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  #16  
Old 20-02-11, 06:49 AM
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atillathenunns atillathenunns is offline
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Private Walter Henwood, Service No. 64507, 34th Reinforcements Specialist Company. Embarkation Date: 8 February 1918.
Private Henwood is wearing NZ crossed machine gun (Stubby) barrel cap and collar badges. On his shoulder he is wearing the number 34 over a NZMGS shoulder title.




Example of a NZ crossed machine gun (Stubby) barrel cap and collar badge.



Second Lieutenant Claude Montefiore Samuel, Service No. 41998, 34th Reinforcements Specialist Company. Embarkation Date: 8 February 1918
Died of disease as a prisoner of war in Germany, September 1918.
Lieutenant Samuel is wearing a 3rd Pattern Specialists cap badge and stubby crossed machine gun barrel collar badges. In the second photo, he is wearing NZ made NZMGC shoulder titles.




Example of a NZMGC shoulder title.



Example of a New Zealand MachineGun Corps cap and collar badge.
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  #17  
Old 20-02-11, 04:14 PM
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Many Thanks for posting the pictures, Brent. A marvellous record.
Cheers, Tinto
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  #18  
Old 20-02-11, 05:23 PM
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Hi again, Brent,
You may have seen this extract from a machine gunner's Army records.
Cheers, Tinto
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  #19  
Old 21-02-11, 07:07 AM
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Thanks Tinto, very interesting document
Can you confim the date ?/?/16 and who the person is?
Cheers
Brent
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  #20  
Old 21-02-11, 08:01 AM
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Hi Brent,
Chap was 11/195 W.O.2 T. Stubbs. I don't have the actual record. The date --/--/16 would be the date of entry by the clerk on his service record. Actual date he went to Gallipoli would be earlier. His medals are being auctioned on TM at the moment.
Cheers, Tinto
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  #21  
Old 21-02-11, 04:31 PM
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Default Many questions

This thread produces, for me anyway, many questions. Perhaps someone could help with the answers.

Did a batch of Reinforcements, say 22nd Reinforcements. include all branches of the army? Would there be infantry, machine gunners, signallers, mounted rifles,artillery etc? All called 22nd Reinforcements.

Did every company have a different hat badge? I've seen one for instance with J8 in the centre - which I take to be J company 8th Reinforcements. Are there 9 other companies A to I with different badges- are these all infantry?

And finally how many Reinforcements were there?

Many thanks,
Alan.
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  #22  
Old 23-02-11, 10:28 AM
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Cheers Tinto, very interesting.

Alan, the New Zealand WW1 Reinforcements and their badges is a vast subject.
The following links will help explain most of your questions.
http://www.militarianz.freeforums.or...ase-t1837.html
http://www.militarianz.freeforums.or...ase-t1797.html

The 40th, 41st, 42nd, and 43rd Mounted Rifle reinforcements embarked on the 11th October 1918, and were at sea when the war ended.
The 44th and 45th reinforcements were supposed to have embarked just before the war ended, but were held back on account of the influenza epidemic. (Their transports were used to carry cargo instead)
The last reinforcements to enter camp were the 51st Reinforcements.
However men who were to make up the 52nd, 53rd and 54th Reinforcements had received their call up papers and dates of which they had to report at camp.
Interestingly, on the 9th November 1918, Colonel H. R. Potter, Commandant of Trentham Camp, approved temporary appointments of Probationary NCOs to the 54th Reinforcements.

Men in Reinforcement Camps, 18th October 1918 = 12648
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  #23  
Old 23-02-11, 01:59 PM
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Hi Atillathenunns,
Very many thanks for the links to the forum databases. It looks as though I have my work cut out for some time to come looking through that information.
But it will be time well spent. Thank you.
All the best.
Alan.
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  #24  
Old 25-02-11, 11:43 PM
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Hi Alan, I have quite a bit more information to add to the two forum databases, I just need to find the time to do it.
Myself and a few other forum members are currently collecting information on a new project covering early reinforcement badges, Registered Designs and camp jewellers.
As for the Specialist NZMG Section, I have a few more pieces of information to post, after that I will do a post on the specialist badges worn by the Specialist Signal Section. (Hopefully I will get time this weekend to do it)

Brent
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  #25  
Old 09-03-11, 05:01 PM
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From the records of Ernest Duncan McRae 9/377 ,a main body man ;who served on Gallipoli,and later the Western Front .He served for the duration of the war and again as a Major in the Home Gaurd in WW2.


