29th April 1915
Today as yesterday in morning dig dig and dig, getting safer every hour. Last night I had a close call. I was reconnoitring with General Walker and the snipers were trying to get us. At last a bullet just cut my hair on the back of my neck, and goodness knows it is short enough. Still it wanted cutting! So this morning I got one of my orderlies to finish the job. I am glad to say my nerve is quite allright [sic] and my experience at the Canal was compared with now absolutely nil. I have had and have no inclination to duck which I thought everyone had. Any amount of good men about do so at every near burst. I thank my regular life. I was inclined to think that I was too high strung to stand the racket of real hard war. It is not so. Dreadful things are all round – yet no dread. It seems the same with all of us. Enemy only sniping vigorously all morning. In afternoon, they opened a terrific M [machine] gun and rifle and some shrapnel fire on our position: We kept low and let them blaze away. They are about 300 to 400 yds away. We cannot see them and for the matter of that only look for them with periscopes. I got our Howitzer O/C [Major Norris Falla] to let me have 2 guns to work. I had after a lot of trouble got a phone put in my forward trenches and connected with my HQ which was connected with the Howitzer Battery through the Brigade HQ by phone. I also was also in touch with some of the Naval guns. I had the great pleasure of directing the fire of the Howitzers and Naval guns. The Howitzer made excellent practice, and in a short time we paralysed the Turks fire.23 Then we began to find their trenches and when they ran our men got up and let them have it. We gave them fits and got some of our own back. Our men were delighted. It was a good stimulant for them.
Genl Godley had been offering us rum, but I refused it. I told him I should be sorry to think that my men wanted “Dutch courage”. The trouble is the army is short of Howitzer ammunition, and when we have fired 20 or 30 rounds Headquarters sing out about waste as they call it. I asked if killing Turks and getting back at them was waste and they didn’t know what to say except we are very short and somebody says you are wasting ammn.
We had a quiet night, comparatively, as a result. Only 2 killed and 2 wounded and the S.M. Bonar24 was one. Poor McGlade25 was killed the first day. We have had 2 officers killed and 6 wounded – Hart, Wilson and Hugo.26 Jardine,27 Furby, McColl,28 Turnbull29 and Bryan.30 Jardine got hit by shrapnel from our own naval guns. He is a good chap. He was shot through the back, yet walked out, and came and sat with me and drew me a plan of the position where he had come from. They are all splendid. I cannot sufficiently express my intense admiration of them all. None better in the world.
30th April 1915
A fairly quiet night. Still the Turks shelled us here and there now and again and lots of riflemen kept up fire. We don’t answer except occasionally with short M. Gun bursts. No-one hit. Digging as usual. All water and food has to be carried up (500 feet) from the beach, nearly a mile up a steep track, and the carriers are under sniper fire all day. Now and again one gets shot. Still they go on climbing sweating grunting falling but no grousing or complaining. We have some mules helping now. If only we could get plenty and save the men I would be glad. I am arranging every day to send some men to the beach for a swim and a few hours spell from the trenches. Whenever one sits down, one goes to sleep, without effort! We are getting back on the snipers and think we bag about 50 a day. The boys think it good sport and recompense for all their hardships. It rained last night. We were all cold and wet but not miserable. I am rigging out a home – part dug out, part sand bag ... no roof. A lovely look-out to beach and sea. I am perched on a ridge say 400ft above sea level. Shrub round about a steep cliff to my left and the track leading down the ridge on my right. Men dig-in all round, everywhere. It is a delightful spot in very sharp contrast to the fighting going on. There is not a second that some weapon is not being fired from 15in guns to the rifle. Shells bursting now and again. Huge shells arriving from probably the Sea of Marmara and plunging into the sea amidst our shipping. M. guns rattle-rattle. Crack and smack [of] the rifles. Boom and blast [of] the big guns. Men are killed and wounded. Very few now among my men, I am proud to say thanks to their splendid discipline and consequent good digging, and so the world goes on.
