28th April 1915

[michaeldr]

The First Battle of Krithia

“Wednesday 28 April: Got a fire a-going very early. Got water out of a stream. Risked it in spite of dead Turks. Got breakfast ready – tea, biscuits and jam. Started out at 7 a.m. for firing line. Detected that road was mined, so advanced through a wood, which was well marked by snipers. Ultimately got into Gully and advanced up river. Fell into deep pool. Probably would have drowned but for Jim Chalmers. Incidentally lost box of ammunition. Advanced up the stream under fire all the time. Reached place where river divided. Mounted guns there – a lively corner. Six machine guns quite close – 2 belonging to Hants, 2 Worcesters and 2 of ours. Noise deafening. Shells form our artillery and Navy shrieking over our heads. Sat in stream for hours filling belts. Climbed up waterfall dozens of times taking up ammunition to the guns. Paterson, Binnie and McPhail had to leave – nerves gave way. McDonald (Monty’s servant) shot through head.

Colonel and Headquarters’ Staff came up. Went off to the left with ammunition party. Last we saw of them. Colonel wounded. Adjutant, W. B. Hislop, and most of others killed. Freddy Tocher killed. Took his place at the gun. Donald Hoodie and I now only two left to work the gun. Previous to this had advanced thro’ Krithia almost to foot of Aachi Baba.

Naval Division and French now came up. All our men now in firing line no reserves at all. Turks brought up 70,000 reinforcements and things began to look serious. Saw French making brilliant charge and getting Turks on the run. Next moment, for some unaccountable reason, French retired. Battle raged on, Turks gradually pressing forwards. Drove back right and left flanks, therefore we in centre came in for enfilading fire. Quite an orderly retrial. Machine guns remained to cover retrial of division, therefore we were last to retire. At last our turn came. Had to leave equipment, ammunition, mekometers, etc., behind. Threw them to bottom of river. Miracle how we got away at all. Retired back farther than out starting point in the morning. Machine Gun Section separated from Battalion. Got beside the Worcesters. Took up a line of trenches and told to hold them at any cost. Now about 7 p.m. Had had no grub all day. Worcesters supplied us with biscuits and jam.

Kennedy and I went off up Gully again to bring in Rintoul who had been left wounded. Found someone else had brought him in. He afterwards died. His brother taken away with appendicitis same day. Set off with Jack Binnie to ruins of farm to fill water bottles. Met Ser. Maj. Baillie on way, wounded in arm. Stopped and dressed his wound. Advised him to go down to base. Shells now falling all round. Filled our water bottles and came back. Found Baillie lying dead, killed by a shell. Returned to the trench and dug a pit for our gun. Kennedy, David Anderson, George Anderson, Kemp and I on No.3 pit. Dead tired and soaking wet, but sleep impossible.

Kennedy and I sent out on Listening Patrol – the worst job of all. Had to go 100 yards in front of firing line and listen for the enemy. An eerie job. Imagined that every bush and every boulder was a Turk. Pitch dark, of course. Glad when hour was up. Longest hour I’ve ever spent. Ran risk of being shot by our own men when we were returning to trench. Got fright of my life when heard someone crawling towards me. Greatly relieved when I heard a voice, ‘Don’t shoot, it’s me, David Anderson.’ At last after seemingly endless night dawn came. Luckily Turks did not attack. Must have been severely punished themselves.”

from the ‘Diary of John F. Goate, Machine Gun Section, 5th Royal Scots, 29th Division’ [discovered after his death in 1946, by his daughter Ms Dorothy Goate] as reproduced in ‘The Gallipolian’ issue No.91, Winter 1999

[christine liava'a]

The previous night the Australians on Walker's had exhausted their reserve of ammunition by erratic firing during the night, so to avoid a repeat performance Brig. Gen Walker had instructed Captr . Wallingford to guard the reserve ammunition.

Shoprtly after midnight, the Australian Lt Col Braund came to Capt Wallingford, about 75 yards behind the trenches, to demand the reserve ammunition. Wallingfrd refused to give it to him sayinbg " Walker said you are to fight it out with the bayonet". Braund then demanded to see the Officer in Command of the sector, Lt Col Malone, who told him to "go to hell and fight with the bayonet". Braund then demanded to see Walker who told him to "go to the devil" and again gave Wallingford strict instructions regarding the ammunition.

When Wallingford returned to the ammunition supply after meeting with

Walker he found that Braund's men had taken matters into their own hands and stolen every round. The whole lot was fired before dawn.

Bloody Gallipoli; Richard Stowers

[christine liava'a]

An order from Sir Ian Hamilton was issued on 28 April; " I rely on all officers to stand firm and steadfast, and to resist the attempts of the enemy to drive us back from our present position which has been so gallantly won. The enemy is evidently trying to obtain a local success before reinforcements can reach us... It behoves us all, French and British, to stand fast, hold what we have gained, wear down the enemy, and prepare for a decisive victory."