The enemy was not long in taking up the challenge. On the 29th, Sir Ian visited the front lines at Helles and Anzac with his personal staff. Next day he visited the British position at Helles again, and on May 1 the French lines in the same manner. There he found the trenches in the firing line incomplete compared with ours, but the celebrated “75’s” were already in action, and from that time onwards the French gunners, never being stinted in shells, were the envy as well as the admiration of our artillery. On May 1 also the promised reinforcements began to arrive, the 29th Indian Infantry Brigade from Egypt, under Major-General Sir Herbert Cox, being the first comers. Hardly had they taken their position as reserve, with some battalions of the R.N.D., when, in the darkness before the waning moon had risen, the Turks began a furious attack upon the whole French and British front. The Turks’ enthusiasm in defence of their splendid city (for the fate of Constantinople was involved) had been further stimulated by the following proclamation over the signature of their German commandant, General von Löwenstern:
“Attack the enemy with the bayonet and utterly destroy him!
“We shall not retire one step; for, if we do, our religion, our country, and our nation will perish!
“Soldiers! The world is looking at you! Your only hope of salvation is to bring this battle to a successful issue or gloriously to give up your life in the attempt.”
The Turks responded to this appeal with unusual hardihood in attack, and it was evident that the best Nizam troops were now on the Peninsula. For this attack 16,000 were employed, with 2000 in reserve.[99] They came on in three solid lines. All crawled on hands and knees till the word was given, and the front was allowed no cartridges, but bayonets only. Their first charge aimed in the centre at the 86th Brigade, so much shaken by loss of men and officers. Here they forced a gap, dangerous had not the 5th Royal Scots at once filled it. This battalion (88th Brigade), under Lieutenant-Colonel J. D. R. Wilson, was the only Territorial unit in the 29th Division. It was anxious to prove itself worthy of that unequalled corps, and now it proved itself. Facing to their right flank, the men charged with the bayonet, the Essex (of the same brigade) supporting them. The next attack fell heavily upon the Senegalese, immediately on our right. Two battalions of the Worcesters (also 88th Brigade) were sent to strengthen the line, and later in the night one R.N.D. battalion reinforced the extreme right of the French.
Between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m., the conflict appeared strangely terrific. The boom and flash of guns, the ceaseless repetition of machine-guns and rifles, the shouts of “Allah! Allah!” answered by British cheers and the yells of savage Africans, the liquid brilliance of star shells, the Bengal lights, red, white, and green, fired by Turkish officers from their pistols as signals to their gunners to lengthen range, or to avoid firing on taken trenches and main positions—all produced the din and spectacle of some battle in hell, lit by infernal fireworks. To spectators on the ships or the high ground in our rear, the scene was the more terrible as the bursting shells and variegated lights came farther and farther into the hollow land, down the centre of which the Allies were being forced.
ARRIVAL OF THE 42ND DIVISION
But with approaching light the worst was over, and at dawn the whole of the Allied line advanced to counter-attack. The British forced their way onward for about a quarter of a mile. But the French made no progress. Machine-guns and barbed wire were used by the Turkish defence with deadly result, and before noon the whole of our line was withdrawn to its former position. It had been an appalling night for both forces, and the Turks spent the next day burying their dead under the Red Crescent. That night and the next (May 2 and 3) violent attacks were repeated, especially upon the French front, and terrifying rumours of disaster flew. On May 4 the 2nd Naval Brigade, R.N.D. (under Commodore Backhouse, R.N.), took over part of the French line, and the whole position was reorganised. Next day the Lancashire Fusilier Brigade (East Lancashire Division) disembarked as welcome reinforcement. While Sir Ian was in Egypt he had watched this Division (the 42nd) with admiration, and now, by order from Lord Kitchener, General Maxwell sent it in his support. Barely in time they began to arrive. The Division was under command of Major-General Sir William Douglas, and consisted of the Lancashire Fusiliers (125th Brigade), the East Lancashire (126th), and the Manchester (127th). All were Territorials.[100]
While the British and French were thus strengthening their hold upon the southern end of the Peninsula, the Anzacs clung desperately to the rugged triangle which was to be “a thorn in the enemy’s side.” By Friday, the 30th, units had been sorted out, the firing line was reinforced by the 1st Light Horse Brigade (Brigadier-General Chauvel) and by four battalions of the R.N.D. Part of the original fighting line, worn out by continuous firing, digging, sleeplessness, and want of warm food, was withdrawn into sheltered gullies to cook and rest. For the next day (May 1) a general advance was ordered. The Australian Division on the right was to make for the villages Koja Dere and Boghali, the mixed Australian and New Zealand Division on the left to attempt the main Sari Bair ridge, leading up to the dominating heights of Chunuk and Koja Tepe. On the previous evening, however, General Monash, commanding the 4th Brigade, and defending the serious gap in the lines at the top of Shrapnel Gully, protested that such a movement would only extend the gap still more dangerously. As it was, the R.N.D. battalions, which had been thrust in to hold this gap at the triangle’s apex, were at that moment very hard pressed, and after further reconnoitring both General Godley and General Bridges appear to have agreed that the contemplated advance was impracticable. At all events it was not attempted.[101]
