Chapter 3 of The Anzac Story; The Landing at Gaba Tepe

Chapter 3 of The Anzac Story; The Landing at Gaba Tepe

Important note. The author and everyone else was told that the landing was to be at Gaba Tepe (Kabatepe) so, of course, that is where they believed that they were landed. We now know that the landing was actually over 1 mile further north at Ari Burnu (Anzac Cove & North Beach). Many historical records written at the time make this mistake and it helps spread confusion about the landing place.

THERE was still no sign of any kind from the shore, and the water was as smooth as glass. Just then, at 4.29 a.m., on the summit of a bill a thousand yards south, there flashed a bright yellow light. It glowed for half a minute and then went out.

There was death-like silence for a moment. The -figure of a man was silhouetted on the skyline of the plateau above them. A voice called from the land, then from the top of the cliff a rifle flashed. A bullet whizzed overhead and plunged into the sea. There was a pause, then bursts of scattered irregular fire, which grew in intensity very quickly. They were discovered! After the tension of the last half hour the discovery was almost a relief.

The destroyers then made their final dash and approached the beach. When they were perhaps a hundred yards off, they stopped, and the first lot of troops got into the boats as rapidly as possible and rowed for the shore. From the left there came a cheer as the first boats from the battleship tows could be seen, in the half light, making a landing in spite of fierce opposition from the enemy on the beach.

Firing now became general all along the beach. Some of the Turks were right down on the beach and others were on high cliffs, 300 feet or more high, which towered over it. Many of our men were hit before leaving the destroyers and others whilst they were in the boats. As the boats touched the shore the soldiers jumped out, many of them up to their waists in water, and made for the shelter of the cliffs.

Then, with only a pause to discard their heavy packs, they set off after the Turks, who had now retreated to the tops of the cliffs and were keeping up a hot fire. The cliffs were very steep and covered with a heavy prickly scrub, which not only made, climbing difficult, but gave good cover to the enemy snipers.

Gradually the Turks were driven from the beaches all along the line and, for a time, the rifle fire eased, but enemy artillery began shelling the beaches to hold up the landing of our troops. Our transports came close in, in spite of the shelling, and were landing more troops as quickly as possible, whilst the battleships opened fire al were endeavouring to silence the shore batteries and to stop the enemy reinforcements; joining in the battle.

The leading Australians reached a plateau about a mile inland from the landing place, and here they commenced to dig in and prepare a firing line to cover the landing of the remainder of the Anzac troops. By this time the Turks, realizing the seriousness of the attack, had been able to bring up strong reinforcements, and were heavily shelling the Anzac front line with shrapnel.

A soldier who took part in the action describes the battle as he saw it:

"The counter attack started about 8 a.m. Our transports bad come close in, under cover of the warships, and were landing troops but of course it all took time and we were sadly in need of artillery, also we had to be careful with our ammunition as there had been no time to get any more up to us.

"There was no retreat for us, we just had to hang on. We were being shot down in dozens. The fire was terrific. Bullets went over and past me in a steady stream-cutting the scrub and bushes to ribbons.

"Men on both sides of me were hit and at last my turn came. I was hit in the left thigh by a bullet. I crawled out of the firing line as best I could, afraid to stand up to see if I could walk, in case I should be hit again. I seemed to be a long time getting to the rear and away from the firing, which seemed worse when I was crawling away from it than when I was facing it.

"I passed dozens of wounded soldiers, who like me, were making their way to the beach. I found that I could walk, with the aid of my rifle as a crutch. When I painfully bobbled on to the beach about two hours later there were hundreds more wounded men there. Dressing stations had been established and doctors were attending to them and bandaging the wounded before sending them on board the hospital ships. These doctors on the beach were doing magnificent work under heavy shell fire from which there was little shelter for either doctors or wounded.

"We were put on to lighters which were towed by small tugs and warship pinnaces to the hospital ships, and other ships which had been called into use for that purpose. As we left the beach we went through a hail of shrapnel from enemy guns and some of the wounded were hit a second time.

"One pleasing thing at the beach, which bucked up the wounded, was the sight of the 4th Australian Brigade and the New Zealanders landing and hurrying to the assistance of their comrades in the bard pressed and thinning front line."

All the troops were ashore by late afternoon and, as darkness closed in, the Anzacs were holding a semi-circular piece of ground in the shape of a bow which was, perhaps, a mile wide at its broadest point, and tapering away to the sea at both ends. To this small rugged strip of land was given the name of ANZAC.

Darkness brought no rest to the tired soldiers. Those watching from the ships saw the flash of rifle fire, heard the rattle of machine guns and the screech of shell fire throughout the night. The troops had, where possible, dug shallow trenches and joined up isolated groups.

Morning found the Anzacs still holding on desperately. The Turks had brought up fresh troops during the night and, with daylight, renewed their attack while the Anzacs and the British had no more men to put into the fight. Short of ammunition and with only what remained of the food and water they had carried with them these brave and exhausted men, many of them wounded, but refusing to leave the line whilst they could still fire a rifle, held on and repulsed all the attacks the Turks made.

It was very difficult to get the men who were very badly wounded and unable to walk down the steep hills and gullies back to the dressing stations on the beach, where medical officers could attend to them. The stretcher bearers, who were men specially trained in this work of caring for the wounded, bravely carried on in spite of the heavy fire.

One stretcher-bearer, generally called Simpson, but whose real name was Joseph Simpson Kirkpatrick, found a donkey which had been landed for carrying water to the troops. Simpson decided that this donkey would be useful for carrying men wounded in the legs and unable to walk. On the night of April 25th he started taking wounded men to the beach and every day, and for half of every night, he worked continuously. The most furious shell and rifle fire did not stop him. Later he obtained a second donkey and continued with the work.

Early on May 19th be went up the valley with his donkeys towards the firing line, to the water-guard where be generally had his breakfast, which was not ready this morning. "Never mind," he called, as he went on, get me a good dinner when I come back." He did not come back. With two wounded men on his donkeys be was coming down the creek bed when he was shot through the heart, both the wounded men being wounded again. He had carried dozens of men down the valley, and had saved many lives at the cost of his own.

The story of Simpson and his donkey has become a tradition in Australian history and a beautiful bronze statue, depicting him with a wounded man on his donkey, may be seen in St. Kilda Road, Melbourne.

So day followed day and the battle settled down to what is called trench warfare. The gallant General Bridges was mortally wounded on May 15th when making an inspection of the front line. He died on board the hospital ship "Gascon" a few day later. General Bridges had, from the day of the landing, set an inspiring example to his men and had gained their admiration and respect. After the war was over General Bridges' body was brought back to Australia. He was the only Australian soldier to be so honoured. His body now lies beneath a monument to his memory at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, of which he was the founder and first Commandant.