Item 02: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett articles on the Gallipoli campaign, 1915 - Page 135

[Page 135]

The assault was launched at 5 P.M. the artillery continuing their fire on targets other than the actual objective; at the same time a heavy covering fire from rifles and machine guns was opened on Turkish trenches which could fire on the attackers. The launching of the attack drew a heavy fire of enemy shrapnel, machine guns and rifles followed in a short time by heavy shell on to the knoll, where the enemy shrapenl burst all over the position, including the trenches still occupied by the enemy.
The right column was checked by machine gun fire and could make no headway. The centre column carried the cross communication trench, but could not succeed in reaching the top of the knoll. On the left Connaught Rangers reached their objective and commenced to fight their way along the communication trench, to join up with the New Zealanders. Fighting then became confused and went on till 9.30 P.M. At 8.30 a heavy bomb attack had compelled the Connaught Rangers to relinquish the ground they had won and retire to their former position and subsequent efforts to recapture this part of the position did not succeed.
In the morning the situation was that the Centre column had captured and retained about 150 yards of trench N.E. of their former line, also the communication tranch across the knoll between the part captured and their former position, the other assaulting parties had been withdrawn to their original positions. During the action the N.Z. Mtd. Rifles paptured a Turkish machine gun, which was turned against the Turks. In this action the enemy's losses were heavy as in spite of the bombardment from our guns as well as their own suffered by the garrison of the Turkish position, the foremost trench was found crowded with men, when rushed by the N.Z. Mtd rifles. These men fought to the last and were shot down by the New Zealanders.