FEARFUL SLAUGHTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3215, 27 October 1915, Page 52

FEARFUL SLAUGHTER.

“ONE OF THE LUCKY FIVE.”

Private Sydney Braham, Auckland Infantry Battalion, describes bis experiences at Gallipoli 1 in a letter to his mother, written in the First London General Hospital, Camberwell, England; “We arrived at Gallipoli on August 7. As we approached the place wo could hear the roar of the guns, and we came under fire when we were two miles from the land. A great battle was in progress when wo arrived. On our way to the trenches we saw thousands of dead and wounded lying all round our lines. In fact, it was just like the picture wo saw at Windsor Castle, which represented “Dante’s Inferno.” Wo. were given the order to charge, but wo did not get more than 10 yards out of the trench before hundreds of our boys were shot down, and wo had to retire. The Tories took the offensive, and attacked eight times during one day. Wo hold them off, but we lost heavily. We went up with 1100 men, and when I left for the hospital ship two days later we could muster only 250. There were only 55 of us left to hold our part of the trench. Wo held it for three hours against great odds until there were only five left. I was one of the lucky five. We were then called out, and fresh men took our places I was then sent to the base, a distance of three miles, to get some food for the relief party. While I was on the way I met George Lury going to the dressing station. I believe he was wounded. While I was getting the rations two shells burst right amongst us and killed three Indians and throe mules. I felt a pain in my leg and shoulder and knew that I had been hit. Directly afterwards another shell came over and the concussion throw me a distance of 12 feet over a lot of boxes.. I am now getting well, and hope to be out of the hospital in a few days.”