our acting Brigadier, Col F.E. Johnston being ill with gastric influenza. We had an awful climb, and found General Walker and reported but he didn’t know what to do with us, but in the end put us in reserve. All this time, the 24 hours round the big ship guns were booming away, also quick firing Howitzers, mountain guns and rifles. Endless fighting. Shrapnel bursting on and close to the beach. Boats and barges going to and fro the ships and beach, landing all sorts of men and things. In the night of Sunday I know there were some question among the Generals of our having to re-embark, personally I could see nothing to require it. As General Walker’s plateau was congested with men without my Battalion I asked and obtained leave to take them below the crest. We got settled down into dug-outs, and then got an army order to go back into our original reserve (Army) position. This from Genl Birdwood himself. We had been up the hill and now down again. Still we are all philosophers now.


  [Tuesday 27th April 1915]

  Next morning, Tuesday 27th we were sent up another gully in which 2 Howitzers were placed, and then to a place in the beach N of Divisional Headquarters and then told to draw 2 days’ rations and march N. along the beach to where a big ridge came down from the high country surrounding the bay. Duly away we went. Arrived at foot of the ridge – found General Walker, and heard a roar for reinforcements coming down the hill, irresponsible men, Australian privates passing the word for “Reinforcements at the double!!” General Walker told me to at once send a company up – packs to the left at the bottom. I enquired “what they were to do?, where to go and what the position was?” I was told they would be met at the top and put right. So away they went. No sooner gone than more yells of the same sort from the Australians. Another Coy of mine ordered to follow the 1st one. The Coys were (1st) Wellington West Coast, (2nd) Hawkes Bay, some 450 of the best soldier men in the world: They were being sent to chaos, and slaughter nay murder. I then brought up the remaining 1 1/2 Coys to about 1/2 way, which the A[Acting]/Brigadier [Walker] told me to hold in Reserve. On doing this more yells for reinforcements.

  I took [it] on myself to stop the yells and say no more reinforcements should go up in that irresponsible way. I went up myself to find out the position – A long climb along and up a ridge. I struck a sort of natural fort along it. Entrenched and occupied by about 40 Australians and 2 M [machine] guns, one Major a fat chap. I asked him what he was doing there, sending down yell for reinforcements. He said he was passing the yells on. I asked him why he didn’t go himself and take his men with him. He said he had orders to stay. I went on passing scores of Australian unwounded lying all along the track. Finally I got to a Col Braund20 who said he was in command of the show. Asked for some explanation of the position and why he had left his men when down the ridge and called for reinforcements from the New Zealanders. He didn’t know and knew nothing. Had no defensive position, no plan, nothing but a murderous notion, that the nice thing to do was to plunge troops out of the neck of the ridge into the jungle beyond. There Turks of whom very few were seen by any of my officers, were lying down shooting down all the bits of track that led from the ridge outwards, having range marks fixed, and dropping our men wholesale. Major Young and Cunningham grasped the situation soon and told who they could to dig in, this was begun but Col Braund came along and ordered the Platoon Commander to go on and plunge into the jungle further and further. On their protesting, he claimed as Senior Officer their obedience to his order and so on and on they went, and got slaughtered. Lt Wilson21 and his machine guns (2) were treated in the same way. I made Col Braund send back and take all his Australians forward and to shift his HQ – forward. I then went back to Brigade Headquarters to report and was told to bring up my remaining 1 1/2 Coys to the fort. After getting them up I started to go forward again, up the track to get a grip of things but was met by a lot of Australians tearing down the track yelling “fix bayonets, the Turks are coming”. I whipped back on [?] to the fort, put 2 M [machine] guns on front slope with a line of the best shots of the Ruahine [Coy] and sorted the other men up in readiness to hold back the Turks. I really believed we were in for a solid thing and told the men we would have to stick it out at all costs. I then went forward and found that the panic, for such it was had been stopped, thanks mainly to Major Hart who had been sent on by me ahead of the Reserves to get a hang of things and report to me when I came back. He like the good chap he is steadied the men and was helped by Captain Cox. I sent forward a platoon of Ruahine Coy to help stiffen things up, and on order being restored and no Turks appearing went forward to a spot close to the top of the ridge and established my Headquarters. By now wounded men by the score were being brought back and laid along the track, all sorts of wounds. The stretcher bearers couldn’t cope with the number and soon there were no stretchers. I got an immediate demand from Col Braund for more reinforcements but sent him a firm refusal. He then said as I would send him no more reinforcements he would have to retire to his first position. I told him he never ought to have left it.

  The Wellington Battalion digging in on Walker’s Ridge.

