A DARDANELLES HERO'S STORY.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 14 September 1917, Page 1

A DARDANELLES HERO'S STORY.

Acting lieutenant (now lieutenant-Com-mander) Williinn Edward Sanders, has received tha coveted award "in recognition of his conspicuous gallantry, consummate coolness, and skill in command of one of H,M. chips' in action." In ' recognition of his most conspicuous bravery in the course of -the Dardanelles operations the Victoria Cross has also been conferred upon Lance-corporal Walter Richard Parker, U.M.L.1., Boyal Naval Division. Parker, V.C., who lives at Stapleford, Nottingham, with his wife and family, is now in civil employment. He is a powerful man, just over io. He was discharged from' service because fever, which supervened on wounds, rendered him practically blind, though that disability has now passed away. It was a fortnight after landing at Gaba Tepe that he performed ,the deed for which he has been awarded the Y.G. Parker's own story to one cii the 'Yorksliire Post'' correspondents is that a company of marines had gone forward; in the first rush after getting ashore, and had reached about a mile and a-half from the beach when the Turks rallied, cut them ofE, audi almost surrounded them. Supports were not far off, but the enemy, with machine guns .and rifles, commanded the appro&clies -from every point, and it seemed certain death for anyone to . attempt to get through. That situation obtained for nearly a fortnight. The Marines in the gully still held on. They got through messages which showed 'their desperate plight, the most tragic feature of which was that all surgical equipment had given out, nor was anyone capable of attending to the wounded. , THE DEADLY GAP. Parker, who was assisting in hospital, volunteered to try and get through.* Just ahead was. a gap in the side of a trench on which the Turks had a machine gun playing unceasingly night and day. Parker lay for an hour and a-half trying to decide what to do. He noticed that ,at certain intervals there was a pause in the fire of four or five seconds. During the next pause he made a dash, and was through, though two snipers got him in the leg as he went. The next stage was down a 6teep cliif into the gully, where the marines were entrenched. At the bottom of the cliff was a poud. 'Hlo Turks commanded the cliff ' face. Parker dashed down headlong into the pond, remained almost submerged until, assured ho was out of range, then scrambled out, and was hauled into his comrades' uandi. Nearly a hundred wounded owed Y.dcouie relief that day to Parker's dai'ing and resource. A few days later, during a general attack, the company was able to cut its way back, but- fewer than 30 got through safely. Parker was again wounded fiva times in this operation, and when picked up and carried in, it w;ia found that he had even given up his field dressing, and in his own need was helpless.