It looked as if it would be impossible to ascend the high hills above the beach, and the first boatload to attempt a landing from their ship was wiped out completely. Six men were drowned through the next boat capsizing, but after that they managed to land without much difficulty.
The beach was strongly held by the Turks with machine guns, but when the New Zealand and Australian troopers charged with the bayonet they turned tail and ran for cover amongst the hills.
While Fred was talking to a sergeant a shot from the enemy cut through the strap of his water bottle, and a second shot killed the sergeant outright.
According to the testimony of these two troopers the Turks committed some awful atrocities and mutilated the wounded terribly, besides trying many clever ruses to entrap their enemies by false bugle calls, etc., but the latter soon learned to disregard them.
Referring to the ambulance men the writers declare that ''they deserve more honour than all the rest put together. They have been working night and day under fire the whole time The Turks are a dirty lot. One of our Red Cross men found a wounded one and, after dressing his wounds, turned his back for a moment to call a stretcher party, when the Turk killed him.''
Referring generally to the valorous charges of the Australasian forces at Gaba Tepe, in which their division captured a hill frontage of about two miles long inside of 20 minutes, naval officers who witnessed it all declared that nothing like it had ever been witnessed before. Meanwhile 12 big warships were all firing as fast as they could load their big guns, and these two Port Chalmers boys declare ''they made enough noise to do one for a lifetime.''
A New Zealand medical officer, who is at the front, writes from ''somewhere in France'' on May 26: - Yesterday I saw for the first time a large number of recently ''gassed'' Tommies - large ward full of them on stretchers, and many more in hospital square under the trees. This war is the very devil, and there is no recourse for the British Empire other than the arming of every man able to carry arms. Out here we want men, men, and always more men, guns, big, in ever-increasing numbers, and men trained to handle them well, and apparatus in vast quantity. All this takes time. Meanwhile, the Germans have to be held, and appalling casualties made good.
• Geraldine was in darkness on Saturday evening, the municipal gas supply giving out about 6 o'clock owing to the non-arrival of a supply of carbide (states the Timaru Post). Tradespeople and householders had to light their shops and dwellings with kerosene lamps and candles, and, needless to say, this caused much inconvenience and loud complaints. A supply of carbide arrived late in the evening, and the gas was available as usual on Sunday evening.
• The mildness of the climate at Featherston is exemplified by the ripening of a continuous crop of raspberries (says the Wairarapa Times). In a garden in the town a bed of raspberry canes is still bearing fruit, and yet they have had no special attention; in fact, they have not had the ordinary attention that a fruitgrower would have given; therefore the result is due to Nature alone. Strawberry crops in Masterton are also bearing fruit.- ODT, 17.7.1915.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