1st May 1915
Our friends treated us to some four hours violent rifle shooting last night. Sheets of lead passed over us. We didn’t fire a shot back. Casualties nil, but we can’t sleep. A fine warm day digging still. A quiet morning but in the afternoon, the Turks opened a terrific fire on our position. I got the Howitzers working again and after a time settled them and our men got a turn. At one time about 1000 of them moved towards the Australians and so got across our front. Our fellows let them have it, and as the Australians afterwards said “slaughtered them”. It was most stimulating, just what our men wanted. An Indian Mountain Gun Battery arrived, on the Ridge and dug emplacements. 26th Battery, Captain Whitting in command, Major Bruce, I think Brigadier. We don’t quite like their coming, they are bound to specially draw the Turks artillery fire and can’t do much good. Their field of fire is limited to a flank from which the Turk do not attack. Genl Godley came and had a look round. He was very complimentary to us and I think meant it. He didn’t stay long. [Sentence deleted by WGM.] He is very tall and had to stoop and bend to get out of the sight of the snipers.
The Indian mountain battery nestled into crevices on Walker’s Ridge.
Malone Family Collection Wellington (now in ATL)
2nd May 1915
Fine, fairly quiet day. The big shells from Sea of Marmara all but got one of the Transports. The shell to us seemed to hit her fair on the stern, one huge blaze of fire and then thick smoke. But the shell had just passed over and exploded alongside. Later I found that the shell had gone into an open hatch full of coal. [this sentence inserted later] 1 man killed, 2 or 3 wounded. All ships up anchored and started steaming from danger spot as quickly as they could. Today an observation post of Turks was found on Anafarta Point.31 It had been shelled, and a couple of batteries blown up some few days ago. A platoon of Canterbury Bn were sent by sea – landed and surprised some 2 officers and 15 men in a deep pit. They showed fight and got 2 or 3 killed and wounded. We got no more shell fire on the beach for a time. We are still digging – still being shot at night and day. Last night the Otago Bn was to have gone out and taken an advanced line, but at the last moment the order was cancelled. At about 5pm the Turks opened up again a tremendous rifle fire, m/guns also our artillery replied and after about 3 hours the thing died out. We had 2 men wounded only. Many many thanks to our digging power. It was a great pity we thought that the order for Otago to go was cancelled. The Turks had a good basting.
A Wellington machine gunner in action on Walker’s Ridge.
Hampton Album, Alexander Turnbull Library
Tonight at 7pm the naval guns and our Howitzers and 18 Pdr QFs [Quick Firing] bombarded the Turks position for fifteen minutes but the practice was no good, the naval shells fell a thousand yards or so too far. The Otago Bn were to advance at 7.15 from Australians position but got delayed somehow and didn’t start until after 8pm. It was dark. They soon got against the Turks and after 3 charges, were driven back. We cheered them on from the start and the Turks I expect wondered what was up. They poured lead onto our position from 3,000 rifles, Col F.E. Johnston estimated. I was with him observing near one of our machine guns. The racket went on until about 2am. The Canterbury Bn was to have gone in thro’ our left and joined up with Otago, but Otago didn’t get thro’ [so the] Canterbury people couldn’t go on. A lion in the path to wit a machine gun barred the only track. Some of the Otago people hung on and dug in, but the bulk of them retired and were sent down to the beach, to rest. They lost some 100 men, and several officers. In my opinion the plan was no good and doomed from start. They tried to go in where the Turks had been attacked for days. They should have gone in from our left, ie almost other end of Turks. My remaining Corpl of machine guns Copeland32 was killed. I was within 9ft of him. I had just rec
ommended him for a Comn [commission] and he deserved it. Poor lad shot thro’ the heart. Not a sound. Another gunner was wounded.
3rd May 1915
We hear we are to be relieved today. We haven’t asked for it but won’t refuse a spell, out of the actual fire. Later we are not to be relieved. So on we go with our digging. Sang froid, is our motto, also “cheeriness”. Everybody jokes, smiles, and laughs. Good men pass out and we don’t wince. Our turn next perhaps but we are doing our job and it’s all in the days “march”.
My dug out is quite homely now, a bunk of sand bags, tree feathers as I call twigs and leaves for a bed, an old scrim tiffin sack for a blanket. My great coat on, a dead Australian soldier’s (great coat) for a coverlet, a pack full of leaves for a pillow and I get some sleep – al fresco [sic] at present. I wash in a pint [0.57 litre] of water at night, save it and wash all over with a sponge in the morning, or rather 1/2 of me one day and the other 1/2 the next, in the same water, and then perhaps the water left does to wash a pair of socks! Great economy. I have a box or two for odds and ends, 4 bayonets picked up, stuck in my sand bag wall do to hang up all my gear on. I am getting a table. 2 oil sheets overhead now keep off the sun.
