4th Btn SWB

[Cameron2165]

Hello All,

I'm looking for any information for the 4th Btn SWB on 07/08/15.

Cpl F Richards was KIA on this date.

Kind regards

Cam

[GraemeClarke]

Hi Cam

In the absence of any other reply, I have this (not the WD, though).

In July 1915, the 13th Division was sent to Gallipoli, together with four other Territorial and New Army Divisions in a final effort to capture the Peninsula. After a fortnight in the line at Cape Helles the Division was landed at Anzac and there took part in a great effort to capture the Sari Bair ridge in conjunction with a new landing by the other fresh Divisions at Suvla Bay, six miles to the north. The 40th Brigade was ordered to protect the left flank of the main attack. Its task was to make a night march of two miles northward along the coast, then to wheel half-right, and by a night attack capture Damakjelik Bair, a ridge which formed the lower end of one of the main spurs of Sari Bair.

At 8 p.m. on 6th August 1915 the advance started, the 4th Battalion having the honour of finding the advanced guard. After covering two miles of very broken and difficult ground covered with boulders and prickly scrub the battalion reached the nullah of the Achyl Dere, its deployment position. Here it was fired on from a trench on the far side, but D Company in the lead dashed across with a cheer and carried the trench with the bayonet. The battalion then crossed, wheeled to its right in the darkness, and by 1.30 a.m. after dealing with several parties of Turks on the way had secured its objective on Damakjelik Bair, a very fine piece of work.

On 9th August 1915 it met and defeated a most determined counterattack, but in doing so lost Lieutenant Colonel Gillespie, the Commanding Officer who had trained it to such a high standard of efficiency, and who had led it with such skill and resolution in its first action. He was killed early in the attack while directing the fire of machine gun. By 22nd August after further heavy fighting the Battalion had lost over 400 officers and men out of the 775 who had landed on 4th August.

Graeme

[Cameron2165]

Hi Graeme,

Well spotted. Thanks for posting this.

All the best

Cam

[Steven Broomfield]

The Regimental History (C T Atkinson) gives a bit more.

Follwoing the advance of the 6th, the 4th Battalion SWB spwnt the night digging in, despite the fact that many (most?) were suffering from dysentry. In the morning it was found that many of the trenches had poor fields of fire (the dark had rather confused matters). Heavy fighting went on to left and right, but the 4th were left pretty much alone, though lsoing about 30 casualties to shell fo

ire.

Water was found at two small farmhouses behind the line, and a supply of entrenching tools in some old Turkish positions.

Although snipers were active, the majority of the casualties suffered came from shrapnel.

[Cameron2165]

Hi Steven,

That's great.Thanks for posting.

Kind regards

Cam