[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Seeking to move around the Turkish lines, Hamilton re-embarked two divisions and had them landed at Sulva Bay, just north of Anzac Cove, on August 6. This was supported by diversionary attacks at Anzac and Helles. Coming ashore, Lt. General Sir Frederick Stopford's men moved too slowly and the Turks were able to occupy the heights overlooking their position. As a result, the British troops were quickly locked into their beachhead. In the supporting action to the south, the ANZACs were able to win a rare victory at Lone Pine, though their main assaults on Chunuk Bair and Hill 971 failed.

This was the action my great-grandfather was involved in, he was in one of the two divisions (The 5th (Service) Wiltshire Regiment) which was transferred from Cape Helles to Sulva Bay.
The situation around Chunuk Bair was a confused mess, the New Zealand troops initially captured Chunuk Bair and Brigadier General Anthony Baldwin moved forward with several brigades (including the Wiltshire Regiment) to a position known as 'the farm'.



Things started falling apart when Baldwins men were unable to locate the farm in the dark, while Colonel Malone and the New Zealand brigade were not only harrassed by the Ottomans but also shelled by their own side repeatedly (Malone himself was killed by a misdirected shell on the 8th).
On the night of the 9th, the New Zealand force was finally relieved by some of the Wiltshires and the 6th Battalion of The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. The Wiltshires were told by the New Zealand officer who escorted them to their position that it was a safe spot, and as such they began digging their dugouts and stacked their rifles and equipment out of the way in order to remain comfortable...not expecting action.

The Wiltshire Regiments war diary describes the morning of the 10th August 1915:

(01.00): Battalion moves away in single file less D company and part of B Company. Order of march C - Machine guns - A - B companies "Move by a steep and winding course to a cup-shaped deformation at the head of the Gulley to the right and some distance in front of our salient." (Words of 2 Lieut R.W.M. Dewhurst one of the few officers on the march who subsequently survived.) The Battalion was guided, as far as I am able to ascertain by a New Zealand Officer. Here they arrived two hours before sunrise (0300) and the men were told to dig into dugouts and make themselves comfortable as the position was quite safe. Men therefore removed equipment and rifles.
(0430) As soon as it was light machine guns opened on the men lying in their dug outs. About 1/4 of an hour later there was a rush of Turks from both sides of the depression which drove the men, unarmed and unequipped down the gulley (SALZLI BEIT). The bottom of the gulley commanded by machine guns and so escape was cut off. Three courses were possible:-

1. To rush past the machine guns down the Sazli Beit, this was tried but in nearly all cases proved fatal.
2. To climb the northern slope of the ravine under fire and try to escape over the top. This was done in a few cases
with success.
3. Hide in Gulley till night; this also was done with more success. (A party of 5 men was rescued from the Gulley
having been there 16 days from August 10th to August 26th. They reported numbers of men, who were wounded,
unable to get away and died of exhaustion and starvation.).

Parties arrived on the Beach in fours, fives, and some carried bodies during the 11th, 12th and 13th unarmed, unequipped and demoralised.

I have fair reason to believe that my Great-Grandfather was one of the five men who were rescued from the Gulley on the 26th August. The evidence is thus:



You'll note that the Date of Admission on the left is the 26th August, but the date of the wound on the right is the 10th. He and the rest of the men in the Gulley owe their lives to three people who would be awarded the DCM for their actions.

9213 Pte WJ Head.
For conspicuous bravery and resource. Private Head was one of a party of seven, who became seperated from their regiment during the fighting on the 10th August 1915 at Chunuk Bair and who remained within the enemy's lines for over fifteeen days . Although wounded three times between 10th and 26th of August , he collected food for his wounded comrades from the bodies of the dead, this being the sole and very slender supply. He displayed the finest qualities of endurance and leadership in keeping up the spirits of the survivors in most trying conditions. (LG 16.11.15)

9416 Pte R Humphries
For conspicuous gallantry between the 10th and 26th August 1915, ay Chunuk Bair . Private Humphries was one of a party who were lost outside our lines for over a fortnight, at the end of which time, although greatly exhausted and weakened by privation , he, with the greatest bravery , made his way in, and so brought about the rescue of his comrades, In the course of his return he was constantly exposed to heavy fire, and only succeeded with the utmost difficulty. He did not hesitate at once to return and act as a guide to the relieving party. (LG 16.11.15)

11574 L/Cpl AG Scott
For conspicuous gallantry between the 10th and 26th August 1915, ay Chunuk Bair . Lance-Corporal Scott was one of a party who were lost outside our lines for over a fortnight, at the end of which time, although greatly exhausted and weakened by privation , he, with the greatest bravery , made his way in, and so brought about the rescue of his comrades, In the course of his return he was constantly exposed to heavy fire, and only succeeded with the utmost difficulty. He did not hesitate at once to return and act as a guide to the relieving party. (LG 16.11.15)

Such was the dismemberment of the Wiltshires that it took a while to reform, as noted in the diary of the 25th:

This Diary of the fortunes of the 5th (Service) Battalion. 5th Wiltshire Regiment is continued by H.B.L Braund, Lieut and Acting Adjutant since Capt A.C.S. Belcher, Adj. Killed in action 10.8.15 Owing to the events to be detailed herein there has been a considerable hiatus in the compilation of this diary due to the temporary disorganisation of the Regiment and the incompleteness of the narrative will be due to this cause. H.B.L Braund Lieut 5th Wilts 25.8.15. Two men L/C Scott. Pte A Humphries arrive in hospital having escaped from Sazli Beit after 16 days confinement, almost without food. Immediate organisation of search party under Capt Greany - unsuccessful on night of 25th - successful on night of 26th. Men discovered in an exhausted condition, two badly wounded. Congratulation from General.

But reform it did, and continued in occasional action in Gallipoli until the withdrawal of forces, where it was sent to Egypt and then on to Mesopotamia.

My Great-Grandfather left the 5th Wiltshires after his time spent in Aldernay hospital back in England, he joined the 6th Wiltshires in January 1916 where he would stay until being wounded on the 3rd July 1916 during the attack of La Boisselle in the Battle of the Somme.
This put him out of action until March the next year when he joined the 1st Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment, winning the Military Medal for action between the 7th and 10th of July 1917 during the assault on Messines Ridge where he, to quote the London Gazette, "acting as orderly, shewed the greatest devotion to duty in carrying messages backwards and forwards from an advanced position. On one occasion although buried and stunned by a shell, he brought back a message of great importance", however on the 21st August 1917, the now Corporal Edward Clack was badly wounded, quite possibly during an aerial attack on the 1st Wiltshires as they camped at the Dominion Camp, and he was sent back to England to recover and finally join the 3rd Wiltshires, the reserve battalion which had spent the war in the Home Islands. Here he remained until the end of hostilities, being demobbed as Acting Lance Sergeant in March 1919.