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The New Zealand Medical Service in the Great War 1914-1918

Operations on Chunuk Bair, August 6th and 7th,1915

Operations on Chunuk Bair, August 6th and 7th,1915.

4.30 p.m. The action was opened by three battalions of the 1st Australian division who attacked "Lone Pine" and held it against powerful counter attacks: there were heavy losses. The other subsidiary attacks from Quinn's. Pope's, and the Neck were unsuccessful and very costly. The dressing stations and Ambulance bearers in Monash's Gully were fully occupied during that night in clearing to the Australian C.C.S. on the beach.

9 p.m. The main attack against Chunuk Bair was initiated by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles and the Maoris, who took old No. 3 outpost and Big Table Top on the left bank of the Chailak Dere and Beauchop's Hill on the right bank. Following these movements the New Zealand Infantry Brigade advanced up the Sazli Beit and Chailak Dere. The left assaulting column reached page 83the Aghyl Dere by 1 a.m. and advanced in the direction of Hill "Q." Cox's Brigade on the right, Monash's 4th Australian Brigade on the left on the southern water shed of the Asmak Dere and heading for the Abd-el-Rhaman Spur. The New Zealand Mounted Field Ambulance Bearers Under Major Hand Newton moved out to No. 2 outpost at 9 p.m. Captain A. V. Short followed the Canterburys up the Sazli Beit Dere—thought at this time to be the chief avenue of approach to Chunuk Bair—and established a collecting post at the fork under Big Table Top, where he was in touch with the Canterbury R.A.P. His line of evacuation was to Walker's Ridge, M.D.S.

7/8/15. 3.50 a.m. The brigade major of the New Zealand Brigade, Major Temperley, reports many wounded in the Chailak Dere and that stretcher bearers are required. An hour later the 1st Australian Light Horse Field Ambulance with 25 stretchers was on its way up the dere. About this time wounded were coming down to the M.D.S. from Walker's Ridge as a result of an attack on the Neck by the 8th Australian Light Horse who had extraordinarily heavy casualties, the greater number being killed. "B" Section of the New Zealand Field Ambulance in Monash Gully was still fully occupied by casualties from Quinn's and Pope's.

By 6 a.m. on the 7th, the New Zealand Infantry had joined hands about Rhododendron Spur and the Apex. Some of the Gurkha Brigade were on the left—all Were preparing for the final assault of Chunuk Bair. In the early morning light the New Zealand Brigade on Rhododendron Spur saw a surprising sight: away to the north at Suvla what seemed to be a mighty Armada riding at anchor in the Bay. The secret of the New Army's landing had been well-kept, so far it had filtered only to brigade headquarters. The cheering sight of the new force coming up on their left must have encouraged the tired New Zealanders to push on and hang on to the slopes of Chunuk Bair, the crest line of which was not more than 400 yards away. Some desperate men did push on but were compelled to dig in after meeting an impassible fire from right and left and enduring piteous losses. In daylight no further advance could be made.

6.10 a.m. The A.D.M.S. instructs O.C. New Zealand Field Ambulance and O.C. 4th Australian Field Ambulance—Lieut.-Col. Beeston, A.M.C., V.D.—to move up their parties to the positions already agreed upon. During the night the engineers had erected a small pier at the mouth of the Chailak Dere, for the evacuation of wounded, it was now flying a red cross flag borrowed from the page 84New Zealand Ambulance; the pier was in full view of the Turks on Walker's Ridge and at about 1200 yards range. Another pier for wounded had been erected at Walker's Ridge near Mule Gully. Heavy casualties were reported by the O.C. 3rd Australian Light Horse Field Ambulance, who had moved up the Aghyl Dere at dawn and was in touch with part of Monash's Brigade. A section of the 4th Australian Field Ambulance, also, was moving up the dere under heavy fire.

8 a.m. All forward movements had ceased. The Auckland, Canterbury, and Otago Battalions were at the head of the Chailak and Sazli Beit Dere, Wellington in reserve. All attempts to push on had been frustrated by heavy enfilade fire from Battleship Ridge, the main spur, on their right, and by gun fire from the "W" Hills out Suvla way. Our left flank brigades were also temporarily hung up. Divisional Headquarters had moved to No. 3 outpost where there was good cover except from occasional overs from Baby 700 and the ridge above. Colonel Manders now ordered the Tent Subdivision of "C" Section New Zealand Field Ambulance to open at or near No. 2 outpost. The party under Major O'Neil, D.S.O., N.Z.M.C. proceeded to the Sazli Beit Dere carrying equipment by hand, passing in the sap many Turkish prisoners; they opened at about 11 a.m. at No. 2 outpost, where they handled about 30 cases; an emergency tracheotomy was required in one case, a wound of the larynx. The positions of the medical units now were:—

