The Battle of Anzac Cove

Gallipoli, 25 April 1915

Canterbury Infantry Battalion War Diary 

The following is a transcription of the War Diary of the Canterbury Infantry Battalion, of their role in the landings at Anzac on 25 April 1915.

24 April 1915

Lemnos

6.30 pm - HMT Lutzow left inner harbour and anchored outside. Leaving for Kaba Tepe at midnight 24/25.



25 April 1915

Anzac Cove

Battalion less 11th and 13th Companies landed under shrapnel fire. No casualties. Disembarkation completed at about 12.30 pm.

Received Brigade Orders to prolong left of Australian Division rendering whatever assistance possible. Auckland Battalion supporting.

Walker's Ridge

The order was at once carried out under heavy shrapnel fire. Companies got separated on arriving on the top of Plugge’s Plateau.

Plugge's Plateau

2 pm - Urgent message received from Major Stuckey Auckland Battalion that his left was being turned and ammunition had run out. Captain Critchley-Salmonson collecting a small party of New Zealand and Australians, proceeded to Walker's Ridge and finding the left not held occupied it with his left flank on the beach.

Parties of Australians retired through the position during afternoon and evening.

6.30 pm - Lieutenant Colonel Stewart reported killed. Major Loach assumed command Brigade Headquarters informed.

Walker's Ridge

Received message from Divisional Headquarters that Major Loach with two Companies was being sent to reinforce the left.

9.30 pm - Major Loach with 12th and 13th Companies arrived. These companies should have disembarked at 12 noon but the transport conveying them did not arrive at her anchorage till 5 pm.

At this time a local reserve consisting of details from 1st and 2nd Companies was being collected on the beach.

The Battalion dug in during the night and maintained the line.

List of Casualties:

Officers -
Lieutenant Colonel D McB Stewart, killed.
Major D Grant, killed.
Lieutenant OH Mead, wounded slightly.
Lieutenant JC Hill, wounded.
Lieutenant Barclay, wounded and missing.

Other Ranks, 21 killed, 87 wounded, 100 missing.


26 July 1915

Walker's Ridge

Strengthened position and re-organised.

2 pm - Officer Commanding 2nd Battalion Australian Regiment which was holding a position on the left front ordered Major Loach to reinforce his left. The 12th Nelson Company was ordered to do this but were checked on account of two platoons 2nd Battalion Australian Regiment who were retiring from the ridge. Eventually the position was re-established at 6.30 pm. The whole position was strengthened during the night. Desultory firing lasted till 3 am 27 April 1915.

6 pm - Casualty - Officers - Lieutenant HF Fitch, killed.

Water and ammunition supply were the greatest difficulties which had to be contended with. This was chiefly due to the nature of the country and having to be man handled a long distance.

 

War Diaries

All War Diaries cited on this site should be read in conjunction with the Australian Light Horse Studies Centre, AIF War Diaries of the Great War, Site Transcription Policy which may be accessed at:

Australian Light Horse Studies Centre, AIF War Diaries of the Great War, Site Transcription Policy 

Further Reading:

The Battle of Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, 25 April 1915

The Battle of Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, 25 April 1915, Canterbury Infantry Battalion, Roll of Honour  

The Battle of Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, 25 April 1915, NZEF Roll of Honour

Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EAST

Updated: Tuesday, 13 April 2010 9:33 PM EADT

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The Battle of Amwas

Palestine, 18 November 1917

Outline

The action at Amwas.

[From: Gullett, p. 490.]

As a preliminary to the advance of the 75th Division into the hills, the Australian Mounted Division on November 18th forced the enemy from Latron by a flanking movement on the north. The Turks were reported to be evacuating Jerusalem, and Chauvel ordered Barrow with his yeomanry to move rapidly on Bireh and cut off the retreat. Hodgson was to attack the Latron-Amwas position early in the afternoon and. if successful, to push on towards Bireh, on the right of the yeomanry. The 3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade on the left was to endeavour to outflank Latron from the north and north-east while the 4th Brigade made a direct assault.

In the distance following the mountains is the road from Latron in the foreground to Amwas.

