THE NEW ZEALANDERS AT THE DARDANELLES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3987, 21 July 1915, Page 3

THE NEW ZEALANDERS AT THE DARDANELLES.

(By Malcolm Ross, Official War Corresjxmdent with the N.Z. Forces.) | ‘24th May. i Every account that comes t-o hand from the Peninsula of Gallipoli in- ; creases one’s admiration of th.e splendid bravery and fighting quality of our troops. Already they have had great, variety of fighting. The landing on an open beach in the face of shrapnel, machine gun, and rifle fire began a glorious day’s work. Since then they liavc had lighting in the' open, entrenching, outpost work, patrol work, and bayonet charges; and, through it all, they have been, absolutely self-supporting. They have not simply moved into trenches faced with barbed wire entanglements already built for them. They have had to do their own digging-in, except when they drove the Turks out of' their trenches at the point of the bayonet. And they have done all this on new ground and on ground of the most difficult description to fight . over. A German officer of the better j class who was taken prisoner and who is now here is amazed at the fighting qualities of the Australian and New ; Zealand troops. He says the German officers-cannot got. over it. They re-j gartl it as a miracle that a-danding , should have been successfully made in i the face of sigh tremendous odds. Indeed. they thought the place to bo ■ absolutely impregnable. No greater j tribute than this to the valor of our j troops could be obtained. From ! other sources I learn that on several occasions wounded men sent out of the firing line found their way back into it and bad once more to be sent back, so keen were they for fighting. Indeed. that happened often. This spirit was in accordance with the Maori motto of one regiment: "Ake, ako, kai kaha” ("Wo will fight for ever and ever”), and the 'French motto oF another, "Pour Devoir,” which some of our men freely translate into "lad, ’em all come.” The Australians went in- at first shouting the name of their native land; but, later when they were driving the Turks out of their trenches their battle cry was "Jmshi!” an Arabic word much used in Cairo to inferiors when you want them to go away. The Australian translates it, "Get out!” and "get out” it was for. the Turks and the Germans on those first days of hard fighting. And so, from latest news, it is still.