3rd Australian Light Horse Field Ambulance in Aghyl Dere with some portion of the 4th Australian Field Ambulance whose main dressing station was opening in ground very much exposed to fire. The New Zealand Mounted Field Ambulance had a dressing station at the mouth of the Chailak Dere the 1st Australian Light Horse Field Ambulance, a dressing station half way up the Chailak Dere; the New Zealand Field Ambulance: A.D.S. at Monash Gully, M.D.S. in statu quo; C section collecting post in Sazli Beit Dere; A.D.S. at No. 2 outpost. The locations of the R.M.O.'s were: the Mounted Brigade R.M.O.'s and R.A.P.'s at Big Table Top; and near Beauchop's Hill, where one of them captured 17 prisoners; Captains Guthrie, N.Z.M.C., and Buchanan, N.Z.M.C. were in touch with the Australian Ambulance near Waldren's Point. Most of their wounded were evacuated by 8 o'clock. As regards the R.M.O.'s of the Infantry Brigade the following narrative of Captain Baigent throws some light on the situation:—"At 10.30 p.m. on the night of the attack, the Otago Infantry leading, the Wellington and Auckland Battalions started page 85to move up the dere. As soon as we got to the barbed wire entanglements across the mouth of the gully we had casualties which I sent back to No. 3 outpost, where Major M. Holmes [acting D.A.D.M.S.] took them over. I followed up the Battalion to a point just below Table Top where there was a Turkish bivouac. I fixed up my R.A.P. in a Turkish kitchen where I found a Red Crescent dressing haversack made of canvas. It contained dressings, iodoform, morphia, a hypodermic syringe and tallies for the wounded just like ours except that the inscriptions were in Turkish. I dressed a number of wounded and after daylight, as no more were coming in, I went up on to Table Top where I met McLean [Capt. H. J. McLean, N.Z.M.C., R.M.O., Wellington Mounted Rifles]. Shortly after I had returned to our RA.P. Captain Fiaschi, A.M.C. of the 1st Australian Light Horse Ambulance with bearers arrived; he took over my post, I went on up further and established my R.A.P. near the Apex under the lee of Cheshire Ridge [right bank of Chailak Dere overlooking the Farm]. I had no map, I had not been instructed in any way as to the disposition of the field ambulances. My battalion by now had moved across the Apex to Rhododendron Spur. It was not possible to collect the wounded on the Apex by daylight." Rhododendron Spur was at the head of Sazli Beit Dere and separated by a deep ravine from the main crest in front, called at this point Battleship Ridge. Prior to our advance the Spur had been named "Rhododendron" because of the flowering shrubs which could be seen to be growing there—a species of Daphne—after the advance, the name "Canterbury Slopes" was substituted but did not stick well.

At the mouth of the Chailak Dere there was a small olive grove and some dead ground where the wounded soon collected; the New Zealand Mounted Field Ambulance had an operating tent pitched and was working at this point at an early hour. Before 10 o'clock bearers from the New Zealand Field Ambulance under Major O'Neil passed this point on their way to Aghyl Dere where they collected wounded from about Beauchop's Hill carrying them down to the barges loading at the pier, at No. 3 outpost, or handed them over at No. 3 outpost. These wounded were mainly Gurkhas. Owing to lack of barges evacuations from the small pier were being delayed and a very considerable congestion of wounded took place in the dry water course.

10 a.m. Stretcher bearers were urgently required at Pope's Hill, much congested with wounded. Colonel Manders having his hands full applied to the A.D.M.S. Australian Division for page 86bearers to be seat to Pope's Hill. Colonel Howse, V.C., replied shortly that he was sending a Divisional Sanitary Officer and some bearer squads. Owing to the growing congestion at the Chailak Dere, the A.D.M.S. recalled O'Neil's party from the Aghyl Dere.

The Naval Transport Officer, Lt. Greenshields, R.N., working the small pier as N.T.O. was short of barges for evacuation. The pier, a small not very stable trestle arrangement was under rifle fire; there was some shelling at the mouth of the Dere; the wounded were lying on stretchers near the pier under the scanty cover of the sand banks. Major Newton whose dressing station was hard by, had two of his wounded killed and six patients wounded a second time besides some of his staff hit.

Up at the Apex, the wounded of the Gurkhas and the Aucklanders were lying out on the forward slopes where the daylight attack on Chunuk Bair had been arrested. Many wounded were awaiting evacuation; stretcher bearers were urgently required by the New Zealand Brigade Headquarters shortly after 1 o'clock. The A.D.M.S., still persuaded that the main flow of wounded should come down the Sazli Beit Dere, orders Major O'Neil and his party to proceed to the collecting post in that locality, but shortly after was informed as to affairs at the head of the Chailak Dere by receiving the following message from Major Helsham, A.M.C., of the 1st Australian Light Horse Field Ambulance, timed 1 p.m. "I am advancing my post to what was the R.A.P. near the head of the Chailak Dere [Baigent's Turkish Kitchen]. I think it will take to-day and to-night to evacuate the cases there and I will employ this unit for that purpose, as many casualties are expected in the evening; could I be supplied with fresh bearers and as many stretchers as possible"? The A.D.M.S. replies to Brigade that he will do what he can.

