THE Australian 1st Brigade was given the honour of making the attack on the Turkish trenches at Lone Pine as the 3rd Brigade had led the attack at the landing, and the 2nd Brigade had charged at Cape Helles.
Many of the soldiers taking part in the attack were sick, and strained with lack of sleep and with heavy work. Some wondered whether the men would be able to stand up to continuous fighting. Whatever the soldiers' feelings might have been, the excitement of the coming battle gave them new strength. There was not the least sign of nervousness
in face, speech, or action, and they joked or laughed as if they were at a football match.
The signal for the charge was three whistle blasts and exactly at 5.30 in the afternoon the 1st Brigade charged the Turkish trenches from 100 to 200 yards away in three waves of soldiers.
As the Anzacs sprang from their trenches they were met by heavy rifle and machine-gun fire, many fell, but others filled the gaps. Very soon they reached the Turkish trenches to find that they were roofed over with large logs, which
prevented the soldiers from jumping into them. The Turks were firing at them from loopholes below the logs. Many soldiers jumped over the covered trenches and began to attack the Turks from the
rear, in what are known as communication trenches, or open trenches leading up to the front line.
Other soldiers lifted logs and jumped down into the front trenches and with bayonet and bombs fought the Turks in the semi-darkness. Unfortunately the Anzacs hadn't many bombs but it was difficult to tell friend from foe in the darkness of the covered trenches. Anzac soldiers were fighting their way in to the trenches at many places
but there was not yet any certainty as to which parts had been captured and which
had not.
Gradually, after much hard fighting, the 1st Brigade had possession of most of the Lone Pine position. They then had to block up the
communication trenches, to stop the Turks from fighting their way back again. Other soldiers dug trenches from the old Anzac line to the newly captured trenches so that food, water, and ammunition could be brought to the new front line.
The Turks were brave and fearless fighters and fought hard to win back their trenches. Many fierce hand-to-hand fights took place and brave men died on both sides. During the battle, which lasted for nearly a week, no fewer than seven Anzac soldiers won the Victoria Cross. This is more than has ever been won in any other single battle since the V.C. was first awarded over 100 years ago. At last the Turks had to admit defeat and the Lone Pine trenches became part of the Anzac front.
The fighting at Lone Pine is said to have been the severest hand-to-hand battle of the whole war; certainly it was the heaviest of its kind in which Australian soldiers ever took part. It achieved the purpose for which it was planned, as it made the Turks think that the main attack was being made there, at the narrowest part of the whole Peninsula, and caused them to throw many thousands of troops into the fighting before the main attack was made further left, on the slopes of Sari Bair.
- Although the actual ground won was not more than 100 yards in depth, the Australian losses during the course of the five-day battle were over 2000, and the Turkish losses over 7000. It was indeed a terrible battle in which neither side would admit defeat.
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