[205] Sir Ian’s dispatch. In a Supplementary Dispatch the 9th Sherwood Foresters and 6th Borders were also specially mentioned.
[206] Sir Ian’s dispatch.
[207] As usual throughout this history, I have found it impossible to record the countless instances of individual bravery, but I may mention the case of Captain O’Sullivan (1st Inniskilling Fusiliers). Early in July, describing one of the actions at Helles, Sir Ian had written: “A young fellow called O’Sullivan, in the Inniskilling Fusiliers, led a bombing party into one end of an enemy trench, and cleared it of the enemy. The Turks counter-attacked with bombs, and drove him and his men out with a good deal of loss. Again he cleared the trench, filling his pockets and belt with bombs. Again he was driven back. A third time he led the attack, and this time the trench was held and remains in our possession. Within an hour of this last feat of arms, a trench was lost to the right in prolongation of the Inniskilling Fusiliers. This same young fellow, who had already gone through enough to shake the nerves of the most veteran soldiers, led his company down into the trench himself, running along a few yards ahead of them out on the parapet, exposed to a tremendous musketry fire, chucking bombs into the trench just in front of the leading files, so as to clear the way for them. There is a limit to luck, and this time he was wounded, but I hope he may pull through.” He pulled through, and on August 21 twice led his company up against the Turkish trenches on Scimitar Hill, and twice was driven back. Collecting the men in a little hollow of the ground, he said, “Now I depend on you, my lads, and we’ll just have one more charge for the honour of the regiment.” He led them all by a clear 20 yards up the hill, leapt into the trench, and there died.
[208] Brigadier-General R. S. Vandeleur succeeded to the command of this brigade on September 22.
[209] The Tenth (Irish) Division, pp. 188–192. Until that volume appeared, the Connaught Rangers had not received the public credit due to this serviceable exploit, though in Gallipoli they were spoken of with the highest praise.
[210] During the night Captain Gilleson, the Presbyterian chaplain of the 14th Australian (Victoria) Battalion, worked incessantly at bringing the wounded back to safety. After daylight next morning, still hearing cries from the exposed slope over the crest of the ridge, he crept out and found a British soldier (probably Hants or Connaught Rangers) wounded and tormented by ants. With help of two others (one also a Presbyterian chaplain) he had dragged the man about a yard when he fell mortally wounded. The man, I believe, was also killed; the Presbyterian was wounded. Later on (August 28) Captain Grant, a New Zealand padre (the form of religion was not mentioned to me at the time) went searching for a wounded friend along a trench filled with dead and wounded Turks. To the wounded he attended on his way; but hearing conversation farther on, he thought he recognised his friend’s voice. Turning a sharp corner of a traverse, he came face to face with the Turks, and was instantly killed.
Both Captain C. E. W. Bean (Australian papers, Oct. 28, 1915) and Phillip Schuler (Australia in Arms, p. 275) mention these incidents, which were described to me on the spot a few days after they happened. Taken with Sir Ian’s dispatch, these two authorities give a clear idea of the confused fighting around Hill 60. For the action of the Connaught Rangers, The Tenth (Irish) Division in Gallipoli should be read, as mentioned above. For myself, I had the great advantage of going over the ground with General A. H. Russell a day or two after the final action of August 29.
[211] Lieut.-Colonel C. W. Gwynn was Chief of Staff. The Division consisted of:
5th Australian Brigade (Brigadier-General W. Holmes)—
17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th Battalions.
6th Australian Brigade (Colonel R. S. Browne)—
21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th Battalions.