By 2 p.m. Major Murray reports from Pope's A.D.S. that he has evacuated 173 casualties since 5 p.m. on the 6th and that his station is clear. But the A.D.M.S. cannot as yet avail himself of the services of the N.Z.M.C. party at Pope's Hill, because, by the plan, the New Zealanders on Chunuk Bair once the crest was firmly held, were to sweep southwards along the main crest, Battleship Ridge, descending upon Baby 700 and Pope's Hill, driving the Turks before them. It was thought that this movement would be the bloodiest work of the whole engagement, as the Turks were well entrenched, and that wounded would be evacuated in very large numbers through Monash's Gully.

By 3 p.m. both Aghyl Dere and the Chailak Dere appeared to be choked with wounded. The 4th Australian Brigade wired to say page 87that they had seen nothing of their field ambulance, the 4th Australian, although they were in touch with Capt. White, A.M.C. of the 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance, whose small party had had two killed and three wounded, and were by now exhausted; they also reported a shortage of stretchers. The 4th Field Ambulance much congested with wounded could not advance further up the Dere, they were held up by fire; the 4th Brigade was a long way to their left on the Asmak Dere.

From Major Helsham, A.M.C., 1st Australian Light Horse Field Ambulance, halfway up the Chailak Dere, a further report comes late in the afternoon: that he has urgent need of bearers and stretchers as carrying to the beach wastes much time. To this the A.D.M.S. replies:—"Do not evacuate but concentrate wounded, all evacuations to the beach are interdicted until 8 p.m." Fresh troops from the reserve were moving up the Chailak and Aghyl Dere to reinforce the attackers against the final push timed for the grey of dawn on the morrow; up through the rugged torrent bed, water, ammunition, rations and reinforcements were mounting in a solid, slow-moving surge. After sunset, men and mules choked the narrow tracks, opposing all beachward movement. Here were Welshmen, Auckland cavalry, Maoris, men of Worcester, Sikhs and Gurkhas, struggling upwards, bound for the top of the Dere, where at the "Apex" men jostled in bunched up masses, some in dead ground, some on the reverse slopes, an easy target for the guns near Anafarta. No getting the loaded stretchers down through this mass of men and mules.

At the main dressing station at Walker's Ridge, Lt.-Col. Begg had 200 casualties for evacuation; a pier had been built at the foot of Walker's Ridge—Walker's Pier—but the pinnaces and boats could not reach it at present owing to the state of the tide. No C.C.S. had as yet arrived. The M.D.S. must remain where it is for the present. Only walking cases could be got rid of during the day. Major O'Neil opened his tent subdivision in Sazli Beit Dere where he handled some 30 cases during the night. He had been relieved by a small party of bearers of the 40th Field Ambulance, 13th Division, who formed a collecting post at No. 3 outpost.

In the evening Major Helsham realised that he could not get his wounded away that night. Many had been lying out in the open and had not had any food since the previous evening. They had been fighting in their shirt sleeves and had no greatcoats. He wires now at 6 p.m. for 100 blankets, water and some cases of milk and arrowroot.

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Evacuation at No. 3 pier was resumed at 8 p.m. Capt. Finn, N.Z.M.C., Dental Surgeon attached to No. 4 Australian Field Ambulance with the N.T.O., Lieut. Greenshields, R.N., were working together at this point under great difficulties in a spatter of overs from Battleship Ridge. The picket boats could not get to the pier on account of low water, they had to use ships' boats—25 sitting cases to the trip. Up to 10.40 p.m. some 350 sitters had been shipped away; it was impossible to load stretcher cases. It was proposed that the orderlies should wade out into the water so as to load the pinnaces; pinnaces could only take two lying cases at a time. The N.T.O. had wired for horse lighters or motor driven lighters, the famous "Beetles" used for landing troops at Suvla was what he wanted as they had a draw bridge at the bows which could be let down on touching bottom, and they would have taken a very large number of stretchers. The A.D.M.S. after a conference with the N.T.O. strongly represented to Corps Headquarters that if even the posse of stretcher cases at the pier was to be dealt with that night he must have the large lighters; the only other alternative was to carry round by the beach road to Anzac. The text of the A.D.M.S.'s message, timed 11 p.m., is as follows:—"Have conferred with the embarkation officer. We concur only possible method of evacuation is by motor lighters or horse boats. It must be done expeditiously as the beach is under fire. Cannot keep wounded longer on shore as stock of medical comforts is getting low."

During the night preparations are in train for the final sweep upwards to Chunuk Bair, at 4.50 a.m. on the 8th. The attack was to be preceded by a heavy artillery bombardment at 4.15 a.m. Over 600 prisoners with several machine guns had been taken during the day, and miles of new territory acquired to give the Anzacs elbow room.