This day's operations served to bring home to all leaders the nature of the task ahead. As Scott with the 9th Regiment on the flank pushed into the hills on his enveloping movement, he came under brisk fire from machine-guns and light artillery. No Turks showed on the dark, harsh hills ahead, but each approach was evidently watched and guarded. For some hours the 8th and 9th Regiments probed fruitlessly at the frowning ramparts. So steep and rocky was the ground that the horses had frequently to be led. After much difficulty, the Notts Battery was brought forward, and was rewarded with a good target on four enemy guns near Amwas; these the gunners silenced at a range of 5,000 yards, and they were next day found by the British infantry. Towards evening, as the result of a striking change in Bulfin's tactics, the 3rd and 4th Brigades were withdrawn. On the left the Yeomanry Division had made indifferent headway towards Bireh. Like the Australians, they found the country impossible for mounted action. Shilta had been occupied, and the troops had advanced within two miles of Beit ur et Tahta (Lower Bethoron); but the batteries of horse artillery had found the old track impossible for wheels. Some of the guns were man-handled for miles, and the Hong Kong and Singapore Battery, mounted on its stalwart camels, climbed almost as far as the advanced troops. In the face of the opposition everywhere met by the Australian and Yeomanry Divisions it was obvious that a mounted advance was impracticable. As of old, Jerusalem, if it was to be won, must be assailed by infantry.

Bulfin decided to attack Latron on the following day with the 75th Division, while the 52nd Division was to strike into the hills by the Beit Likia on its left. The light horse were not to play an active part in the capture of Jerusalem. Yet the advance into the hills by Wilson's brigade on the 18th provided a good example of the effect of that sort of enveloping movement which can he made only by mounted troops, even though it is not at the time attended by material results. A patrol o€ Scott's advanced troops under Sergeant G. G. Masson had penetrated as far as Yalo a native village about five miles almost due east of Amwas.

Next morning, when the 75th Division moved on Latron, they found the position evacuated; the Turks, fearing that isolation and capture would follow the thrust to Yalo, had abandoned strongly-held ground, and the men of the 75th were saved severe fighting and heavy casualties.

Extracted from H.S. Gullett (1944) The Australian Imperial Force in Sinai and Palestine, Sydney: Angus & Robertson, pp. 489 - 491. 

Further Reading:

The Battle of Amwas, Palestine, 18 November 1917

Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EAST

Updated: Friday, 19 November 2010 4:44 PM EAST

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The Battle of Anzac Cove

Gallipoli, 25 April 1915

Roll of Honour

Wellington Infantry Battalion

Roll of Honour

 

Philip Gardner TATTLE, Wellington Infantry Battalion.

 

Lest We Forget

 

The Battle of Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, 25 April 1915

The Battle of Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, 25 April 1915, NZEF Roll of Honour 

Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EAST

Updated: Tuesday, 13 April 2010 10:08 AM EADT

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The Jifjafa Raid

Sinai, 10 - 14 April 1916

 Mapping the Jifjafa Region

[Click on map for larger version.]

[Click on map for larger version.]

Further Reading:

Reconnaissance to Muksheib by Captain Wearne

Jifjafa Raid Progressive Maps

The Jifjafa Raid, Sinai, April 10 to 14

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EAST

Updated: Sunday, 29 November 2009 7:54 AM EAST

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The Battle of Maghara

Sinai, 15 October 1916

Gullett Account 

Gullett, HS,  The Australian Imperial Force in Sinai and Palestine, 1914–1918 (10th edition, 1941) Official Histories – First World War
Volume VII:

From Romani could be seen, some forty miles across the broken and rolling sand-hills to the south, the gloomy, barren mass of the ranges of central Sinai. Waterless, except at occasional wells, and served only by lonely, narrow tracks which were always hazardous, and often impossible, for wheeled transport, these mountains were still in the possession of the Turks, and were a constant, if not a serious, menace to the British force advancing east along the seaboard. Murray's plan was to deal finally with the Turkish posts in the hills after he had reached El Arish; but it was decided in October to make an exception to the general scheme, and to endeavour to storm the Turkish stronghold at Maghara, from which troops had debouched by the passes during the Romani fighting.

Maghara, an old settlement made up of a few stone houses, is perched on the northern shoulder of the range, about fifty miles south-east of Romani. A narrow defile, in places not more than twenty feet wide, falling steeply through the harsh, yellow, sandstone rocks, gives the settlement access by the Wadi Baba to the plain below. Running along the foot-hills upon either side of the mouth of the Baba is a narrow flat of hard ground, clear except for a few mimosa bushes, and showing signs of cultivation. From this flat towards Bayud, to the north, stretches one of the most desolate and difficult expanses of sand-dune country in all northern Sinai.

