THE ATTACK AT ANZAC

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2621, 17 November 1915, Page 7

THE ATTACK AT ANZAC

VIVID ACCOUNT CHAPLAIN. SULLIVAN'S STORY A. description of the landing-of _ tho New Zealand troops at Auzac was given last night by Chaplain Captain Sullivan, who returned with the first batch of wounded, as a wounded soldier. Chaplain Captain Sullivan went into act-ion on the day of the lauding as a private. He was wounded the same day, and came away as a corporal.

Chaplain Captain Sullivan's address was under three headings—the concentration at Mudros, Lemnos Island, the departure and arrival at Anzac, and the attack commencing at 4 a.m- and ending at 6 p.m. Ho paid a high tribute to the training of the troop, and said that our army stood second to none in the armies of the world. The concentration and training, the hard abstemious living of the men preparatory to the attaok, was vividly described, and the speaker painted a moving picture of the concentration at Aludros Harbour, where for fourteen days tho New Zealonders practised tho attack that was to come later. The .cosmopolitan nature of the craft in tho 'harbour was doalt with —there were said to be sixty

transports and forty warslrips in the harbour.' In tho early stages of the undertaking they did not realise tho task they were to undertake. Before t'hey set out for that attack messages wore issued to them from the various generals. The last was that from Lord Kitchener to Sir lan Hamilton when he left England. It said: "Onco you sot foot on Turkish soil you must fight to a finish," ".And they are set firmly to-day," said Chaplain Sullivan, "and to a finish, noble, complete, and final." He believed that the red dawn of victory was coming up to-day.

. On April 23 the last proclamation was issued by Sir lan Hamilton. The main part said: "There must be no pillaging, no maltreating of the invaded people ; property must not be harmed, and above all the'"' religion of the invaded race must be respected." 'What a contrast to tho method of the Hun. When the history of the war was written the honour and integrity of. the British race was going to be tho one redeeming fear ture in that sad, sad story. The same day battles'hips absolutely crowded with British troops left for the front. Tho New Zealandors envied them. " Thero

was an impression that the land was not sufficiently bombarded befpro the landing, but for five days systematic bopibardment went on. On. the night of the 24th the New Zealanders left. The boys slept that last night—with thoughts so vivid and imagination so clear, still they slept till 4 a.m., when the noises of tho. guns could be heard. At 3 a.m. they were alongside Capo Helles, where the British regulars were to land. *The olifl's were alive with shell. Nothing left ,so sad an impression on them as an upturned boat floating by. At 9 o'clock their transport stopped, and tlio boys were watching that inferno into which they were soon to go.

Most of .them were chewing biscuits and marmalade, for, as one sergeant said, it might be a long time before they would get another decent feed. , He dealt witli the attack made by' the Australians at 1.30 a.m. on Sunday, April 5. The .information he. got from men who were in the same hospital as himself. Fifteen hundred of the landing party went out into tho darkness at*3.3o a.m. No one wavered, for they were the men. of whom heroes were made. Tho men jumped into sft. of water and made for the shore, and were met by tho firo of the Tlirks. When dawn oame the men saw no beach, but bluffs. Someone had blundered, but "thoir's not to reason why," and into the bloody work they rushed. Certainly the Australian, casualties were heavy, but the struggle continued up the hill. The Turk left the first ridge in command of

the Australian, and that was the first victory. He believed that had t'hose troops landed where Sir lan Hamilton intended they would havo been in danger of annihilation from mines. Some xniglit call- it luck, but ho called it the work of God. The mistake made was in attacking more than the first ridge. ■ The New Zealanders wore sent to reinforce- the Australians, and drive back an impending counter-attack. It was a beautiful Sunday morning when they landed. He remembered t'ho words of ah officer to one boatload of troops. Tho men were fearful, for it was tiheir baptism of fire, but tho officer said: "Trust in God,' boys, and all will be'well." The trouble really bogan when tho counter-attack <of the enemy began, a.nd not so much in tho landing, i The landing was not the worst of it.

Describing bow the Australian engineers discovered the enemy mines, he said that'a Mohammedan priest made to fight for Turkey, betrayed the nation. He was taken aboard a hospital ship, where he was given , a special' cabin. . The firing line he described as a long irregular line of men hugging tho earth. Here and there was a dead man, .wWle there a wounded man dragged himself away. He would decribe a firing lino as hell, but there was this difference to tho theologioal hell—once they had been there they wanted to go back aagin. A bayonet charge made men become maniacs, ho said,, and it was little to be wondered at that the

impossible becarno possible in battle; He said that tbe Turks did not commit atrocities when the wounded got into their hands. Of t'hoso missing in the later great fights, ho thought that there was groat hopo of their being prisoners in Tin-key. Facts that he had seen made him realise that God was on out side, said the speaker in conclusion. There was a great mission to the British in tliis war, and ho could 'seo an era of peace and righteousness. (Applause.) Thoro was no causo for pessimism in tho outlook.

A musical programme was given during the' evening, and a collection, was taken tip for the Rose Day Fund.