NEW ZEALANDERS AT THE DARDANELLES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 16 July 1915, Page 2

NEW ZEALANDERS AT THE DARDANELLES

(By Malcolm Rose, , Official War Correspondent with the N.Z. Forces.) ■'j 24th May. Every account, that comes to hand from the Peninsula of Gallipoli increases one's admiration of the splendid bravery and fighting quality of qui* "troops. Already they have had. great; variety of fighting. . The landing on an open beach .in the face of., shrapnel, machine "gun, and rifle fire began- a/ glorious day's work. Since then they have had'fignting in tlie . open, entrenching, > outpost work, patrol; -work, . and., bayopet charges ; and,' through it all, they have I been absolutely self-supporting. •'• They have not simply moved into, trenches faced with barbed' wire entanglements already built for them. They have had to do their own digging-in, except when thev drove the Turks out of their trenches at the point; of the' bayonet. And tliey have. dpne. s all" this on r new ground and oil ground of the most difficult description to fight ovur. A German officer of the better class who was taken prisoner and who is now here is amazed at the fighting qualitdes of the Australian and 'Neiw Zealand .troops. He says the-Gerinan officers cannot get over it. They regard, it as a miracle that a landing - should, nave been, successfully made 'in the face of. such tremendous odds.' . Indeed, they thought'' the place 'to be, absolutely impregnable. No greater tribute than this-to thV valour of our troops could be'obtained. From other 'sources 'I learn that on several occasions wounded men. sent out. of the firing line found their way back into it and had once, more to be sent back, sokeen were they for fighting. Indeed, that happened often. This, spirit -was iri accordance with the Maori motto of one regiment: "Akc, ake. Ida kaha" ("We will' fight for. ever and ever"); and _the French : motto of another, "Pour _ Be-, voir," which some ■of our men freely translate into "Let 'em all come. ■ The \ustrajians went in at first shouting the name of their native land; but later when they were driving the Turks out of their trenches their battle.cry was "Imshi" ! an.-' Arabic word- much used in Cairo to inferiors when you.vrant them to ro away.- The Australian translates "it, "Get ,oufc !" and "get out it r was for the Turks and the Germans on those first days-ol hard: fighting. And so, from latest news, it cs, still.-