LANDING AT GALLIPOLI.

Otago Witness, Issue 3201, 21 July 1915, Page 55

LANDING AT GALLIPOLI.

THE THICK OF THE FIGHT. COLONEL PLUGGE TWICE WOUNDED. In a letter received by Mr Arthur Myers, M.P., from General Sir Alexander Godley, dated May 21,-from Ahzac Cove, Gallipoli, the General says : “ I must write • a hne to tell you how extraordinarily well the Auckland Battalion has done since we landed on the peninsula on April 25. The day we landed they were the first of the New Zealand- troops to be engaged, and were at once plunged into the thick of the fight. They fought most gallantly all day, and Plugge (their colonel), though severely wounded m the wrist by a bullet which lodged in it, continued to lead and command his men, and refused to go to the rear. For the first three days the fighting was absolutely continuous, and your battalion was in the thick of it the whole time. “ Later our New Zealand infantry Brigade was sent down to Cape Helles to assist m the southern attack, and the Auckland Battalion was the one of the four to whom fell the honour of leading that portion of the attack which was made by the New Zealand Brigade. They advanced most gallantly, and came in for a terribly heavy enfilading fire and cross fire from maxims, with the result that they suffered very heavy casualties; but, nothing daunted,_ they pushed on and reached their objective, where, with very attenuated numbers, they dug themselves in and maintained their position. I hear nothing but the most glowing accounts of their performance, and I hope that you will let all the Auckland people know what credit they have done to New Zealand and to the Auckland province in particular. “I am sorry to say that the casualties among officers were desperately heavy. Young Steadman (Colonel Steadman’s son),, young Carpenter, a very nice boy named Screaton, who commanded my escort for some time, Morgan, and Reid were all killed; and prior to this Dodson, Flouer, Richardson, and /lien had been killed. It is curious that Allen and Carpenter, who you may remember went to Duntroon, but were returned because they could not quite reach the standard required, should have proved their worth so thoroughly and died such gallant soldiers’ deaths. Plugge w-as again wounded, as also ■were Harrowed, Dawson, Bartlett,- West, M'Farlane, Weir, Fletcher, and Craig (their doctor); and prior to this Stuckey. Alderman, Macdonald, Fraser, Prater, Woolley, Westmacott, Peace, Morpeth, and Baddcley had also been wounded.”

Sir Alexander Godley’s letter is dated from headquarters, New Zealand and Australian Division, Anzao Cove, Gallipoli Peninsula. The name Anzac, which has been given to the cove since the landing of the Australasian troops, is formed of the initials of the words Australian-New Zealand army Corps.