The Fifth Battalion Highland Light Infantry in the War 1914-1918 | Page 4

liners
to trawlers, all safely at anchor in this wonderful natural harbour. Now
picks, shovels, rations and extra ammunition were issued, and in the
afternoon of the next day the destroyer Racoon took off Brigade and
Regimental Headquarters with A and B companies, followed by the
sweeper Whitby Abbey, with C and D companies under Major Jowitt.
Singing and cheering we passed down the long line of shipping to the
harbour mouth, then into darkness and silence, bound at last to meet the
enemy.
CHAPTER II
GALLIPOLI--TO 11TH JULY, 1915.
The main objects the Allies had in view in their operations at Gallipoli
may be briefly stated:
1. To relieve the pressure on the Russians in the Caucasus by forcing
the Turks to withdraw troops to the new front.
2. To open the Black Sea to allied shipping by forcing the passage of
the Dardanelles.
3. By striking a blow towards Constantinople to compel the Turks to
abandon their attacks on Egypt.
In Southern Russia there were immense stocks of wheat of which
Western Europe was in need. If the operations were successful this
wheat could be shipped from Odessa, and in exchange the Russians
would receive munitions for the heroic fight they were putting up
against Germany and Austria between the Baltic and the Carpathians.
Those of us who served at Gallipoli had not always these great issues
before us. We were content to know that we were fighting the Turk
who had basely sold himself to the Central Powers, and were upholding
the Cross, like Crusaders of old, in its long struggle with the Crescent.
The evening of 2nd July was fine, with a fresh easterly breeze, and

though the troops on the deck of the Racoon were packed like sardines
the passage was a pleasant one. As we neared our destination artillery
were at work on Achi Baba, and the flashes of the explosion followed
by the dull boom of the guns were--to most of us--our first glimpse of
actual warfare.
[Illustration: CAPE HELLES, GALLIPOLI.]
Arriving off Cape Helles in semi-darkness about 8 p.m., the Racoon
slowed down and felt her way cautiously to the landing place at
Sedd-el-Bahr, better known as "V" Beach, where she brought up
alongside the River Clyde. The pontoons connecting that historic hulk
with the shore had been much damaged the previous day by the
enemy's big shells from Asia.
In disembarking we had to clamber up an accommodation ladder to the
River Clyde, follow a devious path through her battered interior,
descend a gangway from the bow, and pick our way ashore over a
miscellaneous assortment of half-sunken pontoons, boats and
planks--no easy task in the dark for a man laden with rifle, pick or
shovel, pack, blanket, ground-sheet, and 150 rounds of ammunition.
About 9.30 p.m. as the first men were quitting the Racoon, a message
was passed back that the O.C. troops was urgently wanted on shore.
When he had triumphed over the difficulties of the obstacle course and
reached the roadway at the pier-head, the C.O. found an officer of the
Divisional Staff awaiting him.
The S.O. was a little excited and the instructions he gave were not so
clear as one could have desired. The patch on which we were forming
up was a favourite target for the enemy's shells from Asia. They were
in the habit of devoting special attention to it on nights when they
thought troops were being landed. We were to proceed to No. 1
area--wherever that might be. A guide would accompany each party
and an officer of the Divisional Staff would be with the first party. We
must move in absolute silence; no lights or smoking. We would be
exposed to shell-fire whenever we passed the crest of the rise from the
beach, where we ought to adopt an extended formation. At our

destination we would find some trenches, but not sufficient to
accommodate the whole Battalion, and it was up to us to lose no time
in digging ourselves in.
The C.O. was hustled off with two platoons of "A" Company before
these were properly landed. Where we were bound for and exactly what
we were to do when we got there, none of us knew, except presumably
the Staff Officer who accompanied us and perhaps the N.C.O. who
acted as guide. But subsequent happenings proved that they were
almost as ignorant on these points as ourselves.
Winding up a steepish rise through a region which seemed crowded
with dug-outs and piles of stores, we gained the crest where we had
been urged to extend. It was pitch dark, with a steadily increasing
drizzle of rain and an occasional rumble of thunder. In front there were
as yet no indications of shell-fire, only an intermittent crackle of distant
musketry.
So far as