A column made up of the 11th and 12th Light Horse Regiments, one regiment of City of London Yeomanry, and 300 troops drawn from the camel companies, supported by two guns of the Hong Kong and Singapore Battery, was placed for the raid under the command of Major-General A. G. Dallas'-who afterwards led the unlucky 53rd Division at Gaza-with Brigadier-General S. F. Mott as second-in-command. From Bayud, where the column assembled, to Maghara is only twenty-five miles, and, allowing for the circuitous route through the sand-hills, the march would not exceed thirty-five. Over normal, well-watered country preparations for such a raid by a small mounted force would entail very little work or consideration. But, in view of the country to be covered, the arrangements were exceptionally elaborate. The force contemplated did not exceed 1,100 dismounted rifles; but water and rations had to be provided for men and horses for four or five days, and when the column moved out from Bayud its total strength, including native camel-drivers, was 5,000 men, 2,300 horses, 7,000 camels. The water-supply was drawn from Bayud, where a month earlier the wells had only been capable of supplying half a squadron in twenty-four hours. A squadron of the 12th Light Horse Regiment, under Lieutenant B. Lowing: worked constantly for a month at the improvement of the water, and sank and timbered to a depth of about twelve feet sixteen wells, which were capable of giving an abundant supply to the whole column.

Marching by the stars, the column, with Grant of the 11th Light Horse Regiment and Lieutenant P. Goldenstedt as guides, reached Zagadan and halted there for the day. That night, the 11th Light Horse still leading, the column moved on Maghara. The route wound through the intricate troughs among countless sand-hills devoid of distinguishing features. During the night a dense fog shut off the stars, but Grant, who had a phenomenal sense of locality and direction, kept on constantly at a sound pace through the sandy desolation. Shortly before dawn the horses came suddenly on to hard ground, and a little later, as daylight was breaking, the advanced screen was fired on by a Turkish outpost. The column had emerged from the maze of sand-hills directly in front of the Turkish position. Immediately the Turks fired, the leading troops, under Captain C. A. R. Munro* and Lieutenant Farlow, charged their outposts on the foot-hills at the gallop, although in the fog they had only the rifle-fire to guide them. A few prisoners were taken.

General Dallas's plan was to push the 11th Light Horse Regiment up the heights in the centre straight for the main defences; the 12th Light Horse Regiment and the yeomanry were to work round on the north, while a half-squadron was to advance up the Wadi Baba, which led into the pass. But the fog which enshrouded the range concealed all the objectives. Dallas's orders were identical with those given to Chauvel at Mazar. If the Turks were in strength, he was not to risk his force, but was to consider the operations as a reconnaissance only; accordingly, after consultation with the regimental leaders, he decided merely to make a demonstration and withdraw. The 11th Light Horse Regiment was then ordered to advance on the main front, with the 12th to the right. After the long preparation for the raid, the Australians were exceptionally keen for a fight. Galloping across the narrow flat, they dismounted and advanced up the range with great eagerness. The fog was still heavy, but conditions improved as the men climbed. Covered by overhead fire from the two mountain guns and a number of machine-guns, they ascended a few hundred feet before encountering the enemy, and were then fired upon from a redoubt on a commanding hill. Taking every advantage of the good cover provided by the rough hill-side, a squadron of the 11th crept forward with the bayonet, while the 12th Regiment, on the right, kept the Turks in the redoubt quiet with enfilade fire from machine-guns and rifles. The enemy, who throughout was completely surprised, refused a hand to hand fight, and fled up the heights.

The light horsemen had now accomplished half their ascent, and the worst of the ground was behind them. The main Turkish position was in sight, and the squadron leaders were confident they could carry it without heavy losses. But communications were indifferent; Dallas, having decided only to make a demonstration, now broke off the sporting little engagement, and the light horsemen, intensely disappointed, retired. One Australian was killed and a few men were wounded. Captain Munro won distinction in the bold leadership of his squadron and in a gallant attempt to carry some Turkish wounded out under fire.

Further Reading:

The Battle of Maghara, Sinai, 15 October 1916

The Battle of Maghara, Sinai, 15 October 1916, Roll of Honour  

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EAST

Updated: Tuesday, 1 December 2009 10:32 PM EAST

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