He is quoted in the Kippenburger Military archives,on his time on Gallipoli


''Machine guns were very reliable''."The maxim gun was heavy but dependable..........had to be kept right..........looked after like a baby,oiling ,cleaning ,dismantling and putting back together,determined guns wouldn't let them down''


The other picture is a NZMGS sweatheart badge,silver with a gold overlay.
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File Type: jpg NZMGS Sweetheart.jpg (46.1 KB, 13 views)
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  #26  
Old 16-03-11, 01:48 AM
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Hello Brent,
Fantastic thread, and I have enjoyed the read and info provided.
Just attached is a picture of the William Bock manufactured NZMGS title and also a variation in frame type on the 3rd Specialist Cap Badge (pictured on the right against the version already mentioned/photo'ed).
Please continue the great work...

Rgds
James..
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File Type: jpg sd 024.jpg (33.4 KB, 33 views)
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  #27  
Old 16-03-11, 11:28 AM
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It is unfortunate that the New Zealand Machine Gun Sections heroic service at Gallipoli is not included in the Official History of the New Zealand Machine Gun Corps (With the Machine Gunners in France and Palestine, by Major J. H. Luxford)
http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH1-Mach.html
Instead the history of the New Zealand Machine Gun Sections actions at Gallipoli is fragmented within a number of NZ Regimental and Gallipoli Official History books.
(If there is enough interest, I will post a short history of the NZ Machine gunners 1889 – 1915)

It may be of interest that the NZ Machine gunners that served in the Gallipoli campaign were frequently referred to as the “Suicide Club” due to their heavy losses. (Reinforcements who volunteered for the NZMGS Specialist Company were sometimes referred to as joining the “Suicide Corps.”)

It is also worth mentioning that when the NZ Machine gunners landed at Gallipoli, they were at the time, the best-trained machine gunners in the British Empire and were commanded by unquestionably the greatest machine gun expert in the world.

The New Zealand Machine Gun Sections of the Main Body NZEF embarked from New Zealand with their Regiments on the 16th October 1914, disembarking at Suez on the 3rd December 1914. Shortly after their arrival in Egypt the NZ Machine Gun Sections in January 1915 were brigaded together under the command of Captain Jesse Albert Wallingford of the NZ Staff Corps (Embarked as Assistant Adjutant, Headquarters, Auckland Infantry Battalion) who was appointed NZ Brigade Machine Gun Officer.

Captain J. M. Rose NZ Staff Corps (Assistant Adjutant, Headquarters, Wellington Infantry Battalion) was appointed Assistant NZ Brigade Machine Gun Officer.
Captain P. B. Henderson NZ Staff Corps (Assistant Adjutant, Headquarters, Canterbury Infantry Battalion) was appointed Mounted Brigade Machine Gun Officer.
(When the 4th Australian Infantry Brigade under Colonel John Monash arrived in Egypt, Captain Rose was appointed Machine Gun Officer of the 4th Australian Infantry Brigade)

The New Zealand Machine Gun Brigade was instrumental in holding the ANZAC line, and stopping the Turks from pushing the Anzac’s into the sea. One of its greatest successes that would make the British newspapers was the repulsing of a massed Turkish counter attack on the morning of the 10th August 1915 where their well-sited guns killed an estimated 5000 Turks in 30 minutes.
A New Zealand staff officer, describing the fight, said the Turks came down in thousands and went back in hundreds

It is quite possible that the New Zealand Machine Gun Brigade was the biggest inspiration behind the proposal put to the British War Office on the 2nd September 1915 for the formation of a single specialist Machine Gun Company.
The King approved the Machine Gun Corps on the 6th October 1915. (Royal Warrant dated 14th October 1915 and also included in Army Orders Number 413 & 414 also dated 14th October 1915)

