LANDING AT GALLIPOLI.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2488, 15 June 1915, Page 6

LANDING AT GALLIPOLI.

1 "ADVENTURE" UNPRECEDENTED CENERAL HAMILTON'S FINAL messace to his men. By Telograph.—Press Association. Auckland, Juno 14. A warning of the difficulties confront- ! ing them and a final exhortation to tho forces under his command were contained in a special order issued by General Sir lan Hamilton, Commanding the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, on April 21, four days before landing on Gallipoli Peninsula. A copy of the order was received in Auckland by today's mail. Its text is a 6 follows:— "Soldiers of France and of the King ' 'Before us lies an adventure unprecedented in modern war. Together with our comrades of the Fleet we are about to force a lauding upon ail open beach in the face of positions which have been vaunted by our enemies as impregnable. The landing will be made good by the help of God and the Navy; the positions will be stormed and the war brought one step nearer to a gloriovs close. 'Remember,' said Lord Kitchener when bidding adieu to your commander, 'remember, once you set foot upon the Gallipoli Peninsula you must fight the thing through to a finish.' The whole world will be watching our progress. Let us prove ourselves worthy of the great feat of arms entrusted to us.— (Sgd.) lan Hamilton, General." SOLDIER'S STORY OF THE LANDINC. AUSTRALIANS' MAGNIFICENT CHARGE. Auckland, June 14. The landing of a section of the New Zealand Infantry at Gaba Tepe was witnessed by Driver R. A. Steele, of the Divisional Signal Company, from the deck of a transport. During tho return voyage to Alexandria Driver Steele wrote the following description,. which ariived here to-day:—"The Australians landed first about 2 a.m. on Sunday, April 25—a great day in our history. They were rowed ashore in small boats by the Navy and jumped into the water, waist deep, fixed bayonets, and made a magnificent charge on the Turks, driving them hard up the steep cliffs. The Australians are tie boys to fight. Real Britons. Our ship reached the scene of action about 8.a.m., with the whole of, the Auckland Infantry Battalion, and half the Canterbury Battalion, the Divisional Headquarters and our' Signalling Company. Our ship was the flag ship—hence the headquarters being on boaid. Our infantry landed about 9.30 a.m. The 3rd Auckland and the 16th Waikato Companies reinforced the Australians on the left flank, and I regret to say experienced terrible fighting, resulting in heavy casualties: The Signalling Company landed with the infantry, and was statioued on tho beach. Wo drivers had to remain _on board in charge of our horses, it being impossible to land horses and transports. We were anchored just off the shore among other troopships and battleships, the latter, 16 m all,, besides seven destroyers, and in the midst of the enemy's Driver Steele states that three hospital ships wore in readiness to receive the wounded and his ship and another troopship were also requisitioned, 'file wounded men began to arrive on Sunday evening. All tho lifeboats wero sent lo the beaches for the wounded, and wore continually engaged in taking men off during that night and all next day. On Tuesday morning two troopships, both full of wounded, left for Alexandria, arriving there on Thursday, April 2.9. Describing tho scene of the landing;, Driver Steele wrote: "The country is very rough and stoep. Parts of it are thick with scrub waist high in which tho Turks have scattered a hugo number of snipers. They seemed to be everywhere and shot down our officers fast." Of course, during tho time of our landing all our battleships wore bombarding the coast and the Turkish forts, doing great damage. Our boys are doing well now, and making good progress. The British Tommies landed further down the coast, with no opposition until they got well inland, and when ws left the sc-at of action they were in touch with our boys and giving the Turks hell between them."