13 May, 1915- Gallipoli

[christine liava'a]

Trooper Murdoch Finlayson (Auckland Mounted Rifles) of Northland, one of four brothers who served in the war, kept a topical diary. Excited about being on Gallipoli, he wrote ön the 13 May: "Here we are in our first trench and the Turks are only a couple of hundred yards away. The bullets are singing good-oh! just over our heads and occasionally they sling dirt into our trenches, but we are all as happy as Larry. Queer isn't it, I joined the Army on August 13th, we reached Wellington on October 13th, left Hobart on November 13th, we belong to the 13th Company, and here we are in our first trench on 13th of May."

Bloody Gallipoli- Richard Stowers