What can be said for certain is that the Machine Gun Corps and the NZ Machine Gun Corps later adopted the tactics employed by Captain Wallingford at Gallipoli. (Such as the massed overhead machine gun barrage)

Captain J. A. Wallingford (JAW) was six times the rifle champion of the British Empire, twice revolver champion, and five times he was second in the revolver championship. He represented Britain in two international rifle matches, and was invariably the highest individual scorer of all nations.
In 1912 a vote was taken by the National Rifle Association Journal, London, on the question, “Who are the twelve most famous marksmen of our time.” Captain Wallingford was voted No.1.

It is well known that during the Gallipoli campaign when a Turkish sniper proved to be difficult for the ordinary shot to locate or dislodge, it was the custom to send for Captain Wallingford, who would arrive in the trench nearest to the sniper. He would expose himself over the parapet to obtain the snipers exact position, charge his magazine and engage in a rapid fire duel with the sniper (He was able to fire 3 shots to a snipers one)

What is not so commonly known is that every morning at dawn he would steal away from camp with a rifle and a supply of ammunition and was off to “kill his Ottoman before breakfast.” By Wallingford’s own admission he was successful. — “This is the twenty-second day of the fighting and to-day is the first day I have not killed a Turk.”
Without taking the machine gun into account, it was estimated by the end of June 1915 that the number of kills “accounted for no fewer than 700 Turks.”
While 700 sounds like a bit of an exaggeration, it is also mentioned that. — “the Turkish authorities have, it is stated, now offered a substantial reward to the man who can bring back his identity disc.”

Last edited by atillathenunns; 28-04-11 at 01:54 AM.
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  #28  
Old 05-04-11, 11:52 AM
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Default GALLIPOLI

On April 27, two days after the historic landing, General Walker was examining the left flank of the position at Anzac, the ridge which has since been known as Walker's Ridge, when messages began to come down the line, such as “Reinforcements wanted!” “No officers!” “All shot!” and so on. To the ear of a soldier this sort of thing sounded bad; it spelt imminent demoralisation. General Walker sent Captain Wallingford to see what could be done.
Creeping along the ridge to the westward, Captain Wallingford came across about a hundred men, chiefly Australians, with a sprinkling of New Zealanders. They were lying on the ground, mostly with their heads under cover and their bodies exposed to the attentions of a Turkish sniper opposite, who was getting a hit with almost every shot. To all intents and purposes they were out of action, and as they had been at it under constant fire, since dawn on the 26th, it was no wonder.
As luck would have it, just as Captain Wallingford arrived a Turkish sniper moved on to the opposite slope, only about 250 yards off. The Bisley marksman could scarcely miss; the Turk was bowled over with a single shot. But this was only the beginning. The order was constantly being passed from the cover of the scrub “Doctor wanted!” “Pass the word for stretcher-bearers!” and similar appeals for succour. Obviously this was impossible. It was only inviting the bearers and doctors to be shot and further demoralising the survivors, who had been in a desperate position for a couple of days.
Captain Wallingford peremptorily stopped the orders by threatening to shoot the next man who called out anything, and telling the wounded they must lie still where they had been shot, as the doctors had their hands full down the hillside. “I am positive myself,” he said, “that these, orders came from Germans who were in our ranks. An hour or two after I arrived a bounder in khaki came running down from the bushes shouting, retire boys, the Turks are charging! I called out to shoot him, as he was a German, but whether he was shot of course I do not know.”
It was rather a problem! What to do. If the men were kept inactive in their position they would undoubtedly begin to drop off one by one down the hillside. If the Turks charged the chances were they would bolt, for the strain on their nerves for two days past and the helplessness of their position had probably undermined their courage.
Captain Wallingford decided that the best thing would be to charge with the bayonet and clear their front. But having decided this much, he admits candidly that a tug of war commenced in his own mind. He could not make up his mind to get up and start, for after all they were more or less under cover on the ground. All sorts of arguments passed through his mind.
“I said to myself, it is almost thirty years now that you have been kept by the State. Now then, pay the price! Then I thought to myself that I was a coward, but that didn't get me up. Then I thought of what my boys would think of me, and I was up like a shot calling the men to charge.
I don't know how many came after me, but I know there were some. I had only advanced twenty or thirty yards through the scrub when I was astonished to come across two of my own guns with the kit lying all round them and the gun crews stretched out on the ground dead or wounded.
But there was one gallant boy trying in a half-dazed manner to rectify the gun. I immediately dropped down, and was glad enough to do so, I told the boy to get some water from the dead men's water-bottles and some oil out of the bushes where it was. We oiled the gun up well, filled the water vessel, readjusted the ammunition, loosened the fuse spring, and she was ready. The boy then reported that the Turks were coming out of a trench on the opposite side of the ravine, as if they intended to advance on us.
I waited until there were eleven of them, and then let them have it. They got back and tried to kid us on to make a mark for their snipers. They tried round our left flank and our right flank, and twice more tried to advance on us frontally. Each time they were cut down by the machine-gun, which was going splendidly. From time to time they would run along the top of their trench, hoping to draw our fire, and then drop down suddenly out of sight, but when several of them had been bowled over with a rifle they got tired of this.
The renewed activity of the Maxim seems to have attracted the attention of our own men in the rear, and they began to filter forward one by one, until at 5 p.m. there were enough men to man both guns and to place the necessary flank guards.”
About 6.30 p.m. Captain Wallingford was able to leave the post thoroughly re-established, and to return to the rear. He recovered his equipment and received a slight abrasion in the ribs from a ricochet bullet, and finally encountered the Wellington Regiment advancing under Colonel Malone.