  Malone Family Collection London

  I sent to Young and Cunningham and told them to dig in and link up if possible secure their flanks and hang on. Got replies they were doing so. Col Braund then came to see me and on my asking why he had been doing as he had, said the truth was, he feared that if he didn’t go on his men would run away. I said that was no reason to sacrifice aimlessly my men. I went and reported to General Walker and asked that the whole of the Australians be withdrawn as soon as possible. He came back with me to the position. We struck lots of Australians who hadn’t moved. I ordered them up and drove them ahead pelting the leading one on the track where they stopped with stones and putting my toe into the rear ones.

  By this time wounded men were being brought back in scores (My Bn’s casualties out of 2 1/4 coys say 450 men were about 45 killed and 150 wounded, in about 1st hours of action), and left on track no stretchers being available. They were all very brave. No cries or even groans, one man kept saying “oh Daddy oh Daddy” in a low voice. Many greeted me cheerfully. [“] Well Colonel I’ve got it.” Many smiled. My men are wonderful. The world never saw better men or braver, I am sure. After the frightful murdering slaughter bungled by Col B. of the Australians they hung on, fired at from all quarters and yet unable in the jungle to see many of their enemy, dug themselves in. I went up with Hart and we divided up the ground held. Sent up picks and shovels and all night was passed by all hands, dig dig digging. Turks firing from a distance all the night with shrapnel, machine guns and rifles. Hart poor chap directing operations got shot thro the leg, flesh wound only I am glad to say. He will be back in about a fortnight. He was shot by a Turk within a few yards. The Turks threw hand grenades at us thro’ the night.

  Captain Jesse Wallingford, an experienced New Zealand Staff Corps officer, was dispatched to the ridge by Brigadier-General Walker on 26 April in response to reports that the defending forces were badly disorganised. Like Malone, Wallingford was highly critical of the chaotic state of affairs on Walker’s Ridge. He later noted in his diary that ‘Malone does well and glad he is here he will keep the old woman Col B [Braund] of the Australians from evacuating.’ He found the ‘Australians jumpy and their Col – dam [sic] his soul – is dreadfully so ... Col B is brave but oh such an old woman. He talks such utter rot that makes all his men jumpy.’ [Jesse Wallingford diary, 26 Apr 1915 (this diary entry appears to cover events both on 26 and 27 Apr), Wallingford family collection Wellington.]

  28th April 1915

  We are well dug in. The Turks keep trying to blast us away and thro the day killed 3 or 4 and wounded 8 or 9. Our position is something like this.

  Although it is headed Kaba (sic Gaba) Tepe, this sketch map by Lt Harston shows the Walker’s Ridge area.

  Malone Family Collection London

  The ground is covered with scrub. We go on digging and are shelled and rifle fired at night and day, but thanks to our excellent digging our casualties get less. I insisted on the Australians being all withdrawn. General Walker asked if I could hold on without them. I told him they were a source of weakness. All last night they kept up a blaze of rifle fire, into the dark at the Turks who they could not see and thus drew fire. The Turks knowing where we were. I tried to stop them but it was useless. About 1am Col Braund came to me for more ammunition. I refused to give it to him telling him he was wasting enough and only informing the Turks that he was scared. He insisted and I said responsibility on me. I sat tight and told him to go see General Walker as without his order I absolutely refused to give him any more ammunition. At 6am the Australians left. It was an enormous relief to see the last of them. I believe they are spasmodically brave and probably the best of them had been killed or wounded. They have been I venture to think badly handled and trained, officers in most cases no good. I am thinking of asking for a Court Martial on Col
Braund. It makes me mad when I think of my grand men being sacrificed by his incapacity and folly. He is I believe a brave chap because he did not keep out of the racket. If he had it would have been better for us. I would not have minded losing the men, if only in a fair go, but to have them thrown away, is heartbreaking.

  Poor Lt Wilson and all his NCOs except one Corporal knocked out. He killed. They did great work but ought not to have been plunged into the jungle. It was skirmishing with M. guns. Quite wrong my officers knew better but Col B [Braund] took the attitude I am your senior officer and the senior officer here and I order you to do what I tell you! They did it, to our frightful cost. We are unable to bury many of our killed. The whole of the scrubby slope opposite to us is full of snipers, dead shots. They pick off even our periscopes and to go out is sure death. Still at night men ... go out and we have buried all those lying in the least exposed places.

  My officers are alright. We as well as our men have no blankets or kit, Army Headquarters have apparently decided not to land Echelon B which is Horses, Vehicles, Baggage etc. We have had no sleep since Saturday night yet are cheerful, fortunately the weather is fine and fairly warm.

  Brigadier-General Walker would later praise Malone’s role in the defence of what became known as Walker’s Ridge. In a letter to James Allen he wrote that Malone ‘pushed forward vigourously, supported the Australians at a critical moment, reorganised the firing line, and by his initiative made good the position ... He worked strenuously at his trenches, organised his defences, saw to the feeding of his regiment, and generally showed himself to be a man of resource as well as a good leader.’ [ Wanganui Chronicle, 16 Jul 1915, p.5.]