gallipoli
As we have seen Dysentery and enteric fever were rampant among the troops, but no one reported sick that morning, not wanting to miss the fight.As with most soldiers it was a simple case of not letting your friends down. The bombardment ceased at 3.40pm, the order came to advance and the rush was on to be the first into the enemy's trenches; that honour fell to 2nd Lieutenant T.W.G Johnson, a Platoon commander in the 5th Connaughts. He and the leading platoon dashed forward exuberantly and met heavy rifle fire which no one stopped to return. They ran across 400 yards of open country with bayonets levelled. Before Johnson's platoon caught up with him, he had personally bayoneted six Turks and shot two more. For his part in this action and for other gallant deeds Johnson was awarded the Military Cross. Both the wells and the trenches guarding them were in the hands of the Rangers.
Sketch map to illustrate the Battle for Scimitar Hill and Hill 60.
" Kuyu " is the Turkish name for well. There were many valuable wells between Kalajik and the sea.
" Kuyu " is the Turkish name for well. There were many valuable wells between Kalajik and the sea.
Seeing some New Zealanders in difficulties at the well-fortified Hill 60, Lieutenant Colonel Jourdain immediately sent the Rangers ' A ' Company to their assistance who were joined by eager men from all companies; ' their Irish blood was aflame ' but tragically, in the heavy Turkish fire, the Rangers storming Hill 60 fell and died. One soldier described the scene:
" The whole place is strewn with bodies, Gurkhas, Australians, Connaught Rangers. The smell, another of the minor horrors of war, is appalling, the sights revolting and disgusting. Our work is heavy so that we cannot add to it by burying the bodies. "
An aerial view of the attack made on Hill 60, showing the location of the attack by the Rangers.
( My sincere thanks to Michael Lawriwsky, author of the book ' Hard Jacka ', The Story of a Gallipoli Legend, for his kind permission in allowing me to use the above picture of Hill 60. You can see his lovely website at www.hardjacka.com )
The Turks held onin Hill 60's top trenches. In the fierce fighting that continued during the night Sergeant Nealon, an old soldier from Ballina who had re-enlisted for the war, took over when Lieutenant Blake was killed. He led a group of Connaughts and New Zealanders to an abandoned trench and held it until relieved. His stout figure, writes Bryan Cooper, concealed the spirit of a hero.
It was the action of the Connaught Rangers in capturing the Kabak Kuyu Wells that brough notoriety and recognition of their bravery. In November 1915 John Redmond, while ' showing ' a party of Australian convalescent soldiers over the House of Commons in London, asked them if they had seen anything of the 10th ( Irish ) Division. They had, and ' in their opiniom the charge made by the Connaught Rangers at the Kabak Kuyu Wells was the finest thing they had seen in the War.' This was no mean praise from Australian soldiers who were themselves known for courage, bravery and dash. The capture of the wells was originally attributed to the Indian Brigade by General Hamilton in his official ' Despatches ' of December 1915, published in January 1916. On reading this, Lieutenant Colonel Jourdain complained at once in high dudgeon to General Godley, who assured Jourdain that Hamilton would be notified and the mistake rectified, and this was later confirmed by Godley. Two hundred and fifty Connaught Rangers, however, did receive recognition and praise from General Sir Ian Hamilton in his despatch for their spirited charge in an ANZAC final attack on Hill 60 a week later, which reads in part: ' They excited the admiration of all beholders by the swiftness and cohesion of their charge ' but at midnight before fresh troops could arrive, he adds, ' the Irishmen had been bombed-out. '
Meanwhile Irish regulars had again been in battle when the 29th Division, now known as the 'Incomparable'
since the 25th April landings, was brought from Cape Helles to assualt Scimitar Hill simultaneously with the ANZAC attack on Hill 60 on the 22nd August. With them were the 11th Division and the 2nd Dismounted Yeomanry Division. The 1st Inniskillings reached the crest, but were beated back. Captain G. O' Sullivan died here before receiving his VC for his earlier actions at Helles. Once more he displayed great courage, appealing to his little remnant of Inniskillings to attack the crest again; ' One more charge, for the honour of the Old Regiment. ' From a band of fifty, only one returned.