Turks still snipe away and we snipe back. We are beating them at their own game and our boys enjoy the sport. We get 20 to 100 a day, and lose hardly any. Every night the Turks give us a furious rifle shoot for about 2 hrs. We reply not. We think they have the jim jams,33 and think we are attacking them in the dark. The trouble is that night is turned into day, and made hideous.
Malone called this photograph, taken of him by one of his subalterns at Walker’s Ridge, ‘the famous one’. It is sometimes incorrectly captioned as being at Quinn’s Post.
Malone Family Collection, Wellington (now in ATL)
Been trying all day to arrange our artillery bombardment of Turks position, but Divn HQ say as a few scouts are out, we musn’t shoot. The Turks are digging like mad or perhaps like us and the game is stalemate. As we couldn’t get the artillery going I went out for a little scout on our left flank [deleted in original, but legible.]
4th May 1915
Fine day. Again trying to get an artillery bombardment. Major Bruce, 26 Indian Mountain Battery, very keen too and helping. I hope at least to get his guns at work only 10 Pdrs but still something. Div HQ again step in and stop us. I am getting sick of it. The war is a “ JOKE WAR”. Ever since Aug last we have been getting “Notes” from, the front,34 all emphasising that modern war is a question of 1) artillery 2) digging, 3) telephones, 4) periscopes. We are constantly told to read and digest. We do so but when we want artillery to help us, phones and periscopes to enable us to work quickly and safely, we get almost35 nil results.
Our howitzers are short of ammunition, our 18 pounders don’t seem to be able to get into action, and the naval guns can’t talk soldier gunnery. As to phones – after losing life after life I got two small field phones, cost near enough 25/-each. They were old and worth about 5/0. Very soon one was taken away. As to periscopes – 4 per Company were issued. Every man or two ought to have had one. If it were not so serious – the penalty – one could roar with laughter at the preach and no practice. As to digging – if we had to depend on others we should go short, but that we can do, but even then it is hard to get hold of tools.
The Briton is a muddler all right. Still he gets there. That is how we feel. If only some of the German thoro’ness could be put into us. What a people we would make.
Feeling a bit sick of trying to help big things a bit, I went in on a little scout by myself on our left. I took a rifle and slithered into the scrub, found several dead Turks about, poor devils, been there since 25 April. Not pleasant to look at. Some women are wondering about them and will weep. I will try and get them buried tonight. Unfortunately we cannot bury lots of our own poor chaps. We can see them here and there but it is almost certain death to go out to them. There are two I would specially like to bury Lt Wilson and a bugler lad Bissett36 from Hawera. He lies with his bugle on his back face downwards, shot in his tracks. I hear day by day of innumerable acts of special bravery on the part of our men. One could fill a book – one Roberts37 carried 3 wounded men out of the inferno and came back for another man and was then killed himself. It is a wonder that many of our 1st 2 Coys came through. Menteath38 of West Coast Coy was telling me that he was with a lot of Australians who gathered round him and wanted to retire. He wouldn’t let them so they stayed and were killed one after an other. He was surrounded with dead men. How he escaped he cannot tell. (Menteath was killed later at Krithia Battle 8/5/15 [inserted by WGM later]) To go back to my scout, I wanted to see if HMS Canopus could fire direct on to some new Turk trenches without hitting us. I got a good way out and found that she could and was then picked up by Corpl Sievers.39 He had heard that I had gone out and came after me to warn me against our own snipers. I was in Turk country and could most likely be taken for a Turk. I went back quick and lively. I brought a Turks pack with a camel hair blanket – brown with 3 red stripes and a great rent in it. The blanket will do for a cover for my table. The Turks name is [Arabic script] such was written on his pack.
On getting back I saw our Brigadier and asked him to arrange for the Canopus to fire on the Turks new trenches. He told me we re-embark tomorrow for destination unknown. Some flank movement I suppose. We are to be replaced by the Naval Division troops. We are sorry to go in spite of everything. I wanted to get at the Turks on our left and I think it could be done. Still we must do as we are ordered.
