OUR GALLANT MEN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2591, 13 October 1915, Page 6

OUR GALLANT MEN

TRIBUTE FROM GENERAL GODLEY

An interesting letter from General Sir Alexander Godley, dated Anzac, August 14, and describing some of tho fighting that occurred on Gallipoli between August G and 12, has been received by the Hon. James Allen, Minister of Defencc. Extracts from this were read in the House last' night by Mr. Allen.

"Both our brigades covcrcd themselves with glory," says the N«S'w Zea-' land Commander, "and really to a great extent bore tho brunt of tho battle, and to the greatest extent wero responsible for our success as far as it went. Our Mounted Rifles Brigade formed ihc covering force and cleared the front for the advance of the assaulting columns 011 tho night of the 6th. On the nigut of the 7t'li our Infantry Brigade gaiaed a footing on the ridge, and held it throughout the Bth and 9th, when completely oxhausted they had to bo relieved on tho night of the !)tli by troops: of tho new armies, who unfortunately lost it 011 tho morning of tho 10th. I cannot speak too highly of the conduct of officers and inen, and am desperately grieved that they should have suffered such heavy casualties. Lieut.-Colone! Bauchop was desperately and I am afraid mortally wounded while most gallantly loading his mon to the assault on the night of tho Gtli under the most extraordinarily difficult conditions, and in a country where nothing but the most gallant troops could possibly havo succecded. I saw him after he was brought down, and. though he was hardly conscious, all he said was, "I hope we did what you wanted," and "It was glorious while it lasted." Lieut.-Colonei Malone similarly was killed at. the head of his talion at tho very top of the ridge overlooking the Dardanelles, and is buried in a Turkish fort, which only a leader of most exceptional valour and courage could have captured.. I can imagine no more fitting resting-placo for such a gallant soul. Colonel Findlay and Major Overton, of tho Canterbury Mounted Rifles, also Colonel Chapman, of Auckland M.R., fell in the most gallant manner, and both Mooro and Moir, of tho Otago Battalion, wero splendid in the way they led their men.

"The last lot of Reinforcements .(the Fifth) arrived wliile the fight was actually in progress. As tliey arrived to join the brigade they ivero at once dispatched to capture a Turkish trench, which they did most gallantly, and without the slightest hesitation, and held it to the end of the battle. They were Auckland men.

"The Maoris were heavily engaged, and fought as I expected they would, in a manner fully worthy of the traditions of their race."