THE DARDANELLES

Otago Witness, Issue 3196, 16 June 1915, Page 53

THE DARDANELLES

LANDING AT GABA TEPE. ACCOUNT BY AN EYE-WITNESS. MAGNIFICENT CHARGE. AUCKLAND, Juno 14. The landing of a section of New Zealand infantry at Gaba Tepe was witnessed by Driver R. A. Steele, of the Divisional Signal Company, from the deck of a transport. During the return voyage to Alexandria Driver Steele wrote the following description, which arrived here to-day:

“ Tho Australasians landed first, about 2 a.m. on Sunday, April 25 —a great day in our history. They were rowed ashore in small boats by the navy, jumped into the water waist deep, fixed bayonets, and made a magnificent charge on the Turks, driving them hard up tho steep cliffs. The Australasians are the boys to fight—real Britons. Our ship reached the scene of action about 8 a.m. with the whole of the Auckland Infantry Battalion, half of tho Canterbury Battalion, the Divisional Headquarters, and our Signalling Company. Our ship was tho flagship, hence the headquarters being on board. “ Our infantry landed about 9.30 a.m. Tho 3rd Auckland and 16th Waikato Companies reinforced tho Australians on tho loft flank, and, I regret to say. experienced terrible fighting, resulting in heavy casualties. The Signalling Company landed with the infantry, and was stationed on the beach. We drivers had to remain on board in charge of our horses, it being impossible to land horses and transports. We were anchored just off tho shore among other troopships and battleships—the latter 16 in all, besides seven destroyers, and in the midst of the enemy’s shells.”

Driver Steele states that three hospital ships were in readiness to receive tho wounded, and tho Hutgow and another troopship wore also requisitioned. The wounded men began to arrive on Sunday evening. All the lifeboats wore sent to the beaches for the wounded, and were continually engaged in taking men off during that night and all next day. On Tuesday morning the Hutgow and another troopship, both full of wounded, left for Alexandria, arriving there on Thursday, April 29 Describing the scene of the landing. Driver Steele wrote : —“Tho country is very rough and steep in parts, with thick scrub waist high, in which the Turks have scattered a huge number of snipers. They seemed to be everywhere, and shot down our officers fast. Of course, during the time of our landing all our battleships were bombarding the coast and the Turkish forts, doing great damage. Our boys are doing well now. and ere making good progress. The British Tommies landed further down the coast, with no opposition until they got well inland. and when wo left tho seat of action they were in touch with our boys, and giving the Turks hell between them.”

MARLBOROUGH WOUNDED. FUND INAUGURATED. BLENHEIM, Juno 14. The Mayor (Mr J. J. Corryl, at a meeting on Saturday, inaugurated a fund for the Marlborough wounded and their dependents. There was a liberal response, and £2600 was promised in the room. Marlborough’s full quota for the Seventh Reinforcements were enthusiastically bidden farewell.

THE OTAGO CASUALTIES

THE MISSING. It will not have escaped notice that the long list of missing Otago soldiers which is published by us this week was considerably delayed in transmission. The Press Association message, containing the names, showed that the Otago men who were not accounted for were missing after the operations of May Ito 3. It seems probable, however, that at least some of those men may subsequently have returned to their regiments, having probably become temporarily associated with some other units of the Allied army. For example, the list of the missing from May 1 to May 3 included the name of Sergeant Stanley McDonald, son of Air . M'Donald, of Green Island. It is apparent, however, that Sergeant M'Donald subsequently rejoined his regiment, since his father received a cable message a few days ago stating that his son was well, and had been promoted to the rank of lieutenant. The case of Corporal T. G. Reid, son of Mr IV. G. Reid, of North-East Valley, may also be referred to in this connection. Ho is reported to have been missing after May Ito 3. Last month, however, his father received cable advice that Corporal Reid was wounded, and two subsequent cables have reported that ho is progressing favourably.

Those cases suggest the existence of ground for the hope that other men whose names arc included in the list of missing may subsequently have been restored to their regiments.