Casualties in this terrible battle were particularly heavy on the 29th Division and the Yeomanry; among them was the brace Irish Brigadier General Lord Longford KP. Thomas Pakenham, 5th Earl of Longford, KP
MVO, was also known as Lord Silchester, until 1887 and was as well as being a soldier an Irish Peer. He was born in Dublin. Longford was the eldest son of William Pakenham 4th Earl of Longford, and his wife the Hon. Selina ( nee-Rice Trevor ) and succeeded in the earldom on his father's death in 1887. He served in the Life Guards, achieving the rank of Colonel, and also held the honorary post of Lord-Lieutenant of County Longford from 1887-1915. In 1901 he was made a Knight of the Order of St. Patrick.
At the outbreak of the Great War, Lord Longford commanded the 2nd ( South Midland ) Brigade of the British 2nd Mounted Division, with the rank of Brigadier General. The 29th Division had failed in their attack suggering terrible casualties, when the Yeomanry were ordered to advance in the open across the salt lake. Raked by shrapnel fire, most of the Brigade halted in the shelter of Green Hill, but Longford in the fine tradition of an Irish commander, led his brigaden a charge, capturing the summit of the hill.
It was the action of the Connaught Rangers in capturing the Kabak Kuyu Wells that brough notoriety and recognition of their bravery. In November 1915 John Redmond, while ' showing ' a party of Australian convalescent soldiers over the House of Commons in London, asked them if they had seen anything of the 10th ( Irish ) Division. They had, and ' in their opiniom the charge made by the Connaught Rangers at the Kabak Kuyu Wells was the finest thing they had seen in the War.' This was no mean praise from Australian soldiers who were themselves known for courage, bravery and dash. The capture of the wells was originally attributed to the Indian Brigade by General Hamilton in his official ' Despatches ' of December 1915, published in January 1916. On reading this, Lieutenant Colonel Jourdain complained at once in high dudgeon to General Godley, who assured Jourdain that Hamilton would be notified and the mistake rectified, and this was later confirmed by Godley. Two hundred and fifty Connaught Rangers, however, did receive recognition and praise from General Sir Ian Hamilton in his despatch for their spirited charge in an ANZAC final attack on Hill 60 a week later, which reads in part: ' They excited the admiration of all beholders by the swiftness and cohesion of their charge ' but at midnight before fresh troops could arrive, he adds, ' the Irishmen had been bombed-out. '
Meanwhile Irish regulars had again been in battle when the 29th Division, now known as the 'Incomparable'
since the 25th April landings, was brought from Cape Helles to assualt Scimitar Hill simultaneously with the ANZAC attack on Hill 60 on the 22nd August. With them were the 11th Division and the 2nd Dismounted Yeomanry Division. The 1st Inniskillings reached the crest, but were beated back. Captain G. O' Sullivan died here before receiving his VC for his earlier actions at Helles. Once more he displayed great courage, appealing to his little remnant of Inniskillings to attack the crest again; ' One more charge, for the honour of the Old Regiment. ' From a band of fifty, only one returned.
Casualties in this terrible battle were particularly heavy on the 29th Division and the Yeomanry; among them was the brace Irish Brigadier General Lord Longford KP. Thomas Pakenham, 5th Earl of Longford, KP
MVO, was also known as Lord Silchester, until 1887 and was as well as being a soldier an Irish Peer. He was born in Dublin. Longford was the eldest son of William Pakenham 4th Earl of Longford, and his wife the Hon. Selina ( nee-Rice Trevor ) and succeeded in the earldom on his father's death in 1887. He served in the Life Guards, achieving the rank of Colonel, and also held the honorary post of Lord-Lieutenant of County Longford from 1887-1915. In 1901 he was made a Knight of the Order of St. Patrick.
At the outbreak of the Great War, Lord Longford commanded the 2nd ( South Midland ) Brigade of the British 2nd Mounted Division, with the rank of Brigadier General. The 29th Division had failed in their attack suggering terrible casualties, when the Yeomanry were ordered to advance in the open across the salt lake. Raked by shrapnel fire, most of the Brigade halted in the shelter of Green Hill, but Longford in the fine tradition of an Irish commander, led his brigaden a charge, capturing the summit of the hill.