The “boy” referred to was Allan Henry Preston MC, a native of Manchester, but came to New Zealand in 1910, and worked in the Gisborne district until 1914. He was in Hawke's Bay when the war broke out, enlisting with the Main Body, B Company, and was attached to the 9th Hawke's Bay Regiment in the machine section. Ten days after the 27th April battle, Preston was granted a field commission. (Killed in action 7 June 1917)

The officer who commanded the two machine guns, which had been cut off in the advance, was Lieutenant Wilson of Wellington, who along with all the non-coms of the machine-gun section were killed on the first day. For five weeks, Wilson’s body and those of his section lay in the open under continuous fire, until the armistice in May enabled the New Zealanders to give them the burial they deserved.

Another of Wallingford's machine-gunners to receive a commission in July 1915 was 2nd Lieutenant A. T. Atkins who was given a commission in the Imperial Army, being posted to the Middlesex Regiment. (Later he was transferred to the Machine-Gun Corps and was ordered to Mesopotamia)

The award of the Military Cross to Captain Wallingford, (Service No. 12/1125) was published in the London Gazette on the 3rd June 1915. The Citation was published on the 3rd July 1915, and reads as follows. —
“On 25 and 26 April, 1915, during operations near Gaba Tepe, for exceptionally good service with the New Zealand Brigade machine gun and sharpshooters, and for conspicuous coolness and resource on several critical occasions.

By the end of June 1915, Captain Wallingford had been admitted to No.2 Australia General Hospital at Ghezireh Palace in Cairo, with “Post Influenza Cardiac Insufficiency.”
However after a weeks rest Captain Wallingford was pronounced ‘recovered’ and sent back to the front.

The following extract is from a letter written by Wallingford to his wife Alice (Possibly written at Ghezireh)
“I had a decent scrap two days ago, and. was buried with two guns, a sand-bag parapet, and all the gunners. Three shells got home on us, but nobody was hurt. It was laughable, and we were into it again in half-an-hour. I just gave my orders, and walked out as if it was spring-cleaning. I went to two more guns and there got a graze on the forehead. A nice little scrap. I have had a very good bag up to date, both with rifle and Maxim.”

The following clippings are from the London Daily Express, dated 16th July 1915.

“SONS OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS.
WHAT NEW ZEALAND HAS DONE FOR THE EMPIRE.
GREAT RECORD”


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  #29  
Old 05-04-11, 11:55 AM
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Default THE BATTLE OF CHUNUK BAIR.

