8 May - Battle of Krithia

In the morning of Saturday 8 May, the New Zealanders moved forward, as ordered, at 10:30am, after breakfast. This was on the left of the battlefield where the British units had unsuccessfully advanced on the 6 and 7 May. The Wellington, Auckland and Canterbury Battalions were all involved with the Otago Battalion held in reserve. Major Brereton (Nelson Company) wrote:

'...It was a terrible sight in that clear bright sunshine, men going down like ninepins everywhere, falling with a crash with the speed they were going'.

The Turkish fire was increasing as they were able to clearly see troop movements below and in front of them and, after the last couple of days, had been expecting the 10:30am starting time.

By 12 noon the Kiwi advance had stopped and at great cost. The forward most troops still had no firm views of where the forward Turkish trenches were located, nor the positions of the hidden machine gun nests.

On the right flank the French made no progress on the 8 May and informed Sir Ian Hamilton that further frontal assaults were not possible without the British taking Krithia.

Colonel McCay (leading the Australian 2nd Brigade) anticipated that his troops would be required this day to support the New Zealanders. He issued orders to be ready by 9am. However, General Paris (commander of the Composite Division) didn't give this order until 11:15am.

At 11:30am the Australians started to move from their bivouac location in a diagonal left direction to the designated reserve position. To start with they moved across a poppy field and into a partially dried up creek bed. A bit further on they came across some beautiful country with daisies and a grove of olive trees.  They were in small groups now as they came up to the reserve lines.

They took up their positions just behind the Indian infantry in the reserve line trenches. At this stage they had some cover and they started to dig in.

General Hunter Weston issued further orders to the New Zealander's Otago reserve battalion to join the battle with the Auckland Battalion which had suffered very heavy losses during the morning attacks. The New Zealander, Colonel Johnston, telephoned Hunter Weston and advised of the disastrous consequences of sending his men across open ground in daylight against lethal machine gun and rifle fire. Hunter Weston ignored this advice and ordered the New Zealanders to proceed. However,  Sir Ian Hamilton superseded this order with his own to attack along the entire front line at 5:30pm that evening including the New Zealanders.

A short preliminary bombardment by artillery was ordered. The British were ordered to move up the left flank next to the New Zealanders. The Kiwis were next to them and were ordered up the Krithia Spur. The Australians were ordered to advance along the main central spur and the French were ordered to move up the right flank.

At 5pm the Australians were in the reserve trenches and preparing their evening meal when they were issued orders to attack at 5:30pm. There was not much time for Coloney McCay to issue orders to his units. At about this time, General Paris asked McCay if he 'had any bands with you'. McCay replied that he did not have a band. 'Have you any colours?' asked General Paris.'No', replied McCay. Paris stressed that the attack be made on time and that they use bayonets. They also took a pick or shovel each.

The men hurriedly packed up their cooking equipment and prepared themselves. C.E.W Bean mentions the haste required in this preparation. Many officers and men did not know where they were heading.

The 6th and 7th Battalions led the advance with the 5th and 8th in support. They were led off in scattered groups at 5:30pm as ordered. As soon as they were out in the open, bullets and shrapnel rained down on them. After about 150 yards they came upon the advanced British units (Lancashire Fusiliers). This was totally unexpected (according to Bean) and Australians quickly nick-named this as 'Tommies Trench'. It quickly filled up with Australians and some had to seek shelter along the back of this trench.

Australian casualties were high even at this early stage of their involvement. Whole sections of men had been wiped out on their way to these advanced lines.

It seems that Athol was injured (see last blog post) during this early phase of the Australians involvement at Krithia.

Colonel McCay led the men out of Tommy's Trench and urged the Australians further on. Enemy fire was heavy. Private Kelly writes '...now the casualties began in dozens and men could be seen falling everywhere and I do not think that there were many among us who expected to come out of this alive. However, we pushed on.'

Charge of the 2nd Infantry Brigade at Krithia by Charles Wheeler, 1927

Colonel McCay with hat on leading his men out of Tommy's Trench.

AWM collection

www.gallipoli.gov.au

By about 6:30 that evening there was quite a deal of confusion. Most men had not fired a shot as they were just trying to make their way (often to an unknown destination) whilst under heavy machine gun and rifle fire. There was confusion in orders and units became broken up. Many officers, who had led their men from the front, were lost injured or killed. NCOs  and even privates took charge of these small groups and kept them moving on. Some groups had got as far as 400 yards from the forward Turkish trenches. A Major Bennett of 6th Battalion, in this forward-most group ordered his men to stop and for every second man to dig whilst his neighbour fired. Another group from the 7th Battalion joined them to make a thin line. A few from the 5th and 8th Battalions came in support. This forward position was un-supported on either side. They dug in and waited for a Turkish counter attack.

Colonel McCay moved forward to just behind Major Bennett's group. From his position, Colonel McCay could see the village of Krithia about 2,000 yards north.

The New Zealanders had again suffered heavy losses as they moved up to and over the first Turkish trench (using bayonets). They came to a halt at about 9pm after 300 yards.

AWM (C01079)

The scene after the 2nd Brigade attack towards Krithia, May 1915.

The Australian field battery supported their Victorian and New Zealand comrades with artillery fire. From their positions in the rear, the artillery men could see the infantry moving forward under fire 'across open ground with not a scrap of cover. The French, British, French Africans, Indians could all look on as the Australians fell by scores under shrapnel, machine gun and rifle fire. They moved ahead 700 yards in front of the first line and dug themselves in and wouldn't budge a yard' [Driver John Hayter, 6th Australian Field Battery].

In an hour, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm it is estimated that the 2nd Australian Infantry Brigade had lost 1,000 men - killed and wounded. On the morning of 8 May the 5th Battalion had 30 officers and 1,000 men and by the end of the engagement the 5th had only 7 officers and 300 men un-injured. Most of the deaths and injuries were incurred in the first 30 minutes.

Private Glenn Martin of the 5th Battalion wrote 'it was nothing but murder'.

No-one could assist the wounded lying all over the battlefield as it was so exposed. All through the night of the 8-9 May there were many crying out for help.

Water and ammunition was short. Not everyone had a pick or shovel with which to dig in.

CEW Bean carried some of the wounded back to advanced dressing stations and also assisted with carrying tins of water up to Tommies Trench.

The chief medical officer, Captain Mathison, of 5th Battalion, was mortally wounded and died 10 days later. This was a great blow to the 2nd Brigade. He was well loved and much needed.

At about 2am on 9 May Colonel McCay was returning from the firing line to the brigade HQ when he was wounded above the knee. It took 36 hours to get him by stretcher to the hospital ship.

A congratulatory message was sent from General Paris to Brigade Headquarters on the morning of 9th May. General Paris also ordered that all positions be strengthened and re-organised to assist in the next advance. There was only one man remaining in the brigade HQ officers to receive this message from General Paris - a Captain Goold, the Brigade Signal Officer. A Lieutenant Coloney Bolton (CO 8th Battalion) took over as temporary commander of the Brigade and worked to re-establish telephone links.

For the Australians there would be no further advance on Krithia. The 5th Battalion was relieved from the front line on the night of 10-11 May. The third battle of Krithia would be fought in June with British, Indian and French troops. The ANZAC troops were taken by hospital ships to Egypt or back to ANZAC Cove. The remnants of the 5th Battalion along with the remaining units of the 2nd Brigade returned to Anzac Cover on 16 May.