5th May 1915
Last night Turk fusillade grew but it was mostly against the Australians across the gully and except for the noise and the necessity of being on the alert we had a quiet night. Only 3 of our men wounded yesterday. We are to re-embark back tonight it is thought for Cape Helles to help the 29th Divn. The Naval Divn people have arrived such boys they look, still they must be sturdy. There are no troops like ours to look at and now I know as regards my Bn for work no regiment in the world could have done better. Into action on 27th 40% loss [corrected by WGM previously “45% loss almost”] of troops engaged fight and dig night and day for 8 days. No blankets. All food and water to be carried up hill a long way. Living in trenches. Yet cheery and unshaken. I was busy with Major Bruce of 26 Indian Mtn Battery, trying to get the new Turk trenches on our left shelled. It seems strange that there is such difficulty about it. My Brigadier won’t let me go to Divl HQ about it and is busy himself with other things I suppose. I find, and am glad to say, Major Bruce very keen to help and I think as he can get away on his own the Turks will get blown out of the trenches. He has promised me to go off to the warship on our flank which is in line with the trenches. The Canopus has gone, the Majestic taking her place. The “Nelson” Bn of Naval Brigade took over our position today. The Colonel Eversley [sic, Evelegh] is a mild mannered elderly man. He is lucky to get my dugout. It was very comfortable, just finished. At about 2pm the Brigade Major (Naval Bde) came along, and I went with him to put up a flag at extreme left of our position so that the Majestic could fire without mistake. The flag not being much and dark blue, I put a helio41 at the point to flash to the Majestic. At about 4 the Majestic opened fire with 12” guns (I think) and got the Turk trenches 1st pop. She fired about 5 shells and blew the trenches and a lot of Turks to pieces. They went up, in bits. Then we got our Howitzer to fire on the Turks who were running for their lives. A lot of Taranaki Coy men too got busy with their rifles. Unfortunately unknown to me our machine guns had been dismounted, and the naval guns not put up or we would have slaughtered the Turks. As it was we bagged a lot of them. We are all very pleased at a good finish as it were to our occupation of the position. But I should have liked to have followed up with another bombardment to night and then attacked with my Bn. I believe we could have swept and taken the whole front line of the Turks trenches.
Ships off Anzac Cove, as seen from Walker’s Ridge.
Malone Family Collection London
The
beach at Anzac Cove during late April or early May 1915.
Malone Family Collection London
At 8.15 we marched to embarking piers and went off to Destroyers. A long cold job because after getting into all sorts of cutters and pinnaces we had to wait some 4 hours without moving. Finally, we got on board. I went on HMS Mosquito. Her officers made us at home. I enjoyed a cup of cocoa, biscuits, 2 oranges, chocolate and chocolate creams!! Quite a feast, at 1am. We reached Tekke Burnu [Sedd el Bahr – crossed out] about 3am and soon landed waiting for remainder of Bn. I turned in on the beach and got a couple of hours sleep until daylight.
4
‘It was hell’
* * *
The Second Battle of Krithia,
May 1915
* * *
[MS 4130]
6th May 1915
We then marched from beach past Sedd el Bahr Fort to a Bivouac about 2 miles inland. The fort is all smashed to pieces. We saw as we passed 2 huge guns lying crumbled, as it were. An easterly wind was blowing, very cold and dusty. It is a great sight the Head from Tekke Burnu to Sedd el Bahr.
The sea covered with ships of all sorts. The beach with men, horses, mules, guns, wagons, stores, soldiers, sailors, landsmen,1 donkeys. A huge camp or series of camps, French and British. We soon settled down at our Bivouac, in green fields, with elms and walnuts on the boundaries, a running stream of clayey water or two – wildflowers, dog roses, poppies and others strange to me. Yet big guns and rifles were firing away in our front, odd bullets coming into us. We are within easy shrapnel range of the Turks, but we soon dug in. My bivouac is in a sort of bank and stone wall just above the creek. We are to be in reserve today and well our men deserve it. We came from our position in the Gaba Tepe heights and were all night embarking and disembarking, no sleep worth talking about. We may have to move today, a big battle is going on just in front. We have the British 29th Div on left, the French on right and 2 Bns Naval Bde in centre. Some 40,000 men attacking, the Turks who are in position.
No Better Death Page 18