Historian Christopher Pugsley mentions the following in his excellent book “Gallipoli, The New Zealand Story” on page 21. —
“This story has passed into legend and has become a myth of Gallipoli subscribed to both by C.E.W. Bean and John North in their major works on the campaign. Failure and the suspicion of blame broke the surviving New Zealanders’ spirits. They saw the dead blamed and the mediocre and incompetent praised.
One New Zealander, Cyril Bassett, was awarded a justly earned VC, the first awarded to a New Zealander in this war. Seven were awarded to the Australian Division for the Battle at Lone Pine. Today Lone Pine has a familiar ring in both Australia and New Zealand. Chunuk Bair was all but forgotten, until revived by Maurice Shadbolt’s play ‘Once On Chunuk Bair.’
But after August men spoke of the VCs that should have been awarded. ‘Richard Warden, the great scout of the Auckland Battalion, killed on Chunuk Bair — the Unknown Soldier who was the heart and soul of the Wellington forward trench on Chunuk; Major Wallingford M.C., the hero of ANZAC and Fielden Taylor, the chaplain.”

Richard Warden was a famous Australian Scout and was in Fiji when the war broke out, and although he was in the reserve of officers of Australia he went to Samoa as a private in the New Zealand contingent, and afterwards joined the main body in New Zealand. Warden was a member of the Auckland Machine Gun Section and for some time it was impossible to recover his body. Finally, in a half starlight night, a chaplain, “Captain Wallingford and some volunteers from the gun team nearest, crept out and furtively dug a grave, and with the simplest service the finest of scouts was laid to rest.”

The Capture of Chunuk Bair was assigned to the Auckland Infantry Regiment who from the Apex had a distance of some 500+ metres of exposed terrain to cover with the Turks occupying the high ground to the front and both sides (Zero hour 11am 7th August).
Captain Wallingford had earlier placed his guns so as to protect the right flank, after which he climbed to the Apex to see the Brigade Staff just as the Auckland Regiment was getting ready to make the assault. Lieutenant Colonel Young commanding the Auckland Regiment requested more time to bring all the brigade’s machine guns forward to the Apex to cover the attack. Brigadier Johnston who was unfit to command, insisted that the attack be launched on time.

Captain Wallingford was probably the last person to speak to Major Sam Grant NZSC, (arrived with the 4th Reinforcements) who led the Auckland attack with the 6th Hauraki company. —
“Look here Wallingford, we have to charge that hill, can you do anything for us?”
Wallingford replied that “I could if I was given time to bring up the guns. At that moment the brigadier gave the order to get away. There was a bit of a pause for someone to give the lead. I stood fascinated because I knew it meant slaughter to step over that apex. Then all at once I saw Major Grant step out. He called to his men, and away they went like a pack of Wolves breaking cover. It was awful watching one's friends and all the splendid fellows going to their death and knowing that if I only had the guns I could silence the Turks in a few minutes.”

With the Auckland Regiment shot to bits, the Wellington Infantry Regiment under the command of one of New Zealands best officers was next in line to make the Assault on Chunuk Bair (Zero hour 3am 8th August).
In support of the Wellington attack Wallingford lined 12 Machine guns of the brigade on the crest of the Apex and the slopes of Cheshire Ridge.

The capture of Chunuk Bair had been a prime objective for the allied forces since the day of the landings on the 25th April 1915. In the early morning darkness on the 8th August 1915, the fearless Lt Colonel William George Malone and his Wellington Regiment captured Chunuk Bair.

No sooner had the Wellington’s crowned the ridge, where they could plainly be seen against the skyline in the breaking dawn, Wallingford rushed his four best gun teams forward to their assistance.
In the early morning daylight, taking the same route as the Auckland and Wellington regiments, weighted with equipment and ammunition, the machine gunners made their way up to Chunuk Bair ridge. Only two of the four gun teams survived the journey, and each of these teams were missing men that carried key components of their guns. As the guns were not complete, the two guns were put together and worked as one.
(Unfortunately I have been unable to find any information regarding the two guns that had been lost earlier in the morning. It is possible they may have been recovered by reinforcements that followed behind them later in the day)

Captain Wallingford records that in total 7 NZ Maxim machine guns and crews were sent to the top of Chunuk Bair. I can only speculate that 3 Maxims were sent with the Wellington Mounted Rifles (193 men) and Otago Infantry regiment (around 400 men) when they set out from the Apex at 8pm on the 8th August to reinforce the Wellington regiment on Chunuk Bair ridge.

Of the 760 of the Wellington Infantry regiment who had captured the height that morning, only around 70 unwounded or slightly wounded men were left holding the ridge when the Otago’s infantry and Wellington mounted rifles arrived. Instead of reinforcing the worn out Wellington Infantry, the survivors were relieved from their post and sent back down the hill.

Captain Wallingford is quoted as saying. —
“It was a deadly corner, enfiladed and battered from all sides, and one after another the guns were knocked out and the crews killed or injured. The bravest of all were the Maori team, all of whom were laid out.”

In a letter sent by Captain Wallingford to Dr Maui Pomare, who was the Chairman of the Maori Recruiting Board
responsible for recruiting the Maori Battalion, Captain Wallingford states. —

“As regards the Maoris, two of the machine-guns under my command were manned by them. On August 8th, one of them lost in less than twenty minutes, nine men out of sixteen, and still they fought on. I have seen them lie in the open at the foot of Chunuk Bair, mixed with Ghurkas, for two days and nights, when at least thirty per cent. were either killed or wounded. On sentry at night, when the safety of the army depended on their vigilance, at general fatigue work, and in the digging of trenches—in fact I have seen them under all conditions of warfare, except the actual charge, and I am satisfied that better troops do not exist in all the world.”

At 8pm on the 9th August 1915, the 6th Loyal North Lancashire’s began relieving the New Zealanders on Chunuk Bair.
At 2am on the 10th August, the 5th Wiltshires were led up to the summit to join the 6th Loyal North Lancashires. The New Zealand Machine guns were left in position on the ridge, several NZ scouts also remained to assist the British Battalions.
The defence of Chunuk Bair had cost the Otagos 17 officers and 309 men. The Wellington Mounteds had 73 left out of 193.

Historian Christopher Pugsley mentions the following in his excellent book “Gallipoli, The New Zealand Story” on page 309. —
“Any determined defence might have held, but the 6th Loyal North Lancashires did not resist but broke and ran, as did the Wiltshires below them. Only the few New Zealanders forward showed any fight. Panic spread and the Leinsters at the Pinnacle also fled. Kemal’s counter-attack threatened the entire line.
Wallingfords’s NZ machine guns were still on the Apex. Dan Curham’s gun had been cleaned and Curham was test firing it.
I was firing not up the hill where our fellows had gone, but to Hill Q, an adjoining hill that was connected by a ridge and you could see the dust where the bullets hit and it was tat! tat! tat!… until I knew the gun was in good order and I was still fingering it and looking at the hill and I saw a most amazing site. A great mass of Turks coming over the hill… I had my gun trained on the very spot and all I had to do was press the trigger and, of course, they fell all over the place.”

The Turks had chased the British Forces off Chunuk Bair, panic spread quickly and men ran down the track from the line.

In the early dawn of the 10th August, when the Apex was about to give way, the NZ machine gun lads fixed bayonets, and gathering round in a circle said; We'll stick to you Captain.
Leading the NZ machine gunners, Captain Wallingford with his pistol in hand, firing at those that fled managed to rally the fleeing troops turning them back to hold the Apex.

During the four days of the August 1915 battle for Chunuk Bair, the New Zealand machine-gun sections worked twenty-four hours round the clock, providing support and rushing to whatever point of the line was threatened. Captain Wallingford is quoted as having lost 64 per cent of his officers and men during this period.

Last edited by atillathenunns; 28-04-11 at 01:58 AM.
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  #30  
Old 05-04-11, 09:14 PM
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Stirring stuff, Brent!
Very appropriate with Anzac Day (25th April) coming up.
Thanks for the postings.
Cheers, Tinto
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